Types of Knowledge According to Ibn Abidin al-Shami (May Allah Have Mercy on Him) A Theoretical Study

أنواع العلم عند ابن عابدين شامي رحمه الله (دراسة نظرية)

Abstract

Praise be to God—Glory be to Him—who enabled me to complete this article, made it easy for me to write, and helped me gather its contents. I hope it achieves its objective for the general benefit. In his book "Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar," Allamah al-Shami (may God have mercy on him) highlighted forty branches of knowledge, which can be categorized into three main sciences. First are the Islamic legal sciences (Sharia sciences) related to divine revelation, also known as the prophetic sciences, such as the Qur'an, Hadith, and jurisprudence (Fiqh). A Muslim's success in this world and the Hereafter depends upon these. True knowledge here does not refer to forbidden fields that contradict Islamic law; rather, it encompasses arts and disciplines that aid in understanding the legal sciences. In this article, I examine both permissible and impermissible sciences, explaining the differences between them and discussing their importance in our lives. These classifications are verified in the light of the Book of God—Glory be to Him—and the Sunnah of the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace).

I pray Allah Almighty to make the benefit of this article enduring and to accept it purely for His honorable sake. May God's blessings and peace be upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.