"And if they had followed the Knowledge"

Ibn Al-Qaasim said:

فقال ابن القاسم: سمعت مالكا يقول: إن أقواما ابتغوا العبادة، وأضاعوا العلم، فخرجوا على أمة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم بأسيافهم، ولو ابتغوا العلم لحجزهم عن ذلك

ENGLISH:

"I heard Maalik say, 'Indeed there are a people who desire worship but squander the Knowledge (being deprived of it) so they revolt against the Ummah of Muhammad (salallaahu'alayheewasallam) with their swords. And if they had followed the Knowledge, then it would have prevented them from doing that."

NEDERLANDS:

"Ik hoorde Malik zeggen: "Sommigen gingen achter aanbidding aan en lieten het vergaren van kennis achterwege, toen keerden zij hun zwaarden tegen de Ummah van Muhammad! Als zij kennis hadden gezocht, dan zou dat hun daarvan hebben weerhouden".

["Miftah Dar As-Sa'adah", 1/119].