Fariq Naik – Acquiring Knowledge from a Non-Muslim Teacher

Assalamu Alaikum, I am Haroon Rashid from Kashmir.

Is it permissible to be a student of

a non-Muslim teacher as far as worldly

knowledge is concerned?

Knowledge can broadly be classified into two categories.

The first is the Islamic knowledge.

The second is the worldly knowledge.

As far as Islamic knowledge is concerned, can

it be acquired from a non-Muslim teacher?

Islamic knowledge should only be acquired from a

Muslim teacher.

Islamic knowledge should not be acquired from a

non-Muslim teacher.

As far as knowledge of the Deen is

concerned, we should only acquire it from a

Muslim teacher.

And we find that it is very prevalent

in today's time that there are non-Muslim

teachers who teach Islam to Muslim students, unfortunately.

Islamic knowledge, we should only acquire it from

Muslim teachers.

And we find in the Western countries, it

is very prevalent when students, they are doing

their masters and their PhD, their guide many

a times is a non-Muslim.

How can you have a guide as a

non-Muslim when you are studying Islam?

And many people, you know, they justify and

they say, no, no, this person is just

my guide.

What is the harm?

Now, if you have a non-Muslim as

your guide, as far as Islamic knowledge is

concerned, you never know it may have a

huge impact on you.

And we find this, that those students who

have passed from universities, Islamic universities, like the

Madinah University, like Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic

University, they do their bachelors from these Islamic

universities.

And later on, they do their masters and

their PhD in the Western countries.

And their guide is a non-Muslim.

And we can see, and we see the

drastic change as far as them practicing Islam

is concerned.

They tend to compromise as far as Islam

is concerned.

Their views change and they become more lenient

as far as practicing Islam is concerned.

Certain people, we see that they study from

Madinah University and while they are studying in

Madinah University, they are so righteous and so

religious.

And immediately after they pass from Madinah University

and after they do their bachelors, they are

so religious and righteous.

And they are so good at practicing Muslims.

But unfortunately, when they go to the Western

countries and they do their masters and their

PhD under a non-Muslim guide, we see

their views change.

And I would like to give you an

example.

If you are writing a thesis on Islamic

banking and there is a subtopic in Islamic

banking regarding interest and you are mentioning regarding

taking a loan from a conventional bank for

your house, a home loan or taking an

educational loan.

Now, if your guide is a non-Muslim,

he may tell you that it is okay

with you taking a home loan from a

conventional bank that is based on interest, an

interest-based loan because it is a requirement,

you require a home.

Many people, they even justify and they say

that as far as education is concerned, you

can take an interest-based loan, unfortunately.

Islam is crystal clear and Allah subhanahu wa

ta'ala clearly says in the glorious Quran

that the one who deals in Riba, it

is as if he is waging a war

with Allah and his messenger.

But yet people, they try to justify and

they find ways in order to make something

that is Haram into Halal and they say

that this is a requirement, unfortunately.

So that's the reason when we are acquiring

Islamic knowledge, we should see to it that

we acquire it from a Muslim teacher.

Even if it be a thesis, yet we

should see to it that we choose a

guide who is a Muslim and what is

the need for choosing a guide who is

a non-Muslim?

A non-Muslim who is a guide, he

is the one who is going to guide

you as far as Tafsir is concerned, he

is the one who is going to guide

you as far as Hadith is concerned, it

is not in accordance to the glorious Quran

and the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad

may peace and blessings be upon him.

So this is as far as Islamic knowledge

is concerned.

The second type of knowledge, it is the

worldly knowledge.

As far as worldly knowledge is concerned, those

can we acquire it from a non-Muslim

teacher.

Those students who are very young and those

who are studying in school in the primary

and pre-primary section, for example in nursery,

junior KG, senior KG etc., they should not

acquire knowledge from a non-Muslim teacher and

why do I say this?

Because when a child is young, he cannot

decipher between right and wrong, for example a

child is 5 years, 6 years etc.

and the teacher may say certain things which

may go against the teachings of Islam and

when a child is very young when he

is studying in school, for him his teacher

is the ultimate, his teacher is next to

God, whatever his teacher tells him, the student

follows it blindly.

So that is the reason if the child

is very young, we should see to it

that this child does not study even worldly

knowledge under a non-Muslim teacher.

Because for example, the teacher may say certain

things which may go against the teachings of

Islam, for example the teacher may say that

interest is very good for the society and

the student may not realize as far as

those students who have crossed the age of

puberty, for example they are 12 years, 13

years, 14 years, 15 years etc., they are

in grade 6, 7, 8 etc., even for

these students it is better that they study

worldly knowledge under a Muslim teacher.

But if they are confident as far as

their deen, as far as their religion is

concerned, then they may study worldly knowledge under

a non-Muslim teacher.

But they should see to it that the

teacher is not misguiding them and is not

teaching anything against the glorious Quran or authentic

teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad may peace

and blessings be upon him.

But I would like to emphasize and say

that even for these students, it is best

that they study Islam under, they study worldly

knowledge under a Muslim teacher.

Now as far as those students who are

in college and in universities, can they acquire

worldly knowledge from a non-Muslim teacher?

The best for those students who are in

college and in universities is that they acquire

worldly knowledge from a Muslim teacher.

But if they are strong as far as

their deen is concerned and if they are

steadfast on the religion of Islam and if

the teacher is not misguiding them and not

teaching anything that goes against the glorious Quran

and authentic teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad

peace be upon him, then a student who

is in college or in a university can

study worldly knowledge under a non-Muslim teacher.

But yet the best is to study worldly

knowledge under a Muslim teacher.

And for those students who are in the

pre-primary or primary section, they cannot decipher

between right and wrong.

So if for example, if there is a

female teacher who wears a skirt and teaches

the students, so the female students, they may

be influenced by the dressing of the teacher

and even they will want to wear skirts,

they will also want to wear skirts.

So many a times we think that oh

it is okay, it is just worldly knowledge,

but we do not realize the impact that

it has on students who are young, especially

on students who study in the primary and

pre-primary section.

So as far as worldly knowledge is concerned,

the best is that it be acquired from

a Muslim teacher.

And our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon

him said, طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ

Seeking knowledge, it is obligatory upon every single

Muslim.

So we should acquire education and knowledge and

we should try to admit our children into

good Islamic schools, schools wherein there is proper

segregation of the genders.

Males have a separate premise and the females

have a separate premise.

So I hope that answers your question.