A-4.1: Faith

(Nawawi:) There are three categories of Sacred Knowledge. The first is the personally obligatory (fard al-`ayn, def:c-2.1), which is a morally responsible individual's learning the knowledge that the obligatory acts he must perform cannot be accomplished without, such as how the ablution (wudu) and prayer are done and so forth. Its obligatory character is how groups of scholars have interpreted the hadith in the Musnad of Abu Ya'la al-Mawsuli, from Anas, who relates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

"Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim."

The meaning of this hadith, though the hadith itself is not well authenticated (A: being weak (dis:p-9.5) ), is true.