What is the obligation of a student of knowledge at the outset? Does he start by memorizing the Qur'an first, or what?

The questioner : What do you advise a beginner student of knowledge? The Book and the Sunnah, or the first thing is the Book, memorizing the Qur'an?

The Shaykh : No, may Allah reward you. Memorizing the Qur'an is not among the individual obligations (fard 'ayn), but rather it is among the recommended practices (sunnah) of the Shari'ah. However, he must seek the obligatory knowledge (fard 'ayn) so that he corrects his creed and corrects his worship. If he does that, and then occupies himself with memorizing the Qur'an, it will be light upon light. But if he occupies himself with memorizing the Qur'an without caring for the individual obligatory knowledge, that is like the saying: "He builds a palace and demolishes a city."

The questioner : What are the initial things that a student of knowledge should learn before he delves into learning?

The Shaykh : I mentioned just now: he corrects the creed.

The questioner : First?

The Shaykh : And he corrects the worship, such as prayer. For example, if he is a poor man, he has to pray, but he does not have to pay zakah, and he does not have to perform Hajj. But if he is rich, he has to learn about zakah, its destinations, its obligations, and so on. Likewise, Hajj. As for if he is poor, he corrects the prayer and fasting, because they are two pillars of Islam that he must have, even if he is poor. So, every person must, according to his situation, whether he is poor or rich.
Fine.