The Ruling on the Ignorant Person Who Does Not Learn and Our Duty Toward Him
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Your Eminence! We have observed a general turning away from the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) among most Muslims, both inside and outside the country; they do not know it and do not learn it. We face many difficulties with them regarding simple matters of the religion that a Muslim should not be ignorant of. How should we deal with these people? Are they excused by the Shari'ah? And who bears the responsibility toward them?
It is obligatory for them to learn from the religion of Allah what they need. They must learn the rulings of ritual purity that they need, the rulings of prayer that they need, the rulings of zakah that they need, the rulings of fasting that they need, and the rulings of Hajj that they need. This is necessary.
This is obligatory upon them, and this knowledge is an individual obligation, as the scholars have stated.
Therefore, it is obligatory for them to ask. The means of acquiring knowledge today are easy, praise be to Allah. Transportation is facilitated and communication is facilitated. Transportation by car means that the distance people used to cover in two days is covered today in two hours. Communication is likewise facilitated; the telephone is available. They can contact scholars and ask them. In reality, they are not excused.
And with that, we say: There is an obligation upon the scholars to travel to the countries where ignorance is prevalent to teach them the matters of their religion. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to send callers to the countries to teach them their religion and guide them. He ordered Malik ibn al-Huwayrith and his companions to return to their people to teach them and educate them.
So there is an obligation upon the common people, and an obligation upon the scholars.
The questioner: I mean that they are skilled in matters of agriculture, industry, and worldly affairs.
The Shaykh: They are skilled in their worldly affairs; however, they may know worldly matters through experience, and they may be more concerned with worldly matters than with matters of the religion.
It is obligatory for them to learn from the religion of Allah what they need. They must learn the rulings of ritual purity that they need, the rulings of prayer that they need, the rulings of zakah that they need, the rulings of fasting that they need, and the rulings of Hajj that they need. This is necessary.
This is obligatory upon them, and this knowledge is an individual obligation, as the scholars have stated.
Therefore, it is obligatory for them to ask. The means of acquiring knowledge today are easy, praise be to Allah. Transportation is facilitated and communication is facilitated. Transportation by car means that the distance people used to cover in two days is covered today in two hours. Communication is likewise facilitated; the telephone is available. They can contact scholars and ask them. In reality, they are not excused.
And with that, we say: There is an obligation upon the scholars to travel to the countries where ignorance is prevalent to teach them the matters of their religion. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to send callers to the countries to teach them their religion and guide them. He ordered Malik ibn al-Huwayrith and his companions to return to their people to teach them and educate them.
So there is an obligation upon the common people, and an obligation upon the scholars.
The questioner: I mean that they are skilled in matters of agriculture, industry, and worldly affairs.
The Shaykh: They are skilled in their worldly affairs; however, they may know worldly matters through experience, and they may be more concerned with worldly matters than with matters of the religion.