The Obligation for Sacred Education
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) explains the purpose of the existence of humanity in the Noble Qur'an when He (The Glorified and Exalted) says ‘I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me’(i). Thus, every single human being only exists to worship Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Worshipping means to obey Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in all His commands and prohibitions.
The great Qur'anic scholar and Companion ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him) explained this verse by saying ‘I created men and jinn only that they may know Me’(ii). This is because one must first know about Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) before one can believe in and worship Him. Also, one must first have knowledge of all His (The Glorified and Exalted) commands and prohibitions before one can obey them.
This obligation for knowledge before belief and action is emphasised by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in the Mighty Qur'an when He (The Glorified and Exalted) says ‘So know that there is no god but Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin…’(iii). Thus, one must have knowledge about Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and His commands before one can perform any action, including the act of repentance.
Furthermore, the first revelation and instruction to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was to seek sacred knowledge. The first word revealed being ‘Read!...’(iv). Consequently, it is an obligation upon every Muslim to have this essential knowledge about Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and His commands and prohibitions.
The Prophet of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) underlined this obligation of sacred education when he is narrated to have said ‘seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim’(v) and ‘whoever takes a path searching for knowledge, Allah will lead him along a path to Paradise’(vi).
In conclusion, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) only created humanity to know and worship Him (The Glorified and Exalted). This purpose can only be achieved after one understands who Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is and what are His (The Glorified and Exalted) commands and prohibitions. Therefore, it is compulsory for every Muslim to be educated in this essential knowledge about who Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is, what He (The Glorified and Exalted) expects us to believe in, what He (The Glorified and Exalted) has commanded us to do, and what He (the Glorified and Exalted) has prohibited us from doing. It is a collective obligation that in every community, there should also be Muslims who are educated in the non-essential knowledge of the religion. This consists of that knowledge that applies to situations that arise only in certain occasions or apply only to certain individuals (and not to every individual). And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) alone knows best.
