The Most Beneficial Ways to Acquire Knowledge

Question:
What are the most appropriate and beneficial ways, in your opinion, to acquire knowledge in this time? Is it by attending the shaykhs' circles in the mosques, or by going to Islamic universities, or by reading books and asking the people of knowledge about what is difficult?

Answer:
This and that and this. One studies in the universities and in the religious institutes, and takes care of his studies so that he benefits from certificates that are useful to him and knowledge that is useful to him. Certificates are useful today, and they are used to help in conveying the religion and in what benefits the Muslims.
So one studies in the universities and in the scientific institutes, and obtains certificates, and at the same time attends the circles of knowledge as much as possible, reads religious books, and asks the people of knowledge. He combines this and that. This is how the Salaf did it, this is how it was in the early time and in the later time.
The people of knowledge are like this: they study in the schools, they study in the circles of knowledge, they study and discuss among themselves, they read beneficial books, they read books of tafsir, and they take care of the great Qur'an through study, reflection, and understanding. They combine all these ways. This is how the student of knowledge is: nothing distracts him. He is with the students in the schools and in the universities, he is with the circles of knowledge, he is with reading and discussion, and taking care of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and discussing with his colleagues and with the scholars, until he benefits with knowledge added to his knowledge and insight added to his insight.