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AlGhazalisIhya-Book_of_knowledge, page : 25
The Messenger of Allah – may Allah praise and venerate him - said: “Seeking
knowledge is an ordinance obligatory on every Muslim,” and also, “Seek
knowledge even if it is from China.”
People, however, disagree as to what branch of knowledge man is obliged to
acquire, and as a result have split into approximately twenty groups. We shall not
go into details but simply summarize the matter by saying that each group
insisted on the necessity of acquiring that branch of knowledge, which happened
to be its own specialty.
The scholastic theologians insisted on scholastic theology because the Oneness
of Allah, as well as His Essence and Attributes is known through it. The jurists
held out for jurisprudence because the acts of worship, the lawful and the
unlawful as well as the forbidden and the permissible in daily conduct, are
determined through it. Furthermore, the commentators and traditionalists, hold
that through it all sciences are attained, stood for the science of the Koran and
Prophetic quotations. The Sufis pointed to Sufism as the branch of knowledge,
which was intended, some saying that it is the science whereby mankind,
knowledge is an ordinance obligatory on every Muslim,” and also, “Seek
knowledge even if it is from China.”
People, however, disagree as to what branch of knowledge man is obliged to
acquire, and as a result have split into approximately twenty groups. We shall not
go into details but simply summarize the matter by saying that each group
insisted on the necessity of acquiring that branch of knowledge, which happened
to be its own specialty.
The scholastic theologians insisted on scholastic theology because the Oneness
of Allah, as well as His Essence and Attributes is known through it. The jurists
held out for jurisprudence because the acts of worship, the lawful and the
unlawful as well as the forbidden and the permissible in daily conduct, are
determined through it. Furthermore, the commentators and traditionalists, hold
that through it all sciences are attained, stood for the science of the Koran and
Prophetic quotations. The Sufis pointed to Sufism as the branch of knowledge,
which was intended, some saying that it is the science whereby mankind,