We are going to learn five hadiths on the virtues of knowledge today. We implore every one of us to strive in seeking knowledge even if it will be bit by bit. We ask Allah to give us beneficial knowledge.
Hadith 1 on Virtues of Knowledge: Means of going to Jannah
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلاَّ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ
Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. People do not gather in the houses of Allah, reciting the book of Allah and studying it together, but that tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will cover them, angels will surround them, and Allah will mention them to those near him.
Sahih Muslim
Hadith 2 on Virtues of Knowledge: Creation of Allah will ask forgiveness for him
Abu Ad-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
عن أبي الدرداء رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال
مَنْ سَلَكَ طَريقا يَبْتَغي فيه عِلْما سَهَّل الله له طريقا إلى الجنة، وإنَّ الملائكةَ لَتَضَعُ أجْنِحَتها لطالب العلم رضًا بما يَصنَع، وإنَ العالم لَيَسْتَغْفِرُ له مَنْ في السماوات ومَنْ في الأرض حتى الحيتَانُ في الماء، وفضْلُ العالم على العَابِدِ كَفَضْلِ القمر على سائِرِ الكواكب، وإنَّ العلماء وَرَثَة الأنبياء، وإنَّ الأنبياء لم يَوَرِّثُوا دينارا ولا دِرْهَماً وإنما وَرَّثُوا العلم، فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ أَخَذَ بحَظٍّ وَافِرٍ
Whoever follows a path in pursuit of knowledge, Allah will facilitate for him a path to Paradise. Indeed, the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge, out of pleasure at what he does. Verily, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the fish in the water, ask forgiveness from Allah for the knowledgeable. The superiority of a scholar over a devout worshiper is like the superiority of the moon over the rest of the stars. Indeed, the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets, who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham, only knowledge. So whoever acquires it has actually taken abundant wealth.
Ibn Majah
Hadith 3 on Virtues of Knowledge: Allah will brighten his face
Zayd ibn Thabit reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
نَضَّرَ اللَّهُ امْرَأً سَمِعَ مِنَّا حَدِيثًا فَحَفِظَهُ حَتَّى يُبَلِّغَهُ فَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَهُ مِنْهُ وَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ لَيْسَ بِفَقِيهٍ
May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears a tradition from us and he memorizes it until he can convey it to others. Perhaps he will convey it to one who understands better than him, and perhaps one who conveys knowledge does not understand it himself.
Sunan Abi Dawud
Hadith 4 on Virtues of Knowledge: Serve as an ongoing charity even after death
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ
When the human being dies, his deeds end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.
Sahih Muslim
Hadith 5 on Virtues of Knowledge: Means of not being under the curse of this world
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَلَا إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا مَلْعُونَةٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَا فِيهَا إِلَّا ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ وَمَا وَالَاهُ وَعَالِمٌ أَوْ مُتَعَلِّمٌ
“Lo, the world is cursed and everything in it? Except for the remembrance of Allah and what facilitates it, the scholar or the student seeking knowledge.”
Sunan al-Tirmidhi
List of the virtues of knowledge from these hadiths are:
- Means of going to Jannah
- Creation of Allah will ask forgiveness for him
- Allah will brighten his face
- Serve as an ongoing charity even after death
- Means of not being under the curse of this world
These are just some of the virtues of knowledge. There are still a lot more. We encourage every one of us to seek knowledge of the Deen, Islam, as much as we can. We should make sure that we are seeking it sincerely for Allah and expecting rewards from him. We shouldn’t seek it for wealth, fame, or the sake of the people so as to earn the reward in this world and hereafter. You can read about doing deeds sincerely for Allah here.
We ask Allah to give us beneficial knowledge.
