Fatwaa ID: 792
Question:
salam walikum
whats the difference between a talib ul ilm and a scholar/when does a talib ul ilm become a scholar?
Answer:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.
A Taalib al-‘Ilm, literally a student of knowledge, is one who humbles himself at the feet of the traditionally authorized scholars and dedicates himself to study the Deen of Allaah Ta’aala. A person who studies crash courses, attends random workshops or is an autodidact is not a Taalib al-‘Ilm. The journey of a true Taalib al-‘Ilm never ends. When a Taalib al-‘Ilm studies a stipulated traditional and comprehensive syllabus that has been put together by competent scholars and his teachers have confidence in him being competent in his knowledge, they authorize him and confer upon him the title of “scholar”. Studying at non-traditional and/or secular institutes or under non-traditional scholars does not qualify one as a true ‘Aalim of Deen.
And Allaah Ta’aala knows best.
Mufti Muajul I. Chowdhury
Darul Iftaa New York
https://askthemufti.us/
وصل اللهم وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى ءاله وصحبه أجمعين
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