Why Knowledge is the Best of the Three Things that Benefit Us After Death
KNOWLEDGE BEING THE BEST OF THESE THREE THINGS CITED IN THE ḤADĪTH
Regarding the statement of the Prophet (ﷺ),
"When a person dies, his deeds are cut off from him except for three: a continuous charity, or knowledge which is benefitted from, or a righteous son who supplicates for him." {Muslim #1631}Shaikh ‘Uthaymīn (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said when discussing the best of the three things mentioned in this ḥadīth: “The best of these three things is knowledge that is benefitted from, because continuous charity will come to an end, and the righteous son will die, whilst knowledge remains. So if you wish to make reflection then reflect by way of the scholars who died hundreds of years ago, you will find that their books are in the hands of the people today – they are benefitting by way of them, so it is as if they are teaching them, and it is due to this that I encourage our youth upon seeking legislated knowledge by way of which they benefit themselves in their lives as well as after their deaths. They benefit the Muslims by way of it, rather they benefit Islaam by way of it.” {Fatāwa Noor ‘alaa ad-Darb, 6/165}
The Shaikh (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said similarly: “Imām Ahmad for example; how long has it been since he has been deceased? And Shaikh ul Islām Ibn Taymiyyah, how long has he been deceased? And yet the people do not cease to benefit from their knowledge! So be ardent my Muslim brother upon knowledge, since there is nothing that is equal to it.” {Sharḥ Riyadhus-Saliḥīn, 4/568}
This is from that which better helps understand the statement of Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) when he said: “Whoever loves that his action should not be cut off after his death; then let him disseminate knowledge.” {At-Tadhkirah, page 55}
May ALLĀH grant us beneficial knowledge. Āmīn