Seeking Knowledge in Islam

Seeking knowledge in Islam is one of the obligations upon every Muslim. Knowledge is power and it will enlighten the hearts of everyone who makes efforts to seek it. It will be your light in this life and the life to come. Knowledge is like the best friend; precious & rare and the more you read it, it only enlightens your mind.

The Messenger (SAW) made seeking knowledge an obligation upon every Muslim, and he explained that the superiority of the one who has knowledge over the one who merely worships is like the superiority of the moon over every other heavenly body. He said that the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets and that the Prophets did not leave behind dinars and dirhams (i.e., money), rather their inheritance was knowledge, so whoever acquires it has gained a great share. And he (SAW) said that seeking knowledge is a way to Paradise.

He (SAW) said: “Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allah will make a path to Paradise easy for him.” (Al-Bukhari)

Therefore, every Muslim should strive to seek knowledge just as we strive to gain the worldly knowledge. Our thirst to learn about our Deen should increase with every single step that we take on this path. Every Muslim need to gain knowledge only from the scholars who follow the methodology of Salaf (pious predecessors) for indeed that is the path of righteousness.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

It is very well known to anyone who ponders the Qur’an and Sunnah and the consensus of all groups among Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah that the best generations of this ummah – in deeds, words, beliefs and all other virtues – is the first generation, then those who came after them, then those who came after them, as is proven in more than one report; they are superior to the later generations in every virtue, be it knowledge, deeds, faith, reason, religious commitment, eloquence or worship. Their view of any problem is more deserving of being followed. This cannot be denied except by the one who would refuse to accept that which is well known in the religion of Islam and whom Allah sends astray despite his knowledge, as ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said. 

End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 4/157

Keep your heart empty from all the ills and create room for knowledge, the more you seek it, the more your heart will become clean from its diseases. Knowledge is nothing if you do not implement in your life, one of the questions that will be asked on the day of judgment is how we acted upon what we acquired of knowledge?

Allah (SWT) has bestowed his favor upon the individuals who are guided by Him. The Prophet (SAW) said: “When Allah wishes good for a person, He makes him understand the religion.” (Al-Bukhari)

Knowledge could be a means to gain rewards even after you depart from this transient world. You will bear it’s fruits from the grave till the time you are raised again to enter into your Final Destination.

The Prophet (SAW) said: “When a man dies, all his deeds come to an end except for three – an ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge or a righteous child who will pray for him.” (Muslim)

If you were to die today, how many good things have you left behind that would benefit the Ummah!? Let’s be conscious of what we are leaving behind?

The sources of the hadith mentioned in the above post have been taken from Usool Al-Deen Al-Islami By Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Ibraaheem Al-Tuwayjri