Fatwa ID: 01495

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

Seeking knowledge

Answer:

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

Allah in the Holy Quran has said:

‘O those who believe, save yourselves and your families from a fire, the fuel of which is human beings and stones….’    (Surah Tahrim v.6)

There are many ways we can save ourselves from the Fire of Hell but the best way of saving ourselves and family from the eternal punishment of Hell is through acquiring knowledge as ultimately knowledge of the oneness of Allah coupled with good actions will save a person from the Fire of Hell and grant entry into paradise.

The greatest gift a person can have after Iman is knowledge.  There are many virtues regarding the importance and benefit of seeking knowledge. Below I have extracted some ahadith from Riyadh Saliheen on this topic.

Mu`awiyah reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "When Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of Deen.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Ibn Mas`ud reported: The Prophet said, "Envy is permitted only in two cases: A man whom Allah gives wealth, and he disposes of it rightfully, and a man to whom Allah gives knowledge which he applies and teaches it.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

 Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "The guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me are like abundant rain which fell on a land. A fertile part of it absorbed the water and brought forth profuse herbage and pasture; and solid ground patches which retained the water by which Allah has benefited people, who drank from it, irrigated their crops and sowed their seeds; and another sandy plane which could neither retain the water nor produce herbage. Such is the similitude of the person who becomes well-versed in the religion of Allah and receives benefit from the Message entrusted to me by Allah, so he himself has learned and taught it to others; such is also the similitude of the person who has stubbornly and ignorantly rejected Allah's Guidance with which I have been sent.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Sahl bin Sa`d reported: The Prophet  said to `Ali (May Allah be pleased with him), "By Allah, if a single person is guided by Allah through you, it will be better for you than a whole lot of red camels.''

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As reported: The Prophet  said, "Convey from me even an Ayah of the Qur'an; relate traditions from Banu Israel, and there is no restriction on that; but he who deliberately forges a lie against me let him have his abode in the Hell.''
[Al-Bukhari].

Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "Allah makes the way to Jannah easy for him who treads the path in search of knowledge.''
[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "He who calls others to follow the Right Guidance will have a reward equal to the reward of those who follow him, without their reward being diminished in any respect on that account.''
[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous decendant who prays for him (for the deceased).''
[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah  said, "The world, with all that it contains, is accursed except for the remembrance of Allah that which pleases Allah; and the religious scholars and seekers of knowledge.''
[At-Tirmidhi].

Anas  reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "He who goes forth in search of knowledge is considered as struggling in the Cause of Allah until he returns.''
[At-Tirmidhi].

Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "A believer never satisfies doing good until he reaches Jannah.''
[At-Tirmidhi].

Abu Umamah  reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "The superiority of the learned over the devout worshipper is like my superiority over the most inferior amongst you (in good deeds).'' He went on to say, "Allah, His angels, the dwellers of the heaven and the earth, and even the ant in its hole and the fish (in water) supplicate in favour of those who teach people knowledge.''
[At-Tirmidhi].

Abud-Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "He who follows a path in quest of knowledge, Allah will make the path of Jannah easy to him. The angels lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he does. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the depth of the oceans seek forgiveness for him. The superiority of the learned man over the devout worshipper is like that of the full moon to the rest of the stars (i.e., in brightness). The learned are the heirs of the Prophets who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham but only that of knowledge; and he who acquires it, has in fact acquired an abundant portion.''
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

Ibn Mas`ud reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, "May Allah freshen the affairs of a person who hears something from us and communicates it to others exactly as he has heard it (i.e., both the meaning and the words). Many a recepient of knowledge understands it better than the one who has heard it.''
[At-Tirmidhi].

Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "He who is asked about knowledge (of religion) and conceals it, will be bridled with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection.''
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah  said, "He who does not acquire knowledge with the sole intention of seeking the Pleasure of Allah but for worldly gain, will not smell the fragrance of Jannah on the Day of Resurrection.''
[Abu Dawud].

Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: "Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people, but He takes it away by taking away (the lives of) the religious scholars till none of the scholars stays alive. Then the people will take ignorant ones as their leaders, who, when asked to deliver religious verdicts, will issue them without knowledge, the result being that they will go astray and will lead others astray.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham.