The Rights of the Teacher to be observed by the Student

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘There are three types of people whose right none will deem lightly apart from the hypocrite who manifests his hypocrisy the old person in Islam, the just leader, and the teacher of good.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘It is a scholar s right upon you that you greet people in general as a whole but single him out with your greeting, that you sit in front of him, that you do not point to him with your hand, nor make hints against him with your eyes, nor say, ‘but x said in opposition to his statements, nor backbite anyone in his presence, nor whisper secrets to others in his gathering, nor pull on his robe, nor insist for him to continue if he is tired, nor show disinclination at the length of his speech, for verily it [i.e. his speech] is as a palm tree from which you [should] anxiously wait for something to fall from it for you.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘It is not part of the moral virtues of a believer that he should flatter or be jealous except in the quest for knowledge.

Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said, ‘The right of the one who trains you in knowledge is to magnify him, to frequent his sessions, to listen to him attentively, and to attend to him with devotion. You should not raise your voice to him, nor answer a question that someone has asked him about something, so that he may be the one to answer. You should not address anyone else in his session, nor backbite anyone in his presence. You must defend him if anyone ever speaks ill of him in your presence, conceal his faults and publicise his virtues. You should not sit in the company of his enemy, nor be hostile towards his friend. If you fulfil this right, Allah s angels bear witness that you frequented him and learned from his knowledge for the sake of Allah, exalted be His Name, and not for the sake of people.