The ruling of combining both public education and seeking knowledge

Answered by our Shaykh, the ‘Allaamah, the Sincere Adviser, Abu ‘Abdirrahman Yahya bin ‘Ali Al-Hajoori – may Allaah preserve him – on the 12th, Jumaada Al-Uwlaa, 1423H

Question:

If a persons condition was made easy for them, whereby they were able to combine seeking legislative knowledge and public education, what would you advise and direct them to?

Meaning should he take on both legislative studies and public education?

What do you advise him with?

Answer:

I advise him to dedicate his time to seeking knowledge, this is more beneficial, this is something that known by every student of knowledge who dedicated his time, and every student of knowledge who Allaah has allowed to obtain some of the Sunnah and to memorize some of the Qur’aan.
Likewise they know the benefit of dedicating their time for this, the fruits of dedicating time to this.

As for those with families and are not able to dedicate their entire time and they’re in need to provide for them. Then there’s no harm if they combine working and seeking knowledge, we have found some of our righteous predecessors, may Allaah be pleased with them, doing so.

Like Sufyān Ath-Thawri, he, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: “If it wasn’t for my work they would’ve used me as a napkin”, and like Ibn Mubārak, who traded and would spend upon some of the student of knowledge, similarly from them were those that were tailors and some of them made ghee and oil like Abu Sālih As-Sammān, he was called Az-Zayyāt (a person who dealt with oils), and from them was Muhammed bin Sirīn, he used to trade in oils, so there’s no harm in a bit of work, that doesn’t preoccupy, and suffices a person and aids one in seeking knowledge, as those previously mentioned Imaams were not busied away from knowledge by other than it.

Translated by : Abu ‘Abdirrahman ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmed Ash-Shingaani

Original Fatwa:
الكنز الثمين في الإجابة على أسئلة طلبة العلم والزائرين (1 (https://www.sh-yahia.net/show_books_36.html)
Under: كتاب العلم
Entitled: الجمع بين دراسة العامة وطلب العلم الشرعي