0% found this document useful (0 votes)
255 views

Importance of Knowledge in Islam

This document discusses the importance of knowledge in Islam. It begins by providing context that Islam is a complete code of life and knowledge is important for understanding Allah and the world. It then discusses the motivation for seeking knowledge based on the first revelation received by Muhammad, which emphasized the difference between those who know and do not know. The document defines knowledge and discusses its role in other religions before focusing on the Islamic perspective - that seeking knowledge is obligatory for Muslims based on hadiths. It emphasizes that true Islamic knowledge comes from studying subjects like jurisprudence and hadith. The status of those who gain and spread knowledge is seen as very high.

Uploaded by

gash box
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
255 views

Importance of Knowledge in Islam

This document discusses the importance of knowledge in Islam. It begins by providing context that Islam is a complete code of life and knowledge is important for understanding Allah and the world. It then discusses the motivation for seeking knowledge based on the first revelation received by Muhammad, which emphasized the difference between those who know and do not know. The document defines knowledge and discusses its role in other religions before focusing on the Islamic perspective - that seeking knowledge is obligatory for Muslims based on hadiths. It emphasizes that true Islamic knowledge comes from studying subjects like jurisprudence and hadith. The status of those who gain and spread knowledge is seen as very high.

Uploaded by

gash box
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

Assignment

Importance of Knowledge in Islam


Submitted to: Dr.Sanaullah
Submitted by: Ume Farwa
Roll Number: 021

1
Contents
 Introduction
 Motivation
 Definition of Knowledge
 Knowledge in Other Religions
 Islam as a code of life
 What is meant by knowledge in Islam?
 Approach to Belief
 Obeying requires knowledge
 Knowledge of Specific Role is obligatory
 Islamic knowledge is learned
 Recommended knowledge
 Status of gaining knowledge
 Educated men
 Conclusion

2
Introduction:
Islam is a complete code of life. In order to be effective, it must grasp at essentials of
human life necessary for achieving the purpose for which they have been made. That
involves the beauty of learning about Allah and this world. Knowledge is the consequence
of what we attain after the endeavour of learning. In some sense of its definition, it can be
inferred as the main reason for life.
This innate desire drives not only the believers but also the non believers. The believers,
however have a better standing as they have the direction in the form and shape of the
Quran revealed upon the Prophet (Please Be Upon Him) as well as his commonly known
practices divinely ordained known as Sunnah. This motivates us as to the fact of attaining
knowledge for the satisfaction of our desire.
Firstly, it comes to us to define knowledge and its ingredients by the use of our ordinary
faculties in order to have a better grasp of what the sources of Islam gives us. We are well
aware of the fact that Islam is not concise in its matters of analysis and giving a background
would better enable us to understand the metaphysical as well as the real aspect of
knowledge. Secondly, the admonition of other religions gives us an insight as how the
fundamentals of the People of the Book and other religions (not paganism) are the same as
most advocate the attainment of knowledge or knowledge that is good intrinsically. Thirdly,
we focus on the aspect of Islam as being the complete code of life and how the concept of
knowledge, being an important aspect of using our faculty of reason, fits into understanding
the divine nature of Islam as well as the pragmatic sides to it.
By already observing different views about knowledge, we will move towards the approach
taken to belief by those who are to be called the knowledgeable i.e. the ulema. The
importance of knowledge as practical method of gaining information for worship. It is fact
that without the basics of any kind of knowledge to anything there can be no definition of a
specific role and extending this fact more generally, as to the general purpose of life.
Finally, the importance and the nuances of Islamic knowledge that can only be achieved
through the process of learning. Every thing that comes down to the people is divine and no
changes to the divine attributes can be made. Now knowledge does come in all shapes and
sizes but the truest form of Islamic education comes from ahkam, seerah, ilm ul hadith, usul
ul fiqh etc. The status of such men is exalted not only among those men that are educated or
among the men of letters but also among God who will most definitely reward those that
guided the lost for the sake of attaining his favour.
Motivation:
The first revelation of the Holy Prophet give us the very first lesson for the attainment of
knowledge. When he was nearly 40, Muhammad began spending many hours alone in
prayer and speculating over the aspects of creation. He was concerned with the “ignorance

