Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin al-Abbaad was asked:

Question:

Some students leave studying medicine and engineering and other than it from the colleges and join the Islamic university. Their families are not pleased with that. So is that considered disobedience? What is your advice?

Answer:

“This is not disobedience because if a person goes to seek knowledge, learn the truth, act upon it, and call towards it, then this is desired. However, it is necessary for him along with that to please his family, do good to them, do what it is possible for him to do from the affairs that will please them. As for leaving knowledge due to them, then he does not do that. Rather he continues seeking knowledge. However, he is eager along with that to please them and improve their thoughts [regarding the situation] by any means possible”.

[Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 402]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan