Islamic school of Sayyiduna Imam Ibn Jurayj رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه; suddenly an elephant passed by. All the students left their lesson and went to see the elephant, but he continued to sit in his lesson. Sayyiduna Imam Ibn Jurayj رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه asked: ‘Dahhaak! Why did you not go to see the elephant?’ He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه humbly replied: ‘The elephant is not better than your company!’ Having heard this reply, Sayyiduna Imam Ibn Jurayj رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said: ‘اَنْتَ النَّبِيل’, i.e. you are quite excellent. (Tahzeeb-ut-Tahzeeb, vol. 4, pp. 79, Raqm 3057)

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Dear Islamic brothers! The thirst for Islamic knowledge of our pious saints was so unquenchable that when these personages would get busy gaining Islamic knowledge, they would not take care of anything around them so that they could succeed in achieving their aim. Indeed, these great personages devoted everything for Islamic knowledge, and then as a result, they did not remain deprived of it, rather they became the leaders of the Muslims by virtue of gaining Islamic knowledge. Surely, they gained this high status by virtue of the blessing of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, being aware of the virtues of Islamic knowledge and having the love for Islamic knowledge; that today we are doing their Zikr and illuminating our hearts. For persuasion, let’s listen to the three sayings of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم consisting of the virtues of Islamic knowledge:

1.         The person, who left [his home] to gain Islamic knowledge, is in the way of Allah until he returns. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 4, pp. 294, Raqm 2656)

2.         Welcome to the Islamic student! Angels surround the Islamic student and make a shelter over him with their wings, they then love the Islamic student due to his act of gaining Islamic knowledge, and their line extends to the sky. (Tabarani Kabeer, vol. 8, pp. 54, Hadees 7347)

3.         Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will resurrect bondmen on the Judgement Day. Then He عَزَّوَجَلَّ will say after separating Islamic scholars: O the group of Islamic scholars! I know you that’s why I had bestowed knowledge upon you, and [I] had not bestowed knowledge upon you to make you suffer torment. (Therefore, now) Go! Because I have forgiven you.

(Jami’ Bayan-ul-‘Ilm-e-Deen, pp. 69, Hadees 211)