3
of divine guidance” (Jahiliyyah), social unrest, injustice, widespread discrimination
(particularly against women), fighting among tribes, and abuse of tribal authorities
prevalent in pre-Islamic Arabia. The moral degeneration of his fellow people, and his own
quest for a true religion, further lent fuel to this, with the result that he began to withdraw
periodically to a cave called Mount Hira, three miles north of Mecca, for contemplation and
reflection. During this period Muhammad began to have dreams replete with spiritual
significance that were fulfilled according to their true import; this was the commencement
of his divine revelation. Islamic tradition holds that during one of his visits to Mount Hira
in the year 609 CE, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and commanded Muhammad to
recite verses that would later be included in the Quran. Upon receiving his first revelations,
Muhammad was deeply distressed. When he returned home, he was consoled and reassured
by Khadijah and her Christian cousin. Muhammad feared that others would dismiss his
claims as evidence of him being possessed. On the other hand, Shi’a tradition maintains
that Muhammad was neither surprised nor frightened at the appearance of Gabriel, but
rather welcomed him as if he was expected.i The first revelation ordained:
Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clinging substance.
Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man
that which he knew not.ii
It was further held that there was a difference in status of those that know and those that
don’t know i.e.
Is such a person (preferable or he) who is obedient, and prostrates himself in the
watches of the night, stands (in Prayer), is fearful of the Hereafter, and looks forward
to the mercy of His Lord? Ask them: “Are those who know equal to those who do not
know?”28 Only those endowed with understanding take heed.iii
It should be noted that two kinds of the men are being contrasted here. First, those who turn
to Allah when a calamity befalls them, but worship others than Allah normally. Second,
those who have made it their permanent way of life to obey Allah and worship and serve
Him, and their worshiping Him in solitude during the night is a proof of their sincerity. The
first kind of the men have been called ignorant by Allah, even if they might have devoured
whole libraries. And the second kind of the men have been called the learned, even if they
might be illiterate. For the real supremely important thing is the knowledge of the truth and
man’s action according to it, and on this depends his true success. Allah asks: How can
these two be equal? How can they possibly follow the same way together in the world, and
meet with the same end in the Hereafter?iv
This notion of knowledge is further supported by a hadith of the Prophet (PBUH):
“Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.”v
In another hadith, the Prophet said that:

4
“Whoever follows a path in pursuit of knowledge, Allah makes his way easy to
paradise.”vi
Seeking knowledge and helping other people to learn will get unaccountable rewards from
Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) will grant him high status in the afterlife.

Definition of Knowledge:
Knowledge is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or something, such as
facts, information, descriptions, or skills, which is acquired through experience or
education by perceiving, discovering, or learning. Knowledge can refer to a theoretical or
practical understanding of a subject. It can be implicit (as with practical skill or expertise)
or explicit (as with the theoretical understanding of a subject); it can be more or less formal
or systematic.vii
According to Plato, knowledge is justified true belief. Justified true belief is a definition of
knowledge that gained approval during the Enlightenment, "justified" standing in contrast
to "revealed". The concept of justified true belief states that in order to know that a given
proposition is true, one must not only believe the relevant true proposition, but also have
justification for doing so.
There are further different kinds of knowledge. These stem from the theories of knowledge
which are studied under the field of epistemology. Epistemology is the study of the nature
of knowledge, justification, and the rationality of belief. Much debate in epistemology
centers on four areas: (1) the philosophical analysis of the nature of knowledge and how it
relates to such concepts as truth, belief, and justification, (2) various problems of
skepticism, (3) the sources and scope of knowledge and justified belief, and (4) the criteria
for knowledge and justification. Epistemology addresses such questions as: "What makes
justified beliefs justified?", "What does it mean to say that we know something?”, and
fundamentally "How do we know that we know?"viii
One kind is situated knowledge. Situated knowledge is knowledge specific to a particular
situation. Another is partial knowledge which deals with most cases where it is not possible
to understand an information domain exhaustively; our knowledge is always incomplete or
partial. Most real problems have to be solved by taking advantage of a partial
understanding of the problem context and problem data, unlike the typical math problems
one might solve at school, where all data is given and one is given a complete
understanding of formulas necessary to solve them.
The most popular knowledge of today is the scientific knowledge. The development of the
scientific method has made a significant contribution to how knowledge of the physical
world and its phenomena is acquired.ix To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be

