Knowledge unlawful to Muslims
SUBJECTS THAT ARE NOT SACRED KNOWLEDGE
a7.1 (Nawawi:) Having mentioned the categories of Sacred Knowledge the subjects it excludes are those that are unlawful offensive, or impermissible.
a7.2 Unlawful knowledge includes:
(1) learning sorcery (dis: p3), since according to the most reliable position, it is unlawful, as the vast majority of scholars have decisively stated:
(2) philosophy (dis:w10);
(3) magic (Sha`badha, meaning sleight of hand, etc.);
(4) astrology (dis:p41);
(5) the sciences of the materialists (dis:w11).
(6) and anything that is a means to create doubts (n: in eternal truths), Such things vary in their degree of unlawfulness.
a7.3 Offensive knowledge includes such things as post-classical poetry which contains romance and uselessness.
a7.4 Permissible knowledge includes post-classical poetry which does not contain stupidity or anything that is offensive, incites to evil, hinders from good; not yet that which urges one to do good or helps one to do it (n: as the later would be recommended) (ibid., 1.27).