Imam Al-Akhdari mentions in his poem that a Muslim should know their individual obligations. When our teacher went around the room the other day asking what exactly our individuals obligations were, we all rattled off, “Prayer, Fasting…” feeling accomplished as we listed the 5 pillars. It was then that he reminded me of something that I wish to remind you of,

“Your individual obligations are concerned with any and everything that you are concerned with. If you are getting married then you need to know the basics and rulings concerned with marriage and divorce. If you are an entrepreneur or going to the mall to buy something, you need to know the rules of buying and selling. If you have a family then you need to know inheritance. Don’t think the individual obligations stop at the five pillars, because they don’t. They change as you change, as you grow you may cease needing some rulings, as you change careers you may no longer need to be concerned with others. For example, the rulings of traveling may be important in your career field but then after a new career change your concern might be on the rulings on various ingredients (for those chefs out there). This is Islam, and this is why the journey of knowledge never ceases. This is why it is important to have a foundation in the basics of your religion, and why it is important to find a school of law to follow so that you always have a basis to work from.”

May God gift us the passion to seek out the Truth.

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