studying sincerely, putting in hard work, and being dedicated.

Seriously think about how blessed that young man was. He left his home for the sake of learning Islam, parted from his parents and loved ones, travelled from Syria to Medina, and while seeking knowledge of Islam, passed away. And what was his reward?

*    The great scholars of that time attended his funeral.

*    Renowned imams lowered him into the grave.

*    Above all, Allah granted him high ranks in Paradise, and allowed him to reside at the station of scholars.

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه May Allah Almighty bless us with the opportunity to seek sacred knowledge as well.

اٰمِیْنْ بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّٖن صلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہ ِوَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ

The soaring ranks of scholars

In the 11^th verse of Sūrat al-Mujādilah, Allah Almighty states:

یَرۡفَعِ اللہُ  الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡکُمۡ ۙ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ  اُوۡتُوا  الۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجٰتٍ ؕ

Allah will raise the ranks of those who believe among you and those who were granted knowledge.^[1]

The leading Quranic exegete of this Ummah, Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh b. ꜤAbbās رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا comments on this verse by saying, “Scholars will be 700 ranks higher than ordinary believers. Between each two ranks is a distance of 500 years.”^[2]