Ignorance is the companion of sins

Verily, ignorance is the greatest reason and the way to the disobedience of Allah, therefore ignorance is often mentioned in the Qur'an and indicating a certain kind of sins.

Therefore, Qatadah (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "The companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) agreed that everything was a means to disobey Allah is a kind of ignorance."

Others said: "Whoever disobeys Allah is an ignorant." Either by having no useful knowledge or acting not according to that knowledge, therefore their description came in the Qur'an as follows: "Do evil in ignorance and foolishness." [Surat An-Nisa': 17]. i.e., ignorance of the status of Allah, or ignorance with Allah's Watch and Observation, or ignorance of aftereffect of sins or ignorance that sins bring about Allah's Wrath; it is an ignorance that leads to disobedience. For example, the Children of Israel said to their Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) when he commanded them to slaughter a cow: "Do you make fun of us?" [Surat Al Baqarah: 67].

So, the response of Moses (peace be upon him) to them was: "I take Allâh's Refuge from being among Al Jâhilûn (the ignorant or the foolish)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 67].

He did not say: I seek refuge in Allah that I be one of the mockers or sarcasts.

Thus, immoral acts and sins are all types of ignorance.

When Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) was seduced by the wife of Al `Aziz and other women to commit adultery, he responded to them saying: "O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me. Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant." [Surat Yusuf: 33].

As for science, it is like the light or guidance which prevent a person against the commitment of illegal and forbidden actions, moreover knowledge is one of the gates of glorifying and revering Allah as it is a key to the doing of righteous deeds.

Our Prophet (peace be upon him) was the most knowledgeable of people with Allah, therefore he was the most god-fearing and most pious. Furthermore, he was the most approaching to Allah, worshipping, beseeching, repentant and asking for Allah's Forgiveness.

No wonder or bizarreness that he was the leader of scholars and the forbearing, and a model to follow for people and the learned.

When a person knows his lord and His Names and Attributes such as to learn that Allah is All-Hearing who hears the bad words a person utters; All-Seer who sees the bad actions of a person; to know that Allah is a witness over all people; All-Watching and Keeper to their actions in a book that cannot slip a tiny thing, for my Lord does not forget or make a mistake. When a person knows this, he shall fear Allah as should, as Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh." [Surat Fatir: 28].

Those scholars knew Allah truly and therefore their fear to Him increased as Ibn Al Qayyim said: "Whoever is more knowledgeable of Allah shall be more god-fearing."

So, whoever is more knowledgeable of Allah shall be more fearing to Him and shall stop committing of sins, and shall be more ready to meet the One whom he fears. This is a proof to the virtue of science for it is incentive to the fear of Allah; and the people who fear him are the people of His Honor as Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Allah Well-Pleased with them, and they with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord." [Surat Al Bayyinah: 8].

When Noah (peace be upon him) asked his Lord to rescue his disbelieving son from drowning in the flood, his Lord blamed, admonished, and warned him to be one of the ignorant, so Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) said: "I admonish you lest you should be one of the ignorant." [Surat Hud: 46].