The Limit of the Knowledge That Is Obligatory to Learn
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Fatwa No. ( 4138 )
Q: I am asking for clarification on the knowledge that is a condition for conveying the call of Islam to the people, what type of knowledge this is, what the entry point to it is, and from which specific books it is studied? I ask you to name those books. Is a teacher required for this or not? And how do we begin calling people to the truth? I ask for the path to be explained clearly. Please note that I am a student in the Faculty of Medicine, which requires great effort and time in studying medicine. I ask for the answer to be detailed and not summarized, such that it is not hidden from an ignorant layperson.
A: First: It is obligatory for the Muslim to convey whatever knowledge he has, whether little or much, to those who do not know it, without limiting it to a specific time or amount of knowledge, other than the need to clarify what he has and convey it. It may become individually obligatory for him if no one else is available to undertake the conveyance and clarification; following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and acting upon what was narrated by Ahmad and al-Bukhari and al-Tirmidhi, from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr , from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2669Sahih (Darussalam) ... the hadith, and what was narrated by
Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban, from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Riyad as-Salihin 1389 , and this has been narrated from other paths, with multiple wordings. And out of fear of what Allah has threatened those who conceal knowledge with, in His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:159-160] And it is forbidden for him to say what he does not know, or to engage in matters about which he has no knowledge; because of His saying, the Exalted: [Al-A'raf 7:33] and His saying: [Al-Isra 17:36] and other texts in the meaning of what has preceded; urging the conveyance of the message, and warning against speaking about Islam without knowledge. Second: Islamic sciences are of types: the knowledge of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) with its divisions: tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), tawhid al-'ibadah (oneness of worship), and tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat (oneness of the names and attributes). And the knowledge of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence)
with its divisions: the section of acts of worship: such as prayer, fasting, zakah (the obligatory alms), and Hajj (the major pilgrimage); the section of transactions: such as buying, selling, and ijarah (a lease or hire contract)... etc.; and the section of personal status: such as nikah (the marriage contract), waqf (an endowment), and inheritance... etc. And crimes, and hudud (the fixed Qur'anic punishments), and the knowledge of manners and morals. Books have been authored on each type, known by students of knowledge, some of which will be explained later. Third: The entry point to learning these sciences is studying the Book of Allah the Exalted, reflecting on its meanings, studying the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and understanding it, to know its authentic from its weak, understanding its meanings, deriving rulings, and studying the books of fiqh authored by the righteous scholars who studied the Book and the Sunnah and derived rulings from them. These books include concise and lengthy ones, easy and difficult ones, and each person reads from them what suits his intellectual capacity, the extent of his acquisition of knowledge, and what he needs in his life. The beginner reads from the concise and easy ones, such as: the Tafsir of the Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di, and the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, and Subul al-Salam by al-San'ani, Sharh Bulugh al-Maram li-Ahadith al-Ahkam (Explanation of Bulugh al-Maram for the Hadiths of Rulings) by Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, and such as: 'Umdat al-Fiqh by Ibn Qudamah, and his book al-Kafi, both of which are in fiqh, and the book al-Adab al-Shar'iyyah by Ibn Muflih, and the book al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah by Ibn Taymiyyah, and the book al-Tawhid and the book Kashf al-Shubuhat by the Shaykh Muhammad ibn
'Abd al-Wahhab . As for the scholar or the one who is learning, he chooses for himself what benefits him from them, and consults in that matter those he trusts from among the people of knowledge. Among these are the Tafsir of Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, and Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajar on Sahih al-Bukhari, and the Sharh (Explanation) of al-Nawawi on Sahih Muslim, and the book al-Umm by al-Shafi'i, and al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah, and Bada'iyat al-Majtu' by Ibn Rushd, and similar books. A teacher is necessary for everyone who wants to learn, in any field of scientific, theoretical, or practical arts, and this is a universal phenomenon among creation, whether Muslim or disbeliever, but they cooperate in their need for it; due to their difference in capacity and what they have of acquisition and means that help in understanding rulings. What is easy for the student, he acquires by himself from his correct references, and what is difficult for him, he cooperates with his brothers to understand it or asks about it from someone more knowledgeable than him from among the scholars he trusts. Fourth: The caller begins in guiding people to the truth by teaching them tawhid (the oneness of Allah), then the principles of acts of worship, and what they need of transactions... etc. Let this be done with wisdom and good admonition, and calm discussion; with the intention of reaching the truth; because of His saying, the Exalted:[An-Nahl 16:125]
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Q: I am asking for clarification on the knowledge that is a condition for conveying the call of Islam to the people, what type of knowledge this is, what the entry point to it is, and from which specific books it is studied? I ask you to name those books. Is a teacher required for this or not? And how do we begin calling people to the truth? I ask for the path to be explained clearly. Please note that I am a student in the Faculty of Medicine, which requires great effort and time in studying medicine. I ask for the answer to be detailed and not summarized, such that it is not hidden from an ignorant layperson.
