The companions during the era of the rightly guided caliphs were keen to inherit and disseminate knowledge, both among the young and the older seekers, as well as in the new cities and conquered lands.

The Rightly Guided Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab set an example in this regard. Al-Bukhari and others narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas that Umar would include me with the elders of Badr. One of them said, "Why do you include this young man with us when we have sons like him?" He replied, "He is someone you already know." One day, he called them and called me along with them. I only saw him call me that day to show them what I could do. He said, "What do you say about...( When Allah’s ˹ultimate˺ help comes and the victory ˹over Mecca is achieved˺,(1) and you ˹O Prophet˺ see the people embracing Allah’s Way in crowds,)( An-Nasr) Until the end of the Surah, some said: "We were commanded to praise Allah and seek His forgiveness when He grants us victory and opens the doors for us," and some said: "We do not know," or perhaps some did not say anything. He said to me: "O Ibn Abbas, do you say that?" I replied: "No." He asked: "What do you say?" I said: "It is the appointed time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), which Allah informed him about: 'When the victory of Allah and the conquest comes' (referring to the conquest of Mecca), then that is the sign of your appointed time. So glorify the praise of your Lord and seek His forgiveness, for indeed, He is Most Accepting of Repentance." Umar said: "I do not know anything from it except what you know^.(1) Al-Zuhri narrated: The assembly of Umar was full of readers; young and old. Sometimes he would consult them and say: "Let not the youth of anyone prevent him from expressing his opinion, for knowledge is not determined by youth or age. Rather, Allah places it wherever He wills^.(2)

The preacher Al-Baghdadi included a section in his book "The Comprehensive Guide to the Ethics of the Narrator and the Manners of the Listener" titled "Who Prefers Young Men for Narration Over Elders and Those of Experience." In this section, he narrated several accounts emphasizing the importance of educating the youth and being patient with their learning. Among these is what he narrated through his chain (of transmission) from one of the pupils of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman. He said: We were sitting with Hudhayfah when a man passed by, and Hudhayfah said to him: "O so-and-so, what prevents you from sitting with us?" The man replied: "By God, nothing prevents me from that except for these young men who are around you." Hudhayfah became angry and said: "Did you not hear what Allah, the Most High, says?( Some said, ‘We heard a youth called Abraham talking about them.) (Al-Anbya:60) ( They were young men who believed in their Lord,) (Al-Kahf :13) Is there any good except in youth?⁽³⁾

As for the emphasis on educating the elderly, Al-Bukhari included a chapter in his Sahih titled "The Happiness in Knowledge and Wisdom," in which he mentioned the words of Umar ibn Al-Khattab: "Seek knowledge before you become leaders." He then commented, "And even after you become leaders, as the companions of the Prophet ﷺ learned in their old age.⁽⁴⁾

It is a sound understanding that does not negate the importance of education in childhood and its establishment. Al-Tartushi said: "Do not let them provide an excuse for you based on some reports like the one that states: 'He who learns knowledge in his youth is like one who engraves on stone, while he who learns knowledge in old age is like one who writes on water.

Al-Ahnaf heard a man saying: 'Knowledge in childhood is like engraving on stone.' Al-Ahnaf replied: 'The older person has a greater intellect, but their heart is more preoccupied.' He examined the meaning and pointed out the reason. The companions of the Prophet ﷺ would embrace the elderly, the middle-aged, and the young, learning knowledge, the Quran, and the Sunnah from them. They were oceans of knowledge and mountains of wisdom and jurisprudence. However, knowledge acquired in childhood has deeper roots and taller branches. It is not the case that if one does not encompass all of it, they will miss out on all of it. A man said to Abu Huraira: 'I want to learn knowledge, but I fear losing it.' Abu Huraira replied: 'It is enough that you will leave it as a loss.⁽⁵⁾

Scientific missions and the education of cities.

