In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Shaikh Rabee Bin Haadi [may Allaah preserve him] said:

We must know the value of this [sharee’ah] knowledge in our possession, which many people deliberately ignore and seek to degrade its value. They do not consider this knowledge to be anything, and those who study the sciences of the Sharee’ah – in their view- are deficient and unadvanced [or unprogressive] because they do not possess knowledge of medicine and engineering. If medicine, engineering and chemistry are not placed below [and regulated by] the knowledge which the Prophets brought, they become nothing; [rather] they will only increase the people in corruption. The knowledge brought by the Prophets is [a means of] rectification for the people [in their religious and worldly affairs], a guide for them towards the right path and removes them from the darkness they are living in – the darkness of kufr and ignorance.

As for the knowledge of the philosophers and the heretics, then what Allaah has stated [i.e. in Surah Ghaafir’ Aayah 83] truly applies to it. [Allaah said]: [فَلَمَّا جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَرِحُواْ بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَہۡزِءُونَ -Then when their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, they were glad [and proud] with that which they had of the knowledge [of worldly things]: And that at which they used to mock, surrounded them [i.e. the punishment]. [Surah Ghaafir’ Aayah 83]

It is the knowledge which the people boast about nowadays, whether it is medicine, engineering, astronomy, [modern] politics and economics. After the Prophets came to them – to remove them from the darkness of ignorance and enter them into the light of the knowledge [of divine revelation] and Eemaan- they became glad and boastful with the knowledge they possess, [just as Allaah has stated]:

[فَلَمَّا جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَرِحُواْ بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَہۡزِءُونَ -Then when their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, they were glad [and proud] with that which they had of the knowledge [of worldly things]: And that at which they used to mock, surrounded them [i.e. the punishment]. [Surah Ghaafir’ Aayah 83]

[Likewise, Allaah informed us that] Qaaroon said: [إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عِندِىٓ‌ۚ – This [i.e. vast wealth] has been given to me only because of knowledge I possess. [Surah Al-Qasas’ Aayah 78]

They [i.e. the people] rebuke him [i.e. Qaaroon] because he did not want to spend from his wealth based on what Allaah has commanded and Allaah’s revelation, so Allaah said that he said: [إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عِندِىٓ‌ۚ  – This [i.e. vast wealth] has been given to me only because of knowledge I possess. [Surah Al-Qasas’ Aayah 78]

Lkewise, Allaah said: [وَإِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِ – And when We bestow Our Grace on man (the disbeliever), he turns away and becomes arrogant, far away from the Right Path. [Surah Al-Israa’ Aayah 83]

[Allaah said]: [ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلۡنَـٰهُ نِعۡمَةً۬ مِّنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمِۭ‌ۚ بَلۡ هِىَ فِتۡنَةٌ۬ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ  – Then when We have (rescued him from that harm and) changed it into a favour from Us, he says: “Only because of knowledge (that I possess) I obtained it.” Nay, it is only a trial, but most of them know not! [Surah Az-Zumar’ Aayah 49]

Allaah said that he [i.e. the ungrateful human being says after being rescued from hardship]: [قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمِۭ‌ۚ  – he says: “Only because of knowledge (that I possess) I obtained it]; but Allaah said: [ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ – Nay, it is only a trial, but most of them know not!]

These sciences become a trial and tribulation if they are not placed below [and regulated by] the knowledge which Muhammad [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] brought.

Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm’ pages99-100. Abridged & slightly paraphrased