Hafiz Ibn Asakir رحمه الله was a great Muhaddith of the past. He travelled from Sham to Nishapur in search of knowledge and met the great Muhaddith of that era, Imam Abu Abdillah Farawi رحمه الله. Imam Abu Abdillah Farawi رحمه الله says, “That student had such thirst for knowledge that he exhausted me for three days.”
My dear friends! Just ponder a little. How fond of knowledge that student must have been to tire his teacher for three days. He would go repeatedly to the teacher and say, “Teach me.” He would not even ask for a break from the lesson. Within three days the teacher became so exhausted that he took an oath that if this student comes to him to learn tomorrow, he would not open the door for him.
Our carelessness
What is our condition when it comes to learning? Half an hour before the break our eyes are on the clock calculating that now thirty minutes remain, now twenty-five minutes remain, now ten minutes are left, now five minutes are left. If the teacher delayed the break by two to four minutes in order to complete the lesson our hearts become restless.
My dear students! It is due to this very decline that after graduating Allah F does not take religious service from us and we do not become men of worth. Think a little. Imam Abu Abdillah Farawi رحمه الله was a great Muhaddith of that era. Did he not possess the fervour to teach Hadith? When it came to imparting knowledge he would have definitely been desirous that some student should come to him, learn Hadith and then spread the knowledge further. Such an eager teacher is saying that this student has so much enthusiasm that he has tired me and compelled me to take an oath.
The status of a student in the court of Rasulullah صلى الله علىه وسلم
Imam Farawi رحمه الله explains, “When I awoke the next day, someone knocked on the door. I opened the door and after exchanging the customary greetings with the visitor he said,
أنَا رَسُوْلُ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – إلِيْكَ
“I have come to you as the messenger of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه و سلم.”
I saw Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم in a dream and he صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed me,
إمْضِ إلَى الْفَرَاوِيِّ وَقُلْ لَهُ: قَدِمَ بَلَدَكُمْ رَجُلٌ شَامِيٌّ أسْمَرُ اللَّوْنِ يَطْلُبُ حَدِيْثِيْ, فَلَا تَمَلَّ مِنْهُ
“Go to Abu Abdillah Farawi رحمه الله in the morning and say to him that a man of wheat-coloured complexion has come to your area from Sham seeking my Hadith. Do not get tired of him.”
My dear students! See how lofty the status of a student is that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم is sending a message to a great Muhaddith that a student has come from Sham to Nishapur in search of my Hadith. When he comes to you to learn do not become tired of him. The narrator says,
فَوَاللّهِ مَا كَانَ الْفَرَاوِيُّ يَقُوْمُ حَتّى يَقُوْمَ الحَافِظُ
“By Allah تبارك وتعالى! Imam Farawi رحمه الله would not get up from a lesson until Hafiz Ibn Asakir رحمه الله did not.” [i]
After the incident of the dream, Imam Farawi رحمه الله made it his practice not to end the lesson as long as Ibn Asakir رحمه الله did not say, “It is enough. I want to go.”
(Extracted from ‘A Precious Gift for the Students’ by Moulana Saleem Dhorat Sahib حفظه الله. Translated by Moulana Mahomed Mahomedy Sahib حفظه الله)
قال ابن الحاجب فيما قرأت بخطه: حدثني زين الأمناء قال: حدثني ابن القزويني عن والده مدرس النظامية أبي الخير قال: حكى لنا الفراوي قال: قدم ابن عساكر فقرأ علي ثلاثة أيام فأكثر وأضجرني وآليت على نفسي أن أغلق بابي, فلما أصبحنا قدم علي شخص فقال: أنا رسول رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم- إليك؛ قلت: مرحبًا بك، فقال: قال لي في النوم: “امض إلى الفراوي وقل له: قدم بلدكم رجل شامي أسمر اللون يطلب حديثي, فلا تمل منه قال القزويني: فوالله ما كان الفراوي يقوم حتى يقوم الحافظ (تذكرة الحفاظ للذهبي 4/84)