The virtue of seeking religious knowledge over other righteous deeds
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Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
To proceed: This is the sixty-fourth session of the sessions known as (The Open Door), which take place every Thursday. This Thursday is the tenth of the month of Jumada al-Ula, 1418 AH, and with it we open the sessions for this year, after the sessions had been suspended during the vacation days.
Since this is the time when students begin receiving their knowledge, it is necessary that we speak about what relates to this topic.
So we say: There is no doubt that seeking religious knowledge is among the best of righteous deeds; indeed, it is equivalent to jihad in the path of Allah.As Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said: [At-Tawbah: 122] Allah the Mighty and Majestic made it clear that the believers cannot all go out for jihad in the path of Allah, because that would lead to the neglect of other benefits that Islam must attend to. By this, we know that jihad cannot be an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for every single Muslim.As some of the contemporary scholars have claimed, who say: To say that jihad is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for every Muslim is an error that contradicts the Qur'an.Because Allah said: [At-Tawbah: 122] meaning: this is not possible. Then He guided that some of them should go out and some should remain, so that those who remain may gain deep understanding of the religion of Allah and warn their people when they return to them. However, jihad becomes an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) in certain specific matters.
So seeking religious knowledge is undoubtedly equivalent to jihad in the path of Allah.
And the scholars differed on which is better: Knowledge or jihad? There is no doubt that the benefit of knowledge is more comprehensive than the benefit of jihad; because the benefit of jihad, when it is realized, is only in a specific part of the earth, but knowledge benefits all people. So, in terms of benefit, knowledge is better than jihad.But despite that, we may say to some people: For them, jihad is better.And we say to others: For them, knowledge is better.This becomes clear by example: If there is a man who is brave, strong, and knowledgeable about the methods of war, but in seeking knowledge he has poor memory, finds it difficult, and has little understanding,So we say: then for him, jihad is better because it is more beneficial.
And another who is not so brave or knowledgeable about the methods of war, but is strong in memory, strong in understanding, strong in argument, and strong in persuasion,So we say: then for him, seeking knowledge is better.
So the points we understand now are: Seeking knowledge is equivalent to jihad in the path of Allah.
Which is better? This varies according to the people.To some people we say: For you, jihad is better.And to some people we say: For you, knowledge is better, according to what the situation requires.
To proceed: This is the sixty-fourth session of the sessions known as (The Open Door), which take place every Thursday. This Thursday is the tenth of the month of Jumada al-Ula, 1418 AH, and with it we open the sessions for this year, after the sessions had been suspended during the vacation days.
Since this is the time when students begin receiving their knowledge, it is necessary that we speak about what relates to this topic.
So we say: There is no doubt that seeking religious knowledge is among the best of righteous deeds; indeed, it is equivalent to jihad in the path of Allah.As Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:
And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group [remaining] to obtain understanding in the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious.
وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةً فَلَوْلا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَAnd it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once
وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةًSo seeking religious knowledge is undoubtedly equivalent to jihad in the path of Allah.
And the scholars differed on which is better: Knowledge or jihad? There is no doubt that the benefit of knowledge is more comprehensive than the benefit of jihad; because the benefit of jihad, when it is realized, is only in a specific part of the earth, but knowledge benefits all people. So, in terms of benefit, knowledge is better than jihad.But despite that, we may say to some people: For them, jihad is better.And we say to others: For them, knowledge is better.This becomes clear by example: If there is a man who is brave, strong, and knowledgeable about the methods of war, but in seeking knowledge he has poor memory, finds it difficult, and has little understanding,So we say: then for him, jihad is better because it is more beneficial.
And another who is not so brave or knowledgeable about the methods of war, but is strong in memory, strong in understanding, strong in argument, and strong in persuasion,So we say: then for him, seeking knowledge is better.
So the points we understand now are: Seeking knowledge is equivalent to jihad in the path of Allah.
Which is better? This varies according to the people.To some people we say: For you, jihad is better.And to some people we say: For you, knowledge is better, according to what the situation requires.