What Knowledge is Considered Obligatory?

Source: Sheikh Muqbil ibn Hadee al-Waadi’ee

What knowledge is considered obligatory?

The knowledge that Allaah requires you individually to learn, is the knowledge that is considered obligatory upon you as an individual. Included in this are the basic beliefs of Islaam, and these are obligatory upon every Muslim to learn, as is indicated in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah. It is prohibited to be ignorant of the basic beliefs of Islam, whether that be related to the names of Allaah or His characteristics. And it is obligatory to believe and affirm in our creed regarding Allaah’s names and attributes, just as they appear in the Book of Allaah, and as they appear in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, prayers and good mention be upon him and his family. Such as stated clearly by the slave girl who was a shepardess over a flock of sheep as found in the narration of Mu’awiyah ibn Al-Hakim, may Allaah be pleased with him, when he came with a slave girl regarding whether or not to free her. He said: { Messenger of Allaah, should I not grant her freedom?” He said to her: “Oh slave girl, where is Allaah?” She said,” He is in the heavens.” He said, “Free her as she is a believing woman. }- ¹ 

So it is obligatory upon every Muslim to believe that Allaah is in the heavens in a manner befitting His Majesty, and that Allaah the Most Perfect and the Most High is with each of us in His complete knowledge, and through His protection, preservation, and granting of victory to the believers. It is obligatory upon us to believe in this fully: as Allaah says, ﴾ Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allaah), will not cause the earth to sink with you, then behold it shakes (as in an earthquake)? ﴿– (Surah Mulk: 16) and ﴾ The Most Beneficent rose over the Mighty Throne in a manner that suits His Majesty. ﴿– (Surah Ta-Ha: 5). There is a valuable book written in the subject that I advise my brothers in Allaah to read. That beneficial book being the work (( al-Uluu Lil Aalee al-Ghafaar )06-44) by Haafidh adh-Dhahabee, may Allaah have mercy upon him. It was summarized by Sheikh Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee, may Allaah the exalted preserve him. Those among the students of knowledge who have the ability to verify works should try to acquire the original book, and one who does not have that ability should acquire the summarized version by Sheikh al-Albaanee. And if you are able to acquire both of them, then this is best, as one of them does not remove the need for the other.

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1.  Narrated in Saheeh Muslim: 537/ Sunan Abu Dawud: 930, 3283/ Sunan an-Nasa’ee: 1219/ Musnad Ahmad: 28818, 28819, 28820, from the hadeeth of Muaweeyah Ibn Hakem, and in Sunan Abu Dawud: 3283/ Musnad Ahmad: 7836, from the hadeeth of Abee Hurairah, Declared authentic by Sheikh al-Albaanee in Dhalaal al-Janaah: 489, and in Mukhtasir al-‘Uluu, pg. 75
2. The Eminent Major Scholar Muqbil ibn Hadee al-Waadi’ee , may Allaah have mercy upon him, taken from “An Offering of Answers to Some of the Questions in Hadeeth Terminology”, Pages 11-12