Scholar highlights importance of seeking Arabic knowledge

An Islamic scholar, Ustadh Yunus Al-Imam has advised Muslims to shun seeking for hidden knowledge (bateen) and go in search of only knowledge that will be beneficial to them in their worship of Allah.

Al-Imam, who is Director, Right Path Arabic Institute, Lagos gave the advice at the pre-event conference held last Sunday as prelude to the passing out ceremony March 25.

In his lecture on the importance of seeking knowledge, Al-Imam informed that Islam is best practice with adequate knowledge and understanding of the religion and not on human reason.

He stated that for every Muslim, understanding the glorious Qur’an is essential as he said, it is only with this the purpose for which Allah created us can be achieved.

“One of the many advantages of seeking Qur’an knowledge is that it exposes the mind of the worshipper to the knowledge requires to live a better and fulfilled life. It softened the heart of the believer and established in it the fear. Islam thrives on knowledge and not on human reason”.

Al-Imam further expressed that it is only when Muslims have adequate knowledge about the nature of Allah that we will be able to worship Him accordingly.

So, how do we achieve this, he quizzed? He said, “It is by learning and understanding the letters of Arabic language. Seeking Arabic knowledge is so important to the worship of Allah in that it is the language with which the Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad.

It is also the language Muslims use in praying that is why learning it is very essential for all Muslims. I therefore want to implore all Muslims to seek Arabic knowledge even if it is basic to complement whatever knowledge they might have.”

On the exceptions that are to the kinds of knowledge Muslim should seek, Al-Imam said: “It is forbidden for Muslims to seek knowledge that will be destructive to him, his neighbours and mankind in general.

Muslims should seek knowledge that will bring him closer to Allah and increase him in faith and be of benefit to him in this world and in the hereafter.

Muslims are forbidden to seek hidden knowledge because all things hidden are known to only Allah alone therefore the future is known to only Allah.”

While commenting on the recent postponement of the public hearing on the Firdaus Amasa hijab case and the Nigerian Law School by the House of Representatives Committee on Justice, Al-Imam said: “Using hijab is a fundamental right of every Muslim just as the constitution guarantees it usage.

Also, the Nigerian constitution guarantees the right to fair hearing of every Nigerian.

From this end, the House of Representative committee should have given Firdaous right to fair hearing rather than the unwarranted postponement of the public hearing. For me, this is an act of hypocrisy and injustice which urgently need to be addressed.”