An Urjuzah Poem in regards to Etiquette of Learning and Obtaining Fiqh

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by  al-Lu’lu’i

ﻪﻘﱡﻔﺘّﻟاو ﻢﻠﱡﻌﺘّﻟا بادآ ﻲﻓ ةٌزﻮﺟُرُأ

An U​ rjuzah​ Poem ​​in Regards to the Etiquette of Learning and Obtaining Fiqh1 
Translated by:​ Faisal bin Abdul Qaadir bin Hassan Abu Sulaymaan 

ﻢِﻬﱡﻔَﺘﱠﻟاوَ نِﺎﻘَﺗْﻹِْاوَ ﻆِﻔْﺤِﻟْاوَ *** ﻢِﻠﱡﻌَﺘﱠﻟﺎﺑِ ﻢَﻠْﻌِﻟْا نﱠﺄَﺑِ ﻢْﻠَﻋْ اوَ

And know that knowledge [is obtained] through learning 
And [likewise] memorization, perfection, and obtaining fiqh 

ﺮُﯿﺒِﻜَﻟْا مُﺮَﺤْﯾُوَ ﻪِﻨﱢﺳِ ﻲﻓِ *** ﺮُﯿﻐِﺼﱠ ﻟا ﻪُﻗُزَﺮْﯾُ ﺪْﻗَ ﻢُﻠْﻌِﻟْاوَ

And knowledge can be granted to one young 
In age and be prevented from one who is older 

ﻪِﯾْﺪَﯾَ ﻻَوَ ﻪِﯿْﻠَﺟْﺮِﺑِ ﺲَ ﯿْﻟَ *** ﻪِﯾْﺮَﻐَﺻْ ﺄَﺑِ ءُﺮْﻤَﻟْا ﺎﻤَﻧﱠِإوَ

And verily a person [retains knowledge] through his tongue and heart 
Not his two feet nor his two hands 

ﺐُﺠَﻋَ ﻖٌﻠْﺧُ كَاذَوَ هِرِﺪْﺻَ ﻲﻓِ *** ﺐُﻛﱠﺮَﻤُﻟْا ﻪُﺒُﻠْﻗَوَ ﻪُﻧُﺎﺴَﻟِ

His tongue and his heart formed 
In his chest and that is an amazing creation 

ةﺮَﻇَﺎﻨَﻤُﻟْاوَ ةِﺮَﻜْﻔِﻟْاوَ سِ رْﺪﱠﻟاوَ *** ةَِ ﺮﻛَاﺬَﻤُﻟْﺎﺑِوَ ﻢِﻬْﻔَﻟْﺎﺑِ ﻢُﻠْﻌِﻟْاوَِ

And knowledge is obtained through understanding and reviewing with others 
1 It was reported by Ibn Abdul-Barr (may Allah have mercy upon him) in his book Jami’ Bayan al-’ilm wa 
​
Fadlihi (1/581-582). He praised the poem saying: “T​ he best of what I have seen in the etiquette of 
learning and gaining Fiqh is a poem which is attributed to al-Lu'lu’i from rajz poetry. And some have 
attributed it to al-Ma'moon. I have intended to include what that [poem] mentioned due to its 
goodness, hoping to benefit the one who reads this book of mine. May Allah benefit us and you by it"​  
Jami’ Bayan al-’ilm wa Fadlihi (1/581-582). It was also explained by Shaikh Salih al-’Usaymee (may Allah 
preserve him) in the year 1435 H. as part of his M​ uhimaat ul-’ilm​ program. 
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And through reviewing alone, thinking, and discussion 

ﺎﻈَﻔْﻠﱠﻟا ﻲﻜِﺤْﯾَوَ ﺺﱠ ﻨﱠﻟا دُرِﻮﯾُوَ *** ﺎﻈَﻔْﺤِﻟْا لُﺎﻨَﯾَ نٍﺎﺴَﻧِْإ بﱠﺮُﻓَ

So perhaps a person acquires memorization 
And can relay a text and quote its wording 

ﺐُﯾدِﻷَْا ﻢُﻟِﺎﻌَﻟْا هُاﻮَﺣَ ﺎﻤﱠﻣِ **** ﺐٌﯿﺼِ ﻧَ هِﺮِﯿْﻏَ ﻲﻓِ ﻪُﻟَ ﺎﻣَوَ

And he does not have besides that a share 
Of what a refined Scholar possesses [of knowledge] 

ﺐِﻠْﻘَﻟْا ﺪُﯿﻠِﺑَ ﺮِﻛْﺬﱢﻟاوَ ﻢِﻠْﻌِﻠْﻟِ *** ﺐﱢﺤُﻟْا ﺪِﯾﺪِﺷَ صٍ ﺮْﺣِ يذِ بﱠرُوَ

Perhaps one possessing eagerness and intense love 
For knowledge and remembrance of Allah is dull hearted 

ﺔٌﯾَﺎﻜَﺣِ ىوَرَ ﻦْﻤﱠﻋَ ﻪُﻟَ ﺖْ ﺴَﯿْﻟَ *** ﺔِﯾَاوَﺮﱢﻟاوَ ﻆِﻔْﺤِﻟْا ﻲﻓِ ﺰٌﺠِﻌْﻣُ

Incapable of memorization and narration 
And does not possess a narration of what has been reported 

دِﺎﻨَﺳْﻹِْا ﻲﻓِ ءَﺎﺟَ ﺪْﻗَ ﺎﻤَﻟِ ﺎﻈًﻔْﺣِ *** دِﺎﻬَﺘِﺟْا ﻼَﺑِ ﻲﻄِﻌْﯾُ ﺮُﺧَآوَ

Another [type of student] is given knowledge without striving 
Memorizing what has come with the chain of transmission 

هِﺮِﻃِﺎﻤَﻗَ ﻰﻟَِإ ﺮﱟﻄَﻀْ ﻤُﺑِ ﺲَ ﯿْﻟَ *** هِﺮِﻇِﺎﻨَﺑِ ﻻَ ﺐِﻠْﻘَﻟْﺎﺑِ هِﺪِﻬْﯾَ

He is guided by his heart not by his sight 
He is not forced to go to his book bag 

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بِدَﻷَْﺎﺑِ ﻻﱠِإ ﻦُﺴُﺤْﯾَ ﻻَ ﻢُﻠْﻌِﻟْاوَ *** ﺐِﻠَﻄﱠﻟا ﻲﻓِ ﻞْﻤِﺟَْأوَ ﻢَﻠْﻌِﻟْا ﺲِ ﻤِﺘَﻟْﺎﻓَ

So seek knowledge and make beautiful your search 
And knowledge is not good except with etiquette 

ﺖِﻘْﻤَﻟْا ﺾُ ﻌْﺑَ لِﻮْﻘَﻟْا ﺮِﯿﺜِﻛَ ﻲﻓِوَ *** ﺖِﻤْﺴﱠﻟا ﻦُﺴْﺣُ ﻊُﻓِﺎﻨﱠﻟا بُدَﻷَْاوَ

And beneficial etiquette is good silence 
And in too much speech there is some detestation 

ﺎﺘَﯿَﻘِﺑَ ﺎﻣَ ﺪُﻤَﺤْﺗُ ﺎﻓًرِﺎﻘَﻣُ *** ﺎﺘَﯿﯿِﺣَ ﺎﻣَ ﺖِﻤْﺴﱠﻟا ﻦِﺴْﺤُﻟِ ﻦْﻜُﻓَ

So hold fast to silence as long as you are alive 
Committed to it, you will be praised as long as you remain 

ﺔٌﻠَﻌَﺘَﻔْﻣُ وَْأ ﻢِﻠْﻌِﻟْا ﻲﻓِ ﺔٌﻓَوﺮُﻌْﻣَ *** ﺔٌﻟَﺄَﺴْﻣَ سِ ﺎﻨﱠﻟا ﻦَﯿْﺑَ تْ ﺪَﺑَ نِْإوَ

And if an issue is raised among the people 
That is well-known in knowledge or is a newly invented issue 

ﺎﻘَﻃِﺎﻧَ ﺎﻬَﯿﻓِ كَﺮَﯿْﻏَ ىﺮَﺗَ ﻰﺘﱠﺣَ *** ﺎﻘًﺑِﺎﺳَ بِاﻮَﺠَﻟْا ﻰﻟَِإ ﻦْﻜُﺗَ ﻼَﻓَ

Then do not be the foremost in answering it 
Until you see other than you speak in regards to it 

