Hasan al-Basri:

“I saw a people from the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) saying:

‘Whoever acts without knowledge, then that which he corrupts and ruins is greater than that which he sets aright. The one who does deeds without ‘ilm is like a traveller without a path, so seek knowledge with such a seeking that does not harm ‘ibaadah (worship) and seek (to perform) ‘ibaadah such that it does not harm ‘ilm.

And a man from amongst them would seek knowledge until it was readily seen from his khushoo’ (humbleness), his zuhd (asceticism), his speech and sight.”

[Siyar A’laam al-Nubalaa’]

The link between ‘ilm and ‘ibaadah is one that we must all pay close attention to. If our knowledge is not adding to the quality and quantity of our ‘ibaadah, then it should be a cause for concern because the first benefit we receive from ‘ilm is evident in our ‘ibadah.

We ask Allaah for tawfeeq