What is the authenticity of the hadith: (I am innocent of the one who resides among the polytheists), and is it permissible to travel to the lands of disbelief to seek knowledge?
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The questioner: O our master, the Shaykh, one person told me a hadith: or as it was said, is it authentic?
The Shaykh: It is authentic, and there are many hadiths with this meaning.
The questioner: If it is for seeking something, is there anything in the general hadith?
The Shaykh: Seeking knowledge is either...
The questioner: For example, in America or in any other country.
The Shaykh: Seeking knowledge is either a religious seeking, meaning religious knowledge, in which case he acquires it in the lands of Islam and not in the lands of disbelief. And if it is knowledge from the worldly sciences, then in that case, if he goes out to seek it and is protected and protecting, it is permissible; otherwise, it is not. Do you know what "protected" and "protecting" means? It means: being married and possessing Islamic character.
The student: May Allah bless you, as for living.
The Shaykh: No, it is not permissible.
The student : It is not permissible.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The student: Our Shaykh.
I am innocent of the one who resides among the polytheists
إني بريءٌ ممَّن يقيمُ بين أظهر المشركينThe Shaykh: It is authentic, and there are many hadiths with this meaning.
The questioner: If it is for seeking something, is there anything in the general hadith?
The Shaykh: Seeking knowledge is either...
The questioner: For example, in America or in any other country.
The Shaykh: Seeking knowledge is either a religious seeking, meaning religious knowledge, in which case he acquires it in the lands of Islam and not in the lands of disbelief. And if it is knowledge from the worldly sciences, then in that case, if he goes out to seek it and is protected and protecting, it is permissible; otherwise, it is not. Do you know what "protected" and "protecting" means? It means: being married and possessing Islamic character.
The student: May Allah bless you, as for living.
The Shaykh: No, it is not permissible.
The student : It is not permissible.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The student: Our Shaykh.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.