Should I Encourage My Son to Become an Islamic Scholar?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti
Question
Should I encourage my son to become a scholar, or should I let him do what he wants in his life?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his family, and all his companions.
Islamic knowledge is the best of sciences; therefore, scholars are the inheritors of the prophets, and they are the ones whom Allah wished well for and gave an understanding of the religion. They are the best of the nation with their approach based on learning and teaching, as advised by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as reported in many hadiths.
From this standpoint, we should encourage our children and youth – especially the outstanding ones – to learn and excel so that they can be among those working scholars who convey the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) message to people. If this aligns with their own desires, it is better and preferable. However, it is not appropriate to force them into it; rather, we should respect their wishes and choices for their life path, as long as it aligns with the sacred law, in sciences, professions, specializations, and beyond.
It is also essential to teach them matters of their religion, what they need for their worship, transactions, and morals. Similarly, guiding them to improve their intentions, purposes, and sincerity to Allah (Most High) in whatever they choose. In doing so, they also become callers to this religion and gain the satisfaction and love of the Lord of the worlds, and Allah knows best.
Detailed Answer
Allah (Most High) says:
“Of all of Allah’s servants, only the knowledgeable (of His might) are (truly) in awe of Him.” [Quran, 35:28]
Scholars are the heirs of the prophets, and about them, Allah (Most High) says:
“Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and (raise) those gifted with knowledge in rank.” [Quran, 58:11]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it” [Bukhari], and “Whoever Allah wishes good for, He gives him understanding of the religion” [Bukhari; Muslim]. Based on this, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” [Quran, 39:9]
Therefore, Allah (Most High) explicitly commanded His Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) to seek more knowledge, saying:
“And pray, ‘My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.’” [Quran, 20:114]
Then the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) transmitted this command to his Umma, saying: “Convey from me, even if it is only one verse. Narrate from the Children of Israel, and there is no harm. Whoever intentionally lies about me should prepare his seat in the Fire.” [Bukhari]
The discussion on the importance of seeking knowledge in Islam, its paths, its status, and the virtue of scholars who are truthful and practice what they preach, is extensive. The texts on this are too numerous to count, but I will mention one hadith that encompasses many of these meanings.
Abu Darda, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Whoever takes a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. The angels lower their wings in approval for the seeker of knowledge, and indeed, the scholar is supplicated for by those in the heavens and on the earth, even the fish in the water. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like the superiority of the moon on the night of the full moon over the rest of the stars. Indeed, the scholars are the heirs of the prophets; they do not leave behind dinars or dirhams, but they leave behind knowledge, and whoever takes it, takes an abundant portion.” [Abu Dawud; Tirmidhi]
After presenting all these texts, I say: We must encourage our children and youth to pursue the path of acquiring and then teaching Islamic knowledge; there should be no youth today who is not on one of these two paths: either learning or teaching. This is the advice of the Prophet, peace be upon him, as narrated by Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him: “The world is cursed, cursed are all in it, except for the remembrance of Allah and what follows it, or a scholar or a student.” [Tirmidhi; Ibn Maja]
Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say: “Be a scholar, or a student, and do not be indifferent in between.” [Tahawi, Sharh Mushkil al-Athar]
Otherwise, the consequence will be the loss and misguidance of the nation; due to the absence, scarcity, or distraction of its scholars from knowledge and teaching. This is what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, warned against and clearly explained; Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) saying:
“Allah does not take away knowledge by taking it away from the people, but He takes away knowledge with the death of the scholars. Until when no scholar remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who, when consulted, will give their verdict without knowledge. They will go astray and will lead others astray.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
No Compulsion
However, this does not mean we should coerce our children into becoming religious scholars or shaykhs; such compulsion often does not yield the desired results. Instead, their choice to pursue the path of knowledge and teaching should stem from genuine love, desire, and conviction. This is where the role of parents and educators becomes crucial—to instill in their children’s hearts the importance of this path, clarifying its virtues, purposes, and more.
If they respond positively, that is excellent. Otherwise, there is no harm in them choosing any academic or practical path for their lives, provided it aligns with Sharia and is beneficial and good for themselves or their community in any field or specialization.
The Umma needs scholars of sacred law and religion, as well as doctors, engineers, laborers, employees, farmers, traders, and other honorable professions, especially when coupled with good intentions.
Two important points must be highlighted here:
- We must teach our children – under all circumstances – the matters of their religion that are essential for the correctness of their worship and life, such as Quranic recitation, understanding of halal and haram, rules of purification and prayer, and other aspects of worship, transactions, and ethics. These are fundamental and necessary for every Muslim, whether they become a scholar or not.
- We should instill in them the method of inviting others to this religion, sincerity in their intentions for Allah, and the desire to benefit themselves and their community. A dedicated and skilled worker or employee is an advocate for this religion; a trustworthy and honest trader is an advocate for this religion; a responsible official in charge of Muslim affairs is an advocate for this religion. Similarly, all other professions and societal groups play a role in promoting the values of this religion.
Conclusion
It is incumbent upon us to encourage our children and youth, especially the talented among them, to engage in learning and teaching without coercion or compulsion. By doing so, knowledge will flourish, spread, and increase, and it will be passed down, as it is the legacy of the prophets.
‘Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, in his letter to Abu Bakr ibn Hazm, said: “Look for the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and write them down, for I fear the loss of knowledge and the passing of scholars…, and let them disseminate knowledge and sit to teach those who do not know, for knowledge does not perish until it becomes a secret.” [Ibn Athir, Jami‘ al-Usul]
If they respond positively, that is what we desire. If they wish for something else, there is no harm in respecting their choices and desires as long as they align with Shari‘a and are beneficial and good for them and their Ummah. As the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“Work, for everyone is facilitated in what he was created for.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti
Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti
