Is an unmarried man who devotes himself to worship and attending circles of knowledge accountable for not working, especially since he has more than enough from his seasonal work?
The Shari'ah has indicated the virtue of knowledge and encouraged its acquisition. It is of two types: an individual obligation (wajib 'ayni), which is knowledge that a Muslim cannot afford to be ignorant of, such as the rulings of creed, purity, and prayer, based on the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim." And a collective obligation (wajib kifa'i), which is the acquisition of necessary religious sciences for people, such as the Qur'an, hadith, and their related sciences, based on the Almighty's saying: "Then why did not a party from every division of them go forth to obtain understanding in religion?" (Qur'an 9:122). It is obligatory to prioritize seeking individual obligatory knowledge over acquiring additional sustenance if it is impossible to combine the two, and similarly for collective obligatory knowledge if there is no one to undertake it. However, if basic financial needs are met and there is the aptitude for seeking knowledge, then it is preferable to engage in it due to the specific and general good it contains.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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