Mufti Ismail Moosa (may Allāh Ta’ālā preserve him)
Shaykh ‘Abdul Fattāḥ Abū Ghuddah (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with him) said:
الثبات أصل التحصيل
“Persevering is the basis for acquiring”
Knowledge has a unique sweetness and an amazing enjoyment. The pleasure of attaining knowledge is unmatched. When a true student starts to read a few books or sits in some Durūs, he cannot help but feel that he would like to devote the rest of his life to seek knowledge. He desires to dedicate himself fully to attaining knowledge.
However, as time moves on and the dopamine settles, Nafs and Shayṭān start to exploit the situation and the student then starts to lose interest.
At other times, the errands of life and general responsibilities catch up with a person, and they tend to then lose focus.
A student needs to be mindful of this and he needs to continue with his studies even when he has loses motivation or lacks interest. The more a student endures, the more knowledge he procures.
‘Allāmah az-Zarnūjī mentioned:
“Know that being patient and steadfast is the basis of everything, but it is really difficult. Like it is said:
To accomplish anything there is a procedure
But most difficult for even men is to persevere.
Is it essential for a student to be steadfast, consistent and patient, whether it is on his teacher, or on the book. He should not abandon these for anything. Likewise, he should remain committed to the field of study; that he does not move on to another science until he has mastered the one that he is currently engaged in.” (Ta’līm al-Muta’llim, pg 74)
In Arabic it is said:
من ثبت نبت
“A person who is dedicated, will become educated.”
In short, knowledge cannot be attained fast. Rather, you will have to remain steadfast.