O esteemed Shaykh! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said
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The questioner : The question says: O esteemed Shaykh. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: or as he said. I am a student at the university and we study Islamic sciences. Often I say that I will leave my studies because of this hadith, because I am not sincere in my studies. Rather, I study for the sake of the degree and money. I am hesitant, so I ask you, your eminence, to guide me, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes. I say: May Allah reward him for this question, which may be confusing for many students. It is well known that those who study at the university intend to attain a position by which they benefit people. And there is no way to that except through the degree. So if he studies at the university in order to obtain the degree, and thereby becomes a teacher, a judge, a guide, or a preacher, then that is good. And this is a sound intention with nothing wrong with it, because it is well known now: if a person who is a scholar, a scholar, a scholar, without a degree, came and applied to be a professor at the university, would he be accepted? He would not be accepted, because he does not have a degree. So we say to our brothers: Your intention is sound if you seek with this degree to attain a position by which you benefit the servants of Allah. So it is a sound intention with no problem. And how many people have studied at the university—praise be to Allah—and Allah has benefited people through them! They became judges, they became preachers, they became guides, they became teachers, and Allah has benefited people through them. Yes.
Riyadh al-Khudra.
The questioner : One question, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : No, no, no. If you speak, then speak justly.
The questioner : This is not justice in this manner.
The Shaykh : No, no, I know justice. May Allah reward you with good. Otherwise, you... by yourself.
Whoever learns knowledge from that which is sought for the face of Allah, and does not seek by it except a worldly display, will not find the fragrance of Paradise
من تعلم علماً مما يبتغى به وجه الله لا يريد به إلا عرضاً من الدنيا لم يجد عرف الجنةThe Shaykh : Yes. I say: May Allah reward him for this question, which may be confusing for many students. It is well known that those who study at the university intend to attain a position by which they benefit people. And there is no way to that except through the degree. So if he studies at the university in order to obtain the degree, and thereby becomes a teacher, a judge, a guide, or a preacher, then that is good. And this is a sound intention with nothing wrong with it, because it is well known now: if a person who is a scholar, a scholar, a scholar, without a degree, came and applied to be a professor at the university, would he be accepted? He would not be accepted, because he does not have a degree. So we say to our brothers: Your intention is sound if you seek with this degree to attain a position by which you benefit the servants of Allah. So it is a sound intention with no problem. And how many people have studied at the university—praise be to Allah—and Allah has benefited people through them! They became judges, they became preachers, they became guides, they became teachers, and Allah has benefited people through them. Yes.
Riyadh al-Khudra.
The questioner : One question, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : No, no, no. If you speak, then speak justly.
The questioner : This is not justice in this manner.
The Shaykh : No, no, I know justice. May Allah reward you with good. Otherwise, you... by yourself.