REVIVING THE QURAN AND SUNNAH

Explanation of one of the famous Hadith of the Holy Prophet (SAW):

Acquisition of knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim.

1. Accordingly, the tradition intends to state that at whatever stage of knowledge one May be, he should strive to make further advance. The Prophet means that acquisition of knowledge is obligatory for all Muslims, scholars as well as ignorant men, beginners as well as learned scholars. Whatever stage of knowledge man may attain, he is still like a child entering into adulthood i.e. he should learn things which were not obligatory for him earlier.
2. The tradition implies that a Muslim can never be relieved of his responsibility of acquiring knowledge.
3. No field of knowledge or science is undesirable or detestable in itself; for knowledge is like light and so it is always desirable. The reason that some of the sciences have been regarded as "undesirable" is because of the undesirable effects they produce.
4. The knowledge which is incumbent on every Muslim to acquire is the one that elevates man's position in the next world, and that which brings him the knowledge of his self, his Creator, prophets, messengers of God, elite of Islam, signs of God, doomsday, and whatever causes proximity of God or divergence from the Almighty's way.
5. The levels of acquisition of this knowledge differ from person to person in accordance with their talents, and even in the case of a particular person, the level of attainment changes with his evolution. Therefore, there is no limit to the acquisition of this type of knowledge, and no matter what level one reaches, it is still incumbent on him to attain a higher level (this of course depends on his capacity and patience too).