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The question

What is meant by books of logic and philosophy in the discourse of the Shafi'is, and does the ruling on touching books of logic apply to our current reality?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

It was previously explained that philosophy is forbidden. As for logic, it is a tool that protects the mind from error in thought, and its study has become necessary for some sciences, such as Usul (principles of Islamic jurisprudence). Al-Ghazali stated that whoever does not know logic has no trustworthiness in his knowledge. The disagreement is regarding logic mixed with philosophy. As for pure logic, no one prohibits learning it. Among the books that purified logic from philosophy are "Al-Sullam al-Munawraq" and its commentary, and the text "Isagoge". These books are respected, and according to the Shafi'is, it is permissible for a person in a state of minor ritual impurity (muhdith) to touch them. As for cleaning oneself with paper containing logic, it is permissible if the logic is mixed with philosophical contamination and devoid of any mention of Allah.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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