Importance of SeekingKnowledge in Islam

1st draft

Talk designed for Muslims

2

Agenda● Motivation● Topic Definition● What Knowledge is Obligatory?● What Knowledge is Recommended?● Status of Gaining Knowledge● Summary

3

Motivation

● Allah SWT says in Quran– “Read! In the name of your lord.” (Alaq 1; first

revealed ayah)

– Say; Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that remember(Allah’s knowledge).” (Zumar-9)

● The Prophet (saw) said: – “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon

every Muslim” [Ibn Maajah (Al-Albaani: Saheeh)]

4

Dilemma of Muslims Nowadays

● 1 I must seek knowledge tobecome good doctor, engineer,

sportsmen, etc.

Without education there is no future

I must get moredegrees and certifications

Parents, friends, loved ones, entire society say plan your future.

Build your career.

Time for learning Islam?I am not thinking about this question

actually

5

Curiosity Leads to Knowledge

● Example: a small child first becomes curious about surrounding and learns due to curiosity to survive on its own.

Child Surrounding

Curious

Learns enoughknowledge to survive

AdultKnowledge helps us to survive and progress

6

Advice of Prophet SAW

● Hazzam bin Hakeem narrated from his uncle from the Messenger of Allah (SAW) who said:– “You are in a time of many jurisprudents

(fuqaha), few speakers, many who give and few who ask; so action in this time is better than knowledge. There will soon come a time of few jurisprudents, many speakers, many who beg and few who give; so knowledge in this time is better than action.” [reported by Tabarani in his Alkabeer]

7

Different Approaches

Knowledge Action

Actions Knowledge

More Knowledge Little Acts More ActsLittle

Knowledge

Knowledge Action

8

Topic Definition - 1/2

● The Prophet (saw) said: – “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every

Muslim” [Ibn Maajah (Al-Albaani: Saheeh)]

● The above mentioned knowledge is Fardh ul Ayn because it is obligatory on every single one.

How much & whatknowledge

9

Topic Definition - 2/2

● The knowledge which is Fardh ul Kafaya is the knowledge which if few gain then rest of the population can seek help from them

● Today's topic is about knowledge which is Fardh ul Ayn

10

What Knowledge?

● Belief in Islam definitely so that there remains no doubt in mind at all. This is knowledge of understanding the Aqeedah and its fundamentals

● We must know the matters of Halal (permissible) and Haram (impermissible)

● We must know our specific roles and responsibilities as defined by Islam

11

Approach to Belief - 1/2

● He (swt) says: “And verily guess is no substitute for the truth.” [TMQ 53:28]

● And He (swt) said: “They have no (certain) knowledge. They follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not (‘Isa).” [TMQ 4:157]

● "Do you have Ilm for that which you claim so that you provide us with? You follow nothing but conjecture (Zann)." [TMQ 6:148]

12

Approach to Belief - 2/2

● "These are nothing but names which you have devised, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow nothing but conjecture and what their Nafs desire. Even though there has already come to them the Guidance from their Rabb" [TMQ 53:23]

● Jalaluddin as-Suyuti, a Mujtahid Imam of the Shafi madhab has commented on this verse, that the people had zann (conjecture) which is opposed to knowledge (ilm) i.e. certain knowledge. He also stated that Allah had sent down definitive proof (Burhan Qati) for the truth of the Islamic Aqeeda. [Tafseer al Jalalayn page 627. It is stated in Reliance of the Traveller Ahmed ibn Naqib al misri (ra) (769/1368) Book of Qada (Judiciary)]

13

Belief is Driven by Knowledge

● Therefore, we cannot have– Emotional belief or belief based on imitation.

● We must know personally that Allah (swt) exists, that Muhammad (saw) is His last Messenger, the Quran is the word of Allah– Whatever is contained in Quran is the truth,

therefore the belief in the angels, previous books, previous prophets, the day of Judgment, etc.

