The first word revealed to the Prophet ﷺ was not "pray" nor "fast", but " Read " (96:1). The revelation opens with reading, the pen and teaching: "He taught man what he did not know" (96:5).
Knowledge elevates
وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
"And say: My Lord, increase me in knowledge." (meaning of the verse, Ta-Ha 20:114)
It is the only thing for which Allah commanded His Prophet to seek more. The Quran also says: "Allah will raise those of you who believe and those who have been given knowledge by degrees" (58:11), and asks: "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" (39:9).
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever takes a path seeking knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise" (Sahih Muslim, no. 2699).
Two kinds of knowledge, one same intention
Knowledge that is obligatory for everyone : what is needed to worship Allah correctly. His belief, his purification, his prayer, his fasting, what is lawful and unlawful in his work. "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim" (Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 224).
Knowledge that benefits the community : medicine, agriculture, engineering, law, teaching, computer science. Scholars call it a collective obligation: some Muslims must master it. With the right intention (serving others, feeding one's family honestly, being useful), your accounting or mechanics classes become an act of worship.
"Whoever Allah wants good for, He grants understanding of the religion" (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 71; Sahih Muslim, no. 1037): one does not replace the other. A good doctor who does not know how to pray has missed the essential; a practicing Muslim who neglects their studies has missed part of their responsibility.
Knowledge that benefits
The Prophet ﷺ used to seek refuge with Allah from "knowledge that does not benefit" (Sahih Muslim, no. 2722). Knowledge benefits when it changes the one who carries it and serves others. When a person dies, their deeds end, except three, among them knowledge from which people benefit (Sahih Muslim, no. 1631).
Succeeding in your studies, in practice
| Principle | In your week |
|---|---|
| The intention | Renew it: I study to be useful and to earn a lawful income. |
| Consistency | One hour each day is worth more than ten hours the night before the exam. |
| Honesty | Do not cheat: a stolen diploma leads to a doubtful income. |
| Humility | Ask questions, and accept being corrected. |
| Supplication | "My Lord, increase me in knowledge", and praying on time, even during exam periods. |
| Teachers | Respect your teachers, at school as well as at the mosque. |
And when one has not been able to study?
Knowledge has no age. A literacy class, vocational training, a circle at the mosque after Maghrib: every step counts, and the angels, as the same hadith says, surround those who gather to learn (Sahih Muslim, no. 2699).
To choose a field of study or reconcile studies with religious practice, talk to your imam and your teachers.