5
based on gathering observable and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of
reasoning and experimentation.x The scientific method consists of the collection of data
through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.xi

Knowledge in Other Religions:


In many expressions of Christianity, such as Catholicism and Anglicanism, knowledge is
one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. xii The Old Testament's tree of the knowledge of
good and evil contained the knowledge that separated Man from God: "And the LORD God
said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil..."xiii
Knowledge sharing is a major part of Daan, a tenet of all Dharmic Religions. Hindu
Scriptures present two kinds of knowledge, Paroksh Gyan and Prataksh Gyan. Paroksh
Gyan (also spelled Paroksha-Jnana) is secondhand knowledge: knowledge obtained from
books, hearsay, etc. Pratyaksh Gyan (also spelled Pratyaksha-Jnana) is the knowledge
borne of direct experience, i.e., knowledge that one discovers for oneself. Jnana yoga ("path
of knowledge") is one of three main types of yoga expounded by Krishna in the Bhagavad
Gita. (It is compared and contrasted with Bhakti Yoga and Karma yoga.)
In Jewish tradition, knowledge (Hebrew: ‫ דעת‬da'ath) is considered one of the most valuable
traits a person can acquire. Observant Jews recite three times a day in the Amidah "Favor
us with knowledge, understanding and discretion that come from you. Exalted are you,
Existent-One, the gracious giver of knowledge." The Tanakh states, "A wise man gains
power, and a man of knowledge maintains power", and "knowledge is chosen above
gold".xiv

Islam as a code of life:


The word “Islam” means “submission to the will of God.” Followers of Islam are
called Muslims. Muslims are monotheistic and worship one, all-knowing God, who in
Arabic is known as Allah. Followers of Islam aim to live a life of complete submission to
Allah. Islam is an Arabic word meaning "submission" and in the. religious context means
"submission to the will of God". "Islam" is derived from the Arabic word "sal'm" which.
literally means peace. The religion demonstrates peace and tolerance. Islam, a name given
by Allah to this religion (Quran 5:4), is an Arabic word which literally means obedience
and peace. ISLAM is derived from the Arabic root "SALEMA": peace, purity, submission
and obedience. The religious faith of Muslims including belief in Allah as the sole deity
and in Muhammad as his prophet.
Muslims believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that
was revealed many times before through prophets including Adam, Abraham, Moses and

