A Brief Biography of the Author 3
2. A Point of Benefit 5
3. Introduction to the Treatise 7
4. Text of the Treatise 9
5. The Censure of Those who do not Act upon Knowledge, but rather Lean towards its
Opposite, And to the Contrary of what Knowledge Mandates 23
6. The Disapproval of Seeking Knowledge in order to Compete and Debate with Others,
to Fulfill Personal Goals, and to Receive Compensation from it 32
7. The Warning, Threat and Severe Caution against those Who Recite the Qur'aan to
Gain Repute and Fame and Not in Order to Act on it and Gain Reward 35
8. What has been Stated concerning Memorizing Its Letters yet Neglecting its
Commandments 37
9. The Disapproval of Acquiring Knowledge for Other than the Sake of Worship 40
10. The Dislike of Seeking Hadeeth in order to Boast, Hold Gatherings or Gain Followers
And Companions through Narration 42
11. Those who Disliked Learning Grammar (Nahu) Due to what that Breeds from
Arrogance and Pride 48
12. Abiding by the Guarantee Of what will Occur in the Hereafter 50
13. Good Deeds are the Provisions and Useful Supplies on the Day of Final Return 51
14. Taking Advantage of Youth, Health and Free Time and Hastening to do Good Deeds
before the Occurrence of that which will cause these Things to Cease 53
15. The Disapproval of Procrastinating 60
16. Glossary of Terms Used 62

A Brief Biography of the Author

He was the Shaikh, the Imaam Abu Bakr Ahmad bin 'Alee bin Thaabit, better known
as Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadee, the author of many books, the most famous of which
was Taareekh Baghdad. 1
He was born in the year 392H. His father was the khateeb (lecturer) of (the village of)

Darzijaan, from the noblemen of 'Iraq.2 He had high hopes for his son of his (Al-
Khateeb), so he narrated Hadeeth to him while he was still young, in the year 403H.

Afterward, Al-Khateeb desired to seek knowledge of the Science of Hadeeth, so he
traveled for that purpose to the different regions (of 'Iraq). He excelled in his studies,
wrote books and collected narrations. And he was at the forefront in all of the
disciplines of the Science of Hadeeth.
He heard from a large amount of reliable Hadeeth Scholars in various lands, such as
Baghdad, Basrah, Naisapur, Asbahaan, Dinawar, Hamdaan, Koofah, the Haramain
(two holy cities of Makkah and Madeenah), Damascus, Jerusalem and other places.
He arrived at Syria in 451H and lived there for eleven years.
Many of the great scholars of Hadeeth reported from him, such as his teacher Abu
Bakr Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ahmad Al-Barqaanee, the Shaikh of Baghdad.
Ibn Makoolaa said:
"Abu Bakr Al-Khateeb was one of the last prominent figures whom we witnessed
having knowledge, memorization, precision, accuracy in (reporting) the Hadeeth of
Allaah's Messenger, mastery concerning its defects and chains of narration, and
knowledge of its authentic and weak, as well as its solitary, rejected, and discarded."

Then he said: "There wasn't found amongst the people of Baghdad, after Ad-
Daaraqutnee, anyone like him."

He wrote on the subject of Fiqh and gained mastery in it. Then he preoccupied
himself with Hadeeth, and he achieved supremacy in that. He was also eloquent in
speech, loud-voiced,3

possessed a good recitation and had beautiful penmanship.
He gave away all of his money, which consisted of two hundred deenaars, in charity
to the people of knowledge and the poor. He even wrote in his Last Will that he would
give his clothes in charity. He would also donate his books to the Muslims. This was
such that nothing remained with him.
1 Translator's Note: Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadee is also known for his other celebrated classical works
such as al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih, al-Jaami' Li-Akhlaaq-ir-Raawee wa Adaab as-Saami', Taqyeed-ul-
'Ilm, ar-Rihlahfee Talab-il-Hadeeth, Sharaf Ashaab-il-Hadeeth, Iqtidaa-ul- 'Ilm al- 'Amal (this book),
all of which are compilations on the merits, etiquettes, manners and principles of seeking and spreading
knowledge, as well as guidelines, advice and an encouragement regarding that.
2 Translator's Note: Al-Khateeb took on this nickname due to his father's position as the khateeb
(Friday preacher) of the masjid in Darzeejaan, a position he held for about twenty years.
3 Translator's Note: Ibn Naasir reported: "When Al-Khateeb would read Hadeeth in the mosque of
Damascus, his voice would be heard from one end of the mosque to the other, and he would speak in
the pure form of Arabic."
4

The Imaam died in the year 463H, may Allaah have mercy on him. 4

4 Translator's Note: One of the amazing stories from Al-Khateeb's legacy, which brought him
widespread fame and reputation as an authority in Hadeeth, was the incident when he was called on by
his colleague, Ibn Al-Muslimah, minister to the Khaleefah, Al-Qaa'im bi-Amrillaah, to verify a letter
that the Jews claimed was from Allaah's Messenger, written by the hand of 'Alee bin Abee Taalib and
witnessed by several Companions, which abolished the tax (jizyah) imposed upon the Jews of Khaibar.
After reviewing the document, Al-Khateeb said: "This is a forgery." When asked how he came to that
conclusion, he responded: "Due to the testimony in it of Mu'aawiyah bin Abee Sufyaan, since
Mu'aawiyah became Muslim on the Day of the Conquest of Makkah (i.e. Ramadaan, 8H) while
Khaibar was conquered in 7H. The document also contains the testimony of Sa'ad bin Mu'aadh, and he
died during the battle against Banu Quraidhah, which occurred two years before Khaibar." Upon
hearing this, the minister Ibn Al-Muslimah rejected the document and ordered the tax to be collected
from the Jews of Khaibar. And the status of Al-Khateeb grew and became widespread to the point that
the Khaleefah heard of him and granted him permission to dictate narrations in the Central Mosque of
Al-Mansoor.

❰ له مجموعة من المؤلفات أبرزها  ❞ Knowledge Mandates Action ❝  ❱