Learning For Worldly Gain

 عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ عِلْمًا مِمَّا يُبْتَغَى بِهِ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا يَتَعَلَّمُهُ إِلَّا لِيُصِيبَ بِهِ عَرَضًا مِنْ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَجِدْ عَرْفَ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَعْنِي رِيحَهَا

Abu Hurairah narrated: 

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Whoever acquires knowledge by which the pleasure of Allah (should be) sought, but he only acquires it for the purpose of worldly gain, he will not smell the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection.’

Narrated in Sunan Ibn Majah, hadith no. 260

Grade: Hasan (sound)

Translation adapted from sunnah.com

Lessons:

1. Learning is an obligation on every Muslim.

2. Acquiring knowledge should be with the aim of seeking Allah’s pleasure.

3. A person who learns merely for the sake of worldly gain, such as for rank and position, will not enter Paradise. 

We should make sincere our intentions when learning, for the sake of pleasing Allah.