Seeking knowledge in Islam is an obligation that should be carried out by every Muslim man and woman since birth. The obligation and importance of seeking knowledge are explained in a number of hadiths.
In the Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language (KBBI) it is stated that knowledge is knowledge about a field that is systematically arranged with a certain method to explain a phenomenon in the field of knowledge.
The knowledge referred to in Islam is not limited to religious knowledge alone, it can also be general knowledge such as science, culture, and technology. As Allah SWT says as follows:
َّحُوا۟ فِى ٱلْمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفْسَحُوا۟ يَفْسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُوا۟ فَٱنشُزُوا۟ يَرْفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ء َامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ دَرَجَٰتٍ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
Meaning: “O you who believe, if it is said to you: “Make room in the assembly”, then make room, Allah will make room for you. And when it is said: “Stand up”, then stand up “Allah will surely elevate those who believe among you and those who are given knowledge by several degrees. And Allah is All-Knowing of what you do.” (QS. Surah Al-Mujjadi verse: 11).
The obligations, benefits and wisdom of studying for Muslims are explained in many hadiths. Here are 20 hadiths about seeking knowledge that you need to know.
Hadith About Seeking Knowledge
1. The Obligation to Seek Knowledge
Seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim, as in the following hadith:
طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيْضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِم ٍ
“Seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim” (HR. Ibnu Majah no. 224, from the friend Anas bin Malik radhiyallahu ‘anhu, authenticated by Al Albani in Shahiih al-Jaami’ish Shaghiir no. 3913).
In another hadith, Rasulullah SAW said: “Learn ye all, and teach ye all, and honor your teachers, and be kind to those who teach you. (HR Tabrani).
From Anas bin Malik, the Messenger of Allah SAW said:
منْ خَرَجَ فِى طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ فَهُوَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ
“Whoever goes out in order to seek knowledge, then he is on the path of Allah until he returns.”
2. The Path to Heaven is Made Easy
As the hadith of Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu ‘anhu, the Messenger of Allah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
“Whoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him the path to Paradise.” (Narrated by Muslim).
3. Useful Knowledge
The virtue of useful knowledge, both when still in world or after death.
Quotes: God willing
صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ
“When a person dies, his good deeds come to an end, except for three things: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a pious child who prays for him.” (Narrated by Muslim).
4. The Heritage of the Prophets is Knowledge
This is as stated in the hadith:
اَلْعُلَمَاءُ وَرَثَةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَإِنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ لَمْ يُوَرِّثُوْا دِيْنَارًا وَلَا دِرْهَامًا، وَلَكِنْ وَرَّثُوْا الْعِلْمَ، فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ أَخَذَ بِحَظٍّ وَافِرٍ
“The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets. Indeed, the prophets did not inherit dinars or dirhams, but they inherited knowledge. Therefore, whoever takes it, he has taken a sufficient share.” (HR. Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and Ibnu Majah).
5. Knowledgeable people are not cursed
Knowledgeable people are not cursed as the Prophet SAW said:
أَلَا إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا مَلْعُونَةٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَا فِيهَا إِلَّا إِكرُ اللَّهِ وَمَا وَلَاهُ وَعالِمٌ اَوْ مُتَعَلِمٌ
“Know that indeed the world is cursed and its contents are cursed except for the remembrance of God and obedience to Him, the learned, and the learned.” (Hasan: HR. At-Tirmidhi no. 2322).
6. Reward
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest.
“Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest.” (HR. Muslim no. 2674).
7. Knowledge is Better than Charity
This priority is expressed in the hadith that reads:
إِنَّكُمْ قَدْ أَصْبَحْتُمْ فِي زَمَانٍ كَثِيرٍ فُقَهَاؤُهُ، قَلِيلٍ خُطَبَاؤُهُ، كَثِيرٍ مُعْطُوهُ، قَلِيلٍ سُؤَّالُهُ، الْعَمَلُ فِيهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ، وَسَيَأْتِي زَمَانٌ قَلِيلٌ فُقَهَاؤُهُ، كَثِيرٌ خُطَبَاؤُهُ، كَثِيرٌ سُؤَّالُهُ، قَلِيلٌ مُعْطُوهُ، الْعِلْمُ فِيهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ
“Truly you are now living in an era where there are many jurisprudents, few speakers, many givers, and few beggars. Charity at this time is better than knowledge. There will come a time in the future where few the jurists, the speakers are many, the givers are few, and the beggars are many. Knowledge at that time was better than charity.” (Sahih: HR. Ath-Thabrani no. 3111).
8. Knowledge of Charity Charity
In a hadith the Prophet said:
إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ: إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ، أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ، أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ
“When a son of Adam dies, all his good deeds are cut off (he can no longer increase his reward) except for 3 people, namely ongoing charity, knowledge that people benefit from, or a pious child who prays for his parents.” (Narrated by Muslim no. 1631).
9. Seeking knowledge is like the perfect Hajj
This is in accordance with one hadith which reads:
مَنْ غَدَا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ لَا يُرِيدُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمَ خَيْرًا أَوْ يُعَلِّمَهُ، كَانَ لَهُ كَأَجْرِ حَاجٍّ تَامًّا حِجَّتُهُ
“Whoever rushes to the mosque only for the purpose of learning goodness or teaching it, he will get a reward like a person who performs the pilgrimage perfectly.” (Shahih: Narrated by Ath-Thabrani no. 7473 in Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir) .
