(Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)) Quran 96:1

"The first word of the Quran revealed to the Prophet was Read. It was the first divine command in Islam. Before ordaining prayers and fasting, before giving details of the creed and the law to be revealed, God (Allah) said, "Read". The Quran is the only holy book that opens with this word and command. The verse specifies the kind of knowledge to be acquired initially, Read! In the name of your lord, who has created- a knowledge of God, useful and virtuous knowledge. Subsequently, many verses were revealed which command and urge people to acquire knowledge.

( ....O my Lord, advance me in knowledge) Quran 20:114 

(Say: "Travel in the land and see how (Allâh) originated the creation, and then Allâh will bring forth the creation of the Hereafter (i.e. resurrection after death). Verily, Allâh is Able to do all things.") Quran 29:20

(...... Allâh will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allâh is Well-Acquainted with what you do.) Quran 58:11

(....Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?".....) Quran 39:9

The Arabic word of knowledge and its derivatives occur about 850 times in the Quran. God vows by the pen:

(Nûn [These letters (Nûn, etc.) are one of the miracles of the Qur'ân, and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings]. By the pen and by what the (the angels) write (in the Records of men)) Quran 68:1

It is not, however, only theoretical knowledge that is meant; the Quran means all knowledge to lead to action.

(And say (O Muhammad PBUH) "Do deeds! Allâh will see your deeds, and (so will) His Messenger and the believers. And you will be brought back to the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. Then He will inform you of what you used to do.") Quran 9:105

Wherever the Quran mentions the believers, their faith is made to lead to or is associated with work. "Those who believe and do righteous deeds" is a commonly occurring phrase in the Quran. The recurrence of such a combination as faith and work is meant to impress on our minds that no faith can be correct unless combined with work. It is the deeds that reveal intentions of virtue, charity, and obedience.

(Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are the best of creatures) Quran 98:7

Before taking any action, there should be knowledge. Read first; be able to distinguish right from wrong, and know the laws of the world in which you live, before you can claim that you can reform that world. Careful to show us the way, rather than leave us to wild guessing, the Quran establishes a method, namely, to move and examine.

(Say: "Travel in the land and see how (Allâh) originated the creation...) Quran 29:20

Our ancestors combined their knowledge with work, and the combination made a vast contribution to the march of civilization, the key for which being provided by the Quran, Read. It was this key, the first word revealed, that Muhammad (PBUH) was commanded to convey to his nation. We remember the pioneers such as Jabir Ibn Hayyan, in chemistry; Ibn Arabi, in mysticism; and Ibn Al-Haytham, in mathematics and geometry. We remember the innovations of the Andalusian poets and musicians." [1]

Source (edited):

[1] Understanding the Quran A Contemporary Approach by Mostafa Mahmoud