If any Muslim , goes back in time (i.e reads) he will find that the biggest of scholars which Allah bestowed upon this Ummah started their education since a very young age. You'd be surprised to see their excellence grasp of knowledge biidhnillah (with the permission of Allah) , and how they strove to attain success of the hereafter (i.e knowledge) . Back then, a 14-17 year old male was strong enough to take down atleast 10 males in a face to face combat (Jihad) , then it shouldn't be surprising if we see the scholars of our Ummah achieve such excellence at a younger or latter age. I'll keep this post short In sha Allah by mentionining a few examples which are self explanatory to show how early did our salaaf (predecessors) started acquiring 'ilm ad-deen
Allamah Sakhawi (D. 902 A.H) said :
(وَرُدَّ) عَلَى الْقَائِلِينَ بِعَدَمِ قَبُولِ الصَّبِيِّ بِإِجْمَاعِ الْأَئِمَّةِ عَلَى قَبُولِ حَدِيثِ جَمَاعَةٍ مِنْ صِغَارِ الصَّحَابَةِ مِمَّا تَحَمَّلُوهُ فِي حَالِ الصِّغَرِ (كَالسِّبْطَيْنِ) ، وَهُمَا الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ ابْنَا ابْنَتِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاءِ، وَالْعَبَادِلَةِ: ابْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَالنُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ، وَالسَّائِبِ بْنَ يَزِيدَ، وَالْمِسْوَرِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ، وَأَنَسٍ وَمَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ مَخْلَدٍ، وَعُمَرَ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، وَيُوسُفَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلَامٍ، وَأَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ وَعَائِشَةَ وَنَحْوِهِمْ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ، مِنْ غَيْرِ فَرْقٍ بَيْنَ مَا تَحَمَّلُوهُ قَبْلَ الْبُلُوغِ وَبَعْدَهُ.
(مَعَ إِحْضَارِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ) خَلَفًا وَسَلَفًا مِنَ الْمُحَدِّثِينَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ (لِلصِّبْيَانِ) مَجَالِسَ الْعِلْمِ (ثُمَّ قَبُولِهِمْ) أَيِ: الْعُلَمَاءِ أَيْضًا، مِنَ الصِّبْيَانِ (مَا حَدَّثُوا) بِهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ (بَعْدَ الْحُلُمْ) أَيِ: الْبُلُوغِ
And he (the author of alfiyatul-Hadeeth ألفية الحديث on whose work Imam sakhawi is writing this sharh fath ul-Mugheeth) refuted those who refused to accept the hadeeth of children (in many ways, one of which is) by listing the narrators upon whom there is an `ijma of the ummah to take from and many such sahaaba who heard from the prophet `alayhi salatu wa-salaam during their childhood /before puberty days such as Hasan, Hussain who were the children of his (beloved) daughter Fatima az-zahra. And likewise (the scholars have narrated from young sahaaba such as ) Ibn Ja`far ibn abi talib and ibn Zubair and Ibn `Abbas and Nu`man ibn Bashir , Saaib ibn Yazeed and Miswar ibn makhramah and Anas (ibn malik) and Maslamah ibn makhlad and `Umro ibn abi Salamah and Yusuf ibn `abdillah ibn salam and Abu Tufayl and `Aisha (his own wife who married him at 9 when she was mature but still very young) and the likes of them radhiallahu `anhum - without differentiating between what they heard before or after puberty.
And the ummah from the salaf and khalaf and the muhaddithen and other than them (such as regular muslims) have been admitting children into the circles of knowledge and when these children after reaching puberty narrated those traditions the (senior) scholars accepted them
[Ref: Fath ul-Mugheeth 2/140 ; Shamela]
It was narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari that ‘Amr ibn Salamah al-Jarami said: “My father came from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said that he had heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘When the time for prayer comes, let the one among you who knows the most Qur’aan lead you in prayer.’ They looked and they did not find anyone who knew more Qur’aan than me, so they made me lead them in prayer, and I was a boy of six or seven years.”