6
Jesus, and the Quran in its Arabic to be the unaltered and final revelation of God. Religious
concepts and practices include the Five Pillars of Islam, which are obligatory acts of
worship, and following Islamic law (sharia), which touches on virtually every aspect of life
and society, from banking and welfare to women and the environment.
Islam is a complete code of life. It contains everything that a person requires in order to
shape his life. It is the complete source of how God wanted his best creations to live their
lives in his subservience. It literally means “submission”. Quran has come to us as the
penultimate revelation of God, declaring Islam as the complete and universal form of
divinity as to be subscribed to. For the elaboration of the Quran, we have the Sunnah as to
how to implement the word of God into our lives.
Al Quran: The Quran romanized: al-Qurʼān Arabic elocution: actually signifying "the
recitation"), likewise romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the focal strict content of Islam, which
Muslims accept to be a divine revelation (Allah). It is generally viewed as the best work in
old style Arabic literature. Slightly shorter than the New Testament, it is sorted out in 114
parts, not as per sequence or topic, however as per length of surahs (with some
exceptions).Surah are subdivided into verses.
There are 6626 verses (ayats) in the Holy Quran. Most of these ayats consists of the
traditional religious narrative of what is good and what is bad, the theological and
cosmological existence of God, the afterlife, the concepts of Heaven and Hell and the great
war between the righteous forces against the satanic forces. The Quran is divided in not
only theological matter, and in some places debates with the disbelievers, but also touches
upon a Muslim is order his life according to the Will of God, whether it be in public life or
in private life.
Sunnah: In Islam alludes to what Muslims accept to be a record of the words, activities, and
the quiet endorsement of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Hadith have been designated
"the spine" of Islamic human advancement and inside that religion the authority of hadith
as a hotspot for strict law and good direction positions second just to that of the Quran
hadith provide guidance on everything from subtleties of strict commitments to the right
types of salutations ḥadīth is the Arabic word for things like discourse, report, account,
story .In contrast to the Quran, not all Muslim accept hadith accounts are divine disclosure.
Hadith were not recorded by Muhammad's supporters following his passing however
numerous ages later when they were gathered, examined and accumulated into an
extraordinary corpus of Islamic writing. Various assortments of hadīth would come to
separate the various parts of the Islamic confidence
This may come to us in the form of injunctions in our private lives and public lives. In our
private lives, the five pillars of Islam are important to fashion our lives our around. These
are the prescribed worships for the ummah of the Prophet (PBUH) till the day of
judgement. They include the prayer(namaz), fasting, hajj and zakah. As far as the public

7
life of an individual is concerned, Islam displays a utilitarian concept of goodness fashioned
around the Islamic injunctions for the welfare of the whole community

What is meant by knowledge in Islam?


‘Ilm (Arabic: ‫" علم‬knowledge") is the Islamic term for knowledge.xv
In this work on the concept of knowledge, Franz Rosenthal collected a number of
definitions of 'ilm, organizing them according to what he saw as their essential elements
(admitting that the list was ahistorical and did not necessarily conform to categories the
medieval Muslim scholars themselves would have used). Among these definitions, we find
the following: Knowledge is the process of knowing, and identical with the knower and the
known.
1. Knowledge is that through which one knows.
2. Knowledge is that through which the essence is knowing.
3. Knowledge is that through which the knower is knowing.
4. Knowledge is that which necessitates for him in whom it subsists the name of
knower.
5. Knowledge is that which necessitates that he in whom it subsists is knowing.
6. Knowledge is that which necessitates that he in whom it resides (mahall) is
knowing.
7. Knowledge stands for ( 'ibarah 'an) the object known ( 'al-ma lum).
8. Knowledge is but the concepts known ( 'al-ma ani al-ma luma).
9. Knowledge is the mentally existing object.xvi
Knowledge in the Western world means information about something, divine or corporeal,
while In Islamic point of view 'ilm is an all-embracing term covering theory, action and
education, it is not confined to the acquisition of knowledge only, but also embraces socio-
political and moral aspects.it requires insight, commitment to the goals of Islam and for the
believers to act upon their belief. xviiAlso it is reported in hadith that "Knowledge is not
extensive learning. Rather, it is a light that God casts in the heart of whomever He wills."
Now through this knowledge, we must know the things that are permissible (halal) to us
and what are impermissible (haram) to us. This is a very vast topic that is particularly been
restricted to those who are more knowledgeable that is, the ulema. Ulema, by toiling
through Islamic sources tell us what are our specific roles and responsibilities according to
which we should order our lives.

