Ruling on studying western theories that go against sharee’ah
Question

                I am a university student. All of my studies are western theories that go against Islam. What is your opinion, knowing that I intend to refute these theories and benefit the Muslim ummah during my studies and after I graduate?
Praise be to Allah. 
          Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen 
          (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked this question, and replied 
          as follows: 
 
          I say that this is undoubtedly jihad 
          for the sake of Allaah, for a person to study these theories that go 
          against Islam in order to refute them from a standpoint of knowledge. 
 
          Hence the Prophet 
          
          (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Mu’aadh, when he 
          sent him to Yemen, “I am sending you to some people from among the People 
          of the Book.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Zakaah, 1395; 
          Muslim, Kitaab al-Eemaan, 29). He told him about them so that 
          he would be prepared to deal with them. Similarly, the scholars who 
          studied these matters, such as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, who studied 
          various branches of knowledge and philosophical issues and the like 
          so that he could refute their proponents. 
 
          If you are studying these matters in 
          order to refute them, and you are confident that you are able to refute 
          them without being affected by them, because you worship Allaah much 
          and fear Him, then I hope in sha Allaah that this will be good for you 
          and of benefit to the Muslims. But if you cannot refute them in a rational 
          manner or with proof, do not follow this route. Similarly if you are 
          not completely certain and deeply convinced, then I advise you to leave 
          these matters alone, for they are dangerous. No one should expose himself 
          to problems when there is the fear that he is not able to tackle them 
          properly.