10. A Muslim Ummah Whose Religion Allah intends to bestow
This is also a hadith:
مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ، وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا قَاسِمٌ وَاللَّهُ يُعْطِي، وَلَنْ تَزَالَ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةُ قَائِمَةً عَلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ، لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ، حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ
“The command of Allah is the command of Allah, and those who oppose them will not harm them until the command of Allah comes.” “Umat ini yang tegak di atas perintah Allah, orang yang menyelisihi mereka tidak akan membahayakan mereka hingga datang hari Kiamat.” (HR. Al-Bukhari no. 3971 and Muslim no. 1037).
11. Dilindungi Malaikat
Sebagaimana dalam sabda Rasulullah yang berbunyi:
مَرْحَبًا بطالبِ الْعِلْمِ، طَالِبُ الْعِلْمِ لَتَحُفُّهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَتُظِلُّهُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهَا، ثُمَّ يَرْكَبُ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا حَتَّى يَبْلُغُوا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا مِنْ حُبِّهِمْ لِمَا يَطْلُبُ
“The command of Allah is the command of Allah, and those who oppose them will not harm them until the command of Allah comes.” “Umat ini yang tegak di atas perintah Allah, orang yang menyelisihi mereka tidak akan membahayakan mereka hingga datang hari Kiamat.” (HR. Al-Bukhari no. 3971 and Muslim no. 1037).
12. The People of Heaven and Earth Ask for Forgiveness
This is stated in the words of the Prophet which reads:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ وَأَهْلَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرَضِينَ حَتَّى النَّمْلَةَ فِي جُحْرِهَا وَحَتَّى الحُوتَ لَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَى مُعَلِّمِ النَّاسِ الخَيْرَ
“Sesungguhnya Allah, para Malaikat-Nya, penduduk langit-langit dan bumi-bumi, hingga semut-semut yang ada di lubangnya, hingga ikat-ikan, benar-benar semuanya bershalawat (memintakan ampun) untuk orang yang mengajari kebaikan kepada manusia.” (Shahih: HR. At-Tirmidzi no. 2685).
13. Shining Face
In a hadith the Prophet said:
نَضَّرَ اللَّهُ امْرَأً سَمِعَ مِنَّا حَدِيثًا فَحَفِظَهُ حَتَّى يُبَلِّغَهُ غَيْرَهُ، فَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَهُ مِنْهُ، وَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ لَيْسَ بِفَقِيهٍ
“May God make someone who listens to our hadith shine and memorizes it until he passes it on to others. How many people bring (narratives) of fiqh to people who are more jurisprudents than them. How many people bring (narratives) of fiqh but are not jurisprudents.” (Sahih: HR. At-Tirmidhi no. 2656).
14. Bringing Blessings
This is as stated in the hadith:
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ: كَانَ أَخَوَانِ عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا يَأْتِي النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالْآخَرُ يَحْتَرِفُ، فَشَكَا المُحْتَرِفُ أَخَاهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «لَعَلَّكَ تُرْزَقُ بِهِ»
“There were two brothers (sisters) in the time of the Prophet Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam where one of them always came to the Prophet Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam (to listen to the hadith) and the other was busy working. Then the worker complained about his brother to he (because he did not help with the work) then he replied: “Maybe you were given sustenance precisely because of that.” (Sahih: HR. At-Tirmidhi no. 2345).
15. Learned People Replace the Prophet
In a hadith the Prophet SAW said:
فَضْلُ العَالِمِ عَلَى العَابِدِ كَفَضْلِي عَلَى أَدْنَاكُمْ
“Priority of scholars over worshipers is like my preference over the lowest of you.” (Sahih: HR. At-Tirmidhi no. 2685).
16. More Peaceful with Knowledge
This is as stated in the following hadith:
تَعَلّمُواالعِلْمَ وَتَعَلّمُوْا لِلْعِلْمِ السّكِيْنَةَ وَالْوَقَا رَ وَتَوَاضَعُوْا لِمَنْ تَتَعَلّمُوانَ مِنْهُ
Meaning: “Learn knowledge for peace and tranquility and be humble to those you learn from.” (HR Thabrani).
17. Seeking Knowledge to Please Allah
Seeking knowledge to obtain the pleasure of Allah SWT.
مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ عِلْمًا مِمَّا يُبْتَغَى بِهِ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لاَ يَتَعَلَّمُهُ إِلاَّ لِيُصِيبَ بِهِ عَرَضًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَجِدْ عَرْفَ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
Meaning: “Whoever studies knowledge with which he can obtain the pleasure of Allah SWT, (but) he does not study it except to obtain worldly pleasures, then he will not get the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection,” (HR Abu Daud).
18. Get the World and the Hereafter with Knowledge
The priority of knowledgeable people is to gain the world and the hereafter.
مَنْ أَرَادَ الدُّنْيَا فَعَلَيْهِ بِاْلعِلْمِ، وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الآخِرَهَ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالْعِلْمِ، وَمَنْ أَرَادَهُمَا فَعَلَيْهِ باِلعِلْمِ
Meaning: “Whoever wants the world, then he should master knowledge. Whoever wants the hereafter, he should master knowledge, and whoever wants both (the world and the afterlife), he should master knowledge,” (HR Ahmad).
19. The Importance of Having Knowledge
العلم قبل القول و العمل
Meaning: “Seek knowledge before you speak, do good deeds, or do activities.” (HR Bukhari).
Source: detik.com
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