The Right of Teacher (17th) Commentary on Imam Al-Sajjad’s (AS) Treaties of Right by Mohammad Sobhanie.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

وَ أَمَّا حَقُّ سَائِسِكَ بِالْعِلْمِ فَالتَّعْظِيمُ لَهُ وَ التَّوْقِيرُ لِمَجْلِسِهِ وَ حُسْنُ الاِسْتِمَاعِ اِلَيْهِ وَ الْاِ قْبَالُ عَلَيْهِ وَ الْمَعُونَةُ لَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ فِيمَا لاَ غِنَى بِكَ عَنْهُ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ بِأَنْ تُفَرِّغَ لَهُ عَقْلَكَ وَ تُحَضِّرَهُ فَهْمَكَ وَ تُزَكِّيَ لَهُ قَلْبَكَ وَ تُجَلِّيَ لَهُ بَصَرَكَ بِتَرْكِ اللَّذَّاتِ وَ نَقْصِ الشَّهَوَاتِ وَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَنَّكَ فِيمَا أَلْقَى اِلَيْكَ رَسُولُهُ اِلَى مَنْ لَقِيَكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَهْلِ فَلَزِمَكَ حُسْنُ التَّأْدِيَةِ عَنْهُ اِلَيْهِمْ وَ لاَ تَخُنْهُ فِي تَأْدِيَةِ رِسَالَتِهِ وَ الْقِيَامِ بِهَا عَنْهُ اِذَا تَقَلَّدْتَهَا وَ لاَ حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ

The Right of Teacher (17th)

O’ Student! The teacher’s right is to honor him and respect his class by actively listening to his lectures. Give him your full and undivided attention so he can teach you the knowledge you seek. This requires preparing your mind to absorb and fully understand his lectures, purifying your heart to benefit from his knowledge, and staying determined and remaining focused on your education by avoiding distractions, including thoughts of pleasure and leisure.

Remember, after you become proficient in what you have learned, you become the envoy to disseminate your teacher’s knowledge to others who may not know. Hence, make every effort to deliver it accurately and honestly while remembering that only God has the ultimate power.

Commentary:

 Imam Sajjad (AS) expressed the following rights of teachers on students:

1. Students should respect their teachers and value their classes by actively listening to their lectures.

1. Students should enhance their learning by paying close attention to their teachers and actively engaging in the learning process.

1. Students must prepare their minds and purify their hearts to absorb and comprehend the knowledge.

The Imam (AS) provided students with valuable advice and stressed the significance of purifying their hearts to benefit from their education fully. He encouraged them to stay determined and focused on acquiring knowledge while avoiding any distractions that may hinder their progress. The Imam (AS) also reminded students of their responsibility to share the knowledge they have gained with others, which requires steadfast commitment and dedication.

The book of Makarem Al-Akhlaq, which includes the treatise of Imam Sajjad (AS), offers additional insight on this topic:

وأن لا ترفع عليه صوتك، ولا تجيب أحدا يسأله عن شئ حتى يكون هو الذي يجيب، ولا تحدث في مجلسه أحدا ولا تغتاب عنده أحدا وأن تدفع عنه إذا ذكر عندك بسوء وأن تستر عيوبه وتظهر مناقبه ولا تجالس له عدوا ولا تعادي له وليا فإذا فعلت ذلك شهدت لك ملائكة الله بأنك قصدته، وتعلمت علمه لله جل اسمه لا للناس.

Avoid raising your voice or answering questions directed at him. Allow him to answer for himself. When in his presence, refrain from conversing with others and avoid speaking negatively about others, such as backbiting or slandering.

If anyone speaks ill of him in his absence, you should stand up for him. You should cover his flaws and highlight his virtues. Do not make friends with his enemies and avoid enmity with his friends. If you do this, angels will witness that you have learned knowledge for the sake of God and not for people.

Importance of Knowledge in Islam:

Imam Sajjad (AS) spoke these words when the number of literate people was few before the advent of Islam. In Medina, there were only 11 literate individuals, while Mecca had only 17 literate individuals.

Islam places great importance on acquiring knowledge, as seen in a collection of narrations compiled by the late Allama Majlisi in the second volume of Bihar Al-Anwar, highlighting the virtue of science.

One of the oaths mentioned in the Holy Qur’an involves swearing by the pen[1]. According to a Hadith attributed to the Messenger of God (PBUH), there are three deeds that are highly valued and can reach Allah (SWT) and be accepted by God. These deeds are the sounds of pens used by scholars when writing, the sounds of Mujahideen on the battlefield, and the squeaking sound of spinning wheels operated by pure and chaste women while spinning thread. This highlights the immense respect and value given to these actions.

ثَلاثُ تَخرُقُ الْحُجُبَ وَ تَنْتَهِی إلَی مَا بَینَ یدَی اللَّهِ: صَرِیرُ أَقْلامِ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَ وَطْی أَقْدامِ الُمجَاهِدینَ وَ صَوْتُ مَغازِلِ الُمحْصَناتِ

Notes:

[1] Al-Alaq (96:1) (اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ ‎)

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