ﻖُﻃِﺎﻧَ ﺄِﻄَﺨَﻟْﺎﺑِ ﻢٍﻬْﻓَ ﺮِﯿْﻏَ ﻦْﻣِ *** ﻖٍﺑِﺎﺳَ لٍﻮﺠُﻋَ ﻦَﻣِ ﺖُﯾَْأرَ ﻢْﻜَﻓَ

For how many hasty, forerunners did I see 
Without understanding articulating a mistake 

ﺲِ ﻓُﺎﻨَﺘﱠﻟاوَ بِﺎﺒَﻟْﻷَْا يوِذَ ﺪَﻨْﻋِ *** ﺲِ ﻟِﺎﺠَﻤَﻟْا ﻲﻓِ ﻚَﻟِذَ ﻪِﺑِ ىرَزَْأ

More despicable than that is to be hasty in the sitting 
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With the possessors of understanding and ambitions

ﺮُﺒَﺧَ ﻪُﻨْﻋَ لُﺄَﺴْﺗَ ﺎﻤَﺑِ ﻲﻟِﺎﻣَ *** ﺮُﻣْﻷَْا كَاذَ كَﺎﯿَﻋْ َأ اذَِإ ﻞْﻗُوَ

And say if an affair is incapable for you [to answer] 
“I do not know a report in regards to what you ask” 

ﺎﻤَﻜَﺤُﻟْا لُﻮﻘُﺗَ ﺖْ ﻟَازَ ﺎﻣَ كَاﺬَﻛَ *** ﺎﻤَﻠَﻌُﻟْا ﺪَﻨْﻋِ ﻢﻠْﻌِﻟْا ﺮُﻄْﺷَ كَاﺬَﻓَ
ِ

So that is half of knowledge according to the Scholars 
​
Likewise the wise people do not cease to say it 

ﻦُﻘَﺘْﻣُ ﻢٌﻠْﻋِ كَﺪَﻨْﻋِ ﻦْﻜُﯾَ ﻢْﻟَ نِْإ *** ﻦُﯾَزَْأ ﺎﻘﺣَ ﻚَﺑِ ﻢْﻠَﻋْ ﺎﻓَ ﺖُﻤْﺼﱠ ﻟاوَ

And know that silence truly adorns [you] 
If you do not have proficient knowledge with you 

ﺎﻜَﺋِﺎﻄَﺧَ ﻦْﻣِ لِﻮْﻘَﻟْا بَاﻮَﺟَ رْﺬَﺣْاوَ *** ﺎﻜَﯾِْأرَ ﻞِﻀْ ﻔَﺑِ ﺐَﺠْﻌُﻟْاوَ كَﺎﯾﱠِإ

Beware of amazement by means of your opinion 
Beware of answering a statement from your mistakes 

ﺔِﻣَﻼَﺴﱠﻟا ﻊَﻣَ ﺖَﻤْﺼﱠ ﻟا ﻢِﻨِﺘَﻏْ ﺎﻓَ *** ﺔَﻣَاﺪَﻨﱠﻟا ﺐَﻘَﻋْ َأ بٍاﻮَﺟَ ﻦْﻣِ ﻢْﻛَ

How many answers result in remorse 
So benefit from silence along with safety 

ﺪُﺼَ ﻘْﯾُ ﻪِﯿْﻟَِإ ﺪﱞﺣَ ﻪُﻟَ ﺲَ ﯿْﻟَ *** ﺪُﻌُﺒْﯾَ هُﺎﻬَﺘَﻨْﻣُ ﺮٌﺤْﺑَ ﻢُﻠْﻌِﻟْا

Knowledge is an ocean whose ending is far 
It does not have a limit which is intended [to obtain] 

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ﻪُﺘَﯿْﺼَ ﺣَْأ ﻮْﻟَوَ ﺮَﺸْﻌُﻟْا ﻻَوَ ﻞْﺟََأ *** ﻪُﺘَﯾْﻮَﺣَ ﺪْﻗَ ﻢﻠْﻌِﻟْا ﻞﱡﻛُ ﺲَ ﯿْﻟَوَ
ِ

And you will not be able to contain all of knowledge 
Rather not even one tenth if you enumerated it 

