Is the Shaykh's fatwa regarding studying in universities specific to countries that have both mixed and non-mixed universities, or is it general for all countries?

The questioner : The first thing I will begin my speech with is that I love you for the sake of Allah.

The Shaykh : May Allah love you for the sake of which you loved me. We live by your love and your righteous supplications, if Allah wills.

The questioner : May Allah bless you, our Shaykh. I mean, regarding studying in universities, I want clarification. Some of our brothers in Algeria heard your fatwa.

The Shaykh : Your fatwa.

The questioner : Your fatwa on this topic. Some said that this fatwa is valid only for countries where we find mixed universities and non-mixed universities, where there is mixing in some and no mixing in others. And some said that it is valid for all countries. So I want clarification from you on this topic.

The Shaykh : What I understand from this distinction made by that group is that they seem to base this distinction on a known principle, which is actually an unknown principle. It is the one that says: "The end justifies the means." So they explain that knowledge is necessary, and if there is a university without mixing, that is the way to acquire this knowledge. But if there is no such university except one with mixing, then the end justifies the means. The end is acquiring knowledge, and the means is this university with mixing. We say that this principle is not known in Islam. This principle is one for disbelievers; they are the ones who spread this principle through their actions and their culture: "The end justifies the means." The Shari'ah does not permit a means that is not permissible by the Shari'ah in the path of achieving a Shari'ah benefit. On the contrary, Islam sometimes stops the pursuit of a benefit to prevent harm. Here the matter is the opposite: "The end justifies the means" means adopting a means to achieve a benefit. This brings to my mind an old poet, of whom I only remember the second line. Perhaps the professor will provide us with his memorized verses. I remember his saying: "I wish she had not committed adultery and had not given charity." What is the first line?

Another questioner : "Or is she feeding orphans from the labor of her private parts? Woe to you, do not commit adultery and do not give charity."

The Shaykh : Raise your voice so that it is recorded.

Another questioner : "Or is she feeding orphans from the labor of her private parts? Woe to you, do not commit adultery and do not give charity."

The Shaykh : So for what does she commit adultery? In order to give charity. She sings and builds a mosque with her forbidden money. This money does not have the reward she seeks from building the mosque. This is a disbeliever's principle: "The end justifies the means." And I hope you understand this well, because many Islamic parties base their actions on this principle: "The end justifies the means." Sometimes the matter reaches the point where some of these parties fabricate lies against other Muslims to destroy them because they do not join their party. The end justifies the means. This is not from Islam, not from near or far. So we return now to that country where there is only a mixed university. What is this knowledge that is intended to be acquired? Is it an individual obligation or a collective obligation? There is no doubt that it is not an individual obligation. There, they may study, on the contrary, knowledge that is not permissible to study, such as the study of laws, economics, and politics, and the like, in which they contradict the Islamic Shari'ah in many of its branches. So when that person says that this fatwa is correct if there are two universities, or if there is only one university, we know this, and it was issued by a dear brother of ours in Kuwait before the last trial. And he made a very dangerous statement that the Muslims cannot stand except by committing some of the forbidden things. And I believe that every Islamic group that wants to insert itself into the current political work in Islamic governments will be forced to fall into such a violation, meaning committing what Allah has forbidden, on the principle of "the end justifies the means." This is not from Islam in any way. Therefore, we say: if this university, which is based on disobedience to Allah the Exalted and Majestic, does not stand, what destruction and ruin will befall the Muslims? Nothing. On the contrary, when they adopt the rule of Islam, they will be forced to establish a university based on the system of Islam. And you know that a mosque built for harm is not permissible to reside in or pray in, and it is a mosque for the worship of Allah the Exalted and Majestic alone, with no partner for Him. Yet it was built for what? For harm. For this purpose, it is not permissible; rather, it must be demolished from its foundation. So what is the scientific benefit that this university, based on impermissible mixing, will provide to the Muslim youth? I believe that this is not the way to acquire knowledge. And when we say this, we do not forget that Islam commands Muslims to learn every beneficial knowledge, every beneficial knowledge. And this is not specific to religious knowledge, but any knowledge: physics, chemistry, astronomy, and so on, from which Muslims can benefit and establish their present life upon. This is a collective obligation. But in the path of achieving this collective obligation, it is not permissible for a Muslim to expose himself to a Shari'ah violation. Here many matters come to mind in which Muslim youth and Muslim girls fall. We say, for example, today that medicine has spread and has many specializations in many different areas, and that women need female doctors. This is a fact that no one is ignorant of. And it is not permissible by the Shari'ah for a Muslim woman to expose her body, for the reason of an illness that has befallen her, to a male doctor. So it is necessary that we have Muslim female doctors. But what is the way? On the principle of "the end justifies the means," some see that we should allow our daughters, our sisters, our women to enter these mixed universities in the path of acquiring this knowledge, because it is a collective obligation that is necessary. We say: No. Because this mixing exposes our girls and women to fitnah, especially if the type of medicine requires the woman to bring her face close to the face of the male teacher, and so on. This exposes herself to fitnah, and problems occur there. You have surely heard a lot or a little of them. Therefore, we say: whoever is a Muslim and is jealous of his honor and his women, it is not permissible for him to present his daughter or his sister, let alone his wife, to acquire this collective obligation. And as was said in old times: "For every fall in the neighborhood, there is a catcher." I believe that Muslims and Muslim women are not all equal in their concern for Shari'ah rulings. There must be some of the youth and girls who do not care about the haram and the halal, especially if they find some statements that help them to consider permissible what others say is not permissible. This type will be the scapegoat. And it is not befitting us to make our women scapegoats, and consequently not to make ourselves scapegoats in the path of acquiring that knowledge, which is a collective obligation and not an individual obligation. Because a collective obligation is not permissible to be acquired by committing what is an individual obligation to avoid, namely the forbidden things. So the forbidden thing is an obligation to avoid, and it is not permissible to commit it in the path of acquiring what? A collective obligation. This is the answer to what you asked. Yes.

The questioner : Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. As for what follows:
Abu Layla : Know yourself first.

The questioner : Abu al-Hammam 'Umar ... .

The Shaykh : Welcome.
Abu Layla : The one who was sad because he did not see you.

The Shaykh : How?
Abu Layla : The one who was sad because he did not see you.

The Shaykh : Welcome.