The Importance of Knowledge

The Importance of Knowledge

As we all know, Knowledge has a very lofty status in the Religion of Allah, and is something which is praised and comes with great reward, however, all too often, we as Muslims fall short on this issue of knowledge, despite the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him saying

من سلك طريقا يلتمس به علما سهل الله له طريقا إلى الجنة 

(He who treads a Path, seeking in through that path knowledge, Allah will make the path to Jannah easy for him)


And this is quite evident in the ways we live our lives as Muslims, in many cases in total ignorance as to what the Religion requires of us. Having said that, those issues pertaining to issues like Zakat, Hajj etc can be eliminated when one visits a local Sheikh, but what about the one who actually wants to embark on seeking knowledge?

First and foremost what can we call knowledge? what exactly is it? well, the scholars define it as
الإدراك الشيء على ما هو عليه إدراكا جازما
(Comprehension of a particular thing, upon that which it is actually upon, knowing that thing in totality)

So knowledge in Islam for those who actually want to study the religion, is to know Islam for what it is, and to know the rulings of the religion and why that ruling is actually there. Now, if a person does not know the religion he is prone to err, he is prone to get things wrong, and can't give you insight into the religion like the Scholar, as the Arabs said فاقد الشيء لا يعطيه  (He who is devoid of something, can't give it).

Therefore knowledge in Islam allows you to distinguish right from wrong, truth from falsehood, and with it will make it that much harder for someone to pull the wool over your eyes, as you are equipped to fight against innovations or ridiculous statements put forth by those who know nothing at all. You will know Halal from the Haram, the Waajib from the Sunnah and everything in between, and this is why those who have sought knowledge and implemented it, will have a great status in the Akhira as Imam Ahmad Said

العلم لا يعدله شيء
 (Nothing is equal to knowledge)

So at the very least, the Muslim needs to know the basics of Prayer, Taharah (cleanliness) and his Aqeedah (Creed) and if he wishes to embark and learn the Disciplines of Tafseer, Fiqh , Hadeeth, Lughah, etc....let him do so.


And Allah knows best.


Khalid Hassan