The ruling on denying the existence of collective obligation and individual obligation in Islamic sacred law
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The questioner: This is a doctor at King Saud University, and I do not know to whom I should refer the matter.But a discussion occurred between me and him, saying: The foundation of knowledge is one, and there is no division of knowledge into Islamic sacred law and non-Islamic knowledge.
And he also said after discussing with him, we said: There is knowledge that is a collective obligation, and knowledge that is an individual obligation.He said: This is not found in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger, and we clarified for him what is mentioned in al-Muwafaqat by al-Shatibi, but the man is insistent on his opinion, even though this doctor means that now only four weeks remain before the course ends, and we have not learned anything in the course; all his lectures are merely raising doubts?The Shaykh: My brother! I say: you have the dean's office, record his words and refer them up.Then his saying: There is no difference between the sciences; this is either due to fallacy and stubbornness, or due to a deficiency in intellect.Tell him: Is the knowledge of the carpenter like the knowledge of the blacksmith? Is the knowledge of the one who works with electricity like the knowledge of the one who works with bricks?If he says: Yes, so may his intellect be sound.And if he said: Yes, there is a difference between them; there is a difference between the theoretical sciences. Is the knowledge of medicine like the knowledge of grammar? This is clear; no one can deny it except a stubborn person: [al-Naml: 14] .
And as for His saying: There is no evidence in the Book and the Sunnah that knowledge is an individual obligation and a collective obligation, so this is also due to his lack of knowledge and his ignorance. Is it obligatory for me, when I am poor and have no money, is it obligatory for me to learn the rulings of zakah? No, he is not obligated to pay zakah until he learns its rulings, but the one who has money must learn its rulings so that he can pay it as commanded to its rightful recipients.
For one who cannot perform Hajj, do we say: Do you have to study the book of Hajj? No.Until he wants to perform Hajj, we say: You do not perform Hajj until you know the rulings of Hajj, so these sciences are a collective obligation, and one must memorize the Shari'ah with all the Islamic sacred sciences: beliefs, morals, and acts of worship; one must memorize them. If those who are sufficient perform them, it drops off the rest, but if a person needs a certain knowledge, even in one chapter of knowledge, it is obligatory for him to learn it, and this is clear.
O Allah, guide us among those You have guided, and I ask Allah the Exalted to help our righteous youth in combating such people who have deficiencies in Islamic sacred law or who are stubborn, and we ask Allah the Exalted to protect Islam and the domain of Islam with its people, for He is capable of all things.
And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his Companions.
And he also said after discussing with him, we said: There is knowledge that is a collective obligation, and knowledge that is an individual obligation.He said: This is not found in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger, and we clarified for him what is mentioned in al-Muwafaqat by al-Shatibi, but the man is insistent on his opinion, even though this doctor means that now only four weeks remain before the course ends, and we have not learned anything in the course; all his lectures are merely raising doubts?The Shaykh: My brother! I say: you have the dean's office, record his words and refer them up.Then his saying: There is no difference between the sciences; this is either due to fallacy and stubbornness, or due to a deficiency in intellect.Tell him: Is the knowledge of the carpenter like the knowledge of the blacksmith? Is the knowledge of the one who works with electricity like the knowledge of the one who works with bricks?If he says: Yes, so may his intellect be sound.And if he said: Yes, there is a difference between them; there is a difference between the theoretical sciences. Is the knowledge of medicine like the knowledge of grammar? This is clear; no one can deny it except a stubborn person:
And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness
وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاًAnd as for His saying: There is no evidence in the Book and the Sunnah that knowledge is an individual obligation and a collective obligation, so this is also due to his lack of knowledge and his ignorance. Is it obligatory for me, when I am poor and have no money, is it obligatory for me to learn the rulings of zakah? No, he is not obligated to pay zakah until he learns its rulings, but the one who has money must learn its rulings so that he can pay it as commanded to its rightful recipients.
For one who cannot perform Hajj, do we say: Do you have to study the book of Hajj? No.Until he wants to perform Hajj, we say: You do not perform Hajj until you know the rulings of Hajj, so these sciences are a collective obligation, and one must memorize the Shari'ah with all the Islamic sacred sciences: beliefs, morals, and acts of worship; one must memorize them. If those who are sufficient perform them, it drops off the rest, but if a person needs a certain knowledge, even in one chapter of knowledge, it is obligatory for him to learn it, and this is clear.
O Allah, guide us among those You have guided, and I ask Allah the Exalted to help our righteous youth in combating such people who have deficiencies in Islamic sacred law or who are stubborn, and we ask Allah the Exalted to protect Islam and the domain of Islam with its people, for He is capable of all things.
And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his Companions.