3. The ruling of studying Islamic knowledge
Anas رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“Seeking knowledge is compulsory on every Muslim.” [Ibn Majah #224]
There are two types of Fardh:
- Fardh Aiyn
- Fardh Kifaayah
Fardh Aiyn: This type of knowledge is compulsory on every single Muslim. For instance if salah is compulsory on a Muslim when he/she matures then it will also be compulsory on him/her to learn how to perform salah.
If he/she possess money then it is necessary to learn how zakat is paid. When the time of Hajj comes around he/she will need to learn the rites of Hajj.
A person that goes out to buy or sell an item needs to learn the laws of trade in Islam.
Similarly a person will have parents, siblings, a spouse and neighbours, so he/she has to learn how to interact with them. It is necessary to learn the rights that they have upon us.
In conclusion whenever a person has to fulfill a duty it is necessary that he/she learns the injunctions of Allah and His Messenger concerning it.
Fardh Kifayah: This type of knowledge is compulsory on the community as a whole. It is not incumbent upon every individual to possess this high level of Islamic Education but it is necessary that there is one or more people in a locality that is of this high calibre.
Therefore it is incumbent on the community to afford their children the opportunity to study Islam in depth, so that they can fulfill the Islamic requirements of each locality.
After graduating as ulama they will serve their communities by teaching the basic knowledge of Islam to adults and children. They will lead the congregation in salah. They will lecture on different topics that affect the community. They will deliver the sermons on Friday and Eid. They will conduct nikah and counsel individuals on matter of social importance from an Islamic perspective.
On a higher level, it is necessary that the community employ a Mufti who will pass fatwa (Islamic verdicts) on issues that they face. There is also a requirement to have ulama who are specialized in all the different sciences of Deen, who will be able to defend the Deen from the attacks of the enemies of Allah whether they come in the garb of Muslims or Non-Mulims.
(Extract Ma’aalim Irshaadiyyah)
Allah Ta’ala says in the Quran:
وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُوا كَافَّةً ۚ فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُون
And it is not (proper) for the believers to go out to fight (Jihad) all at once. For there should separate from every division a group who will acquire a deep understanding of the Deen and warn their people when they return to them so that they may be cautious.
In the above verse the ummah is instructed to send a group of people to study and specialize in the fiqh of the Deen.
