blessed Hadith does not refer to the currently prevalent academic education of school and college; instead, it means the necessary religious knowledge. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to learn the Islamic beliefs. After that, the Faraid, Sharaait and Mufsidaat of Salah (that is all those things through which Salah may be offered correctly and the things that invalidate Salah). Then when Ramadan-ul-Mubarak arrives, learning the essential rulings of fasts for the one upon whom fasts are obligatory, essential rulings of Zakah for the one upon whom Zakah is Fard, similarly, rulings of Hajj if it becomes obligatory, those of Nikah if he wishes to get married, those of trade for a businessman, those of buying for a buyer, rulings of employment for an employee and an employer and the list goes on. It is an individual obligation for every sane and adult Muslim male and female to learn rulings according to his current situation. Similarly, it is Fard for everyone to learn the rulings of Halal and Haraam. Moreover, learning issues of the inner self i.e. Faraaid related to the inner self such as humility, sincerity, reliance on Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ etc. and how to attain them, and learning about the inner sins such as arrogance, showing off, jealousy, negative assumptions, grudge and Shamatat (i.e. rejoicing over someone’s adversity) etc. and learning their cure is obligatory upon every Muslim. (For detailed information, go through Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 23 from page 613-624)

Learning the essential rulings of the things that lead to ruin such as breaking promises, lying, backbiting, tale bearing, levelling allegations, evil-gazing, deceiving, hurting a Muslim and all the other minor and major sins, is also obligatory so that they may be avoided. (Faizan-e-Madani Muzakarah, Episode 8, p. 3)

Benefits of religious knowledge

Sayyiduna Mu’aaz Ibn-e-Jabal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: Attain knowledge for gaining knowledge for the pleasure of Allah Almighty is the fear of Allah,