How Does Islamic Knowledge Increase Faith?
Answered by Shaykh Bassem Itani
Question
What is the impact of Islamic knowledge on increasing faith?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.
The Role of Knowledge in Deepening Faith
Islamic knowledge has a significant impact on increasing one’s faith. With sincere intention, Islamic knowledge becomes a means of drawing closer to Allah (Most High), of knowing Allah (Most High) and His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), and understanding His laws. This leads to reverence for Allah (Most High) and deepens one’s love for Him, which in turn enhances one’s faith and certainty and is reflected in consistent good deeds.
This is why scholars are described as having a special reverence for Allah (Most High)—their knowledge of His greatness is embedded in their hearts, and Allah increases them in faith as a result. Allah (Most High) says,
“Of all of Allah’s servants, only the knowledgeable (of His might) are (truly) in awe of Him.” [Quran, 35:28]
Knowledge and Understanding of the Quran and Sunna
Islamic knowledge provides depth in understanding the Quran and its reflection, the Prophetic Sunna, and the Prophet’s life (Allah bless him and give him peace), which contributes to a firm and gradually increasing faith. Allah says,
“(This is) also so that those gifted with knowledge would know that this (revelation) is the truth from your Lord, so they have faith in it, and so their hearts would submit humbly to it. And Allah surely guides the believers to the Straight Path.” [Quran, 22:54]
This verse highlights that those with beneficial knowledge, who discern between truth and falsehood, experience humbled hearts before Allah (Most High). Such reverence signifies the growing faith of those with knowledge, as He guides them in this life to the truth and in the Hereafter to the ranks of paradise. [See: Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir]
The Virtue of Seeking Knowledge
Many verses, hadith, and sayings of the Companions, Successors, and scholars emphasize the virtue of knowledge and its significant effects on both worldly and spiritual life.
They underscore its profound influence on the heart and behavior. How can faith not increase for the seeker of Islamic knowledge and for scholars? The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make the path to Paradise easy for him. Indeed, the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge out of pleasure with what he is doing. Truly, all creatures in the heavens and on the earth seek forgiveness for the scholar, even the fish in the water. The superiority of the scholar over the devout worshiper is like the superiority of the moon over the rest of the stars. The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. The Prophets do not leave behind dinars or dirhams; they leave behind only knowledge. Whoever takes it has taken a bountiful share.” [Abu Dawud]
The Positive Impact of Knowledge on One’s Life
Whoever is granted Islamic knowledge is given immense good, known only to Allah. With each increase in beneficial knowledge, faith also grows noticeably, and with it, worship, rectitude, and good conduct. The benefits of this can be clearly seen in one’s life.
[Shaykh] Bassem Itani
Shaykh Dr. Bassem Hussayn Itani was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies in 2005. Among his mentors were Shaykh Muhammad Taha Sukkar, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Mulla Abdul ‘Alim al-Zinki, Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Mustafa Dib al-Bugha, Shaykh Dr. Wahba al-Zuhayli, Dr. Muhammad al-Zuhayli, and others, may Allah have mercy on them all.
Shaykh Itani has a rich background in both academic and administrative fields. He has held significant positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions in Lebanon and abroad. This includes his role as a member of the Academic Committee at SeekersGuidance and a senior teacher with the free online global seminary.
From 2020 to 2021, he served as the Dean of the College of Da‘wa – University for Islamic Studies (Lebanon) – Postgraduate Studies. He was the Director of Dar Iqra for Islamic Sciences from 1998 to 2018. Shaykh Itani is a well-versed teacher in several academic subjects, including Fiqh, Usul, Aqida, and Tafsir. He has supervised and examined numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses at various universities and colleges in Lebanon.
His contributions to Islamic sciences are also evident in his writings and research. His notable works include “The Relied-upon Statements of Imam Zufar in the Hanafi School,” “Collective Ijtihad: The Sublimity of Thought in the 21st Century,” and “Custom and its Impact in Islamic Jurisprudence.” Shaykh Itani has actively participated in numerous scientific conferences and seminars, both in Lebanon and internationally. He is linguistically adept, excelling in Arabic, proficient in French, and comfortably conversant in English.
