Is a person sinful for not seeking religious knowledge because he is occupied with his studies, his work, or something else?

Question : A questioner asks: Is a person warned against not seeking knowledge because he is occupied with his studies, which do not involve seeking religious knowledge, or because of his work or something else?

Answer : Seeking religious knowledge is a collective obligation (fard kifayah). If enough people fulfill it, it becomes a recommended practice (sunnah) for the others. However, seeking knowledge can be an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for a person, meaning it is obligatory for him specifically. For example, if a person wants to worship Allah with a specific act of worship, he must know how to worship Allah in that act. Therefore, if what occupies a person from seeking religious knowledge is protecting his family and his dependents, while he maintains what is obligatory to preserve in terms of worship, we say that he is excused and there is no blame on him. However, he should learn from religious knowledge to the extent that he is able.