The Qur’an and sunnah both praise knowledge. There are many blessings of knowledge–but first, we must define, “what IS knowledge?”

The Prophet said, in one hadith: “If Allah wants to do a favor to somebody, He bestows on him, the gift of understanding the deen.” [Bukhari 9/92/415]1 From this hadith, we know that knowledge, as defined in the Qur’an and Sunnah, refers to knowledge of Islam, and not secular knowledge (such as Chemistry or Meteorology. Which is not to say secular knowledge is not important–Muslims need it to live in a halal way).

So what are the blessings of knowledge?

Raised Status and Rank

In Surah Mujadila, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ

Translation: Allah will rise up, to (suitable) ranks (and degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge. (Surah Al-Mujadila, verse 11)2

Superiority over All Beings

When Adam (عليه سلام) was created, the jinns and angels prostrated to him. They had powers that he did not. Why, then, prostrate? Because Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) gave Adam the names of all things, and when He (سبحانه وتعالى) challenged the angels to name things, they couldn’t. This equates knowledge with superiority over all beings.

Similarly, In Surah Imran, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

شَهِدَ اللّهُ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ الْعِلْمِ قَآئِمَاً بِالْقِسْطِ

Translation: There is no god but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels, and those endowed with knowledge, stand firm on justice. (Surah Al-Imran, verse 18)3

Ibn al-Qayim says that this verse of the Qur’an praises people of knowledge more then any other verse. Why would he consider it as such?

  1. Company: People of knowledge are mentioned in the same company as Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) and angels.
  2. Testimony: This testimony is the greatest testimony–there is nothing more noble, more grand, or more noteworthy then testifying to the oneness of Allah.
  3. Praise: Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) praises them by saying that they “stand firm on justice”.
Protected From False Desires

Read the story of Qarun in surah Qasas, verses 70-79. Qarun was so rich, he needed a team of bodybuilders to carry around the keys to his treasure. He walked around in pomp with his entrouge. While those deceived by the dunya wished they, too, could have his wealth, the people of knowledge said “The reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is best for those who believe and work righteousness.”4 Eventually, a fissure opened up and swallowed Qarun, entrouge and all.

Similarly, In Surah Fatir, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاء

Translation: Those truly fear Allah, among His Servants, [are exclusively those] who have knowledge. (Surah Fatir, verse 28)5

The word “innamaa” here is means exclusivity. Knowledge brings hope, recognition, etc. that ignorance cannot. The quantity of worship may be the same, but not the quality; that quality comes from knowledge.

The Hadith from Abu Darda

A man came to Abu Darda (رضي الله عنه), a companion of the Prophet, and said “I came to you with the sole purpose of hearing a tradition that you heard from the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)”. Subhanallah, he traveled from Medina to Damascus–a journey of one month–to hear one hadith. And we don’t travel 10 feet to our bookshelves to retrieve the compilations of ahadith we own.

In any case, Abu Darda (رضي الله عنه) narrated the following hadith from the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم):

If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the learned man over the worshipper is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an big fortune. [Abu-Dawud 25⁄3634]6

This hadith outlines multiple blessings:

  1. Ease to Paradise: Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) makes it easier on the one who seeks knowledge to reach Jannah. The more difficult the path for knowledge, the easier the road to Paradise.
  2. Protection of Angels: Angels are a sign of Allah’s (سبحانه وتعالى) mercy. Here, angels show that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is pleased with the person, and the lowering of the wings implies protection.
  3. Du’a of the Creatures: We can all use more du’a …
  4. Inheritence of the Prophets: The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) left only seven silver coins, but a wealth of knowledge. And how do you inherit from the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)? Learn the knowledge he left behind.
  5. The Full Moon Over the Stars: Stars light the way when the moon is absent. But when the full moon appears, it’s light eclipses the stars completely. Similarly, the learned man (‘alim) eclipses the worshipper (‘abid). Why? The ‘abid benefits himself, but the ‘alim benefits the entire community. Consider the example of Imam Bukhari–how many people did he, may Allah have mercy on him, benefit?

May Allah increase us all in our knowledge and in the benefit we bring to the sons of Adam, ameen.

References

(1) “Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 92: Holding Fast to the Qur’an and Sunnah.” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/092.sbt.html#009.092.415>.

(2) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Al-Mujadila (She That Disputes).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/58.htm>.

(3) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Al-Imran (The Family Of ‘Imran).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/03.htm>.

(4) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Al-Qasas (The Story).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/28.htm>.

(5) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Fatir (Orignator).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/35.htm>.

(6) “Partial Translation of Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 25: Knowledge (Kitab Al-‘Ilm).” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/025.sat.html#025.3634>.

(7) Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.