ILM TO AMAL TO HAAL
علم رسمی سر بسر قیل است و قال
نہ ازو کیفیتے حاصل نہ حال
Formal knowledge is but debate, chatter and counter-call,
It yields no good spiritual state, no sweet taste at all.
Commentary: The Limitation of Formal Knowledge
Let us delve into the meaning of this powerful couplet.
علم رسمی سر بسر قیل است و قال
(Ilm-e-rasmi sar ba sar qeel ast o qaal)
Formal knowledge is, from beginning to end, nothing but “he said, this and he said that.”
- Formal Knowledge (Ilm-e-Rasmi): This refers to knowledge that is acquired for the sake of custom, prestige, or argumentation. It is the learning of texts, commentaries, and glosses without allowing that knowledge to penetrate the heart. It is the accumulation of information as a commodity.
- “He said, this and he said that” (qeel o qaal): This is the realm of debate, polemics, and intellectual vanity. It is the energy spent on proving one’s own point and refuting another’s. The scholar engaged in this becomes preoccupied with what was said by whom, rather than why it was said and what it demands of him.
نہ ازو کیفیتے حاصل، نہ حال
(Na azoo kayfiyat-e haasil, na haal)
From it, neither spiritual quality is attained, nor a state (of divine presence).
- Quality (Kayfiyat): This is the transformative effect of knowledge. It is the humility that should come from learning about Allah’s greatness. It is the compassion that should arise from studying the life of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). It is the Allah-consciousness (taqwa) that is the fruit of understanding the Qur’an. If knowledge does not change one’s character, it is merely information.
- State (Haal): This is the spiritual state of the seeker—the feeling of closeness to Allah, the sweetness of worship, the state of being present with the Divine (huzoor). A heart filled only with “qeel o qaal” is dry and cannot experience this haal.
In essence, the poet is warning against a scholarship that dissects the anatomy of divine love without ever falling in love with Allah.
Advice for the Student of Deen: Practice Before Pedantry
This couplet serves as a stark warning, especially for a sincere student of Deen. The path of sacred knowledge is a blessing, but it is also a dangerous test. One can easily drown in the “academic intricacies” while the soul starves for lack of practice.
Here is how a student can protect himself:
- Remember the Purpose of Knowledge: The purpose of learning Halaal and Haraam is to live a life of obedience to the Creator, not to win debates. The purpose of learning Seerah is to fall in love with Nabi (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), not to mesmerize others with every date of every battle. The purpose of learning Tafsir is to let the Qur’an transform you, not to merely analyse its linguistic miracles. Always ask yourself: “How does this change me?”
- Turn Knowledge into Action (Amal): The Mashaaikh say that knowledge calls out for action. If you learn a Verse about patience (sabr), practice patience today. If you learn a Hadith about gratitude (shukr), spend a moment in sincere thanks. Make your learning a manual for self-improvement. The great Sufiyah defined the path as a journey from Ilm (knowledge) to Amal (action) to Haal (spiritual state).
- Beware of the Ego’s Trap: The ego (nafs) loves “qeel o qaal.” It loves to feel superior because it knows something someone else doesn’t. This is the “conceit of knowledge” that veils one from Allah Ta’ala. Humility is the only sign that knowledge has entered the heart. As the proverb goes:
“He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool—shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is a child—teach him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep—wake him.
But he who knows, and knows that he knows, is a wise man—follow him.”
The goal is to be the one who knows and knows that he knows, yet he remains humble, for his knowledge has shown him how much he does not know, and more importantly, has shown him the greatness of the One who is All-Knowing.
4. Seek the Company of the Righteous (Suhbat): Find a teacher or a companion whose knowledge has become character. Sit with someone whose “haal” (spiritual state) is affected by what they know. This living example is the antidote to dry formalism. Watching someone who Prays with presence, who speaks with wisdom, and who lives with simplicity will teach you more about the “quality” of knowledge than a hundred books.
May this explanation serve as a mirror for all who seek knowledge, reminding us to look not only at the words on the page but at the reflection they cast upon our hearts.
In conclusion, let your pursuit of knowledge be a pursuit of Nearness to Allah. Let every new thing you learn be a new reason to bow in gratitude, a new layer of your ego (nafs) to be shed, and a new step towards the state of Ihsaan—worshipping Allah as if you see Him.
(Munsha’ib)