5. Why is it Necessary to Acquire Islamic Knowledge?

The Companion Muʿādh bin Jabal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ relays how the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

Acquire knowledge, because seeking it to please Allah is to fear Him. Seeking knowledge is an act of worship and repeating it (in order to learn and memorise) is to praise Allah. Teaching those who do not have knowledge is charity, and spending it upon those worthy of it is a good deed. It allows you to differentiate between halal and haram, and it is a sign of the path taken by the people of Paradise. It is a means of comfort, a travel companion and accompaniment during loneliness.

It is a guide in times of financial difficulty and during prosperity. It is a weapon against enemies and appears as an adornment to friends. Allah grants high ranks to nations through knowledge, and it is through this they become leaders who are followed. Scholarly opinions are considered final verdicts. Angels are inclined to befriend scholars. And every dry and wet thing, including fish in the sea and animals on land, pray for their forgiveness.

Knowledge is the life of the heart and the light of one’s eyes in darkness. Through it, a person reaches the stations of saints. It is the imam of practical actions, and actions are bound by it. Knowledge is poured into the hearts of the fortunate, whilst those who are unfortunate are deprived of it.^[1]

6. The unseen arrangement of sustenance for scholars

Our beloved master, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “When someone studies the religion, Allah saves him from having to worry