And prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.

The reader: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) transmitted, in the context of the hadiths in the chapter on the virtue of learning and teaching for the sake of Allah: "From Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone acquires knowledge that should be sought seeking the Face of Allah, but he acquires it only to get some worldly advantage, he will not experience the arf, i.e. the fragrance, of Paradise.

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من تعلم علما مما يبتغى به وجه الله عز وجل لا يتعلمه إلا ليصيب به عرضًا من الدنيا لم يجد عرف الجنة يوم القيامة

Sunan Abi Dawud 3664Sahih (Al-Albani)

Meaning: its fragrance. Abu Dawud narrated it with a sound chain. And from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people, but He takes it away by taking away (the lives of) the religious scholars till none of the scholars stays alive. Then the people will take ignorant ones as their leaders, who, when asked to deliver religious verdicts, will issue them without knowledge, the result being that they will go astray and will lead others astray."

سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: إن الله لا يقبض العلم انتزاعا ينتزعه من الناس ولكن يقبض العلم بقبض العلماء حتى إذا لم يبق عالمًا اتخذ الناس رؤوساء جهالًا فسئلوا فأفتوا بغير علم فضلوا وأضلوا

Riyad as-Salihin 1392

Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim".

The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Among the virtues of learning and teaching for the sake of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is what the author (may Allah have mercy on him) transmitted from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: Meaning: its fragrance. Knowledge is divided into two categories: a category sought for the Face of Allah, which is the Islamic sciences and the supporting sciences such as Arabic; and another category, which is worldly knowledge, such as engineering, construction, mechanics, and the like. As for the second, worldly knowledge, there is no harm in a person intending worldly gain by it. He may learn engineering to become an engineer and receive a salary and wage; he may learn mechanics to become a mechanic who works, toils, and builds up the world. There is no blame on him for intending the world in his learning. However, if he intended to benefit the Muslims with what he learned, that would be better for him, and he would attain both religion and worldly benefit. For example, if he said, "I want to learn engineering so that I can suffice the Muslims from hiring disbelieving engineers," that would be good. Or if he learned mechanics to meet the needs of the Muslims when they need to repair their machines, that is better, and he has a reward for it. But if he intended only the world, he has that right, and there is no sin on him, like one who buys and sells to increase his wealth. As for the first category, which is learning the Shari'ah of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and what supports it, this is knowledge that is not sought except for the Face of Allah. If he intends the world by it, he will not find the scent of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection. This is a severe warning, and I seek refuge in Allah, indicating that whoever intends something from the matters of the world by learning the Shari'ah has committed a major sin. He will not be blessed in his knowledge. For example, if he said, "I want to learn so that I can draw people's attention to me so that they respect and honor me," or "I want to learn so that I can be a teacher and receive a salary," then, I seek refuge in Allah, he will not find the scent of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection. This has caused confusion or fear for some of those who study in regular schools, such as institutes and colleges, in order to obtain a degree. It is said that obtaining a degree is not solely for the world; it may be solely for the world, or it may be for the Hereafter. If the student says, "I seek knowledge to obtain a degree so that I can qualify for teaching jobs and benefit people with it," or "so that I can become a manager in a department and guide those in it to good," then this is good, a pure intention, and there is no sin or blame in it. This is because, unfortunately, in the present time, the measure of people's competence has become these degrees. With a degree, you are employed and given leadership according to that degree. A person may come with a doctorate and be appointed to teach in colleges and universities, yet he is one of the most ignorant people. If a high school student came, he would be better than him. This is observed; it is observed that there are people now who hold a doctorate but know nothing of knowledge, either because they succeeded through cheating or because they succeeded superficially and the knowledge did not settle in their minds. But they are employed because they have a doctorate. A good student of knowledge comes, who is better for people and better in himself than this doctor a thousand times, but he is not employed and does not teach in colleges. Why? Because he does not hold a doctorate. Since circumstances have changed and turned to this state, we say: if you seek knowledge in order to obtain the degree that enables you to take up teaching, not for the sake of the world but for the sake of benefiting creation, then there is no harm in it, and you are not considered one who intends the world by it, and this warning will not reach you. So praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah. This is the scale. Look at your heart: what did it intend? And on this basis, as for the one who seeks knowledge in the university in order to obtain a degree, we say: what is in your heart? Do you want to obtain the degree to be in such-and-such a rank and have such-and-such a salary? If he says, "Yes, I am poor, I want this," we say: you have perished and lost, as long as you want the world. But if he says, "No, I want to benefit creation, because matters now do not allow reaching the benefit of creation through teaching except with degrees, and I want to reach this," or "a person is not employed in a high position, as a leader or manager over a group of Muslims, except with a degree, and I want this," we said: praise be to Allah, this is a pure intention, and there is nothing on you. Actions are by intentions, and every person will have what he intended. The important thing, my brother, student of knowledge, is to beware of the bad intention. Islamic knowledge is more noble, higher, and loftier than that you should seek a worldly gain by it. What do you benefit from a worldly gain? Its end is that it becomes in the place of filth, where you eat and drink, and where does it go? To the toilet. And the most delicious thing a person enjoys is eating and drinking in bodily benefits, and yet its end is the toilet. Also, if the world remains with you, you must either part with it or it must part with you. Either you become poor and lose the money, or you die and leave the money for others. But the matters of the Hereafter remain. So why do you make Islamic knowledge, which is among the most important acts of worship and the best of acts of worship, a ladder to attain a worldly gain? This is folly in intellect and misguidance in religion. Make Islamic knowledge for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, for the protection of the Shari'ah of Allah, for removing ignorance from yourself and your Muslim brothers, for guiding to the right path, and to attain the inheritance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), for the scholars are the heirs of the prophets. We ask Allah to make our intentions and yours sincere and to rectify our deeds. Indeed, He is capable of all things.