[ Also see al-Maghaazi, 3963. See Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 7/389-390]
It is reported that Imam al-Shaa'fi (may allah have mercy on him) memorized the Qur’ān at age seven, then Mālik’s Muwaṭṭa’ at age ten, at which time his teacher would deputise him to teach in his absence. He receive permission to give fatwa at age fifteen
[Narrated by Ibn Abī Hātim, Manāqib Ash-Shāfi’ī wa-Ādābuh ]
Khateeb Baghdadi rahimullah (d463H) has been a renowned scholar of hadeeth.He has cited several such reports on this topic, in his famous work Sharf Ashaabil Hadees. The following are some of these reports :
Khateeb Baghdadi rahimullah (d463H) has been a renowned scholar of hadeeth.He has cited the following report in his famous work Sharf Ashaabil Hadees:
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ، أخبرنا أَبُو سَهْلٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ الْقَطَّانُ [ص:250] النَّحْوِيُّ، حدثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْجَهْمِ السَّمَرِيُّ، أخبرنا الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الْمُقْرِئُ، حدثنا يَحْيَى [ص:251] بْنُ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ الْبَاهِلِيُّ، حدثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ ذَكْوَانَ الْأَزْدِيُّ، حدثنا أَبُو هَارُونَ الْعَبْدِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا رَأَى الشَّبَابَ قَالَ: " مَرْحَبًا بِوَصِيَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَوْصَانَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ نُوَسِّعَ لَكُمْ فِي الْمَجْلِسِ، وَأَنْ نُفَهِّمَكُمُ الْحَدِيثَ فَإِنَّكُمْ خُلُوفُنَا، وَأَهْلُ الْحَدِيثِ بَعْدَنَا " وَكَانَ يُقْبِلُ عَلَى الشَّابِّ فيَقُولُ لَهُ: " يَا ابْنَ أَخِي، إِذَا شَكَكْتَ فِي شَيْءٍ فَسَلْنِي حَتَّى تَسْتَيْقِنَ، فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ تَنْصَرِفْ عَلَى الْيَقِينِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ تَنْصَرِفَ عَلَى الشَّكِّ " قَالَ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ وَفِي حَدِيثِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي كَعْبٍ الْبَصْرِيِّ، عَنْ رَاشِدٍ الْحِمَّانِيِّ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " تَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ وَعَلِّمُوهُ النَّاسَ "
"When Abu Sa`eed al-Khudri radhiAllahu Anhu (a companion of the prophet) would see young students seeking knowledge, he would say: "(O young men!) Be you blessed with the PROPHETS WORD regarding you. He asked us to make room for you in our academic gatherings and help you learn ahaadeeth for You are our successors and the people of hadeeth (Ahlul hadeeth) after us "
[Ref: Shu`b al Imaan Bayhaqi 1610 and Sharaf ashab hadeeth No.29. Al-Bayhaqi said this is weak
Muhammad ibn al Husayn ibn al Fadl al Qattaan narrated...that Miskeen ibn Bukayr stated: A man passed by al ‘Amash while he was teaching Hadeeth and said: ‘You are teaching these children?!’
Al ‘Amash responded: ‘These children are preserving your religion for you!’
(حديث مرفوع) أَخْبَرَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ هَمَّامٍ الْكُوفِيُّ ، يَقُولُ : سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ سُلَيْمَانَ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ الْمُسَيَّبَ بْنَ وَاضِحٍ ، بَتَلِّ مَنْسَ ، يَقُولُ : كَانَ ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ ، إِذَا رَأَى صِبْيَانَ أَصْحَابِ الْحَدِيثِ ، وَفِي أَيْدِيهِمُ الْمَحَابِرُ يُقَرِّبُهُمْ ، وَيَقُولُ : هَؤُلاءِ غَرْسُ الدِّينِ ، أُخْبِرْنَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : " لا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ يَغْرِسُ فِي هَذَا الدِّينِ غَرْسًا يَشُدُّ الدِّينَ بِهِمْ ، هُمُ الْيَوْمَ أَصَاغِرُكُمْ ، وَيُوشِكُ أَنْ يَكُونُوا كِبَارًا مِنْ بَعْدِكُمْ
73 - حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ، قَالَ: «كُنَّا نَجْمَعُ الصِّبْيَانَ فَنُحَدِّثُهُمْ»
Abu Khaithama narrated to us, saying: Muhammad Ibn Fudayl reported to us from Al-A`amash from Isma`eel Ibn Rajaa that he said:
"We used to gather the children together (in one place) and narrate hadeeth to them."
