How does one become a jurist (faqih) in the Islamic religion?

Understanding the religion is the best gift Allah can bestow upon a person, for "whomsoever Allah wishes good for, He grants him understanding in religion." The first step in seeking knowledge is to purify one's intention for the sake of Allah the Almighty. And whoever acquires knowledge by which the countenance of Allah is sought, yet he only acquires it to gain a worldly عرض (transient gain), will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection. The second step is to fear Allah, for knowledge is the light of Allah, and it is not given to a disobedient person. As for the practical steps, they involve progressing from the easy to the difficult, from the most important to the important, and from concise texts to extensive ones. It is best to begin with instrumental sciences such as the Arabic language and its grammar.