Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear sir

Why have you added the word religious to the Prophets saying.

Does the original saying in arabic have this?

Salam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Seeking knowledge obligatory religious worldly

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 218 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘The seeking of ‘ilm’ (knowledge) is obligatory for every Muslim.’

The Arabic word and term ‘ilm’ implies both, religious as well as worldly knowledge, and the seeking of both are obligatory upon the believers.

Obligatory deeds in Islamic Jurisprudence are divided into two categories:

1. ‘Fard-Ayn’ or absolutely obligatory on each and every individual.
2. ‘Fard-Kifaayah’ or partially obligatory.

For example, the offering of the five obligatory prayers, fulfilling one’s duty to one’s parents, the fasting of Ramadan, the offering of Friday Jumuah or mid-day prayers for the men, etc. are what is known as ‘fard-ayn’….these deeds are absolutely obligatory on each and every muslim, and they must do so themselves.

The offering of funeral prayers, the two Eid prayers, etc. are also ‘fard’ or obligatory…but they are what is known in Islamic Jurisprudence as ‘Fard-Kifaayah’…..if some believers fulfill this obligation, it would suffice for the whole believing Ummah; but if none of the believers fulfill this obligation, the whole believing Ummah will share in the sin.

The scholars and jurists in Islam are absolutely unanimous in their opinion that the seeking of basic Islamic Knowledge is ‘fard-ayn’ and absolutely obligatory on each and every believer; and the seeking of worldly knowledge and sciences is ‘fard-kifaayah’….it is not obligatory on every believer to seek worldly knowledge, if some amongst the believers seek this knowledge, it would suffice for the believing Ummah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan