Thursday 18 Ramadan 1445 - 28 March 2024
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Which is better – devoting oneself to da’wah or seeking knowledge?

Question

Which is better – devoting oneself to calling others to Allaah (da’wah) or devoting oneself to seeking knowledge?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Seeking knowledge is better and is preferable, but the seeker of knowledge may call people to Allaah whilst he is also seeking knowledge, but it is not possible to call people to Allaah when one has no knowledge. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘This is my way; I invite unto Allaah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge…”

[Yoosuf 12:108]

How can there be da’wah with no knowledge? No one ever called anyone to Allaah without having knowledge; whoever calls people without knowledge will not be helped by Allaah.

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Source: From Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, Kitaab al-‘Ilm, p. 145