Read the bilingual lesson for Earning, good deeds, and seeking knowledge (Hadith 44–50) and test your understanding with a focused quiz.
Lesson
1. In this lesson
Seven reports address true dreams, lawful earnings, learning and teaching the Qur’an, love of the world, steady good deeds, feeding the hungry, and seeking knowledge or worldly things. Each complete report is followed by words, needed explanation, and an example. A supporting Qur’an excerpt and a Companion report will be clearly distinguished.
2. Dreams and the pre-dawn period
أَصْدَقُ الرُّؤْيَا بِالْأَسْحَارِ (رواه الترمذي) Translation The truest dreams are in the pre-dawn periods. Arabic word or phraseMeaning أَصْدَقُtruest الرُّؤْيَاdreams بِالْأَسْحَارِin the pre-dawn periods In بِالْأَسْحَارِ, بِـ connects the statement to a time: “in those periods.” الأسحار means the pre-dawn periods, not the pre-dawn meal. This is a comparison concerning truthfulness. Merely having a dream at that time does not establish that every such dream is certainly true. For example, identifying when someone dreamed does not by itself settle the truth of every detail.
3. A historical explanatory note
The historical explanation is that thoughts are generally gathered before dawn, and that an empty stomach therefore gives rise to no disturbing vapours. This is a historical explanatory rationale, not an established modern medical explanation.
4. Seeking lawful earnings
طَلَبُ كَسْبِ الْحَلَالِ فَرِيضَةٌ بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ (البيهقي) Translation Seeking lawful earnings is an obligation after the obligation. Arabic word or phraseMeaning طَلَبُseeking كَسْبِearning; earnings الْحَلَالِthe lawful; what is permitted فَرِيضَةٌan obligation; a required duty بَعْدَafter; here, concerning rank الْفَرِيضَةِthe obligation; explained here by prayer and fasting The whole phrase طَلَبُ كَسْبِ الْحَلَالِ means “seeking lawful earnings.” Prayer and fasting are the duties named first in rank; the earning obligation is not at their rank. بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ does not merely mean “start work once prayer is finished.” The next explanation identifies the need to which this earning duty relates.
5. Need and the responsibility for maintenance
This earning duty concerns someone who needs earnings for oneself, or for a person whose maintenance one must bear. Maintenance here means responsibility for that needed support. Many people’s maintenance is due from someone else, so earning cannot be stated as an unconditional obligation on every individual. In an example, first identify the need for oneself or for someone one is responsible to support. Merely observing whether a person has a job does not identify these alternative cases of need.
6. Distinguishing the obligation expressions
طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم Arabic word or phraseMeaning طلب العلمseeking knowledge على كل مسلمupon every Muslim Meaning of the supporting report: “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” طلب means “seeking,” العلم means “knowledge,” and فريضة again means “an obligation.” على means “upon,” كل means “every,” and مسلم means “Muslim.” The earning report does not contain على كل مسلم, “upon every Muslim,” while this supporting knowledge report does. This contrast prevents the stated need condition on earning from being overlooked.
7. Learning and teaching the Qur’an
خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ (البخاري) Translation The best among you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it. Arabic word or phraseMeaning خَيْرُكُمْthe best among you تَعَلَّمَlearned الْقُرْآنَthe Qur’an وَعَلَّمَهُand taught it مَنْ means “one who.” The ending كُمْ in خَيْرُكُمْ refers to “you.” In وَعَلَّمَهُ, وَ means “and,” عَلَّمَ means “taught,” and هُ means “it,” referring to the Qur’an. تَعَلَّمَ is learning oneself; عَلَّمَ is teaching another. For example, a student has their recitation corrected, then explains what they learned to someone else. The first action is learning and the second teaching; the whole expression includes both.
8. Love of the world and the root of sin
حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا رَأْسُ كُلِّ خَطِيئَةٍ (رزين) Translation Love of the world is the root of every sin. Arabic word or phraseMeaning حُبُّlove الدُّنْيَاthe world رَأْسُhead; here, root or source كُلِّevery خَطِيئَةٍsin رَأْسُ literally means “head”; here it conveys “root” or “source.” The warning concerns love of the world that draws a person toward sin. For example, knowingly lying for gain illustrates the harmful direction of attachment. Lawful earning for one’s needs belongs to the earlier explanation; merely owning something or working is not the same as the lying in this example.
9. Small but steady good deeds
أَحَبُّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَدْوَمُهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ (البخاري ومسلم) Translation The deeds most beloved to Allah are the most constant, even if little. Arabic word or phraseMeaning أَحَبُّmost beloved الْأَعْمَالِdeeds; actions أَدْوَمُهَاthe most constant of them قَلَّit was little; small in amount إِلَى اللَّهِ here gives the relation “to Allah.” The ending هَا in أَدْوَمُهَا refers back to those deeds. وَإِنْ means “even if”: constancy despite a small amount. الصالحة means “righteous/good”; the deeds here are good deeds. Regularity does not turn a bad act into a good one. Constancy means sustaining a good practice at appropriate intervals, not performing the same action every instant. For example, continuing a little useful help regularly differs in this respect from helping a lot once and then abandoning it.
