Question: Some individuals rely upon and study books of al-Fikriyyah (ideological thought) and al-Thaqāfiyyah (educational and cultural sciences) then after that he presumes that he is an ʿĀlim (scholar of the religion) and a Dāʿiyyah (caller to Islām) whilst he is weak in understanding of the religion and he has not studied the books of the Sharīʿah (Divine Legislation). So what is the advice of your eminence for the likes of that person?

The Shaykh Ibn Bāz raḥimahullāh replied:
Knowledge is what Allāh said and what His Messenger said and it is not what so and so, and so and so says. Knowledge is what Allāh said and what His Messenger said, after that is the speech of the people of knowledge (Ahl al-ʿIlm) by which they explain knowledge and clarify it to the people. The people of knowledge (Ahl al-ʿIlm), after the Messengers, are Allāh’s Khulafāʾ (the appointed successors) amongst His servants.

The Mighty and Most High mentions:

شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

Allāh bears witness that Lā ilāha illà Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also bear witness to this); (He is always) maintaining His creation in Justice. Lā ilāha illà Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
[Surah Āli ʿImrān 3:18].

And true knowledge is to have knowledge of Allāh and His religion. He, the Most High, said:

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ

It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allāh.
[Surah Fāṭir 35:28].

And they are the Messengers and their followers (from) the people of al-Baṣāʾir (insight and understanding), the people of religion, the people of truth and the people of the Qurʾān and the Sunnah. So the scholars are the successors of the Messengers and they clarify (the religion) and they direct to Allāh and His religion.

The student of knowledge does not become from the people of knowledge (i.e. scholars) except by learning and contemplating upon the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wasallam) and taking from the scholars of the Sunnah. This is the path of knowledge; that is occupying oneself with being upon obedience, contemplation, comprehension, gaining benefit and that he reads the books which are beneficial for the student of knowledge from the beginning to its end. He should contemplate, comprehend and carefully read that which is difficult for him in the reliable books of al-Tafsīr (exegesis of the Qurʾān), like the Tafsīr of Ibn Kathīr and al-Baghawī and their likes from reliable books of Tafsīr. He concerns himself with the distinguished books of Hadīth and takes knowledge from the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jamāʿah from the people of insight; and not from the scholars of al-Kalām (rhetorical speech and philosophy) and not from the scholars of innovation or the ignoramuses.
So the knowledge that is not from the book of Allāh and Sunnah of His Messenger is not called ʿilm (knowledge) rather it is called Jahl (ignorance). Even though it may be beneficial knowledge concerning the Dunyà (worldly matters); but the intent is (the knowledge) which benefits in the Hereafter, rescues from al-Jahālah (Ignorance of the religion), through it a person gains insight into the religion and acquaints him to what Allāh has obligated upon him and prohibited him from. This is al-ʿIlm al-Sharʿī (the legislated knowledge).