Is acquiring knowledge after the 'Isha prayer considered part of Qiyam al-Layl (night vigil)?

If what is meant by knowledge is religious knowledge, then studying and acquiring it is one of the greatest acts of worship. It is considered part of performing night prayers and staying awake during the night, as indicated by the saying of Ibn Abbas: "Studying knowledge for an hour of the night is better than spending it in worship." Scholars have interpreted this to mean "better than spending the night in worship," and some have gone further to say that it is "better than performing prayer during that hour."

This is because seeking religious knowledge may be a communal obligation (fard kifayah) or an individual obligation (fard ayn), which makes it of great virtue. The best approach is to combine night prayers with seeking knowledge, as night prayers assist in acquiring knowledge, increase understanding, enlighten the heart, and remove laziness.