Article 179

The State ought to provide the means of developing knowledge, such as libraries and laboratories, in addition to schools and universities, to enable those who want to continue their research in the various fields of knowledge, like jurisprudence, narrations and *Tafsir*, and thought, medicine, engineering and chemistry, and such as inventions and discoveries and so on. This is done to create an abundance of *Mujtahidun*, outstanding scientists and inventors.

The evidence for the article are the words of the Prophet (saw):

«الإِمَامُ رَاعٌ وَهُوَ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ»

*“The Imam (ruler) is a guardian and he is responsible for his subjects”* (reported by Al-Bukhari from Abdullah Bin Umar), and the principle: *“That, without which the obligation cannot be accomplished, is itself an obligation”*. Libraries, laboratories and the rest of the means of developing knowledge are part of the affairs of the *Ummah* which the *Imam* must govern, and if he falls short he is accounted over it. If the *Ijtihad* in jurisprudence and the creation of inventions which are necessary for the sake of military preparations, are not possible without these means of developing knowledge, then to provide these means becomes an obligation upon the *Khalifah* in accordance with the principle: *“That, without which the obligation cannot be accomplished, is itself an obligation”*. If they help to achieve these goals, and simplify the issue of *Ijtihad* and invention, then they are part of the governing of the affairs which achieve benefits; in which case they would not be obligatory, and so if the State had the finances it would establish them and otherwise not. Due to all of this, the provision of libraries, laboratories and the remaining means to develop knowledge fall under what the *Imam* must provide, or in other words, what falls upon the State to provide.

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