Quran Verses About Knowledge
The Quran's very first revealed word was a command to learn: 'Recite in the name of your Lord who created' (96:1) — from a Lord 'who taught by the pen' (96:4). The only increase the Prophet is told to ask for is knowledge (20:114), and the Quran asks flatly: 'Are those who know equal to those who do not know?' (39:9). These twelve ayahs make seeking knowledge an act of worship.
Updated July 16, 2026
- Surah Al-'Alaq 96:1
ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ
Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth
The first word of the Quran to descend — 'Recite' — revelation opens with a command to read and learn.
- Surah Al-'Alaq 96:4
ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ
Who teacheth by the pen
Allah introduces Himself as the teacher — the One 'who taught by the pen.'
- Surah Al-'Alaq 96:5
عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ
Teacheth man that which he knew not
The scope of that teaching — He taught man what he did not know.
- Surah Taha 20:114
فَتَعَٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡحَقُّۗ وَلَا تَعۡجَلۡ بِٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يُقۡضَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ وَحۡيُهُۥۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدۡنِي عِلۡمٗا
Then exalted be Allah, the True King! And hasten not (O Muhammad) with the Qur'an ere its revelation hath been perfected unto thee, and say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge
The one increase the Prophet is commanded to request — 'My Lord, increase me in knowledge.'
- Surah Al-Mujadila 58:11
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِي ٱلۡمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفۡسَحُواْ يَفۡسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُواْ فَٱنشُزُواْ يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَٰتٖۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ
O ye who believe! when it is said unto you, Make room! in assemblies, then make room; Allah will make way for you (hereafter). And when it is said, Come up higher! go up higher; Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge, to high ranks. Allah is Informed of what ye do
The promise to learners — Allah raises those who believe and those given knowledge by degrees.
- Surah Az-Zumar 39:9
أَمَّنۡ هُوَ قَٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيۡلِ سَاجِدٗا وَقَآئِمٗا يَحۡذَرُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَيَرۡجُواْ رَحۡمَةَ رَبِّهِۦۗ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِي ٱلَّذِينَ يَعۡلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
Is he who payeth adoration in the watches of the night, prostrate and standing, bewaring of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (to be accounted equal with a disbeliever)? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Are those who know equal with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed
The Quran's rhetorical question that settles the value of learning — are those who know equal to those who do not know?
- Surah Fatir 35:28
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱلدَّوَآبِّ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ مُخۡتَلِفٌ أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥ كَذَٰلِكَۗ إِنَّمَا يَخۡشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِ ٱلۡعُلَمَـٰٓؤُاْۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ
And of men and beasts and cattle, in like manner, divers hues? The erudite among His bondmen fear Allah alone. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Forgiving
Knowledge deepens reverence — 'only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge.'
- Surah Al-Baqarah 2:269
يُؤۡتِي ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُؤۡتَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ فَقَدۡ أُوتِيَ خَيۡرٗا كَثِيرٗاۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
He giveth wisdom unto whom He will, and he unto whom wisdom is given, he truly hath received abundant good. But none remember except men of understanding
Wisdom is Allah's gift — and whoever receives it 'has certainly been given much good.'
- Surah Ali 'Imran 3:190
إِنَّ فِي خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
Lo! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in) the difference of night and day are tokens (of His Sovereignty) for men of understanding
The universe as curriculum — the heavens, the earth, and the turning of night and day are signs for those of understanding.
- Surah Ali 'Imran 3:191
ٱلَّذِينَ يَذۡكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمٗا وَقُعُودٗا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمۡ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقۡتَ هَٰذَا بَٰطِلٗا سُبۡحَٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! Thou createdst not this in vain. Glory be to Thee! Preserve us from the doom of Fire
How the knowing engage creation — remembering Allah in every posture and thinking hard about what He made.
- Surah Al-Isra 17:36
وَلَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡبَصَرَ وَٱلۡفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنۡهُ مَسۡـُٔولٗا
(O man), follow not that whereof thou hast no knowledge. Lo! the hearing and the sight and the heart - of each of these it will be asked
Intellectual honesty as command — do not pursue what you have no knowledge of; hearing, sight, and heart will all be questioned.
- Surah Yusuf 12:76
فَبَدَأَ بِأَوۡعِيَتِهِمۡ قَبۡلَ وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَخۡرَجَهَا مِن وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كِدۡنَا لِيُوسُفَۖ مَا كَانَ لِيَأۡخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ ٱلۡمَلِكِ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ نَرۡفَعُ دَرَجَٰتٖ مَّن نَّشَآءُۗ وَفَوۡقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلۡمٍ عَلِيمٞ
Then he (Joseph) began the search with their bags before his brother's bag, then he produced it from his brother's bag. Thus did We contrive for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed. We raise by grades (of mercy) whom We will, and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing
The check on scholarly pride — above every possessor of knowledge is one more knowing.
Arabic text: Tanzil Uthmani (public domain). English translation: Marmaduke Pickthall, “The Meaning of the Glorious Koran” (1930) — public domain.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Quran say about seeking knowledge?
It opens with 'Recite' (96:1), describes Allah as the One who 'taught by the pen' (96:4-5), raises those given knowledge by degrees (58:11), and puts one dua on the Prophet's tongue: 'My Lord, increase me in knowledge' (20:114).
Does the Quran value science and observation?
It repeatedly points to the natural world as a field of signs — 'in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding' (3:190) — and praises those who reflect on creation (3:191).
What is the first word revealed in the Quran?
'Iqra' — 'Recite' (or 'Read') — the opening of Surah Al-Alaq (96:1), revealed to the Prophet in the cave of Hira. Revelation began with a command to read in the name of the Lord who created.
Sit with these ayahs, not just skim them
Read each verse in its surah, favorite the ones that hold you, and ask Noor about anything unclear — free to start.
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