The Ruling on Studying in Faculties That Teach Man-Made Laws
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Your Eminence! What is the ruling on studying in faculties that teach man-made laws? May Allah reward you.The Shaykh: Do these universities where man-made laws are taught also teach other sciences?The questioner: I do not know.
The Shaykh: I think they do teach other sciences, and there is no university that does not teach man-made laws.
The questioner: But perhaps the intention is specifically these man-made laws.
The Shaykh: The specialization; perhaps some faculties specialize in, for example, economics based on laws.
We say: If a person studies the science of law in order to apply what agrees with the Shari'ah, to denounce what contradicts the Shari'ah, and to expose its falsehood and invalidity, then that is good. And a person cannot know how to refute falsehood unless he knows the falsehood. However, if he studies these laws to work by them, whether they agree with the Shari'ah or not, then that is not permissible.
So this is the dividing line, it is said: If you read these laws to apply them, even if they contradict the Shari'ah, that is forbidden. But if you want to read these laws in order to expose their invalidity and correct what the Shari'ah has established, then there is no harm in that, and it does not cause harm, except if a person fears that someone who does not understand will study them and then rule on these matters that contradict the Shari'ah; in that case, he is in danger.
The Shaykh: I think they do teach other sciences, and there is no university that does not teach man-made laws.
The questioner: But perhaps the intention is specifically these man-made laws.
The Shaykh: The specialization; perhaps some faculties specialize in, for example, economics based on laws.
We say: If a person studies the science of law in order to apply what agrees with the Shari'ah, to denounce what contradicts the Shari'ah, and to expose its falsehood and invalidity, then that is good. And a person cannot know how to refute falsehood unless he knows the falsehood. However, if he studies these laws to work by them, whether they agree with the Shari'ah or not, then that is not permissible.
So this is the dividing line, it is said: If you read these laws to apply them, even if they contradict the Shari'ah, that is forbidden. But if you want to read these laws in order to expose their invalidity and correct what the Shari'ah has established, then there is no harm in that, and it does not cause harm, except if a person fears that someone who does not understand will study them and then rule on these matters that contradict the Shari'ah; in that case, he is in danger.