Approach to belief:

8
In the Qur'an the word 'alim has occurred in 140 places, while al-'ilm in 27. In all, the total
number of verses in which 'ilm or its derivatives and associated words are used is 704. The
aids of knowledge such as book, pen, ink etc. amount to almost the same number. Qalam
occurs in two places, al-kitab in 230 verses, among which al-kitab for al-Qur'an occurs in
81 verses. Other words associated with writing occur in 319 verses.
In one place he says,
“And they have no knowledge thereof. They follow but a guess, and lo! a guess can
never take the place of the truth.”xviii
This means that they have not adopted this creed about the angels on the ground that they
had found through some means of knowledge that they were females and daughters of God,
but they have presumed this on mere conjecture and have set up these shrines at which they
pray for fulfillment of desires, make offerings and pay tributes.xix
Likewise, in other place as to the crucifixion of Christ,
“And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge
of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain.” xx
And in another,
“Have you any sure knowledge that you can produce before us? In fact you are only
following idle fancies, merely conjecturing.”xxi
In the commentary of Chapter 53, Verse 23 that is
“They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers -
for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and
what [their] souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord
guidance.”
Jalaluddin as-Sayuyi, a Mujtahid Imam of the Shafi madhab has commented on this verse,
that the people had zann (conjecture) which is opposed to knowledge (ilm) i.e. certain
knowledge. He also stated that Allah had sent down definitive proof (Burhan Qati) for the
truth of the Islamic Aqeeda. xxii

Obeying Requires Knowledge:


As we already know that obeying Allah is the whole of purpose of Islam as it literally
means “subservient to Allah”. Allah (swt) has, keeping in view the purpose of Islam, has
addressed us directly in the Quran in so many occasions:
“O you who believe, obey Allah and his messenger”

9
We know that our purpose in life is to worship Allah (swt) as Allah said:
“I have not created Jinn or mankind except that they worship me.”xxiii
And Allah has also clearly ordered us to take from the Messenger (PBUH):
“And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you -
refrain from. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.”xxiv
Therefore we must at the very lease know the rules of the Shariah (an Islamic religious law
that governs not only religious rituals but also aspects of day-to-day life in Islam) relating
to the Fard (obligations) and Muharramat (prohibitions) from our actions i.e. rules
pertaining to matters such as the following:
 Salah
 Relations with the opposite sex
 Responsibility towards parents, children, husband, wife/wives, siblings
 Buying
 Replying to the Salam greetings
 Backbiting
 Working for Khilafah
 Riba (usury)

Knowledge of Specific Role is Obligatory:


 For a doctor, it is fard to know the ahkam relating to his field, e.g. is post-mortem
allowed, rules relating to treating the opposite sex, using intoxicants for medical
purposes, etc.
 For an Imam of the Masjid, it is fard to know the ahkam relating to leading the
prayer, the obligations of the khutba, the responsibility towards the Muslims, the
obligations of speaking the truth from the minbar etc
 It is fard for the teacher to know whether it is permitted to teach subjects that
contradict Islam and promote kufr, the ahkam of teaching members of the opposite
sex, the ahkam of disciplining the student.
 It is fard for the khalifah of the Muslims to know ahkam relating to his
responsibility etc.

Islamic knowledge is learned:


Bidʻah (Arabic: ‫ ;بدعة‬English: innovation) refers to innovation in religious matters. xxv
Linguistically the term means "innovation, novelty, heretical doctrine, heresy". xxvi It is

10
basically anything that is introduced to Islam as either being fard (mandatory), mustahabb
(recommended), halal (neutral), makruh (reprehensible) or haram (forbidden) that
contradicts the Qurʼan or hadith. Any new good practice introduced that does not contradict
the Qurʼan or hadith is permissible. However, it is not permissible to say that a new good
practice (that does not contradict the Qurʼan or hadith) is obligatory, highly recommended
or "sunnah" proper.
We must ensure that we follow the sharia and not rules invented from the mind. In one
hadith Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-Ass overcame us with proof. I heard him say: “Allah will
not deprive you of knowledge after he has given it to you, but it will be taken away through
the death of the learned men with their knowledge. There will remain ignorant people who,
when consulted, will give verdicts according to their opinions whereby they will misled
others and themselves go astray” i.e. they give fatwas according to their own opinions
which are not derived from the Islamic evidences.xxvii
Similarly, the Prophet once said that the best speech is the Book of Allah and the best
guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (PBUH). And the evil matters are the newly
invented issues and every Bid’ah is a misguidance.xxviii
Hadith narrated by Al-Daraqtuni in Al-Afrad, of Anas of the Prophet (PBUH) said
“Whomever cheats my Ummah has the curse of Allah, the Angels and the people
combined, upon hum. They asked: ‘What is cheating, Oh prophet of Allah?’ He said: ‘If he
invented an innovation for them, and they acted upon it.’”
Whoever speaks about the Quran without any knowledge, then let him seek his place in the
fire of hell.xxix

