I am a young brother living in Australia. Unfortunately, we do not have enough scholars or learned people here. I am very eager to study Shariah. I am in the process of applying to the Islamic University of Medinah. At the moment I am also studying under the guidance of a local Sheikh who has qualified from the Islamic University of Medinah. I am reading much and attempting to memorize and implement all that I learn from my teacher. However, I do not get to see my teacher very much (usually 1 to 3 hours a day). I try to spend as much time with him as possible to benefit from his guidance. Unfortunately there are not many other learned/qualified people I can go to in my area to benefit from their knowledge.
Please give me some advice or general tips on gaining Islamic education (esp. how to gain the knowledge) Al-Hamdulillah, in Allah do we trust and to Allah is our final return. If Allah so wills, He will provide me with the gift of knowledge, wisdom and understanding.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is a great blessing from Allah that a person becomes keen to seek knowledge, above all Islamic knowledge.

So, we advise you to be pious, to fear Allah, and to do everything for the Sake of Allah. Indeed, seeking knowledge is among the noblest missions. So, do not become stained with self-desires and bad aims.

Plan your studies following a step-by-step progression from the most important to the least important, from the short books to the large volumes that deal with various aspects of the Sharee’ah.

In addition, you should learn from a Shaykh (Islamic Teacher). You should choose a Shaykh who fears Allah much and who is known for his knowledge and good morals. Such a Shaykh will have a good influence on your acquiring knowledge and on your behaviour as a whole.

Moreover, you should make use of all available teaching aids like cassettes, DVDs - CDs - etc. More importantly, you should frequently revise and memorize what you have learnt and spare no effort to better understand and learn well. Memorize some short works related to the verses and explanations of Islamic rules.

Keep in mind that the Quran is the source and spring of all good knowledge. The Prophet said: “The best amongst you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Finally, know that the Arabic language is the receptacle without which one cannot understand the Quran or the Sunnah. So, give it what it deserves. May Allah guide you.

For more benefit on seeking Islamic knowledge, please refer to Fataawa 89059 and 101478.

Allah knows best.