Knowledge Is to Know Allāh ﷻ

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

(Qur’ān 39:09)

‘Hal yastawī lladhīna yaʿlamūna wa-lladhīna lā yaʿlamūn’

‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’ Ṣadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla says, Are those who know the same as those who don’t know? They are not the same. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla brought about this meaning. Knowledge is to know Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. Everything else is not knowledge.

Actually, everything people learn is the knowledge of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla from start to end. That knowledge is beneficial if they know Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. If not, it has no benefit. Knowledge turns into ignorance then. It turns into unawareness. It becomes something useless.

There are people who feel proud of themselves for learning a lot, for becoming professors and graduating from several universities. But they don’t accept Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. They don’t accept the things given by Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. They say it happened by itself. It means they are ignorant. They are right in the middle of ignorance.

Certainly, there is no end to knowledge. Our Holy Prophet ﷺ says it is farḍ to ask for knowledge. It is farḍ for everyone. Everyone must learn from birth till death. How should they learn? They must intend to be on the way of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla and ask for knowledge step by step.

With that intention of seeking knowledge, they will both become accepted people in the sight of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla and angels will spread their wings beneath their feet, says Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. Ignorance is not good.

As we said, knowledge has its levels. Allāh ﷻ has given a rank to everyone. You must know this. Normal Muslims listen to lectures, take advice from each other. That means attaining knowledge. That means gaining knowledge.

As we said, even when you claim to know something, every day something occurs that you don’t know. You learn new things every day. And you must say that for the pleasure of Allāh ﷻ. You must say, “I accept what I learn, this knowledge as the order from Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla.” You must say so.

Of course, knowledge teaches beauty and goodness. It teaches whatever good there is. What teaches badness is not knowledge. They are the things that destroy and finish people. If you say, “I learnt so much to cheat people, to make money from people, to trick people,” that is not knowledge. If you study and don’t accept the existence of Allāh ﷻ, that is bad knowledge as well.

There are good ‘alīms. ‘Alīms are on the highest level in the sight of Allāh ﷻ. They are the good and righteous ‘alīms. And ‘alīms who obey their egos are bad ‘alīms. If a normal person has one sin, they are written a double sin. Because they don’t do it on purpose, or they do the opposite. Their sin is more, may Allāh ﷻ protect us.

May Allāh ﷻ grant us clarity of mind. May we have good knowledge, in shā’a Llāh. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

•⁠ ⁠Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

5 March 2026/ 15 Ramadan 1447

Lefke, Cyprus

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