Recommended knowledge:
 Evidence of Ahkam: It is an Islamic term with several meanings. In the Quran, the
word hukm is variously used to mean arbitration, judgement, authority, or God's
will.xxx Sharia rulings fall into one of five categories known as "the five decisions"
(al-aḥkām al-khamsa): mandatory (farḍ or wājib), recommended (mandūb or
mustaḥabb), neutral (mubāḥ), reprehensible (makrūh), and forbidden (ḥarām).xxxi
 Detailed knowledge of Seerah: Seerah are the traditional Muslim biographies of
Muhammad from which, in addition to the Quran and trustable Hadiths, most
historical information about his life and the early period of Islam is derived. Ibn
Ishaq's sīrat rasūl allāh has been preserved in the form of an edited copy of his oral
reports collected by one of his students, al-Bakka'i, which were further edited by ibn
Hisham.xxxii

11
 Islamic History: The history of Islam concerns the political, social, economic and
cultural developments of Islamicate civilization. Most historians believe that Islam
originated in Mecca and Medina at the start of the 7th century CE, approximately
600 years after the founding of Christianity. Muslims, however, believe that it did
not start with Muhammad, but that it was the original faith of others whom they
regard as prophets, such as Jesus, David, Moses, Abraham, Noah and Adam.
 Tafsir: It is the Arabic word for exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a
tafsir is a mufassir. A Quranic tafsir attempts to provide elucidation, explanation,
interpretation, context or commentary for clear understanding and conviction of
God's will.xxxiii Principally, a tafsir deals with the issues of linguistics, jurisprudence,
and theology. In terms of perspective and approach, tafsir can be broadly divided
into two categories, namely tafsir bi-al-ma'thur (lit. received tafsir), which is
transmitted from the early days of Islam through the Islamic prophet Muhammad
and his companions, and tafsir bi-al-ra'y (lit. tafsir by opinion), which is arrived
through personal reflection or independent rational thinking
 Ilm ul Hadith: It consists of several religious disciplines used in the study and
evaluation of the Islamic hadith — i.e. the record of the words, actions, and the
silent approval of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, by Muslim scholars. The
science seeks to determine the authenticity (sihha) of ahadith, primarily by
attempting to determine whether there are "other identical reports from other
transmitters"; the reliability of the transmitters of the report; and "the continuity of
the chain of transmission"xxxiv
 Usul ul Fiqh: They are traditional methodological principles used in Islamic
jurisprudence (fiqh) for deriving the rulings of Islamic law (sharia). Traditional
theory of Islamic jurisprudence elaborates how the scriptures (Quran and hadith)
should be interpreted from the standpoint of linguistics and rhetoric.xxxv

Status of gaining knowledge:


In one of the verses of the Holy Quran, it is stated that:
“Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given
knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”xxxvi
This verse points out to the fact that the real means of exaltation of ranks is faith and
knowledge, and not an opportunity to sit nearest to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in his
assembly and sit the longest. If a person happened to sit nearer to him, it does not mean that
he became exalted in rank, for the high ranks belong only to those who have attained to the
wealth of knowledge and faith. Likewise, the person who prolonged his sitting with the
Prophet (peace be upon him) only to cause him inconvenience and discomfort, in fact,

