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Does the current course of study increase or decrease one's spiritual ranks, and is it obligatory to turn to studying Islamic sciences to solve the problems of lacking intention and feeling distant from Allah, especially when there is a scientific inclination?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The concept of knowledge in Islam is broad, encompassing all knowledge that benefits a Muslim personally or benefits other Muslims. The best and most prioritized knowledge is that which is obligatory for every Muslim to learn (individual obligations, furood al-ayaan), such as knowing Allah and His attributes, knowing His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and learning ablution and prayer, for this is the inheritance of the prophets.

As for other sciences that benefit people in their worldly affairs, such as medicine and engineering, learning them falls under communal obligations (furood al-kifayah). Those who undertake them are rewarded if their intention is to please Allah and benefit Muslims. One should not abandon seeking knowledge out of fear of ostentation (riya'); rather, one must be keen on mindful intention and sincerity in all actions.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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