Assalamu alaykum warahmatallahi wabarakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam. InshAllah you are in good health and eman. May Allah make us of the mushinoon. If we look back through Islamic history we can see the benefits of Islam upon the learning of man. Throughout the implementation of the Islamic State Muslims were known for their thirst for knowledge in subjects related to the natural environment and to the deen of Allah azza wajal. This thirst for knowledge was impressed upon the Muslims through the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wasalim). The Prophet (sallahu alayi wasalim) said: “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and female).” Allah azza wajal has also said to us in the Qur’an: “Allah will raise up, to (suitable) ranks and (degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is well-acquainted with all you do.” (Qur’an, Al-Mujadilah 58:11) “There is no one worthy of worship but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels and those endowed with knowledge, Standing firm in Justice (or maintaining His Creation in Justice). There is no god but He, the Exalted in power, the Wise.” (Qur’an, Al-’Imran 3:18) “It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah.” (Qur’an, Fatir 35:28) Allah and His Messenger have clearly told us that it is not possible to be a believer on the straight path without knowing about our deen. We cannot practice Islam unless we know what we are to implement. Every one of us is being spurred on to gain as much knowledge as we can, and it is one of the most rewarding ways to spend our time so that we do not waste our time with tedious things. Allah will also raise us up to a higher rank on the Day of Resurrection by how much knowledge we have gained. Today there are hardly any successful men like Bukhari, Al Ghazzali and Ibn Taymiyyah amongst us. The influence and culture of kufr ideologies has come down upon the Muslims to turn away from learning about their deen, and to act as if it is a foolish matter to get involved in. This has also co-incided with the revival of tribalism in the Muslims. It is now thought amongst lots of the Muslims that the rank of one Muslim over another is due to their national identity and social status, even if they are an unknowledgable believer and less practicing then the poor per. This is the opposite of what Allah and His Messenger have taught the Muslim. Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wasalim) as told us on numerous occasions that: Abu Umamah relates that the Prophet said, “A learned one is as much above an (ordinary) worshiper as I am above the least of you; and he added: Allah, His angels and all those in the heavens and in the earth, even the ants in their holes and the fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct people in beneficent knowledge.” (Related by Tirmithi) Much of what the Prophet (sallahu alayhi wasalim) has said on the matter of the rank of one Muslim over another is related to the taqwa of the person. And taqwa and eman can only increase through gaining knowledge. Allah azza wajal says to us: “Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who has most taqwah.” (Qur’an, Al-Hujurat 49:13) There is every kind of person in the world with the ability to seek knowledge and give knowledge on certain levels. We know the sahabah Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu anhu) dedicated his life to conveying the Sunnah of RasulAllah (sallahu alayhi wasalim) after he (sallahu alayhi wasalim) died by teaching people day and night and this is why we have most of our ahadeeth narrated by him. While on the other hand Abu Bakr, the closest one to Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wasalim), had to take on the role of Khaleefa and the task of running the Islamic State so he did not have time to relay ahadeeth as Abu Hurayrah did, but he taught others through his ability to lead the Ummah. Due to our different capabilities and various levels of understanding some of us have the ability to become scholars, while others have the ability to be learned followers of those scholars. There is no inability upon any of us to take the time to learn our deen so that we may implement it correctly and teach others what we know. Our deen is what guides us through this life and successfully on to the next, so to not study what we must know to live life would be ridiculous and lead us further away from Allah azza wajal. Not studying the deen of Allah, so we understand at least the basic matters of life, would be like not taking the time to learn how to walk or to speak. These two things are a necessity, just as implementing the Qur’an and Sunnah is a necessity. While we can take the time to study in a secular education system, go to university and get a degree to get a job we surely can take 2 hours (at least!) out of every day to learn the deen of Allah. Bukhari has said in the said that the ayah stating “So know (O Muhammad) that Laa ilaaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)” means that “it is essential to know a thing first before saying or acting upon it.” We know eman is of three things, uttering it aloud, feeling it in your heart and acting upon it. Therefore, we if part of our eman is to act (implement the deen) and we cannot act without first knowing what we are acting upon (as Bukhari has said) then we all must go out and gain knowledge in whatever way we can. This may be doing online courses, going to lectures, reading books, listening to cds, etc. There are many mediums today that open the doors to learning, so there is no excuse upon the Muslim to not gain knowledge of their deen, so they can act upon their eman. As Allah azza wajal has said to us: “Are those who know equal with those who do not know? But only men of understanding will pay heed.” (Qur’an, Az-Zumar 39:9)