Seeking Knowledge and Following Scholars
This subtopic gathers questions on seeking religious knowledge and its obligation. It also covers the schools of law, following one scholar over another, scholars' qualifications, and the sources of legislation.
Questions readers ask here:
- What is the ruling on one who is ignorant of the necessary Sharia rulings related to worship?
- How did the Salaf treat their shaykhs, and what should be done when a scholar enters the mosque?
- What should be done when there is doubt about something being forbidden or permissible?
- What is the difference between Sharia and Fiqh?
Whether a particular hadith is authentic belongs under Hadith and Authenticity.
193 questions
Is it true that Imam Malik wanted to become a singer in his youth, that his mother carried him for more than a year, and that he was very fair-skinned, blonde, with blue eyes?
Who is Ibn Jarir?
To what extent does Islam concern itself with knowledge?
Why does Al-Dhahabi describe some prominent figures with contradictory descriptions, such as "the virtuous memorizing Imam" and then "a stray stumbling shaykh" for Ibn Abi Daram, or describe Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al-Juwayni as "a unique Imam" despite him being a Shiite?
Is it permissible for a teacher who is not specialized to convey to students fatwas he has heard or read, and is he obliged to attribute the fatwa to its issuer?
How can one regain the ability to memorize and achieve academic success after years of中断 (interruption) and losing desire and determination?
What is Sharia?
What is meant by the saying, "The Ummah has unanimously agreed upon something," and does this refer only to the consensus of the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, or does it include other sects such as the Khawarij?
Is reading books alone sufficient, or is it necessary to read to a Sheikh?
What are the most important books recommended for acquisition and reading?
How can one combine academic study with the pursuit of Islamic knowledge? Is it necessary to abandon academic study for the sake of pursuing Islamic knowledge? And what Islamic books are recommended to begin with, given the constraints of limited time and demanding work?
How can one learn the Islamic sciences in an easy and accessible way?
What are the methods of acquiring knowledge and what are the obstacles that face its seeker?
Who is Al-Suyuti, and is using a rosary better than fingers?
Who is Ali bin Sultan Muhammad al-Qari, and is he trustworthy to acquire knowledge from?
Where can I find clear and direct information about prayer (obligatory acts, Sunnah acts, number of rak'ahs, pillars) to help those who wish to learn it?
Is it permissible for the people of Sunnah to adopt some jurisprudential opinions from opposing schools of thought whose scholars they do not excommunicate?
Is the consensus of scholars considered a legitimate proof in Islam based on the Qur'an and Sunnah?
Is someone who researches fatwas, reads a book, or listens to a tape considered a طالب علم (seeker of knowledge)?
What is the difference between a legal principle (ḍābiṭ sharʿī) and a condition (sharṭ), and how do we distinguish between an Usuli (legal theory) and a Fiqhi (jurisprudential) rule?
What are the Five Universal Principles (al-Kulliyyat al-Khams) in Islamic jurisprudence, what is their order, and what are their sources from the Qur’an and Sunnah?
Is one whom God guides to know the interpretation of the disconnected letters in the Mushaf (such as: Alif, Lam, Mim; Kaf, Ha, Ya, 'Ain, Sad) obliged to inform people of it, or does his turning away from it not make him sinful?
What is the solution to the problem of not being able to directly quote religious or scientific texts without having to narrate them from the beginning?
Is it permissible for a student of knowledge to continue studying with scholars who revile some of the Companions, or to correspond with individuals who send Imamiyyah books containing exaggeration regarding the Household of the Prophet? And what is the solution for correcting Quran recitation in the absence of a Hafiz or a skilled scholar in the region?