4.   When spending on his teacher, he should not show miserliness [i.e. not be stingy]. It means that whatever teacher requires, he should wholeheartedly present it to him and when the teacher accepts it, he should consider it to be his favour and a privilege for himself.

5.   Right of teacher should be given preference over the right of his parents and all the Muslims.

6.   Even if he learnt only a single word from his teacher, he should still show humbleness before him.

7.   If the teacher is inside the house, then he should not knock on the door; rather, he should wait for him to come out himself.

8. (The student should not let any trouble to be caused to his teacher from his side, because) if the teacher receives any trouble from any student, then he (the student) will remain deprived of the blessings of ‘ilm [knowledge].

(Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 23, pp. 376, 638)

Dear Islamic brothers! Teacher holds the rank of being the spiritual father. Therefore, student should seek knowledge from the teacher whilst keeping the respect of the teacher in view. It is stated in Tafseer Kabeer: Teacher is more affectionate to his student than his parents because parents protect him from the calamities and fire of this world, whereas, teachers save him from the hellfire and the calamities of the Hereafter. (Tafseer Kabeer, vol. 1, pp. 401)

Respect of the elder brother

Dear Islamic brothers! Among our elders, the status and rank of our elder brother is also very respectable. In the heart of the elder brother, Allah Almighty places affection like that of father for his younger siblings. The elder brother looks after the younger siblings and fulfils their needs even in the presence of the father, and in case the father passes away, then he still fulfils his responsibilities duly even after his (father’s) demise.

So many favours of the elder brother require the younger siblings to also respect him. They should honour him. They should give him the rank of their parents in the absence of their parents. Otherwise, they should consider him