By Zainab Ajmeri
Introduction
The journey of seeking knowledge is not one that has a clear beginning and ending. Learning is not simply about completing books, attending classes, passing exams, or reaching a point where we can call ourselves knowledgeable. Seeking beneficial knowledge is deeply rooted in the Islamic tradition and is a lifelong journey that continually changes us. The more we learn, the more we begin to recognize how much we still do not know. For a student of knowledge, this framework creates a mindset that learning is never something we graduate from. There is always more to understand, more to reflect upon, and more to implement.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim.”¹ This statement places the pursuit of knowledge in a different category from ordinary education. For a Muslim, seeking beneficial knowledge is connected to fulfilling one’s responsibilities toward Allah ﷻ. Before a person can properly worship, fulfill obligations, or distinguish what is right from what is wrong, there is knowledge that must be acquired. The student of knowledge therefore does not pursue learning simply to become educated; he seeks knowledge because it enables him to live his religion with greater understanding and responsibility.
Knowledge Begins With the Right Intention
The pursuit of Islamic knowledge begins before the first book is opened. It begins with the heart.
Students may spend years studying only to inadvertently become more concerned with the quantity of knowledge rather than acting upon it. A student can memorize texts, understand difficult concepts, and become comfortable discussing religious matters, yet still miss the purpose of seeking knowledge. Beneficial knowledge should bring a person closer to Allah ﷻ. It should increase humility, improve character, strengthen worship, and make a person more conscious of what Allah ﷻ has commanded.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “If Allah wills good for a person, he grants him understanding of the religion.”² This hadith places understanding of the religion among the signs of divine goodness. It also reminds the student that knowledge is not merely an intellectual achievement. It is a gift from Allah ﷻ, and therefore it should be approached with gratitude and humility.
The More We Learn, the More We Realize We Need to Learn
A student at the beginning of their journey may initially receive simplified answers. This seeming simplicity can create the feeling that a subject is straightforward. After studying it more deeply, however, the student begins to see its complexity. One text leads to another. One question opens several more questions. A basic principle eventually connects to history, language, Quranic interpretation, hadith, jurisprudence, and the lives of the scholars who preserved the tradition. This increasing awareness is not a sign of failure. In many ways, it is a sign that one’s understanding is becoming more mature.
Allah ﷻ states, “Say, ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’.”³ Knowledge has a special place in Islām, but that distinction should not produce arrogance. If anything, it should produce greater humility. The person who understands the vastness of the Islamic tradition begins to recognize how dependent he is upon the scholars who came before him, the teachers who guide him, and ultimately Allah, who grants understanding.
How Our Relationship With Knowledge Changes Over Time
Our relationship with knowledge naturally develops as we move through life.
In the beginning, a student may simply want answers. We want to know what is correct, what is incorrect, what is permissible, and what is impermissible. This foundation is essential. We need to learn the basics of our religion and understand what Allah has required from us.
As we continue, however, the questions begin to change. We start asking why. We become interested in the wisdom behind rulings, the context of narrations, the principles used by scholars, and the differences of opinion that exist within the Islamic tradition. Eventually, knowledge begins to become less about collecting information and more about developing understanding.
Then comes another stage: implementation.
It is one thing to know that patience is virtuous and another to remain patient when tested. It is one thing to study sincerity and another to recognize the subtle ways the ego seeks recognition. It is one thing to read about the Prophet ﷺ and another to try to bring his character into our own homes, friendships, studies, and responsibilities.
This is where knowledge becomes personal.
The student of knowledge eventually realizes that every lesson is asking something from him. What will I do with what I have learned? Has this knowledge changed my prayer, my character, and the way I speak about Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ?
The journey therefore continues because implementation itself reveals new areas in which we need to learn.
Knowledge is a Journey, Not a Destination
The Prophet ﷺ gave tremendous encouragement to those who actively seek knowledge. He said, “Whoever follows a path seeking knowledge, Allah eases for him -by virtue of it- a path among the paths of Paradise.” The same narration describes gatherings in which the Quran is recited and studied as gatherings surrounded by tranquility, mercy, and angels.⁴
This statement gives the student a different perspective on the ordinary moments of studying. Sitting in a classroom, reviewing notes, listening to a teacher explain a difficult passage, revising a text for the tenth time, or spending an evening trying to understand a concept may seem insignificant from the outside. Yet the Islamic tradition teaches us to see the pursuit of knowledge as something far greater than an academic exercise.
There is also a reason that knowledge has to be sought continuously. The Prophet ﷺ warned that knowledge can be lost through the passing away of scholars, after which ignorant people may be placed in positions where they give answers without knowledge, leading themselves and others astray.⁵ This places a responsibility upon students of knowledge. We are not simply learning for ourselves. We are part of a chain of preservation.
That responsibility should make us more careful, not more confident. It should encourage us to verify before speaking, ask when we do not know, and recognize the limits of our own understanding.
The Lasting Value of Beneficial Knowledge
Perhaps one of the most encouraging aspects of seeking beneficial knowledge is that its benefit does not necessarily end with the student.
