4. Fiqh as Fard al-‘Ayn (Individual Obligation)

There are many aspects of fiqh that are considered an individual obligation, meaning that it is an obligation upon each individual to learn and implement properly. The scholars call this the minimum you must know. You will be held accountable for this minimum. In addition, that which allows you to fulfill something obligatory becomes obligatory in itself. Examples include wudu’, Salaah, Fasting, etc. Others don’t become an individual obligation until certain conditions are met first. Hajj becomes fard ‘Ayn when you have the means to go (i.e. money, visa, health, etc). At this point it is obligatory to learn the rules of Hajj. Don’t depend on your guide because he won’t necessarily be able to help you; it’s very easy to get lost during hajj. The same goes for Zakah, marriage, and business transactions. Umar Ibn Khataab would beat people out of the market and tell them to go to the Masjid to learn the fiqh of trade before coming to the markets.