[Ref: Kitaab al-`Ilm lil Abu khaithama an-Nasa`ee (73). A`mash is a Mudallis]
Al Hasan ibn Abee Taalib informed me that…I heard al Musayyib ibn Waadi’ saying: ‘Ibn Mubaarak may Allaah have mercy upon him, if he saw the children of the people of Hadeeth with pens in their hands he would draw them close and say: ‘These are the seedlings of the religion, we were told that the Messenger of Allaah - صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:
“Allaah continues to plant seedlings in this religion that He supports it with, they are youngsters amongst you today, but they may be the Kibaar [major scholars or elders] after you.”
This is a Hasan narration : http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?bk_no=724&pid=371305&hid=129
أخبرنا محمد بن أحمد بن رزق ، قال : حدثنا جعفر بن محمد بن نصير ، قال : حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن مسروق ، قال : حدثنا محمد بن حميد ، قال : حدثنا ابن المبارك عبد الله ، قال : حدثنا جرير بن حازم ، عن عبد الله بن عبيد بن عمير ، قال : وقف عمرو بن العاص على حلقة من قريش ، فقال : « ما لكم قد طرحتم هذه الأغيلمة ؟ لا تفعلوا ، وأوسعوا لهم في المجلس ، وأسمعوهم الحديث ، وأفهموهم إياه . فإنهم صغار قوم ، أوشك أن يكونوا كبار قوم وقد كنتم صغار قوم ، فأنتم اليوم كبار قوم »
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rizq informed us that…‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr said: ‘Amr ibn al ‘Aas stood at a circle of knowledge amongst Quraysh and said:
“Why have you discarded these children? Do not do so, make space for them in the circle, let them hear Hadeeth and make them understand it. Indeed they are the youngsters amongst you now, and they will soon be the Kibaar of others. You were once the youngsters of a people, and today you are the Kibaar of your people.”
أخبرني محمد بن الفرج بن علي البزاز ، قال : أخبرنا محمد بن زيد بن مروان الكوفي ، قال : حدثنا عبد الله بن ناجية ح وأخبرنا رضوان بن محمد الدينوري ، قال : أخبرنا عمر بن إبراهيم المقرئ ، ببغداد ، قال : حدثنا البغوي ، قالا حدثنا زيد بن أخزم ، قال : سمعت عبد الله بن داود ، يقول : « ينبغي للرجل أن يكره ، ولده على سماع الحديث . وكان يقول : ليس الدين بالكلام ، إنما الدين بالآثار »
Muhammad ibn al Faraj ibn ‘Alee al Bazaar narrated to us that…Zayd ibn ibn Ahkzam said: ‘I heard ‘Abdullaah ibn Dawood saying: ‘It is befitting for a man to force his children to listen to Hadeeth.’ He also used to say: “Religion is not by talk, indeed religion is only the Athaar [narrations]
أخبرنا محمد بن أحمد بن رزق ، قال : أخبرنا محمد بن الحسن بن زياد النقاش ، قال : حدثنا محمد بن محمود أبو عمرو ، بنسا ، قال : حدثنا حميد بن زنجويه ، قال : حدثنا إبراهيم بن محمد الفريابي ، قال : حدثنا النضر بن الحارث ، قال : سمعت إبراهيم بن أدهم ، يقول : قال لي أبي : « يا بني ، اطلب الحديث ، فكلما سمعت حديثا ، وحفظته ، فلك درهم فطلبت الحديث على هذا
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rizq informed us that…an Nadar ibn al Haarith said: I heard Ibraheem ibn Adham saying: ‘My father said to me:
“My son, study Hadeeth, for every time you hear and memorize a Hadeeth I will give you a Dirham.” So I studied Hadeeth upon that.” End of Quotes from Sharf Ashaabil Hadeeth
It is reported from ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Abaas – may Allaah be pleased with them – that he said:
"After Allaah’s Messenger – Allaah’s peace and blessings be upon him - passed away, I said to a man from the Ansaar, “Come, let us ask [and learn from] the Prophet’s Companions, Allaah’s peace and blessings be upon him, for they are many in number today.”