The sending of missionaries to call people to Islam was an established practice since the time of the Prophet. Then, news about the sending of educational missions ceases during the caliphate of Abu Bakr, which may be attributed to the significant events of the Ridda (apostasy) movement, as most of the Arabs had reverted to disbelief and the deserts were no longer safe. Subsequently, these missions became active again after the re-unification of the Arabian Peninsula and the expansion of conquests during the caliphate of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).⁽⁶⁾

It has been noted that Umar instructed his governors to teach their subjects their religion and the tradition of their Prophet, and he said: 'O Allah, I bear witness to the leaders of the cities, for I appointed them only to teach the people their religion and the tradition of their Prophet (peace be upon him), and to distribute among them...⁽⁷⁾

Omar sent ten of the companions to teach the people in Basra.⁽⁸⁾ This has been the case since the residents first settled there in the year 17 AH. When he appointed Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari in the same year, Abu Musa said: "Support me with a number of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), for they are in this nation like salt." He responded: "Take whoever you like." So, he took with him twenty-nine men, among them Anas ibn Malik and Imran ibn Husain.⁽⁹⁾

As for Kufa, it was settled by a group of the companions, numbering three hundred from the companions of the Tree (Treaty of al-Hudaybiya), and seventy from the people of Badr. ⁽¹⁰⁾ Omar sent Abdullah ibn Mas'ud to teach the people, and he wrote them a letter that said: "To begin with, I have sent you Ammar ibn Yasir as an emir, and Ibn Mas'ud as a teacher and advisor. I have appointed Ibn Mas'ud over your treasury, and they are among the elite companions of Muhammad from the people of Badr. So, listen to them and obey, and follow their guidance. I have preferred you with Ibn Umm Abd (meaning Ibn Mas'ud) over myself.⁽¹¹⁾ And among those whom Umar sent to Kufa were eleven men from the Ansar.⁽¹²⁾ Omar buried them and advised them not to distract people from reading and understanding the Quran with anything.⁽¹³⁾

Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan wrote to Umar at the beginning of his caliphate: "The people of Sham are numerous, and they need someone to teach them the Quran and provide them with understanding." So, Umar sent him Muadh ibn Jabal, Ubadah ibn al-Samit, and Abu al-Darda.⁽¹⁴⁾ Abu al-Darda took over the judiciary of Damascus and remained there until his death in the year 32 AH. He spread abundant knowledge there and had his scientific circles, along with his unique method of managing them. The number of people reading in his assembly reached over one thousand six hundred, so he would divide them into groups of ten, assigning a skilled reciter with each group.⁽¹⁵⁾ The status of Abu al-Darda was elevated to the point that Yazid bin Muawiya said about him: " Abu al-Darda one of the    knowledgeable scholars who provide healing from ailments.⁽¹⁶⁾ Al-Layth ibn Sa'd reported from a certain person who said: I saw Abu al-Darda entering the mosque with followers, like those who accompany a ruler, and they were asking him about knowledge.⁽¹⁷⁾

And so, it was with Mu'adh bin Jabal; people would gather around him and take his opinions, benefiting from his knowledge, wisdom, and generosity.⁽¹⁸⁾

Sources:

1. Al-Bukhari: Al-Sahih (5/149), (6/179), Al-Hakim: Al-Mustadrak (5/307)
2. Al-Muttaqi Al-Hindi: The Treasure of the Workers (10/253), Ibn Abdul Barr: The Comprehensive Explanation of Knowledge and its Virtue (1/619)
3. Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdadi: The Compendium of the Morals of the Narrator and the Etiquette of the Listener (1/ 310)
4. Sahih al-Bukhari (1/25).
5. Al-Tartushi: The Lamp of Kings, p. 64.
6. Akram Dia Al-Omar: The Era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, p. 296.
7. Abu Yusuf: Al-Kharaj, p. 14, Ibn Hanbal: Al-Musnad (1/420).
8. Ibn Abi Aasim: Al-Ahad wa Al-Mathani (2/ 325), Ibn Abdul Barr: Al-Isti'ab (3/ 996).
9. Ibn al-Athir: The Complete History (2/363).
10. Ibn Sa'd: The previous source (6/9).
11. Ibn Sa'd: The previous source (3/255), (6/8).
12. Ibn Sa'd: The previous source (6/17).
13. Ibn Abdul Barr: The Collector of the Explanation of Knowledge and Its Virtue (2/999).

• Ibn Asakir: The History of Damascus (26/ 194)

15. Ibn Asakir: The previous source (1/ 328).

• Al-Dhahabi: The Ticket of the Preservers (1/23)."

17. The previous source (1/24).
18. Ibn Sa'd: The previous source (2/586, 598)

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