12
displayed lack of good manners. His there sitting near him for a long time will not exalt
him in rank in any way. Far higher and exalted in rank in the sight of Allah is he who
attained to taste faith and knowledge and imbibed the morals that should belong to a
believer.
In today’s world, Information is a higher priority than riches and property. No big surprise,
information is among the significant things which Allah (SWT) coordinated Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) to ask that he will be allowed a greater amount of it. Allah (SWT)
says in the Holy Quran:
“It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah."xxxvii
It was narrated that Umar bin al-Khattab said: “the death of one thousand worshippers who
pray at night and worship in the day is less serious than the death of one intelligent knower
(baser) of the halal and haram of Allah.” (Ahmad)
Abu Huraira said, The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
“The words of wisdom is the lost property of the believer, so wherever he finds it he
has a better right to it.” (Tirmidhi)
Having knowledge should not be a reason for being arrogant. In fact, having more
knowledge about ourselves and the world make us feel more humble before the greatness of
the creation of Allah (SWT). Also, teaching others is one of the good deeds that will get us
great rewards even after death. Whoever leaves behind beneficial knowledge will get
rewards as long as people are still getting benefits from his knowledge. Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“When a man dies all his deeds comes to an end except for three: an ongoing charity,
beneficial knowledge and a righteous son who prays for him.” (Bukhari).
Kathir ibn Qays said: I was sitting with Abu al-Darda' in the mosque of Damascus. A man
came to him and said: Abu Darda, I have come to you from the town of the Apostle of
Allah (PBUH) for a tradition that I have heard you relate from the Apostle of Allah
(PBUH). I have come for no other purpose. He said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (PBUH)
say:
“If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on
one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure
with one who seeks knowledge, the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the
fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the
learned man over the devout is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over
the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave
neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an
abundant portion.”xxxviii

13
Educated Men:
The early Muslim scientists were enthusiastic about science and they did discover many
different scienctific fields long before the West could be scientifically illuminated. Imam
Ahmad b. Hanbal said: “We will accompany the inkpot until our death”
There were many Muslim scientists who had great achievements in different branches of
science.
1. Ibn Sina: Ibn Sina (Avicenna) (980-1037) was an extraordinary doctor and savant.
Among his most acclaimed works is The Book of Healing, a huge philosophical and
logical encyclopeadia. His book The Canon of Medicine, was utilized as a standard
clinical book at numerous colleges in Europe until the seventeenth century.
2. Ibn Rushd: Ibn Rushd (Averroes) (1126-1198) stands apart as a transcending figure
throughout the entire existence of Arab-Islamic idea. He impacted grant in both the
Islamic world and Europe for quite a long time, and is most popular in the West for
his editorials on Aristotle's way of thinking. A considerable lot of his books were
utilized in European colleges until the nineteenth century.
3. Al-Khwārizmī: Al-Khwārizmī (Algoritmi) (780-850) is a Muslim mathematician
and space expert. He composed scientific books that gathered and masterminded
4. Al-Farabi: Al-Farabi (Alpharabius) (870–950) is Muslim scholar and one of the
transcendent masterminds of Islam in the Middle Ages. He was viewed as the best
philosophical authority after Aristotle. As a logician and researcher, he gained
extraordinary capability in different parts of learning and is accounted for to have
been a specialist in various dialects.

Conclusion:
Modern day Muslims are confused as to what they should follow as the propaganda and
misinformation of the West has seeped into the minds of young Muslims and has deeply
imbedded itself into the very centre of the Islamic soul. They try to cover their animosity
towards Islam under the garb of liberal tolerance but show a hypocritical stance when
confronted with the same grounds with which they terrorize the world.
This leaves the young mind thinking that there can be no future without education. Only
materialistic things such as the attainment of a healthy income, a house, a beautiful spouse
etc can result in the happiness of the individual. They also begin to think that the individual
is more important than the community so that in order to meet their materialistic goals, the
individual can step over others.

