Religion-Based Classification of Knowledge Based on the Hadith, Knowledge is of three Kinds: Firm Sigh, Just Duty, and Established Practice

Arranging a pattern for evaluation and optimizing the present status of knowledge is a way to fulfill the requirements and complexities of human society and the present problems of the country; and since any classification has a theoretical basis and philosophical foundation, it is therefore formed on the theoretical basis of a certain school. Thus, the necessity of drawing an outline based on religious thinking turns to be an indisputable issue; because the Westerners’ classification does not provide for the ultimate goals of religious civilization and reliance on old patterns do not solve any problems, they follow the scholars’ intellectual methods more than anything else and reflect their typical attitudes and worldviews, and sometimes they follow the historical conditions of knowledge, social and cultural incidents, etc. Therefore, we intend to present an overview on a classification based on religious traditions. In this respect, one tradition is of special importance and considerable popularity among the two sects, about which various interpretations have been presented. Despite the fact that the majority of scholars – regardless of their profound disagreement in the interpretation of this hadith – consider it to be intended to delimit the Islamic knowledge, Imam Khomeini generalized it to non-religious knowledge, as well. This article is briefly touching upon his approach to this hadith.