He replied, “I am surprised at you Ibn ‘Abbaas – do you really think people need you (to teach them for you are very young) when there are so many Companions of the Prophet?”
So he did not involve himself in this endeavor, but I busied myself asking [the Companions about issues]. If I heard of a hadeeth being reported by a man, I would come to him and if he was taking his midday nap I would lay down my garment and lie outside waiting for him, with the wind blowing dust in my face. The man would come out [for Dhuhr] and see me in that state, and he would exclaim, “O nephew of Allaah’s Messenger! What has brought you here? You should have sent for me and I would have come to you!” I would say, “Rather I should come to you [to seek knowledge].” I would then ask him about the hadeeth I heard.
The man [who I originally invited to seek knowledge with me] remained as he was, and when he saw how people would gather around me [to seek knowledge] he said, “For sure, this young man was more intelligent than me.”
[Ref: Ad-Daarimi, As-Sunan 2/129]
al-Shu`bi narrates -- and also Hammad ibn Salama from `Ammar ibn Abi `Ammar -- that Zayd ibn Thabit intended to go on a trip, whereupon the young `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas stood humbly at his side and taking hold of the reins of his mount adopted the attitude of a humble servant in the presence of his master. Zayd said to him: "Don't, O cousin of the Prophet." "Thus we were commanded to treat our ulama and elders," was `Abd Allah's reply. Zayd said to him in turn: "Let me see your hand." Abdullah stretched out his hand. Zayd, taking it, kissed it and said: "Thus we were commanded to treat the members of the household of the Prophet." al-Abhari and Ghazali mention it, and the latter adds that `Umar once helped Zayd Ibn Thabit to mount his camel by holding his foot, and said to the onlookers: "Do the same." al-Zabidi (Ghazali's commentator) said: "I.e. with your `ulama'."
[Narrated by al-Khatib in al-Faqih wa al-mutafaqqih (2:99), Bayhaqi in al-Madkhal (p. 137), and Ibn Sa`d in his Tabaqat (2:360) from Abu Nu`aym with a sound (sahih)chain according to Ibn Hajar in al-Isaba (1:561 "Zayd ibn Thabit"). Also by Tabarani and Ibn al-Muqri' in his Rukhsa (p. 95 #30), Tabari in his Tarikh (11:57, al-Fath), and Ibn `Asakir in his Tarikh in the biography of Zayd. ]
قال عبد الله بن الإمام أجمد بن حنبل: لقننى أبي أحمد بن حنبل القران كله باختياره
‘Abdullaah ibn al Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal stated: “My father taught me the whole Qur-aan verbally with his own will [i.e. he memorized the the whole Qur-aan from his father].”
قال الماوردي: وقال بعض الحكماء: بادروا بتأديب الأطفال قبل تراكم الأشغال، وتفرق البال
Al Maawirdee stated: “A wise man said: Hasten to discipline your children before you become busy and your thoughts are scattered. (i.e you ponder where did you go wrong, how did your child end up being so ?)
Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee: ”I was born an orphan (without a father) and my mother was poor so she did not have money to buy paper for me, so I would look for bones of dead animals to write on” [Jaami'ul Bayaan al-'ilm wa fadhlihi volume 1 page 157]
1 – Teaching Children Tawheed and sunnah
Ibn Abi Shaibah (3499) reports:
حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ، يُعَلِّمُ وَلَدَهُ، يَقُولُ: «قُلْ آمَنْتُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَفَرْتُ بِالطَّاغُوتِ»
Hatim bin Isma'eel narrates from Ja'far bin Muhammd from his father that Ali bin Husain used to instruct his son to say, "I believe in Allah and disbelieve in the Taghoot."
[Ref: Ibn Abi Shaibah mentioned it under the chapter entitled "What is to be taught first to the children.; Via Moin Khan]
Imam Shamsuddeen Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Uthmaan ad-Dhahabi (d.748 A.H.) -Rahimullaah- said:
'It is upon the parents to teach their children, the young ones, first things first; that what is obligatory to be kept away from, and what is necessary to carry out, and his belief. So the father should study with, and remind his son with the matter of Tawheed and that Allaah is the Lord of the worlds. He is the Creator of things, the One who provides for the living, and that Muhammad is His Prophet and that Islam is his religion so that the child is familiar with these matters and he instils this in his nature.
