I added...

I added, “Islam does not persuade its followers to learn religious science only, as some claim, but Islam encourages (its followers) to gain every type of knowledge so much so that the religious authorities issued religious decrees that acquiring knowledge of all essential sciences and technologies is obligatory upon everyone in the community unless or until experts in the fields concerned are available in the community, to the extent of self-sufficiency.” I quoted the Holy (may Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Progeny), who said: “It is obligatory for every Muslim, man or woman, to acquire knowledge.”17 In this hadith the Holy Prophet did not limit the learning to any particular field, such as, religion, Qur’an or engineering.

Along the same line, Imam Ali (upon whom be peace) is quoted as saying: “a person is valued for his skills and qualities.”18 The Holy Qur’an precedes both of them and asks: {Can the learned be equal to the ignorant?}19 In other words, those who know the contents of the Holy Qur’an are not equal to those who are ignorant of it.

Similarly, he who possesses the knowledge of medicine cannot be equal to one who is ignorant of medical science, and he who is the master of mathematics is not equal to one who knows nothing of it. Similarly the comparison may go on in respect of the atomic science, history, politics, economy, etc. The doctor, listening to these facts attentively, was impressively surprised.

Then I said to him, “more than that, the Holy Prophet had urged his companions to go about in search of knowledge and wisdom even to the most remote corners of the world, into the depths of seas, and the expanse of the outer space. The Holy Prophet said: “Seek knowledge, even (if it is) in China.”20 “You could imagine,” I told the professor, “how difficult and tiresome it was in those days, to travel from Medina (in today’s Saudi Arabia) to China, and the time it took to go there?

Probably the journey took one year. Besides, there was no trace of religious knowledge and Islamic studies in China. Only the past ancient religious and worldly knowledge were taught over there.” “Is this not,” I asked, “one of the best proofs that Islam was the religion of knowledge and wisdom which encouraged acquiring every knowledge 17 ‘Awali al-Le’ali, vol. 4, p 70; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 1, p 177 18 “Man la-Yahdhuruhul-Faqih”, vol.

4, p 389, hadith # 5834 19 The holy Qur’an: The Throngs (39): 9 20 Wasa’el al-Shi’a, vol.