14

Obeying Requires Knowledge – 1/2

● Allah (swt) has addressed us directly in the Quran on so many occasions:– “O you who believe, obey Allah and His Messenger”

● We know that our purpose in life is to worship Allah (swt) as Allah said:– “I have not created Jinn or mankind except that they worship me” [TMQ 51:57]

● Allah (swt) has also clearly ordered us to take from the Messenger (saw):– “And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad [saw]) gives you, take it, and whatsoever

he forbids you, abstain (from it).” [TMQ59:7]

15

Obeying Requires Knowledge – 2/2

● Therefore we must at least know the Shariah rules relating to the Fara’id (obligations) and Muharramat (prohibitions) from our actions, i.e., rules pertaining to matters such as the following:– Salah

– Relationships with the opposite sex

– Responsibility towards parents, children, husband, wife, siblings

– Buying

– Replying the to the Salam

– Backbiting

– Working for Khilafah

– Riba (usury)

16

Principle for Acts

● There is a principle in Fiqh: Every action requires a hukm (order of Allah) and every hukm requires an evidence

Knowledge Action

17

Knowledge of Specific Role is Obligatory

● For a doctor it is Fard to know the ahkam relating to his field, e.g. is post-mortem allowed, rules relating to treating the opposite sex, using intoxicants for medical purposes, etc.

● For an Imam of the Masjid it is Fard to know the ahkam relating to leading the prayer, the obligations of the Khutba, the responsibility towards the Muslims, the obligations of speaking the truth from the Minbar, etc.

● It is Fard for the teacher to know whether it is permitted to teach subjects that contradict Islam and promote Kufr, the ahkam of teaching members of the opposite sex, the ahkam of disciplining the student.

● It is Fard for the Khalifah of the Muslims to know ahkam relating to his responsibility, etc.

18

Islamic Knowledge is not Invented but Learned – 1/2

● We must ensure that we follow the Shariah and not rules invented from the mind

● In the Hadith in Sahih of Bukhari, on the authority of 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr who said: 'Abd Allah b. 'Amr b. al-'As overcame us with proof. I heard him say: “Allah will not deprive you of knowledge after he has given it to you, but it will be taken away through the death of the learned men (Ulema’a) with their knowledge. There will remain ignorant people who, when consulted, will give verdicts according to their opinions whereby they will mislead others and themselves go astray.” i.e. they give Fatwas according to their own opinions which are not derived from the Islamic evidences.

19

Islamic Knowledge is not Invented but Learned – 2/2

● In the authentic Hadith the Prophet (saw) said: “The best speech is the Book of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (saw). And the evil matters are the newly invented issues and every Bida’a (innovation) is a misguidance.”[Muslim] .

● Hadith narrated by Al-Daraqtuni in Al-Afrad, of Anas of the Prophet (saw), where he said: "Whomever cheats my Ummah has the curse of Allah, the Angels and the people combined, upon him. They asked: What is cheating, Oh Prophet of Allah? He said: If he invented an innovation for them, and they acted upon it".

● “Whoever speaks about the Quran without any knowledge, then let him seek his place in the fire of hell.” [Tirmidhi , Abu Dawud]

20

Importance of Scholars – 1/2

● “And follow not that of which you have no knowledge. Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those you will be questioned (by Allah).” [TMQ 17:36]

● Even if we are not aware of the evidence, we must know that the hukm is derived from the Islamic texts by legitimate Ijtihad

● “So ask the people of the Reminder (ahl al-zikr) if you do not know.” [TMQ 21:7]

21

Importance of Scholars – 2/2

● It has also been narrated on the authority of Jabir (ra): – “a man was struck by a stone that fractured his skull … [and needed

ablution] .... He asked his companions - do you know of a permit (Rukhsa) for me to perform Tayammum (dry ablution)? - They said - we do not find any permit for you and you can use water. He then had a bath and died.

– The Prophet (saw) said: “Verily, it would have sufficed for him to make Tayammum, so tie a piece of cloth around his head and wipe over it and wash the rest of his body.' And the Prophet (saw) said: 'why did they not ask when they did not know. Indeed, the cure for inability and lack of knowledge is to ask.” [Abu Dawud: 275, Ibn Majah: 565, Ahmad: 2898] The Messenger (saw) instructed them to ask about the Hukm Shar'ai.

● Imam Zuhri said– “Be careful from whom you take your knowledge, because that is your Deen.”

22

Rulers and Scholars

● Imam Abu Hanifah said, “If you see the scholar at the gates of the ruler then accuse him in his Deen”.

● Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimallah), the master of Hadeeth, the Mujtahid of Makkah and to whom the Hanbali Madhab is attributed. In his time Ma’moon became Khaleefah who had adopted the Mu’tazilla belief that the Quran was created and attempted to force this belief upon the masses.– He started with the Ulema as they were the ones who had the leadership over

the Ummah. Amongst the Ulema was Imam Ahmad who refused to accept this corrupt doctrine. His uncle went to him and asked him to say with his tongue what he does not accept in his heart, to this he responded, “If the Alim stays silent in the face of falsehood when will the truth become manifest”.

23

Recommended Knowledge

● Knowing the evidences for the ahkam● Detailed knowledge of the Seerah● Islamic history (Tarikh)● Tafseer, Arabic language● Ilm al-Hadith● Usul ul-Fiqh

24

Status of Gaining Knowledge – 1/2

● Al-Bukhari narrated through Mu’awiyya bin Abu Sufyan: the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: – “The one for whom Allah wills good (khayr), He grants him fiqh in the deen.”

● It was narrated that Umar bin al-Khattab said: “The death of one thousand worshippers who pray at night and worship in the day is less serious than the death of one intelligent knower (baseer) of the halal and haram of Allah.” (Ahmad)

● Abu Huraira said, The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The word of wisdom is the lost property of the believer, so wherever he finds it he has a better right to it." (Tirmidhi).

25

Status of Gaining Knowledge – 2/2

● Abu Dardaa' (ra) said: – "To learn of one issue (in deen) is better for me than to pray the entire night"

– “The scholar and the seeker of knowledge are the partners in the sharing of good. Other men are hungry and there is no good in them.”

● Fath Al Musilee (radhiallahu anhu) said: "Would the sick person who is not fed or given anything to drink or given any medicine, not die?" The people replied: "Surely!" He said: "It is the same with the heart, it would die if knowledge and wisdom is withheld from it."

● Narrated Abdullah bin Masud (Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Do not wish to be like anyone except in two cases. – A person, whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it righteously;

– The one whom Allah has given wisdom and he acts according to it and teaches it to others." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol 1).

26

Status of People of Knowledge – 1/2

● Abu Huraira said, The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "People are like mines of silver and gold; the more excellent of them in the days of Ignorance are the more excellent of them in Islam when they attain knowledge.” (Muslim, Mishkat).

● “Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember.” [TMQ az-Zumar:9]

● Jabir (ra) reported: After the battle of Uhud, the Prophet (saw) arranged the burial of two of the martyrs in one grave. In each case he would ask, “Which one of them had learnt more Qur'an by heart?” He placed whichever was thus pointed out to him, first in the Lahd (type of grave). [Bukhari]

● 'Ubaadah b. as-Saamit (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “He is not from my Ummah who does not acknowledge the honour due to our elders, who shows no mercy to our younger ones and nor recognises the right of our scholar.” Al-Munziri said: reported by Ahmad with a hasan chain. Al-Haythami said: reported by Ahmad and at-Tabaraani and its isnad is hasan.

27

Status of People of Knowledge – 2/2

● Abdullah b. al-Mas'ud (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: – “Let those be nearest to me in Salah (prayer) who are mature and possess (religious)

knowledge, then those who are nearest to them in these respects.” He repeated this three times and then added, “Beware of indulging in the loose talks of the markets (when you are in the mosque).” [Muslim]

● Abu Musa (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: – “It is out of reverence to Allah that we respecting an aged Muslim, and the one who

commits the Qur'an to memory and does not exaggerate pronouncing its letters and nor forgets it after memorising, and to respect the just ruler.” Reported by Abu Dawud. An-Nawawi said the hadith is hasan. Ibn Muflih said the isnad is jayyid.

28

Summary

● There are two parts of Islamic Knowledge– Obligatory for all: (Aqeedah, daily matters of Halal & Haram,

knowledge related to specific roles and responsibilities)

– Recommended: (Tafseer, Usul ul-Fiqh, Ilm al-Hadith, etc.)

● There is higher status for people of Knowledge– Rulers and Scholars are under a difficult relationship due to

temptation of power and money.

– Scholars are supposed to do accounting of rulers which makes their relation very difficult specially in the era of corruption.

29

Questions

???

The Prophet SAW said: "Convey from me, even one verse." (Bukhari)