When the child is able to distinguish, he is taught the Wudu and the prayer, and he is warned against Zina, stealing, lying, against eating Haraam, blood and dead animals etc.
And when he is mature then what the Pen wrote comes to pass.'
[From 'Masail fee Talb al-Ilm wa Aqssameehi' p.202-203 / from kalimaat p.73]
Shamsuddeen Muhammad bin Abee Bakr Ibn Qayyim aj-Jawzeeyah (d.751 A.H.) -Rahimullaah- said:
'Allaah's advice for fathers with their children precedes advice for children with their fathers.
So whoever was careless and negligent of educating his son, and leaves off benefiting him and leaving him useless, then he has been evil to him, extremely evil.
Indeed most children being corrupt is due to their fathers, and then being neglectful of them.
Them leaving their education of the Faraid (obligations) and the Sunnan (practices of the Sunnah) of the religion, so they caused them to be lost when they were young. Then the fathers did not benefit from them when they were older.
Just like some fathers held it to be shameful that their children were disobedient, so the child says, O my father you showed disobedience to me when I was young, so now I'm being disobedient to you now that I am older. You caused me to be lost when I was a boy, so I caused you to be lost in your old age.'
[From 'Tuhfat al-Mowdood bi Ahkaam al-Mowlood' p.387 also see page 229]
2 – Love For Abu Bakr & Umar
The advice of Imam Malik bin Anas -Rahimullaah- was:
'The Salaf used to teach their children love for Abu Bakr and Umar just like they would teach a Soorah of the Qur'aan.'
[From: ‘Sharh Usool I’tiqaad Ahl-Ul-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah’ – al-Laala’ka’ee (d. 418 A.H.) No. 2325]
3 – Warning Children against the Rawafidah
From Hamad bin Salamah who said: I heard Ayyoob saying:
‘Whoever loved Abu Bakr then he has indeed established his Deen, and whoever has loved Umar then he has indeed made the path clear, and whoever loved Uthmaan then he has indeed become enlightened with the light of Allaah and whoever loved Alee then he has held on to a firm handhold which will not break.’
Hamad said: I asked Ayyoob:
‘Should we memorise this?’
He answered:
‘Yes, memorise it, teach it to your children, and your children should teach it to their children.’
[From: ‘Sharh Usool I’tiqaad Ahl-Ul-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah’ – al-Laala’ka’ee (d. 418 A.H.) No. 2333, & Tareekh Dimishq 41/333]
4 – From Jafar bin Muhammad bin Alee who said my father said to me:
‘O my son, indeed cursing Abu Bakr and Umar is from the major sins, so do not pray behind the person who curses them.’
[From: Tareekh Baghdad 9/437 & Tareekh Dimishq 57/224]
Related Links : The virtue and status of sahaabas from Qur'an and Sunnah and the criticism of the salaaf against shia'as -
http://the-finalrevelation.blogspot.com/2012/12/some-virtues-of-sahaabas-companions-of.html
Even the Prophet (s.a.w) encouraged reading and writing :
Narrated Ash-Shifa', daughter of Abdullah,:
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) entered when I was with Hafsah, and he said to me: Why do you not teach this one the spell for skin eruptions as you taught her writing
[Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of Medicine, 3887, Saheeh al Albaanee]
Al-Rubay’ bint Mu’awwidh – Allah be pleased with her – said while describing how the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – told them to fast ‘Âshûrâ:
We used to make toys out of dyed wool for the children and keep them with us so if the children asked us for food we would give them the toys to distract them until they completed their fast.
[Sahîh Muslim. A similar narration is also in Sahîh Al-Bukhârî.]
Al-Nawawî states in his commentary on Sahîh Muslim:
In this narration we are shown that children should be trained to do acts of obedience and made used to doing worship; although they are not legally bound
See More : Preservation of Qur'an and Hadeeth during and after the time of the prophet (s.a.w) - http://the-finalrevelation.blogspot.in/2013/01/hadeeth-books-and-compilations-by.html
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