12 Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad about Seeking Knowledge

Hadiths about the Intention in Seeking Knowledge

There are many Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad about the intention of seeking knowledge. Among them are the following:

1. Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever learns knowledge by which Allah's pleasure is sought, but he does not learn it except for seeking some worldly advantage, he will not smell the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection." [Sahih Muslim]
2. Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Do not acquire knowledge in order to show off to the scholars, nor to argue with the ignorant, nor to gain mastery over the gatherings. Whoever does this, the Fire, the Fire!" [Sunan Ibn Majah]

Hadiths about the Virtue of Knowledge

Many Hadiths speak about the virtue of knowledge. Among them are the following:

1. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim." [Sunan Ibn Majah]
2. Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever Allah intends good for, He grants him understanding in the religion." [Sahih Bukhari]
3. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "People are like mines of gold and silver; the best of them in the pre-Islamic period are the best of them in Islam when they have understanding, and the souls are troops collected together and those who familiarize with each other (in this world) would have affinity with each other (in the Hereafter)." [Sahih Muslim]
4. Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The superiority of the learned over the devout worshipper is like my superiority over the most inferior amongst you (in good deeds)." Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Indeed, Allah, His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths—even the ant in its hole, and the fish—invoke blessings upon the one who teaches people goodness." [Tirmidhi]
5. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and Hudhaifah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The virtue of knowledge is more beloved to me than the virtue of worship, and the best of your religion is piety." [Sunan Ibn Majah]
6. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Verily, the world is cursed, and everything in it is cursed except for the remembrance of Allah, what facilitates it, a scholar, or a student (of knowledge)." [Sunan Ibn Majah]

Hadith about Traveling in Seeking Knowledge

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged Muslims to seek knowledge, saying: "Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him the path to Paradise." This Hadith indicates that whoever embarks on the path of seeking knowledge, Allah will facilitate their way to enter Paradise.

Therefore, those who seek knowledge and strive for it, whether by traveling and moving from one place to another in pursuit of knowledge or by seeking it through schools, universities, study circles, and lessons, hold a great status in the sight of Allah. Allah says in the Quran: "Say, 'Are those who know equal to those who do not know?'" This highlights the special position of scholars in the sight of Allah and the great honor bestowed upon them.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) likened those who embark on the journey of seeking knowledge to those who engage in Jihad, saying: "Whoever comes to my mosque for no other purpose than to learn or teach what is good has the same reward as a warrior in the cause of Allah." This underscores the high status of those who seek knowledge and the equivalence of their striving to be like a warrior in the path of Allah.

Hadith about the Virtue of Seeking Knowledge After Death

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge from which others benefit, or a righteous child who prays for him." This Hadith illustrates the virtue of knowledge and the benefits it brings to its possessor even after death. Indeed, beneficial knowledge left behind continues to benefit people, and the rewards for it persist until the Day of Resurrection.

An example of this is the legacy left by scholars in the form of books and writings, as well as the transmission of Hadiths by the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Their deeds have not ceased but continue to yield great rewards and good deeds that are recorded in their records.

Hadiths about Conveying Knowledge

There are many Hadiths that emphasize the importance of conveying knowledge. Here are some of them:

1. Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears something from us, memorizes it, and conveys it exactly as he heard it, for perhaps the one who conveys it is not fully understanding it himself, and perhaps the one who is being conveyed to understands it better than the conveyer. Al-‘Iyadh Ibn Hirmiz reported three virtues that a Muslim will find no jealousy for his heart: sincerity in his actions for the sake of Allah, sincere advice to the leaders of the Muslims, and sticking to their Jama'ah (community)." [Sunan Abu Dawood]
2. Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said during his sermon on the Day of Sacrifice, "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered a sermon on the Day of Sacrifice and said, 'Let the witness convey to the absent one, for perhaps the one to whom he conveys will understand it better than the present audience.'" [Sunan Abi Dawud]