10. Feeding the hungry until satisfied
أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ أَنْ تُشْبِعَ كَبِدًا جَائِعًا (البيهقي) Translation The best charity is to feed a hungry living creature until satisfied. Arabic word or phraseMeaning أَفْضَلُbest الصَّدَقَةِcharity تُشْبِعَyou feed until satisfied كَبِدًاa liver; here, a living creature possessing one جَائِعًاhungry أَنْ means “that” and introduces the action: feeding until satisfied. The whole expression أَنْ تُشْبِعَ means “that you feed until satisfied.” This concerns actually providing food and meeting hunger, not merely expressing sympathy.
11. Who is meant by “a liver”?
Naming the liver here refers to the living creature that possesses it, not feeding a detached organ. Feeding until satisfied likewise concerns that whole hungry creature: provide food until it is satisfied. The explanation includes both speaking human beings and non-speaking animals. Feeding a hungry traveller and feeding a hungry animal both illustrate this meaning.
12. Two directions of seeking
مَنْهُومَانِ لَا يَشْبَعَانِ: مَنْهُومٌ فِي الْعِلْمِ لَا يَشْبَعُ مِنْهُ، وَمَنْهُومٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا لَا يَشْبَعُ مِنْهَا (البيهقي) Translation Two seekers are not satisfied: a seeker of knowledge who is not satisfied with it, and a seeker of the world who is not satisfied with it. Arabic word or phraseMeaning مَنْهُومَانِtwo intensely eager seekers لَا يَشْبَعَانِthe two are not satisfied; here, never content مَنْهُومٌone intensely eager seeker لَا يَشْبَعُhe is not satisfied; here, not content This is not ordinary hunger for food. Both are intensely eager to attain the utmost of what they seek. لَا يَشْبَعَانِ here means they are never content: they do not consider their seeking fulfilled and stop. لَا means “not”; يَشْبَعَانِ concerns the two, while يَشْبَعُ concerns one person.
13. What does “with it” refer to?
Arabic word or phraseMeaning فِي الْعِلْمِconcerning knowledge; in seeking knowledge مِنْهُwith/from it; here, knowledge فِي الدُّنْيَاconcerning the world; in seeking worldly things مِنْهَاwith/from it; here, the world فِي means “in”; الْعِلْمِ means “knowledge” and الدُّنْيَا means “the world.” In مِنْهُ, مِنْ means “from/with” and هُ means “it”; هَا in مِنْهَا also means “it.” The first “it” is knowledge; the second is the world. Distinguish مِنْ, “from,” from مَنْ, “one who.” The initial وَ in وَمَنْهُومٌ means “and,” connecting the two pursuits. The knowledge seeker continually seeks an increase in knowledge. For example, understanding one point and asking a further question illustrates that continuing pursuit.
14. A prayer for increased knowledge
وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا Arabic word or phraseMeaning وَقُلْand say رَبِّmy Lord زِدْنِيincrease me; grant me more عِلْمًاin knowledge Qur’an excerpt — Ṭā Hā 20:114 Meaning: “And say: My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” In وَقُلْ, وَ means “and” and قُلْ means “say.” رَبِّ addresses one’s Lord. زِدْنِي requests increase, with نِي referring to “me”; عِلْمًا identifies what the increase concerns. This asks for more knowledge, not merely more wealth.
15. Room for further learning
Knowledge has no end, because above every possessor of knowledge is one who knows. Knowing one thing therefore does not mean that nothing remains to learn. For example, a student understands a translation and then seeks to understand a word’s further connection. Present understanding opens the way to further learning.
16. Worldly seeking and an image of non-satiety
Arabic word or phraseMeaning المريضthe ill person المستسقيa sufferer of istisqāʾ; in this historical simile, a patient whose thirst remains unquenched The intensely eager worldly seeker keeps pursuing its wealth, status or standing, gold, and silver. Status is included, not only cash. The historical simile likens continuing desire for worldly things to that unquenched thirst. This explains an old analogy; it supplies no modern diagnosis or treatment advice.
17. A supporting Companion report
Al-Dārimī transmits this supporting report from Ibn Masʿūd, may Allah be pleased with him, as mawqūf. Mawqūf means the statement here is attributed to the Companion; it is not being presented as a new saying of the Prophet ﷺ. منهومان لا يشبعان: صاحب العلم وصاحب الدنيا، ولا يستويان، أما صاحب العلم فيزداد رضى الرحمن، وأما صاحب الدنيا فيتمادى في الطغيان Meaning: Two seekers are not satisfied: the seeker of knowledge and the seeker of the world, and they are not equal. The knowledge seeker increases in the Merciful’s pleasure, while the worldly seeker goes further in transgression. Additional source note: al-Mishkāt.
