Six Ways to Share Your Knowledge

By Amina Salau

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I love to write. It is an avenue for me to express my thoughts on things I have learnt and my experiences as well as to share what I know. By reading other people’s works and listening to them, I have found that the importance of sharing and passing on knowledge cannot be overemphasised. Imagine if the Companions never taught anyone what they had learnt from Prophet Muhammad (sa)!

In Islam, passing on knowledge is a Sunnah and earns immense rewards. The Prophet (sa) said to Ali: “By Allah, if a single person is guided by Allah through you, it will be better for you than a whole lot of red camels.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

So how can we guide a single person by sharing what we know? Here are some tips:

Start a Blog

It’s free, easy to use, and accessible; blogging platforms have given millions of people an avenue to teach, speak their mind, and have an audience ready to listen and learn. You may have some expertise or a particular skill or experience in specific life issues; one of the easiest ways to help people benefit from these is to blog (write) about it. If you have memorized the Qur’an, for example, you can help others by teaching them how to attain this noble status.

If you would rather not manage a blog by yourself, there are various Muslim-focused websites on the Internet that consider guest posts to publish on their blogs. You can use this medium to publish what you want to share.

Use the Social Media

Social media websites are very useful if one wants to share something beneficial or advance a good cause. Through Instagram pictures or Facebook posts, Muslims have the opportunity to uplift and remind others every minute about Islam. I follow Twitter accounts that post beneficial reminders for Muslims. As long as we ensure that whatever we share is authentic and done with the purest of intentions, we can help people benefit from our wealth of knowledge through these websites.

Write a Book

Books are longer lasting than blogs, and they are also one of the best ways to share knowledge. To write a book, you may need a certain level of expertise or experience in the subject matter, but the knowledge passed on through books is timeless and lasts for generations. More importantly, authentic books that are well-written and published by reputable Islamic publishers join the ranks of other well-known books to provide a continuous guide for all Muslims.

Publishing a book, no matter how brief, has become much easier with the popularity of self-publishing. Books, flyers, and pamphlets are less expensive to produce, easier to publish, and even easier to distribute as voluntary charity. A blog can also be used to distribute the e-book.

Organize Halaqahs

A halaqah commonly refers to an Islamic circle of knowledge, for instance a lecture or sermon. People usually organize these gatherings to enlighten others on a certain course, or discuss different issues in the society. It is not uncommon to find them focused on the issues of marriage in Islam, or the learning of Qur’an, Sunnah, and Arabic. A halaqah may be held in a nearby masjid (mosque), at a specified time of the week.

Sharing knowledge this way is also very beneficial in the sense that there is a one-on-one face-to-face communication with the teacher and other people, and this helps people to connect more, ask questions, and clarify their misconceptions.

Or Webinars

If you are unable to meet people locally, or find it easier to engage online, a webinar is an excellent substitute for a halaqah. A webinar (web seminar) is an online meet up where people have a discussion via teleconferencing. This is a good way to gather an audience and speak to them about what you know. You can make a webinar periodical and focus on various topics that will be beneficial to your audience. A good thing about webinars is that recordings of the discussion can be made available, so that people can listen to it later.

Teach Your Family

The people we live with stand the most to benefit from the knowledge that we have acquired. Our daily life is a perfect way to share knowledge with other people in our household, old or young. Knowledge in this scenario can be passed on through our way of life, our reaction to events, and what we teach those around us. As a parent, I am aware that children mirror our behaviour, and I see this as a good opportunity to teach them all that will be beneficial for them as they grow.

Amina Salau is a freelance writer who is passionate about women’s issues in Islam