User talk:Farooque Ahmed Sharif

(Donated by Farooque Ahmed Sharif)

There is a famous hadith that was pronounced by the Prophet Muhammad of Islam. When exactly he said this has not been confirmed but scholars believe the hadith might have been uttered by Muhammad early in his period of Prophethood. The saying attributed to the Prophet is that he encouraged the Muslims to go to any further length of distance (particularly mentioning China) to seek comprehensive education other than religious education, because he might have believed that seeking other secular and civilizational educations is a means to better understand the Quran and the Hadith, the two combines to form the Shariat (Jurisprudence) of Islam.

Some Statements
Peter Mansfield wrote: One of the best sayings (hadith) attributed to Prophet Muhammad is “Seek knowledge even unto China".

Ali al-Muttaqi wrote: “Seek for knowledge even unto China”.

Mohd. Sharif Khan wrote: Prophet Muhammad pronounced “’Obtain knowledge even if it is in China’ (Ibn Adi, Behaqi).”

Anas (a Sahaba) reported that the Messenger of Allah said: 'Search knowledge though it be in China' (Baihaqi).

Muhammad Amin wrote: The Prophet declared “Go in quest of knowledge even unto China (i.e. even unto the edge of the world)”

Khalid El-Darymli wrote: The Hadith “Seek knowledge as far as China” was narrated from Anas by al-Bayhaqi. Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi wrote: The Prophet pronounced, “Go in quest of knowledge even unto China”.

Dr. Ibrahim noted: “Seek knowledge, be it in China”. The Milli Gazette reported: Two famous hadiths are, “Talabul ilma fareezatun ala kulli muslimin wa Muslimatin (Learning is obligatory for Muslim males and females)” and “ Utlubul ilma lau kana-bisseen (Learn even if in China)”.

Ghazi Ahmad wrote: “Anas reported God’s messenger as saying ‘the search of knowledge is an obligation laid on every Muslim’”.

Another Hadith is:"Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave." Peter Mansfield cited another related hadith of the Prophet, “The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr”.

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi noted another related hadith: “God has not created anything better than reason or anything more perfect or more beautiful than reason….and God’s wrath is caused by disregard of it.”

Context of the Hadith
The Prophet of Islam is understood to have learned about the educational system, culture and civilization of many countries in the East and West, particularly more so of China, perhaps from Arab traders, merchants, geographers and explorers. Indeed Tang period China, starting from 618 CE is regarded as the golden period of Chinese civilization. Muslim traditionists believe that this particular hadith is timeless in terms of utility.

Conclusion
This hadith was first reported by Anas bin Malik, Ibn Adi and Baihaqi and further reported by other scholars and hadith researchers.