‘ILM Gotta Have it!

علم

Knowledge Information Facts Data Know-how Skill Wisdom Learning Education Ignorance

It may be said that Islam is the path of "knowledge"

'ilm is a comprehensive term covering theory, action & education

No other religion or ideology has emphasized its importance so much 'ilm

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ Surah Al Alaq 96: Verse 1 -5

1.Read! in the name of your Lord Who has created 2.He has created man from a clot 3.Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous 4.Who has taught by the pen 5.He has taught man that which he knew not

What is the Islamic Concept of Knowledge?

All knowledge is from Allah (swt)

Allah is the first teacher and the absolute guide of humanity

“And Allâh has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allâh)" [Surah an-Nahl 16: Verse 78]

True knowledge is knowledge that brings us closer to Allah (swt)

Then we understand the purpose of our existence

Surah Adh Dhariyat 51: Verse 56 وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and The Mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).

Those who have knowledge are aware of this truth & act accordingly, thereby having a beneficial impact on those around them Those who are ignorant fumble through the world, vainly attempting to satisfy their desires, following Shaytan, & ultimately failing to understand their purpose & duty in this life.

"Say: 'Are those who know equal to those who know not?' It is only men of understanding who will remember (that is get a lesson from Allah's signs)." [Az-Zumar, 39:9]

Knowledge comes before faith

We become Muslim not through birth but through knowledge

Surah Taha 20:Verse 114 رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا O my Lord increase me in knowledge

Does that mean only Islamic Knowledge?

knowledge is a means to an end

Knowledge is a means of attaining Allah’s pleasure

Knowledge is transformative

For eg: life of the Prophet (pbuh)

When we approach knowledge as just pieces of information – it has no transformative effect on us

Points of Information have no sense of purpose

Umm Salamah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) used to say after the dawn prayer, “O Allâh, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, acceptable action, and good provision.” (Tirmidhi 2487, Ahmad and Ibn Majah)

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that Messenger of Allâh (PBUH) used to say: “O Allâh, I seek refuge in You from knowledge which does not profit, a heart which is not submissive, a soul which has an insatiable appetite, and a supplication which is not heard.” (Abu Dawud 1543)

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “It is part of the excellence of a person’s Islâm that he should discard that which is of no benefit to him either in this world or in the Hereafter.” (Tirmidhi 67)

Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy. Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older. The first toilet ever seen on television was on "Leave It To Beaver". Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

Permissible Worldly Knowledge is not Secondary