Knowledge

The Arabic word علم is translated into “knowledge”. علم comes from عَلِمَ which means to distinguish, to know, to be learned or knowing. According to religious terminology and usage in Qur’an and Hadeeth, knowledge is only that which Allah has sent down through His Prophets (as) for the guidance of mankind. The route of knowledge is what Allah ﷻ has said and what the Messenger ﷻ has said.

(قال الله وقال الرسول)

Knowledge can be accomplished through oral conversation and observation, it can also be acquired through reading and writing, and books. Muslims are bound to cross all boundaries for knowledge if they have to as seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim.

 

Seeking necessary Knowledge

It is compulsory upon every Muslim to seek necessary knowledge of religion, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ

‘To seek sacred knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim’ (Ibn Majah).

This hadeeth refers to the acquisition of religious knowledge. A Muslim is one who has accepted the religion of Islam, and he resolves to live according to Islamic teachings and guidance. This can only be possible if he acquires the necessary information about Islam.

​

2 Types of Islamic Knowledge / religious knowledge 

1. Individually Obligatory Knowledge (farḍ ʿayn): This type of knowledge refers to the fundamentals of Islamic beliefs that every Muslim is obligated to know. Seeking this type of knowledge is a must and essential for each and every Muslim. The ruling for not acquiring such knowledge is sinful and Muslims are held accountable for the ignorance in this type of knowledge. For instance, one must know the pillars of Islam and Iman, the fundamentals of worship, Fiqh rulings of certain actions and so on.

​

2. Communally Obligatory Knowledge (farḍ kifâyah): This type of knowledge is not an obligation for every individual, but rather falls upon a “sufficient number” within the community as a whole. Hence, if a group of individuals in the community acquire this kind of knowledge, other individuals are exempted from this duty. This would be of the higher levels of knowledge, e.g. completing memorisation of the Qur’an (Hafidh), gaining knowledge to explain Qu’ran and Hadeeth in a deeper sense, becoming an expert on Islamic jurisprudence etc.

​

BY: MAULANA SYED SALAHUDDIN ABU SULAYMAN​