Aslam

Knowledge is of two kinds - knowledge of practical religion and knowledge of spiritual matters. The knowledge which is compulsory appertains to practical religion which deal with three matter - beliefs, actions and prohibitions. For instance, when a sane man attains puberty, it becomes compulsory on him to learn the words of attestatto»j "There is no deity but God and Muhammad is the servant and apostle of God. To know its inner meaning does not then become compulsory on him. He is to believe it without any doubt and proof. The Prophet first required only mere verbal acceptance of Islam and confession of faith from the Arabs. What was compulsory on them at that time was fulfilled. After that, knowledge of the duties to do became compulsory on them.

These duties deal with actions and prohibitions. As regards actions, if a Muslim reaches the early afternoon prayer, it becomes compulsory on him to know first how to pray it and to put it into action. This is the case with him in case of other prayers also. If he lives up to the month of Ramazan, it becomes compulsory on him to know the rules of fasting and then to fast.
This is the case with Pilgrimage, Zakat and other duties ordained by God and binding on all Muslims.

AS TO PROHIBITIONS: It depends upon circumstances and new events. It is not compulsory on the blind man to know which sight is unlawful, on the mute to know which words are unlawful. So to know a thing is not compulsory on a Muslim who does not require it. If after the acceptance of Islam there is anybody who wears silk dress or takes property of another man by force or looks to a strange woman with passion, he must know how to restrain himself from these things.

As to beliefs and thoughts of mind, their knowledge is obligatory according to the state of mind. Thus if a man feels any doubt in his mind about the meaning of attestation formulas, it then becomes compulsory on him to know what will remove that

Vol-I KNOWLEDGE 31

doubt. When a duty becomes binding on a man, to acquire knowledge about it becomes binding on him. As a man is not free from hatred, envy and impulses of evil, it becomes compulsory on him to know some of the evils as described in the Book of destructive evils. Why should it not be compulsory when the Prophet said: Three things are destructive - sordid miserliness, vehement passion and self- conceit. Other evils follow these three destructive evils. To remove these evils from mind is compulsory. If a man is converted to Islam, what is compulsory on him is to believe in paradise, hell, resurrection day, judgment day. The Prophet said: To acquire learning is binding on every Muslim. He did not say to learn Alif, Lam or Mim, but he said to learn the science of actions. As actions become gradually compulsory on him, to acquire knowledge about these duties becomes gradually compulsory on him.

FARZE KEF A YAH (COMPULSORY DUTY ON COMMUNITY)