Professor Ansarian: Seeking knowledge is an ordinance that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has made Muslims responsible for.

Professor Ansarian , by referring to a narration from the Prophet (pbuh), in a gathering of people in Yazd during the third ten days of Safar mourning ceremony said: In the most authoritative books of Hadith which are the result  of the efforts of the great scholars of Islam, the narration of “Seeking knowledge is an ordinance that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has made Muslims responsible for”  has been mentioned. It means going after gaining knowledge and wisdom is a must for every man and woman. There is a difference between (فریضه)  duty and (واجب) obligation. The difference has been mentioned by the narrations.  The duty is stronger than obligation and it is ordered to be performed by the kind Lord of the universe.

He added:  by studying the Holy Quran when we encounter the commandments of Allah Almighty at the end of those verses that talk about the Commandments of Allah and they say (فریضة من الله) it is a duty from Allah. It means that this commandment and these lawful and unlawful have all been sent down to you by Allah Almighty to perform them but whatever the Prophet (pbuh) and the imams (AS) have made us responsible for  are all obligation.

The professor of the Seminary School has also emphasized: it is interesting to know that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) through revelation and by the order of Allah Almighty has made the nation to seek knowledge as a duty and didn’t say that seeking knowledge is only for men, but he emphasized that acquiring wisdom and gaining knowledge is both an obligation and duty for every man and woman.

acquiring wisdom and gaining knowledge is of great importance in Islam that sometimes in the wars between the Prophet and his enemies, when the enemies were taken as captives and they were faced with some suggestion from the holy prophet which were converting to Islam and if they were literate they were asked to teach ten Muslims and then they will be freed. Some of them also saw the morality of the Muslims as well as their actions and behavior and then became Muslim eagerly. Imam Sadiq (AS) ordered his companions: it is not necessary to trouble yourselves so as to present Islam by your tongue in your country , city or where you live. Try to preach Islam by your actions, by your behavior  and by your correct methods and way of acting that when non-Muslims see your behavior with each other, with women and children with the non-Muslim, they eagerly look forward to this religion and willingly accept Islam.