Knowledge Should be Acquired During Youth
The apostle of Allah (PBUH) emphasized the permanency of knowledge which is acquired during youth with the following words: “The knowledge acquired during old age is like a person who writes on water and the knowledge acquired during youth is like the seal on stone” (Kashful Khafa, 2:66)
There are a few points that secure the permanency of the knowledge which is acquired during youth.
One of them is the ability of memorization of the brain is more powerful during youth. That is why, acquiring knowledge starts during childhood. The activity of memorizing the Qur’an also starts at childhood. Sufyan bin Uyayna (RA) memorized the whole Qur’an at the age of four. Nowadays, there are children who have completed memorizing the Qur’an at the age of 8-9.
Another reason that makes the knowledge permanent in this period is that it has advantages in terms of time. Learning knowledge requires attention, repetition and concentration. The most comfortable period of a person is the age of youth. As time passes, a person becomes more occupied with work along with his children and this reduces his time for acquiring knowledge leaves no time at all.
Another reason of it is that as the years pass, the areas of interest and attention of the brain weakens. The fields of interest of a person during youth are more limited. That is why, a young person can concentrate on knowledge. This does not continue in the same degree at an old age.
Young people may list many problems that they come across as excuses which are obstacles for acquiring knowledge. Although the period of youth is rough and problematic, it is the most suitable time in terms of obtaining knowledge.
In addition to this, our Prophet advised us to “seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave” because another statement of him is as follows, “it is fard to have knowledge for all Muslims, both men and women.”
Another hadith that encourages our youth to acquire knowledge is as follows:
“When a young person is brought up with knowledge and worship and matures in this manner, Allah will give him the reward of seventy-two siddiq (loyal) people on the Judgment Day (The Book of Kabir by Tabarani)
Knowledge and worship are expressed together in this hadith, which gives great good news for the youth. Here we can understand that acquiring knowledge is not enough on its own and the knowledge should be put into action.
As a matter of fact, the Apostle of Allah (PBUH) said, “All men will perish, except the scholars, and all scholars will perish except those who act in accordance with their knowledge, and all of them will perish except the sincere ones, and the sincere ones are in great danger,”
So, learning knowledge is not enough on its own; it is necessary to put this knowledge into action with sincerity.
In another hadith, the Prophet emphasized the following; “Both the scholar and knowledge are in Paradise. When the scholar does not put his knowledge into practice, both the knowledge and his deeds are in Paradise; but the scholar goes to Hell”.
From the following hadith, we understand that “those who act in accordance with their knowledge will be taught of what they do not know by Allah”:
“The knowledge is the life of Islam and the pillar of belief. Allah will give complete reward to His slave who acquires knowledge. Allah will teach His slave what he does not know if he acquires knowledge and puts this knowledge into action.”
So, a person who puts the knowledge that he has acquired into action with sincerity will be able to acquire new knowledge easily.
There is no doubt that the activity of “acquiring knowledge” is not only composed of education at schools. The education at schools is insufficient even if they are based on religion.
“Acquiring knowledge” and “becoming a scholar” is very important and difficult. As a matter of fact, the following hadiths show what a great rank “being a scholar” has:
“Scholars are the candles of the earth, caliphs of prophets, inheritors of me and other prophets.”
“Scholars are leaders. Those who have taqwa are masters and chiefs. Staying with them means increasing goodness and benefaction.”
“Scholars are inheritors of prophets. The beings in the sky love them. When they die, the fish in the sea demand forgiveness from Allah for them until Doomsday.” (Jamius-Saghir: 5703-5704 and 5705)
We can understand that “being a scholar” is a very great position when we also consider the following hadiths: “Looking at the face of a scholar is worship” and “The sleep of scholar is also worship”. As a matter of fact, our glorious Prophet (PBUH) stated the following and showed that reaching this position is not easy, “The scholars of my ummah is like the Prophets of the son of Israelites”.
Of course, our aim should be working hard, increasing our knowledge with our power and talents as much as we can and acting in accordance with it.
No matter what age it is, education institutions show only the way of acquiring knowledge and guides people. Getting diplomas from some schools does not mean learning knowledge truly. What is essential is the self-effort of a person. Such a person always wants to learn.
An important problem here is selecting which knowledge is to be acquired.
The knowledge that believers can acquire is divided into two. The first one is the indispensable and essential one; the other is the dispensable one.
Indispensable knowledge is the essential subjects of the religion: Basics of belief, learning how to worship.
The other type is supererogatory.
The first one is to know the religious knowledge in summary; the second one is to learn them in detail.
A believer should learn especially the issues about belief very well and in detail. He must comprehend what he believes and why he believes because the master of knowledge is the knowledge of belief.
It is necessary to learn the issues of worship, foremost about salah (prayer), along with halals and harams.
How can a person who does not know what is halal and what is haram gain the consent of Allah?
Learning to read the Qur’an and memorizing some parts of it, acquiring the knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and reading hadiths are the beginning stage of learning knowledge. One step further is getting deep in every field, foremost in the knowledge of belief.
Let us quote the following hadith in order to understand the relation between knowledge and action:
When the Prophet was asked the question, “What deed is superior?” he answered as follows:
“The knowledge that informs about Allah’s names and attributes is superior to anything.”
The companion who asked the question said, “O Apostle of Allah, we did not ask the virtue of knowledge but asked the greatest deed. You answered as knowledge. Upon this, the Apostle of Allah continued as follows:
“No matter how little is a deed which is performed with knowledge that informs about Allah, it is useful for man. On the other hand, the deeds which are performed without knowing Allah are not useful for man.”
There is an important point that must not be forgotten here. What is meant by knowledge is not religious knowledge only. The knowledge about our world life is also very important. Every branch of science informs about the manifestation of Allah’s names and is based on one of His names.
For this reason, someone who has learnt necessary religious knowledge and has specialized in worldly knowledge is regarded to have received the reward of acquiring knowledge. Since worldly knowledge has progressed so much in this age, believers should have worldwide achievements in this field. For, worldwide knowledge which is under the command of belief along with matter which is directed by spirituality is a very important power.
Let us complete our subject with the following hadith:
“Demand useful knowledge from Allah. Take refuge in Allah from useless knowledge.” (Jamius-Saghir: 4702)
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