18. Why are the two not equal?
Arabic word or phraseMeaning صاحب العلمthe person of knowledge; here, its seeker صاحب الدنياthe worldly person; here, its seeker ولا يستويانand the two are not equal أماas for فيزدادthen he increases رضى الرحمنthe Merciful’s pleasure; Allah’s pleasure فيتمادىthen he goes further; persists الطغيانtransgression; overstepping منهومان لا يشبعان again describes the two seekers not being content. صاحب here means “person of/seeker,” العلم means “knowledge,” and الدنيا means “the world.” In ولا يستويان, وَ means “and,” لا means “not,” and يستويان means “the two are equal.” رضى means “pleasure,” and الرحمن is Allah’s name, “the Merciful.” Both فـ prefixes connect a result, “then”; في in في الطغيان means “in.” أما ... وأما introduces the separate outcomes: “as for the knowledge seeker ... and as for the worldly seeker ...”. Both continue seeking, but one side increases in Allah’s pleasure and the other in transgression. Saying only “both want more” therefore does not make their outcomes equal.
19. Relationships to retain
A comparison about timing does not guarantee every dream. The earning duty concerns one’s own need or the need of someone whose maintenance one must bear. The Qur’an report includes both learning and teaching. Keep the warning about worldly attachment distinct from lawful earning. Steady good deeds and actually feeding a hungry creature give two practical lessons. Seeking knowledge and seeking the world may both continue, but the supporting report identifies different outcomes. The prayer for increased knowledge highlights the former pursuit.
Practice questions
Question 1: Check your understanding
A dream is known to have occurred before dawn. What follows from the comparison أَصْدَقُ الرُّؤْيَا?
- Every detail of every dream at that time is true
- Only a dream at this time can be true
- This period is named in a comparison of truthfulness
Question 2: Check your understanding
One person needs earnings for oneself; another needs them for someone whose maintenance they must bear. Whom does the earning explanation include?
- Both, with their respective stated needs
- Only the first, because support is always for oneself
- Only the second, because one’s own need is no condition
Question 3: Check your understanding
Someone explains بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ as placing the earning duty at the same rank as prayer and fasting. Which correction fits?
- Only the time for starting work is described
- Prayer and fasting have prior rank; it is not at their rank
- Prayer is named here, while fasting is excluded
Question 4: Check your understanding
Which taught point is lost when the earning expression becomes “everyone must earn in every situation”?
- The earning expression includes seeking
- Many people’s maintenance is due from another
- An obligation expression states a duty
Question 5: Check your understanding
Maryam has an error in her recitation corrected, then explains what she learned to a companion. Which expression from the report describes the second action?
- وَعَلَّمَهُ
- تَعَلَّمَ
- خَيْرُكُمْ
Question 6: Check your understanding
Someone is tempted to conceal a known truth for more money. Which aspect connects with the warning about worldly love?
- Desire for gain drawing a person toward wrongdoing
- Taking up work for a lawful personal need
- The mere fact that someone owns something
Question 7: Check your understanding
Hamza continues a little useful service each week. Another person regularly spreads falsehood. What distinction matters in explaining أَدْوَمُهَا?
- Regularity gives both actions the same value
- The sustained action must also be good
- A small amount excludes any action from this comparison
Question 8: Action and meaning
Match each situation with its relevant meaning.
Question 9: Check your understanding
Which action does أَنْ تُشْبِعَ express here?
- You yourself become full
- Another becomes full without your feeding them
- You feed another until satisfied
Question 10: Check your understanding
In the report you studied, what do مِنْهُ and then مِنْهَا refer to, in order?
- Knowledge, then the world
- The world, then knowledge
- Knowledge, then knowledge
Question 11: Check your understanding
Which example was explicitly listed alongside wealth, gold, and silver in the explanation of worldly seeking?
- Comfort and convenience
- Health and strength
- Status or standing
Question 12: Arrange both actions
Arrange the full Arabic report about learning and teaching the Qur’an.
Question 13: Check your understanding
Which outcome pair does the supporting report give for the knowledge seeker and the worldly seeker?
- Knowledge seeker: transgression; worldly seeker: the Merciful’s pleasure
- Knowledge seeker: the Merciful’s pleasure; worldly seeker: transgression
- Knowledge seeker: the Merciful’s pleasure; worldly seeker: the Merciful’s pleasure
Question 14: Check your understanding
After reading the explanation of موقوفًا, to whom should this supporting statement be attributed?
- To the Companion Ibn Masʿūd, may Allah be pleased with him
- To the person explaining this lesson
- As a separate new saying of the Prophet ﷺ
Question 15: Check your understanding
What does عِلْمًا specify in رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا?
- It specifies when the request is to be made
- It specifies what the requested increase concerns
- It specifies that the prayer belongs to someone else
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