The only increase he was told to ask for

Near the end of Surah Taha, a verse about not rushing the revelation ends with a short instruction:

فَتَعَـٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُقْضَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُۥ ۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًا١١٤

So high [above all] is Allāh, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, [O Muḥammad], do not hasten with [recitation of] the Qur’ān before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge."

The verse ends with four Arabic words, wa qul rabbi zidni 'ilma: "and say, my Lord, increase me in knowledge." In his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Hajar pointed out that this is the only thing the Prophet ﷺ was commanded to ask for more of. Not wealth or a longer life, but knowledge.

How revelation began#

According to the account of the first revelation in Sahih al-Bukhari, the first words revealed were a command to read. The Prophet ﷺ replied that he could not read.

ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ١

Recite in the name of your Lord who created

Three verses later, the pen is mentioned:

ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ٤

Who taught by the pen

From its very first verses, the Quran puts reading and learning at the center.

Knowledge leads to awe#

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱلدَّوَآبِّ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ كَذَٰلِكَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْعُلَمَـٰٓؤُا۟ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ٢٨

And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allāh, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.

The verse says that it is those with knowledge who truly fear Allah. Learning is a path to reverence, not a threat to it.

Do not speak without knowledge#

وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْبَصَرَ وَٱلْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْـُٔولًا٣٦

And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.

Hearing, sight and the heart will each be asked about. Passing on a claim you have not checked is not a small thing.

This matters today, when religious claims spread quickly online. A screenshot of a "hadith" with no collection, number or grading is the kind of thing this verse warns against.

In practice#

Rabbi zidni 'ilma is a dua you never finish making. Each time you say it, you admit there is still more to learn.