The Vessel Which Carries the 'Ilm

As I was typing my hastily scribbled notes from Chain of Command yesterday, I came across a story I wished to share with the kids. Even from the very beginning, they had expected me to share stories with them from the class, and when we went home for lunch breaks last weekend, they were already asking me to relay to them what I learned in class.

It's amazing what mode you're thrown in when people expect you to relay what you learned to them. All the while I was listening to Shayk Abdulbary, I scribbled as fast as I could, in as much detail as I could, keeping in mind that I am to pass on the knowledge to my children. As opposed to taking notes for myself, the details in which I took my notes were such that I had to use extra paper. In the past, I had taken notes that were probably more 'practical' and realistic, but I noticed that after a while, what I thought I would remember without the aid of keywords or notes, I couldn't remember, so this time, I thought I'd try to get as much down as possible.

As I was telling them some of the things I learned, their thirst for more prompted them to say,

"More!"

Spontaneously, I responded,

"That's what I remember right now," while racking my brains trying to recall what else I had thought I absorbed in the past few hours.

H, as usual, pointed out to me,

"You forgot the rest already?"

I let out an embarassed giggle, and in the midst of trying to make up and excuse for myself, I ended up saying,

"err...well..yeah...I have to look it up."

Talk about poor memory.

So when I came across that story in my notes, I told them (and they were immersed in their school work at the time),

"Oh kids, I found a story I wanna tell you!"

"Yeah, yeah!" H perked up, and abandoned his work.

Seeing that they still haven't finished their work, I said,

"Ok, but finish your work first, and then I'll tell you."

"Ohhhh!" H slumped, and muttered to himself.

When I finally told them about 'The Exorcist', I realized that it was one of those effective teaching moments, much much better than that comprising of elaborate lesson plans brimming with objectives and grade level requirements.

Dhomal al-Azdi was a famous exorcist during the times of the Jahiliyyah. The Quraisy had accused the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam of being possessed, but interestingly they never called upon their resident exorcist to drive the 'occupying jinn' out. Thus, Dhomal himself decided that he will do it for free. So hwe went to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and told him,

"Speak."

The Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam then said,

"Innalhamdulillah wanasta'inu wanastaghfiru..." basically saying the whole khutbah al hajjah.

Dhomal al-azdi, at the end of it, uttered,

"Ash-haadu allaa ilaha illaallah, wa ash-hadu anna muhammad rasoolullah!"

"No jinn can speak like this," was what he said.

This story stemmed from one of the benefits of studying the Science of Hadeeth: to apprciate the eloquence of the speech of the prophet sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, what is caled Jawwami al qalam.

I don't think they will forget that story for quite some time.

"Do you have anymore?" they asked after I was done telling that story.

"Yes, but not today," I said.

For jewels and gems, given piece meal become more precious than if given as a lump sum.