What is the ruling on one who says that the origin of knowledge is one and there is no division of knowledge into religious and non-religious, and on one who says that the division of knowledge into individual obligation and collective obligation is not found in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?
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The questioner : This is a doctor at King Saud University, and I do not know, I mean, to whom I should refer the matter, but a discussion took place between me and him. He says: "The origin of knowledge is one, and there is no division of knowledge between religious knowledge and non-religious knowledge." He also said, after we discussed it, we said: "There is knowledge that involves a collective obligation and an individual obligation." He said: "This is not found in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger." We clarified what is mentioned in *Al-Muwafaqat* by al-Shatibi, but the man, I mean, is insistent on his opinion, even though this doctor, I mean, now has only four weeks left and the course will end. We have not taken anything from the course; all his lectures are merely raising doubts?
The Shaykh : My brother, I say: You have the dean, my brother. Record his words and refer them to the authorities. Then, his statement that there is no difference between the sciences is either due to fallacy and stubbornness or due to a deficiency in intellect. Tell him: Is the knowledge of the carpenter like the knowledge of the blacksmith? Is the knowledge of the one who works with electricity like the knowledge of the one who works with bricks? If he says: Yes, then may his intellect be safe. And if he says: There is a difference between them, he says: Yes, there is a difference between the theoretical sciences. Is the knowledge of medicine like the knowledge of grammar? This is clear; no one can deny it except a stubborn person.[An-Naml 27:14] And as for his statement that there is no evidence in the Book and the Sunnah that knowledge is an individual obligation and a collective obligation, this is also due to his lack of knowledge and his ignorance. Do I have to learn the rulings of zakah while I am poor and have no money? No, I do not have it, so I am not obligated with zakah until I learn its rulings. But the one who has money must learn its rulings so that he can pay it as commanded to its rightful recipients.
As for one who cannot perform Hajj, do we say: You must study the book of Hajj? No, until he wants to perform Hajj, we say: Do not perform Hajj until you know the rulings of Hajj. So these sciences are a collective obligation, and it is necessary that the Shari'ah be preserved by all the religious sciences: beliefs, morals, and acts of worship. It is necessary that they be preserved. If a sufficient number of people perform this, it drops off the rest. But if a person needs a certain knowledge, even in one chapter of knowledge, it is obligatory for him to learn it, and this is clear.
O Allah, guide us among those You have guided. And I ask Allah the Exalted to help our righteous youth in combating such people who have a deficiency in religious knowledge or who are stubborn. And we ask Allah the Exalted to protect Islam and the domain of Islam with its people, for He is Able to do all things. And this brother Musa is indicating that the time has ended with the call to the midday prayer. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his Companions.
The Shaykh : My brother, I say: You have the dean, my brother. Record his words and refer them to the authorities. Then, his statement that there is no difference between the sciences is either due to fallacy and stubbornness or due to a deficiency in intellect. Tell him: Is the knowledge of the carpenter like the knowledge of the blacksmith? Is the knowledge of the one who works with electricity like the knowledge of the one who works with bricks? If he says: Yes, then may his intellect be safe. And if he says: There is a difference between them, he says: Yes, there is a difference between the theoretical sciences. Is the knowledge of medicine like the knowledge of grammar? This is clear; no one can deny it except a stubborn person.
And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness
وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاًAs for one who cannot perform Hajj, do we say: You must study the book of Hajj? No, until he wants to perform Hajj, we say: Do not perform Hajj until you know the rulings of Hajj. So these sciences are a collective obligation, and it is necessary that the Shari'ah be preserved by all the religious sciences: beliefs, morals, and acts of worship. It is necessary that they be preserved. If a sufficient number of people perform this, it drops off the rest. But if a person needs a certain knowledge, even in one chapter of knowledge, it is obligatory for him to learn it, and this is clear.
O Allah, guide us among those You have guided. And I ask Allah the Exalted to help our righteous youth in combating such people who have a deficiency in religious knowledge or who are stubborn. And we ask Allah the Exalted to protect Islam and the domain of Islam with its people, for He is Able to do all things. And this brother Musa is indicating that the time has ended with the call to the midday prayer. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his Companions.