A: First: It is obligatory for the Muslim to convey whatever knowledge he has, whether little or much, to those who do not know it, without limiting it to a specific time or amount of knowledge, other than the need to clarify what he has and convey it. It may become individually obligatory for him if no one else is available to undertake the conveyance and clarification; following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and acting upon what was narrated by Ahmad and al-Bukhari and al-Tirmidhi, from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr , from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Convey from me, even if it be an Ayah
بلغوا عني ولو آيةAhmad and al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban, from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
May Allah freshen the affairs of a person who hears something from us and communicates it to others exactly as he has heard it (i.e., both the meaning and the words), for it may be that the recipient of knowledge understands it better than the one who has heard it.
نضر الله امرءً سمع منا شيئًا فبلغه كما سمعه، فرب مُبَلَّغ أوعى من سامع(159) Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, (160) Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْـزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ أُولَئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللاعِنُونَ (159) إِلا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَبَيَّنُوا فَأُولَئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنَا التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُSay, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَـزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَAnd do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌwith its divisions: the section of acts of worship: such as prayer, fasting, zakah (the obligatory alms), and Hajj (the major pilgrimage); the section of transactions: such as buying, selling, and ijarah (a lease or hire contract)... etc.; and the section of personal status: such as nikah (the marriage contract), waqf (an endowment), and inheritance... etc. And crimes, and hudud (the fixed Qur'anic punishments), and the knowledge of manners and morals. Books have been authored on each type, known by students of knowledge, some of which will be explained later. Third: The entry point to learning these sciences is studying the Book of Allah the Exalted, reflecting on its meanings, studying the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and understanding it, to know its authentic from its weak, understanding its meanings, deriving rulings, and studying the books of fiqh authored by the righteous scholars who studied the Book and the Sunnah and derived rulings from them. These books include concise and lengthy ones, easy and difficult ones, and each person reads from them what suits his intellectual capacity, the extent of his acquisition of knowledge, and what he needs in his life. The beginner reads from the concise and easy ones, such as: the Tafsir of the Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di, and the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, and Subul al-Salam by al-San'ani, Sharh Bulugh al-Maram li-Ahadith al-Ahkam (Explanation of Bulugh al-Maram for the Hadiths of Rulings) by Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, and such as: 'Umdat al-Fiqh by Ibn Qudamah, and his book al-Kafi, both of which are in fiqh, and the book al-Adab al-Shar'iyyah by Ibn Muflih, and the book al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah by Ibn Taymiyyah, and the book al-Tawhid and the book Kashf al-Shubuhat by the Shaykh Muhammad ibn
'Abd al-Wahhab . As for the scholar or the one who is learning, he chooses for himself what benefits him from them, and consults in that matter those he trusts from among the people of knowledge. Among these are the Tafsir of Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, and Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajar on Sahih al-Bukhari, and the Sharh (Explanation) of al-Nawawi on Sahih Muslim, and the book al-Umm by al-Shafi'i, and al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah, and Bada'iyat al-Majtu' by Ibn Rushd, and similar books. A teacher is necessary for everyone who wants to learn, in any field of scientific, theoretical, or practical arts, and this is a universal phenomenon among creation, whether Muslim or disbeliever, but they cooperate in their need for it; due to their difference in capacity and what they have of acquisition and means that help in understanding rulings. What is easy for the student, he acquires by himself from his correct references, and what is difficult for him, he cooperates with his brothers to understand it or asks about it from someone more knowledgeable than him from among the scholars he trusts. Fourth: The caller begins in guiding people to the truth by teaching them tawhid (the oneness of Allah), then the principles of acts of worship, and what they need of transactions... etc. Let this be done with wisdom and good admonition, and calm discussion; with the intention of reaching the truth; because of His saying, the Exalted:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَAnd success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.