What is beneficial knowledge?
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Question
I am trying to understand what type of knowledge Allah (swt) exhorts us to pursue. A few examples. The first is a hadith which states that "Scholars are the heirs of the prophets" and second, "Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge therein, Allah paves for him the road to paradise". Finally consider the Qur'anic injunction "Are they equal: those who know and those who do not know?" (39:9). My question relates to what sort of knowledge is being referred to in these (and other) instances. Is it religious knowledge only, or is secular knowledge also included? What other types of knowledge are there? What is the definition of a "scholar" in the first hadith? What is he a scholar in? If knowledge in the above instances is meant to refer to "beneficial knowledge", then what is that defined as? In one article I found that Imam Ghazali defined beneficial knowledge as "Knowledge of the way to Allah Most High and the next life." This in itself is open to wide interpretation. Can you please explain these concepts further. I apologise for asking but can't find the answer in any of your previous posts.This answer was published by SunniPath and is preserved as written. Rulings can depend on circumstances; for your own situation, consult a qualified scholar.
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