ﺮُﺜُﻌْﯾَ دُاﻮَﺠَﻟْاوَ ﺖَﻤْﻠِﻋَ ﺎﻤﱠﻣِ *** ﺮُﺜَﻛَْأ ﻪُﻨْﻣِ ﻚَﯿْﻠَﻋَ ﻲَﻘِﺑَ ﺎﻣَوَ

And what remains upon you [of knowledge] is more 
Than what you know and even the strong steed [at times] stumbles 

ﺎﻤَﻠِﻜَﻟْا ﻪُﻨْﻣِ ﻢُﻬَﻔْﺗَ ﻻَ ﺖَﻧَْأ نِْإ *** ﺎﻤَﻬِﻔْﺘَﺴْﻣُ ﻪُﺘَﻌْﻤِﺳَ ﺎﻤَﻟِ ﻦْﻜُﻓَ

So be one who asks about what you hear 
If you do not understand a word from it 

ﻪُﻠُﻬَﺠْﺘَﻓَ ﻪُﻌُﻤَﺴْﺗَ ﺮُﺧَآوَ *** ﻪُﻠُﻘِﻌْﺗَ لٌﻮْﻘَﻓَ نِﻻَﻮْﻗَ لُﻮْﻘَﻟْا

Statements are of two types: a statement which you understand 
And another which you hear and are ignorant regarding it  

بُاﻮَﺼﱠ ﻟاوَ ﻞُﻃِﺎﺒَﻟْا ﻪُﻌَﻤَﺠْﯾَ *** بٌاﻮَﺟَ ﻪُﻠَﻓَ لٍﻮْﻗَ ﻞﱡﻛُوَ

And every question has an answer 
It combines between falsehood and correctness 

ﺮُﺿِ ﺎﺣَ ﻚَﻨْﻣِ ﻦُﻫْﺬﱢﻟاوَ ﺎﻤَﻬُﻤْﻬَﻓْﺎﻓَ *** ﺮُﺧِآوَ لٌوﱠَأ مﻼَﻜَﻠْﻟِوَ
ِ

And speech has its beginning and its end 
So understand both of them and let your mind be present 

هُﺪَﻌْﺑَ ﺎﻣَ ﻰﻟَِإ ﻚَﯾَدﱢﺆَﯾُ ﻰﺘﱠﺣَ *** هُدﱠﺮُﺗَ ﻻَوَ لَﻮْﻘَﻟْا ﻊِﻓَﺪْﺗَ ﻻَ

Do not reject speech or reply to it 
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Until you receive what is after it [of speech] 

ﻞِﺋِﺎﺴَﻤَﻟْا ﻦَﻣِ ﻰﻘَﻠْﯾَ ﺎﻣَ بُاﻮَﺟَ *** ﻞِﺋِﺎﻀَ ﻔَﻟْا يوِذَ ﻰﯿَﻋْ َأ ﺎﻤَﺑﱠﺮُﻓَ

So perhaps you realize [how] the possessors of virtues 
Answer what is presented of issues 

ﻪِﺑِاﻮَﺻَ ﻲﻓِ ﻚﱢﺸﱠﻟا ضِ اﺮَﺘِﻋْ ا ﺪَﻨْﻋِ *** ﻪِﺑِاﻮَﺟَ ﻦْﻋَ ﺖِﻤْﺼﱠ ﻟﺎﺑِ اﻮﻜُﺴِﻤْﯿُﻓَ

So they hold fast to silence from answering it 
When there is doubt in regards to its correct answer 

سِ ﺎﻨﱠﻟا ﺪَﻨْﻋِ ءَﺎﻀَ ﯿْﺑَ ﺔٍﻀﱠ ﻓِ ﻦْﻣِ *** سِ ﺎﯿَﻘِﻟْا ﻲﻓِ لُﻮْﻘَﻟْا نُﻮﻜُﯾَ ﻮْﻟَوَ

In analogy, if speech  
Was white silver according to the people 

ﺐِﻠَﻄﱠﻟا بَادَآ ﷲُﱠ ا كَاﺪَﻫَ ﻢْﻬَﻓْﺎﻓَ *** ﺐِﻫَﺬﱠﻟا ﻦَﻣِ ﻦٌﯿْﻋَ ﺖُﻤْﺼﱠ ﻟا نَﺎﻜَﻟَ اذًِإ

Then silence would be a substance made from gold 
So understand, may Allah guide you, the etiquette of seeking knowledge 

[End of Poem] 

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