Four Essential Sciences Every Student Must Learn, According to KH Hasyim Asyari

Indonesian Islamic scholar KH Hasyim Asyari emphasized the necessity of four core fields of study for students, deeming them fardlu ain, or obligatory.

These essential disciplines include Tauhid, which focuses on the nature of God and the belief in His eternal existence and perfect attributes. Students must understand that Allah is omnipotent, has will, knowledge, life, and the ability to hear, see, and speak. Asyari noted that a deeper understanding of these divine attributes, supported by evidence beyond the Quran and Sunnah, would be even more perfect.

The second essential field is the study of Allah's attributes, specifically the twenty essential attributes, with a focus on His power, will, knowledge, life, hearing, sight, and speech. The scholar suggested that further exploration of these attributes through textual evidence would lead to a more complete understanding.

Fiqh, or Islamic jurisprudence, is the third crucial area, guiding students toward obedience to Allah through understanding practices like purification, prayer, and fasting. Asyari advised that individuals with abundant wealth must also study the laws related to managing their finances, stressing that no one should act upon knowledge without understanding Allah's hukum (laws).

Finally, Tasawuf, or Islamic mysticism, is the fourth required study. This field delves into the various states, stations, and levels of spiritual development, as well as the temptations and tricks of the ego. Asyari pointed to Imam Al Ghazali's "Bidayat al Hidayah" and Sayyid Abdullah bin Thahir's "Sullam at Taufiq" as comprehensive resources for these topics.

Beyond these four obligatory fields, Asyari, the founder of Pesantren Tebuireng and Nahdlatul Ulama, urged students to pursue the study of the Quran and its tafsir (exegesis). He considered the Quran the primary source of all knowledge and the most important science. He also recommended memorizing summaries of various disciplines, including Hadith, Fiqh, Usul Fiqh, Nahwu (grammar), and Sharaf (morphology), to solidify their understanding.