2. It is Obligatory for every Muslim to Seek Religious Knowledge

The Companion Anas bin Mālik رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ reports, the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِیْضَةٌ عَلیٰ کُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ وَ اِنَّ طَالِبَ الْعِلْمِ یَستَغْفِرُ لَہٗ کُلُّ شَیْءٍ حَتَّی الْحِیْتَانُ فِی الْبَحْرِ

Seeking religious knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim, and indeed everything prays for the forgiveness of a student of knowledge, even fish in the sea.^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers! Look at the untold blessings that come with acquiring Islamic knowledge. As a student is busy in his work, increasing his knowledge, reading religious books, as well as committing Quran and hadith to memory, everything in the world—even fish in the sea—pray for his forgiveness. How fortunate is this individual! سُبْحٰنَ اللہ

Which knowledge is obligatory to learn?

O devotees of Allah’s Messenger! We just heard a hadith explaining how it is obligatory for every Muslim to seek knowledge, but which type of knowledge is this referring to? The Amir of Ahl al-Sunnah, Maulana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ explains this for us by saying:

This hadith is not referring to the widespread worldly knowledge taught in schools and colleges. It instead refers to compulsory religious knowledge.

*   It is obligatory to learn about foundational Islamic beliefs.

*   After this, one must learn obligatory aspects of salah, its conditions and what renders it void (in other words, he must learn how to offer salah correctly and know what leads to it being invalid).