Sitting in the company of the righteous, listening about their lives or reading their stories and biographies are from among the most important objects of life according to the righteous intellectuals. The world is only beloved to an intelligent person if it is for the perfection of his qualities, the increase of his good deeds and for his preparation for the hereafter. It is in this regard that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab r.a. says: “Were it not for three reasons, I would not have liked to remain in this world: (1) That I lead or prepare an army for the cause of Allah Jalla jalaluh. (2) Enduring pain at night. In other words, standing [before Allah Jalla jalaluh] at night and engaging in worship therein in order to obtain the abundant reward that could be obtain therein. (3) Sitting in the company of people who select the purest of words just as the best dates are selected.”
Syaikh Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah says: “The 108th reason – i.e. in explaining the good qualities, honour and merit of knowledge – is that many of the imams have clearly stated that the most meritorious deed after the compulsory deeds is the seeking of knowledge. The students of ash-Shafi’I rahimahullah say that this is his madhhab. Sufyan ath-Thauri rahimahullah also said the same thing. The Hanafis also relate the same thing from Abu Hanifah rahimahullah. This is also the madhhab of Malik rahimahullah as narrated by Ibn al-Qasim.”
“As for Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, three narrations have been related from him: (1) the most meritorious deed after the compulsory deeds is the seeking of knowledge. (2) the most meritorious deed after the compulsory deeds is optional salah. (3) It is jihad.” (Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah mentions proofs for each of these options of Imam Ahmad rahimahullah)…
…“The first is jihad, the second is standing [before Allah SWT in salah] at night, and the third is discussing matters of knowledge. These three qualities were collectively found to perfection in the Sahabah r.anhum, and scattered among those who came after them.” [Miftaah Dar as-Saadah]
[Imam Harith al-Muhasibi rahimahullah, ‘Risalatul Mustarsyidin’, researched and explained by Syaikh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah, translated by Mahomed Mahomedy – ‘The Sunnah Way of the Sufis’, Zam Zam Publisher, 2007. ISBN 978 969 9145 12 4, p. 30-31. – part of Introduction by Syaikh Abu Ghuddah]