14
And when the question is asked of the very same individual that whether he should learn
about Islam, the individual answers that he is career oriented and that after his goal his
fulfilled, he will then try to make amends in order to please Allah. But this is a mistaken
point of notion held by the individual.
Islam isn’t just the name of practices and rituals. It is based on the whole conduct of life
from the cradle to the grave. Everything we do in this life is to be judged by Allah after our
deaths. And by our actions, we are to be put into hell and heaven. This mistaken will not
only aid in ravaging our lives but also will result in our eternal torment.
There are two parts of Islamic knowledge; one that is obligatory for all which includes the
aqeeda, daily matters of halal and haram, knowledge related to specific roles and
responsibilities and the recommended which includes the tafseer, usul ul fiqh, ilm al hadith.
By attaining knowledge, there is a higher status both in life and afterlife. Rulers and
scholars are under a difficult relationship due to temptation of power and money. Scholars
are supposed to do accounting of rulers which makes their relation very difficult especially
in this era of corruption.

15
16
i
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldcivilization/chapter/the-quran/
ii
Chapter Alaq (“The Clot" or "The Clinging Thing"), Verses 1-5
iii
Chapter Zumar (“The Throngs” or “The Companies), Verse 9
iv
http://islamicstudies.info/reference.php?sura=39&verse=9
v
Ibn Majaah (Al-Albani: Saheeh)
vi
Sahih Muslim 2699
vii
oxforddictionaries.com.
viii
Steup, Matthias (2005). Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). "Epistemology". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2014 ed.).
ix
"Science – Definition of science by Merriam-Webster". merriam-webster.com.
x
Rules for the study of natural philosophy", Newton 1999, pp. 794–796 , from the General Scholium, which follows Book 3,
The System of the World.
xi
Scientific method, Merriam-Webster Dictionary
xii
"Part Three, No. 1831". Catechism of the Catholic Church. Archived from the original on 2007-05-04. Retrieved 2007-04-
20.
xiii
Genesis 3:22
xiv
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge#cite_note-27
xv
Fudge, Bruce (7 April 2011). Qur'anic Hermeneutics: Al-Tabrisi and the Craft of Commentary (Routledge Studies in the
Qur'an)
xvi
Strauss, Johann. "Language and power in the late Ottoman Empire" (Chapter 7). In: Murphey, Rhoads (editor). Imperial
Lineages and Legacies in the Eastern Mediterranean: Recording the Imprint of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Rule
(Volume 18 of Birmingham Byzantine and Ottoman Studies).
xvii
Bihar-ul-Anwar, p. 225, Vol. 1
xviii
Chapter Najm (The Unfolding), Verse 28
xix
https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/53/28/
xx
Chapter Nisa (Woman), Verse 157
xxi
Chapter Al Anam (Livestock), Verse 148
xxii
Tafseer Al jalalayn page 627. It is stated in reliance of the traveller Ahmed Ibn Naqib al Misri (RA) 769/1368) Book of
Qada (Judiciary)
xxiii
Chapter Dhariyat (Winnowing winds), Verse 57
xxiv
Chapter Hashr (The Gathering), Verse 7
xxv
A.C. Brown, Jonathan (2009). Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World (Foundations of Islam).
Oneworld Publications. p. 277.
xxvi
Wehr, Hans (1994). Arabic-English Dictionary. Spoken Language Services, Inc. p. 57.
xxvii
Sahih Al Bukhaari, Authory of Urwa ibn Al-Zubayr.
xxviii
Sahih Muslim
xxix
Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawud.
xxx
John L. Esposito, ed. (2014). "Hukm". The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
xxxi
Vikør, Knut S. (2014). "Sharīʿah". In Emad El-Din Shahin (ed.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Politics. Oxford
University Press.
xxxii
Guillaume, A. The Life of Muhammad, translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sira Rasul Allah, (Oxford, 1955)
xxxiii
Mir, Mustansir. (1995). "Tafsīr". In John L. Esposito. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
xxxiv
Brown, Rethinking tradition in modern Islamic thought, 1996: p.110
xxxv
Calder, Norman (2009). "Law. Legal Thought and Jurisprudence". In John L. Esposito (ed.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of
the Islamic World. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
xxxvi
Al-Mujadilah (The Pleading Woman), Verse 22
xxxvii
Chapter Fair (The Angels), Verse 28
xxxviii
Narrated by Abu al-Dardha

You might also like