Questions & Answers in Islamic Theology by Shaykh Ramzy Ajem

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM?

Shaykh Ramzy Ajem answered:

Knowledge & Its Significance in the Quran

ُ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ‫َو َ َـــ ْ ُ َ ـــ َـــ ْ َ َـــ َ ِـــ ِ ِ ـــ ْ ٌ إِن ا ــ ْ َ َوا ْــ َ َ َ َوا ْــ ُ َ ا َد ُـ ُّ او َٰــ ِ َ َ َن‬
And do not follow that of which you have no knowledge.

Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - all will be called to account. (Quran 17:36)

ً ْ ‫َ ــ‬ َ ‫َو إِن ا ـ َ َ ُــــ ْ ِ ِ ـــ َ ا ْــ‬ ‫َو َ ــ َــ ُ ِــ ِ ِ ــ ْ ِ ــ ْ ٍ إ ِْن َـــ ِ ُ َن إِ ا ــــ‬
And they have no knowledge thereof. They follow nothing but conjecture;

and conjecture avails nothing against Truth. (Quran 53:28)

Knowledge & Its Demonstration in the Quran

ِ ‫ ُــ ْ َ ــ ُــ ا ُــ ْ َ ــ َــ ُ ْ إِن ُــ ُ ْ َ ِد‬...

Say, "Bring forth your proof, if you are truthful!“ (Quran 27:64)

Knowledge & Its Verification in the Quran

ٍ ‫ٌ ِــــ َ َ ٍٕ َـــــ َ َ ُ ا ان ُـــــ ِ ُ ا َــ ْ ً ــ ِـــ َ َ َـــ‬ ‫َـــ ا ـ َ ا ـــ ِ ـــ َ ا َ ــــ ُ ا إِن َ ـــ َء ُـــ ْ َـــ ِ ـــ‬
‫َ ــ َــ َ ْ ُ ْ َـ ِد ِ ـ‬ ٰ َ ‫َــــ ُ ْ ِ ُ ا َ ـــ‬
O you who believe! If someone corrupt comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest you harm people

unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what you have done. (Quran 49:6)

Conclusion

○ It is a religious requirement to predicate our actions and beliefs on solid foundations.

○ It is a religious requirement to ensure reports have been verified and to substantiate claims.

Notes from the Sanusiya Course 2022 by Shaykh Ramzy Ajem