Is an unlettered person considered a student of knowledge if he researches his religion?

His saying, "Whoever traverses a path seeking knowledge therein," includes any sensory or abstract path, and any knowledge from the religious sciences. Seeking knowledge is of two types: an individual obligation (what a person is required to know for themselves) and a collective obligation (what Muslims are required to have someone among them acquire). The layperson should seek out trustworthy scholars known for their reverence for the Sunnah (definition), from whom to seek knowledge.