Seeking knowledge for the sake of this world: Is it major shirk or minor shirk?

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The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. Now, there are statements made by the scholars that whoever seeks knowledge solely for the sake of this world, meaning he seeks only this world and does not desire the Hereafter, that this is shirk. Do they mean by shirk minor shirk or major shirk?

The Shaykh : No, it is minor shirk. This is why the warning came in

Whoever seeks knowledge from that which is sought for the face of Allah, and he does not desire except to obtain a worldly benefit, will not smell the fragrance of Paradise.

من طلب علما ممّا يبتغى به وجه الله لا يريد إلاّ أن ينال عرضا من الدّنيا لم يرح رائحة الجنّة

As for the sciences of this world, there is no harm in them, such as engineering, manufacturing, and the like. If you seek these for the sake of this world, there is no harm. But as for the knowledge of the Shari'ah, you should not intend by it anything other than preserving the Shari'ah. Yes.

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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