Similar in meaning is when prophet Muhammad was asked by a...

Similar in meaning is when prophet Muhammad was asked by a Bedouin about the appointment of judgment day saying,” When will The Hour be ?" The prophet replied to him, "What have you prepared for it?” The man said, "The love of Allah and His Messenger." The Prophet replied, "You will be with those whom you love"" (Al-Qarnee, 2000, pgs.19-22).

We’ll mention three points of benefit from this hadeeth: one of prophet Muhammad’s teaching techniques when responding to questions, was to direct the questioner to the more beneficial question they should be asking as seen here (Al-Shareef, 2010).

The second point that the ulamaa have commented on, is that knowing how to ask the appropriate question at the appropriate time is “half of all knowledge” (not literally, but just to emphasize the point) (Mekki, personal correspondence, April 10, 2010).

The third benefit that the ulamaa have highlighted is the importance of good company since one will be with those whom he loves in the afterlife, for good or bad (Mekki, personal correspondence, April 10, 2010); this is of importance for the discussion on peer influence to come.

Nonetheless, the Islamic perspective of knowledge is that Allah has made available the two types of knowledge that can be of benefit to us (if we use them to improve society), revelation and the ability to use our senses to gain empirical knowledge. I’ll elaborate on the former, then the latter.

In Islam, acquisition of knowledge (‘ilm)-the two types that can be known being that gained through revelation and that gained through the senses-is justified and directed by the provision that all knowledge gained be used in worship of the creator (Halstead, 2004, p.520) (worship being widely defined as anything that pleases God as outlined in the Qur’an and Sunnah, from fasting to sexual relations with one’s wife (Muslim vol. 2A, p.187).

As God commands in the Qur’an, “Say (Oh Muhammad) undoubtedly, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists) (Qur’an, 6:162). Accordingly, the most important type of knowledge in Islam is theological, meaning understanding the will and nature of Allah through the Qur’an and Sunnah so that one may live by it (Uthaymeen, 2004).

Only after a theological foundation would an individual know how to live their life Islamically (meaning proper moral conduct) no matter what field or practice they went into professionally.