Why is it encouraged to acquire religious knowledge or Islamic knowledge during the blessed month of Ramadan?

A. (Dr Zakir): As far as acquiring knowledge is concerned, the first guidance given by Allah سبحانه و تعالى in The Glorious Qur’an, it was not to offer ‘Salah’, It was not to Fast, it was not to perform ‘Hajj’, but it was ‘ikra’ (Read) and Allah سبحانه و تعالى says in the Qur’an,

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ

“Read! (Recite) In the name of your Lord who created”

خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

“Created man from a clinging substance”

(SURAH AL-‘ALAQ, CHAPTER 96, VERSE 1-2)

So the first guidance given to humankind in The Glorious Qur’an was to read. It doesn’t only say read, it says, “Read! in the name of thy Lord..” that means reading is important, acquiring knowledge is important but acquiring knowledge of Allah سبحانه و تعالى , of our ‘Dīn’ is the utmost important. And Allah سبحانه و تعالى says in the Qur’an,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُوا فَانشُزُوا يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ

“O you who have believed, when you are told, “Space yourselves” in assemblies, then make space; Allah will make space for you. And when you are told, “Arise,” then arise; Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”

(SURAN MUJADILAH, CHAPTER 58, VERSE 11)

And our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said,

“If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion…”

(SAHIH AL-BUKHARI, VOLUME 1, HADITH 71)

That means he gives them religious knowledge. So whoever Allah سبحانه و تعالى wants to do a favor on, Allah سبحانه و تعالى gives him knowledge of the ‘Dīn’.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said,

“When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who prays for him (for the deceased).”

(SAHIH MUSLIM, VOLUME 3, HADITH 4005)

That means after a person dies, all his good deeds end except for three –

1. If a person has done some recurring charity, that is ‘Sadaqa Jariya’, (has done some charity which keeps on regularly helping people).
2. The other is the knowledge that a person gives. And after he impart the knowledge to somebody else, and he keeps on utilizing that knowledge of ‘Dīn’ in helping humanity, that’s ‘Sadaqa Jariya’.
3. And the last is the pious children who pray for the deceased parents.

Therefore knowledge is very important.

And Allah سبحانه و تعالى also says in the Qur’an,

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message if you do not know.“

(SURAH AN-NAHL, CHAPTER 16, VERSE 43) AND (SURAH AL-ANBYA, CHAPTER 21, VERSE 7)

Allah سبحانه و تعالى says, If you do not know, ask the person who possesses the knowledge, ask the knowledgeable people. So therefore, a person who has knowledge has got a higher degree and has chances to pass in the examination more and he will have a greater degree in the ‘Ākhirah’ (Hereafter). So, that is the reason acquiring knowledge is of utmost importance, especially in this month of Ramadan, if a person acquires knowledge, the chances that he acquires the knowledge is higher and he can spread to the others.