The Prophet ﷺ taught that when a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things, including knowledge from which people benefit.⁶ This makes the pursuit of knowledge deeply connected to legacy.
A student may teach one person a verse, explain a hadith to a child, help someone understand an aspect of worship, or pass on something learned from a teacher. That knowledge may then be taught to someone else. The student may never know how far that benefit travels.
This is why seeking knowledge should not be reduced to personal achievement. The goal is not simply to become the person who knows the most in the room. The goal is to become someone through whom knowledge can continue to benefit others.
The Prophet ﷺ described the scholars as inheritors of the Prophets, explaining that the Prophets ‘alayhim al-Salām did not leave behind wealth as their inheritance, but knowledge.⁷ For a student, this is both an honor and a responsibility. If we want to inherit something from the legacy of the Prophets ‘alayhim al-Salām, then we must treat knowledge as something sacred, something to learn properly, preserve carefully, and pass on responsibly.
Conclusion
The pursuit of knowledge is a lifelong journey. We may begin by looking for simple answers, but over time, we learn to look for deeper understanding. We may start by memorizing information, but eventually come to realize that true knowledge should reach the heart and be reflected in our actions. And while we may first study for ourselves, we eventually understand that beneficial knowledge comes with a responsibility to others.
There will always be another book to read, another lesson to attend, another narration to understand, and another part of the religion to learn about. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by this, the student of knowledge should allow it to keep him humble and motivated.
One of the most important lessons is to never become too comfortable with what we already know. The Quranic supplication, “My Lord, increase me in knowledge,”⁸ remains relevant at every stage of the journey.
For the student of knowledge, these words should become more than a supplication. They should become a way of life.
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References
- عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ. Sunan Ibn Mājah 224
- قَالَ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ: سَمِعْتُ مُعَاوِيَةَ خَطِيبًا يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ يُرِدِ اللهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ، وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا قَاسِمٌ وَاللهُ يُعْطِي، وَلَنْ تَزَالَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةُ قَائِمَةً عَلَى أَمْرِ اللهِ لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللهِ». Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Knowledge, Hadith 71
- أَمَّنۡ هُوَ قَـٰنِتٌ ءَانَاۤءَ ٱلَّیۡلِ سَاجِدࣰا وَقَاۤىِٕمࣰا یَحۡذَرُ ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةَ وَیَرۡجُوا۟ رَحۡمَةَ رَبِّهِۦۗ قُلۡ هَلۡ یَسۡتَوِی ٱلَّذِینَ یَعۡلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَۗ إِنَّمَا یَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ [٣٩:٩]
- عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ. قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم “من نفس عن مؤمن كربة من كرب الدنيا، نفس الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة. ومن يسر على معسر، يسر الله عليه في الدنيا والآخرة. ومن ستر مسلما، ستره الله في الدنيا والآخرة. والله في عون العبد ما كان العبد في عون أخيه. ومن سلك طريقا يلتمس فيه علما، سهل الله له به طريقا إلى الجنة. وما اجتمع قوم في بيت من بيوت الله، يتلون كتاب الله، ويتدارسونه بينهم، إلا نزلت عليهم السكينة، وغشيتهم الرحمة وحفتهم الملائكة، وذكرهم الله فيمن عنده. ومن بطأ به عمله، لم يسرع به نسبه” Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Remembrance, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness, Hadith 2699
- عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ، وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا، اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالًا، فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ، فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا» Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Knowledge, Hadith 100
- عَنْ أبي هريرة أن رسول الله صلى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ (إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ: إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ. أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ. أو ولد صالح يدعو له). Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Wills, Hadith 1631
- عَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ جَالِسًا مَعَ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، فِي مَسْجِدِ دِمَشْقَ فَجَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ: إِنِّي جِئْتُكَ مِنْ مَدِينَةِ الرَّسُولِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِحَدِيثٍ بَلَغَنِي، أَنَّكَ تُحَدِّثُهُ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا جِئْتُ لِحَاجَةٍ، قَالَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَطْلُبُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَلَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا مِنْ طُرُقِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَتَضَعُ أَجْنِحَتَهَا رِضًا لِطَالِبِ الْعِلْمِ، وَإِنَّ الْعَالِمَ لَيَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَوَاتِ، وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَالْحِيتَانُ فِي جَوْفِ الْمَاءِ، وَإِنَّ فَضْلَ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ، كَفَضْلِ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْكَوَاكِبِ، وَإِنَّ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَرَثَةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَإِنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ لَمْ يُوَرِّثُوا دِينَارًا، وَلَا دِرْهَمًا وَرَّثُوا الْعِلْمَ، فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ أَخَذَ بِحَظٍّ وَافِرٍ» Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Book of Knowledge, Hadith 3641
- فَتَعَـٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡحَقُّۗ وَلَا تَعۡجَلۡ بِٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن یُقۡضَىٰۤ إِلَیۡكَ وَحۡیُهُۥۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدۡنِی عِلۡمࣰا [٢٠:١١٤]
