Advice on Seeking Knowledge Q&A by Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan

What advice do you give to the one who seeks knowledge and what are the stages of studying knowledge and foundation that one should use to build himself upon it? What is your advice concerning adherence to the prophetic narrations?

Answer: All praise is for Allah, seeking knowledge is made easy:

{And We have indeed made the Quran easy to remember then is there any that will remember?} Soorat-ul-Qamar: 17

And the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: (Whoever goes out in the path to seek knowledge Allah will make easy for him the path to Paradise.) Muslim (2699)

And the Glorified and Most High says: {And it is not for the believers to go out to fight all together. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they may get instructions in religion, and that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware.} Soorat-ut-Tawbah: 122

Thus the paths to learning knowledge are abundant and to Allah is all praise. You can either register into the schools, institutes, and structured colleges where you study the religious curriculum based on Tawheed, Fiqh, Tafseer, Hadeeth, and the Arabic language. Indeed these institutes, colleges, and schools have good curriculum for the one whom Allah the Glorified and Most High grants success. And they have within them teachers who are more than competent.

You can also study in the study circles that occur in the Masaajid at the hands of the Scholars who sit with the people and teach them.

If there is not a Masjid close to you to study, then go to another Masjid, even if it is far and if there is a need to travel. Indeed the previous Scholars used to travel to seek knowledge on long journeys, and in those times they did not have cars or planes. They only had the ability to walk or to ride on an animal, despite the distance and alienation from their homelands; despite this, they were patient.

Knowledge is not obtained by mere hoping and easiness, rather it deserves patience upon difficulty, reflection, and a pure intention.

Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan, member of the Major Scholars and Permanent Committee for Religious Rulings. 
Translated by Thomas Maldonado
Source: The Difference between Naseehah and Tajreeh pgs 28 – 29