Ensuring The Personal Obligaory Knowledge of The Religion Learning the Religious knowledge is among the best things that one may spend one’s time doing.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACQUIRING THE RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE
The Prophet, Sallallaahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said:
طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ
Talabul-^ilmi fareedatun ^ala kulli Muslim. which means: “Seeking the [obligatory] religious knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” Related by al-Bayhaqiyy. The safe path that protects a person and his family from Hellfire is by learning
the Islamic knowledge, i.e., learning what Allaah made obligatory upon us and learning what Allaah ordered us to avoid. Allaah revealed in the Qur’aan:
which means: “O you who believed, protect yourselves and families from fire, the fuel of which will be people and stones. In charge of this fire are stern and rough angels who do not disobey Allaah and who carry out what they are ordered.” Suratut-TaHreem, aayah 6. Imam ^Ataa' Ibn Abi Rabaah, who was among the followers of the Companions and was the Shaykh of Imaam Abu Haneefah, may Allaah accept their deeds, interpreted that verse of the Qur’aan. He said: “One protects himself and his family from the torture of Hellfire by learning how to pray, fast, sell, buy, marry, and divorce.”
Every accountable Muslim is obligated to learn a certain amount of knowledge in order to protect themselves from falling into sins. This amount of knowledge is known as “The Personal Obligatory Knowledge” or “Al-FarDu-l-^Ayniyy”. This knowledge comprises knowing how to do wuDoo', how to pray, how to fast, how to pay zakaah, knowledge pertaining to Hajj, how to sell and buy, how to marry and divorce, the obligations of the heart, the sins of the heart and the different bodily organs, etc. The one who neglects this amount is falling into a major sin. Without this amount, how does one know that their worship is accepted? How does one know that the prayer he prays every day is valid? Or the FaatiHah that he recites, or the fasting that he fasts? One only knows this by learning. The one who learns is able to differentiate between whats right and whats wrong; what is halaal and what is haraam, and they will not fall into the traps of the people of misguidance for this knowledge will protect them, in shaa' Allaah. The status of the knowledge has been mentioned in many aayahs throughout the Qur'aan, and in the ahadeeth of the Prophet, Sallallaahu ^alayhi wa sallam, so that we can take heed and be diligent in seeking the Religious Knowledge. Allaah the Exalted revealed in His Book in Surat al-Mujadalah, aayah 11:
May yuridillaahu bihi khayray-yufaqqihhu fid-deen. which means: “The one for whom Allaah willed goodness, Allaah guides him to become a knowledgeable person in the Religion.” Narrated by al-Bukhariyy. And He, Sallallaahu ^alayhi wa sallam, in highlighting the great status of acquiring the Religious Knowledge, said to Abu Dharr (what means): “O Abu Dharr, if you go and learn one verse of the Qur'aan, it will be more rewardable for you than praying one hundred rak^ahs of the optional prayers. And if you go and learn a chapter of the Knowledge, it is more rewardable for you than praying one THOUSAND rak^ahs of the optional prayers.” Related by Ibn Maajah. From this hadeeth we know that acquiring a chapter of knowledge is more rewardable than learning an aayah from Qur'aan, in fact, the Prophet said that acquiring a chapter of knowledge is more rewardable than praying 1,000 rak^ahs of optional prayers. How long would it take one of us nowadays to pray 1,000 rak^ahs? Maa shaa' Allaah, it would take a lot of time. Not just that, but a lot of effort and dedication. On the other hand, a chapter of knowledge can be taken while one is sitting down, listening to his/her teacher, with much less effort, although the reward one comes out with is greater. May Allaah increase our knowledge and grants us the proper understanding. May Allaah enable us to become diligent in acquiring the Religious Knowledge and implementing it for His sake. May Allaah make us humble with those who care for us and try to teach us the correct knowledge, may Allaah reward them and increase them in goodness. I ask Allaah the Exalted to make us among those who die as complete believers and enter Paradise without any previous torture. Aameen yaa Rabb Al-^Aalaameen.
