This fact is so important to know.
“Abdullahi ibn Wahb, Allah be pleased with him, once mentioned knowledge, to which Imam Malik in Anas, Allah be pleased with him, commented:
“Truly, seeking extra knowledge is good, however, to study what is obligatory upon you from the beginning of your day to its end is far better.
Then, from the end of your day to the following morning, adhere to that principle of seeking knowledge and do not give preference to anything else.”
(Related by Hafiz al-Khatib al-Baghdadi in his book – al-Faqih wal’ Mutafaqqih)
Extra Notes:
1) Ibn Wahb’s full name is – Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Wahb ibn Muslim al-Fihri al-Qurashi al-Misri and he was born in Cairo, Egypt.
2) Ibn Wahb was one of the main students of Imam Malik ibn Anas and he also took from over 400 teachers other than Imam Malik.
3) His scholarship is what helped the Maliki Madhab/Amal of Madinah to spread into Egypt and Morocco and to some extent al-Andalusia.
4) Imam Malik was known for always correcting his students with the best of intentions, yet he respected ibn Wahb’s knowledge so much that he didn’t do that to him and simply called him “The Faqih” or the One who knows Fiqh enough to teach others easily.
5) Ibn Wah is the one who said the famous statement: “If it wasn’t for Imam Malik ibn Anas and Imam al-Layth, then I would be totally lost.”