The Study of Modern Subjects
by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian [The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement]
Al-Ahmadiyya, March 1980 Issue (Vol. 2, No. 3, p. 2)
I consider those maulvis [clerics] in error who oppose the study of modern subjects. They do so to cover up their own weakness. They are of the view that research into modern subjects leads to error and alienates a person from Islam. They seem to hold that reason and science are inconsistent with Islam. As they have not the capacity to expose the weakness of philosophy, they seek to cover up their own shortcomings by propounding that it is not permissible to study modern subjects. Their souls tremble before philosophy and prostrate themselves before new research. They have not been bestowed the true philosophy which is born of divine revelation and of which the Holy Quran is full to the brim. This philosophy is bestowed only upon those who prostrate themselves at the threshold of God Almighty with extreme humility and nothingness, whose minds and hearts exclude all arrogance and who, confessing their weakness, affirm humbly that they are the true servants of God.
In the service of the faith and for upholding the Word of Allah, by all means study modern subjects and study them diligently. I must, however, utter the warning that it is within my experience that those who have pursued this study one-sidedly and were so taken up by it that they had no opportunity of keeping company with the righteous, and who did not themselves possess inner divine light, stumbled and turned away from Islam. Instead of subordinating their learning to Islam, they embarked upon the vain effort to subordinate Islam to modern subjects, and in their own estimation they acquired the monopoly of religious and national service. Remember, however, that he alone is capable of performing religious service who is guided by heavenly light.
Source: Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 65–66