FatwaFederal TerritoriesOther
AL-KAFI #1679: HUKUM MEMPELAJARI ILMU SELAIN ILMU AGAMA
What is the ruling on studying worldly knowledge other than religious knowledge, such as medicine and business, and is it permitted in Islam?
Short answer
Studying non-religious knowledge needed to manage worldly affairs, such as medicine and arithmetic, is a communal obligation (fardhu kifayah).
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Other
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Studying non-religious knowledge needed to manage worldly affairs, such as medicine and arithmetic, is a communal obligation (fardhu kifayah). Once some people have learned it, the obligation is lifted from the rest, but anyone who wishes to study it is still permitted. The study is bound by conditions: a good and sincere intention, a proper method in line with Islamic law, and not using the knowledge for sinful or wrongful ends. If it is studied with a malicious intent, such as destroying Islam or harming Muslims, the ruling may become forbidden based on sadd al-zari'ah.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Kesimpulannya, kami menyatakan bahawa hukum mempelajari ilmu selain ilmu agama adalah fardhu kifayah, sekiranya sudah ada yang mempelajarinya maka kewajipan itu gugur ke atas semua
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1679: HUKUM MEMPELAJARI ILMU SELAIN ILMU AGAMA”, 24 March 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/4372-al-kafi-1679-hukum-mempelajari-ilmu-selain-ilmu-agama. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-studying-non-religious-knowledge/