Insha’Allah, in today’s khutbah, I’ll make a humble attempt to shed light on some aspects of the concept and significance of knowledge in Islam. Islam, as we know, is a complete and comprehensive system of life. It is not merely a religion, which describes the relations between man and his Creator. Islam encourages a life of well-being in this world and the next. We are taught to say,
رَبَّنَا آَتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآَخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Our Lord, give us good in this world, and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (al-Baqarah, 2:201).
It is this search for the good; for the well-being, which urges man to study and learn all that exists in the universe, in order to profit by it, and to be grateful to Allah (SWT). As to the method of increasing knowledge, it is inspiring to note that the very first revelation that came to the Prophet (SAW) was a command to read. The first few verses of the revelation mention the importance of reading, writing, and teaching.
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ () خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ () اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ () الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ () عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
Read in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from a clinging form. Read and your Lord is the most generous; who taught by the pen; taught man what he knew not. (al-‘Alaq, 96:1-5)
Reading and writing are essential tools to express one’s ideas and to circulate, advance and preserve knowledge. Allah has also taught man the eloquence of speech through which he can convey his ideas and thoughts to others. In Surat al-Rahman, Allah explains this by saying,
الرَّحْمَنُ () عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآَنَ () خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ () عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ ()
The Most Merciful; taught the Qur´an; He created man; and taught him to communicate (al-Rahman, 55:1-4).
The main purpose of acquiring knowledge is to bring us closer to our Creator and His creation. It is not simply for the gratification of the mind or the senses. Knowledge must be linked with values and goals. If Knowledge is pursued and practiced with modesty and humility it leads to dignity, freedom and justice. The proper and sincere application of knowledge in one’s personal and collective life forms the basis of taqwa or God-consciousness.
It does not seem appropriate to classify knowledge into religious and non-religious. Such classification may lead to the misconception that the non-religious sciences are alien to Islam, and this is incompatible with the universality of Islam. A religion that considers itself self-sufficing cannot distance itself from the issues which play a vital role in securing welfare and independence for the Islamic society. Islam’s comprehensiveness and finality as a religion demands that every field of knowledge that is beneficial for humanity be regarded as a part and parcel of useful knowledge.
The Qur’an has repeatedly urged humans to ponder and mediate over the creation of the universe, and to study how the heavens and earth have been made subservient to man. Therefore, there has never been a conflict between revelation and reason in Islam. The Qur’an frequently tells us that man was born ignorant out of his mother’s womb. But, then, God endowed him with hearing, sight, and intellect: the tools for acquiring knowledge.
وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
It is God who brought you out of your mothers’ wombs knowing nothing at all, and gave you hearing and sight and hearts, so that you might be thankful (al-Nahl, 16:78).
The term used for knowledge in the Arabic language is ‘ilm. The word ‘ilm and its derivatives occur in the Qur’an about 700 times. The term knowledge falls short of expressing all the aspects of ‘ilm. Knowledge in the Western world means acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation. ‘Ilm, however, is an all-embracing term covering theory, action and education. There is no branch of Muslim intellectual life, of Muslim religious and political life, and of the daily life of the average Muslim that remains untouched by the all pervasive attitude toward knowledge. The Qur’an even makes knowledge a condition for the attainment of taqwa. Taqwa as we know means God consciousness. It also refers to the reverential fear of Allah. Its meanings also include righteousness, piety, and saving oneself from anything that may harm. We have in Surat Fatir,
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ
Only those of His servants, who possess knowledge, fear Allah (35:28).
And we have in Surat al-Baqarah,
وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللَّهُ
Have taqwa of Allah and Allah will give you knowledge (2:282).
The Qur’an attaches special importance to the promotion of knowledge. The Prophet (SAW) was asked to say, Oh my Lord, increase me in knowledge (Taha, 20:114).
وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
The only limit set to the acquisition of knowledge in Islam is that Muslims should seek useful knowledge. Any knowledge helping man in performing his God assigned role in this world is useful, other than that is considered useless knowledge. That is why a seeker of knowledge should pray to Allah:
اللَّهُمَّ انْفَعْنِي بِمَا عَلَّمْـتَنِي وَ عَلِّمْنِي مَا يَنْفَعُنِي
“O Allah, make useful for me what you have taught me and teach me what is useful to me.”
According to a hadith, the knowledge from which no benefit is derived is like a treasure out of which nothing is spent in the cause of Allah. The Prophet (SAW) used to make a du’a seeking refuge with Allah (SWT) from four things.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُ وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لاَ يَخْشَعُ وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لاَ تَشْبَعُ وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لاَ يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا
“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from four things: knowledge which does not benefit, a heart which is not submissive, a soul which has an insatiable appetite, and a supplication which is not heard.” Allahumma Ameen
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين.
Inspired by the injunctions of the Qur’an, the early Muslims began a serious study of the sciences. They did not only attain political supremacy and found extensive empires, but also surpassed all other nations in the field of knowledge and intellectual endeavor. Muslim scholars did not limit their studies to the religious sciences such as tafsir, hadith, fiqh, usul al-fiqh, ’ilm al-kalam, and falsafa but also studied chemistry, physics, astronomy, botany, mathematics, medicine, geography, and a host of other disciplines of the physical, natural, social, and human sciences. Some of these scholars have guided the world in the sciences for several centuries and left an indelible mark on the world of knowledge.
Islam deals not only with what man must and must not do, but also with what he needs to know. The first part of the testimony of faith in Islam, La ilaha illallah is a statement of knowledge concerning Reality. Muslims look upon the various sciences as evidences which point to the truth of this most fundamental statement in Islam. This statement is what is popularly known in Islam as the principle of tawhid. The scientific spirit of Muslim scientists and scholars flows from their consciousness of tawhid. Nothing better illustrates the religious origin of the scientific spirit in Islam than the fact that this spirit was first demonstrated in the religious sciences.
In an attempt to preserve the Sunnah of the Prophet from extraneous contaminations, and unfounded innovations, the early Muslims introduced the methods of reporting and evaluating, known as the system of isnad or chain of transmission, and the system of asma’ al-rijal or knowing the earlier life of the narrator of a hadith. At that time, no other people including the Greeks, the Romans and the Persians were aware of the necessity and utility of the scientific ways of evaluating, recording and preserving historical data. Thus by initiating this method the Muslims became the founders of scientific history and modern historiography.
Inspired by the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW), Muslims investigated matter and observed carefully the motions of heavenly bodies. They became the torch-bearers of knowledge at the time when Europe was deeply sunk in ignorance. It was Islam that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment.
Islam does not differentiate between acquired knowledge of the physical world, which we acquire through our physical senses and revealed knowledge, which we get from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. They are one integrated whole. This perfect creation was created by one Creator. He did not create this universe without any purpose. True men of understanding who are endowed with knowledge contemplate on the physical world and reach one conclusion,
رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Our Lord, You have not created all this without purpose. Glory be to You! So protect us from the punishment of the Fire (Aal ‘Imran, 3000:191).
Allah says in Surat Aal “Imran,
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآَيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are Signs for those with understanding (Aal ‘Imran, 3:190).
Let me conclude by saying that without knowledge we are lost. The tragedy of humanity in general and Muslims in particular is that the whole focus of our attention today is on the acquired knowledge. By and large, we have discarded the revealed knowledge. Had all the acquired knowledge been supplemented with the revealed knowledge, this world would be a very happy and prosperous world; a much better place to live in. Let me remind you and myself that if we forget Allah, Allah will make us forget ourselves.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
Do not be like those who forgot Allah. So He made them forget themselves. Such people are the transgressors (al-Hashr, 59:19).
Let us pray to Allah to increase us in knowledge so as to benefit from it both in this world and in the hereafter. Allahumma Ameen.
