“…..and say O my Lord, increase my knowledge.” [Qur’an, 20: 114]
Knowledge is power, a wealth that only grows, and a source of honor of the highest order. It makes you what you ultimately become and distinguishes you as a sophisticated person of conscience enlightened with values, perspective, mission, direction, and awareness of the environment. It guides your understanding of the relationship with the Creator of the universe, and your exceptional status in it that separates you from the rest. It is critically important to know how we are connected to our Creator and what our place is in this universe in order to fulfill the very purpose of our existence on this planet and retain our eminence.
Allah SWT says that He has created man with dignity and honor and granted him authority over land and waters (and, by extension, in the space), and has elevated him over other creations: “It is a favor that We have honored the children of Adam and granted them control over the land and sea and provided them with pure provisions and exalted them over many of Our creations.” [Q, 17: 70] Admittedly, authority entails responsibility followed by accountability, and can only be exercised adequately with discipline, knowledge and understanding of the task assigned, and the means needed to accomplish it. Let’s be clear, we are not here thoughtlessly nor are we here without purpose: “Did you imagine that We created you in vain and that you would not be brought back to Us (to give an account)?” [Q, 23: 115]
When Allah SWT revealed His plan to the angels to appoint His Vicegerent (Deputy) on earth, they were skeptical and expressed concerns. However, when He finally created Adam and granted him some knowledge which he displayed before the angels, they immediately recognized his status and (by Allah’s command) fell prostrate to him in honor as representative of mankind: “….He (Allah) taught Adam the names of all things…..Then We commanded the angels to bow to Adam. All bowed but Iblis (Satan).” [Q, 2: 30-34] Obviously, the knowledge that Allah SWT communicated to Adam had inspired the angels to accept his elevated status. In some form, that knowledge has also been instilled in human nature as every child is born with gifted knowledge to build on with the potential to rise to the status reserved only for mankind.
Pursuant to that and for continued elevation, we are urged to ask Allah SWT to increase our knowledge: “…..and say O my Lord, increase my knowledge.” [Q, 20: 114] This implies that each individual is born with a stock of knowledge, which can be expanded further for enhanced .understanding of the intricacies of this life and its pursuit with purpose and commitment. Confirming this stipulation, Allah SWT says that He taught man what he did not know: “Taught man what he knew not.” [Q, 96: 5] This refers to the intrinsic knowledge a human child has at birth that other species are not equipped with. In further elaboration, He says that He taught man the Qur’an and how to speak: “The Most Merciful has taught this Qur’an. He it is Who created man and taught him speech.” [Q, 55: 1-4]. Obviously, the art of speaking or the speech does not occur in vacuum. Behind this phenomenal ability is a highly sophisticated and elaborate apparatus comprising of intellectual capability, cognitive functions, information, and thought process that activates the vocal cord, tongue and lips to express the formulated thoughts and views and set in motion a network of inter-communication.
This communication skill is the means for knowledge dissemination, coordination, and moving forward as a society in an integrated manner. Communication is consequential in cultivating human culture and civilizational progress. These means of information gathering and communication are a great favor of Allah SWT, taken for granted, that we often neglect to recognize and seldom care to thank for: “… and He (Allah) gave you the ears and the eyes and the brain, but you are seldom grateful.” [Q, 32: 9]. Without these faculties, one could only make some incoherent noises, like other mammals, absolutely with no meaning or message. For our growth as intelligent humans, the creation of knowledge and its diffusion is essential for which these tools have been exclusively provided and must be deployed with diligence.
Thus, the quest for knowledge in Islam is not an option, rather a necessity and obligation. The Prophet Muhammad SAW says: “Seeking knowledge is obligatory for all Muslim men and women.” (Bukhari and Muslim) Just as human development, civil liberties, and social justice are gender neutral, Islam makes no differentiation between men and women in the field of learning either. Education is equally required for both genders so that each could rise to their given potential. Consistent with this inherent right, the public policy must be devised to provide equal access to academic opportunities without gender discrimination for parity and balanced growth of a knowledge-based society.
Of course, this obligation does not mean that a person must become a research scholar, rocket scientist, sheikh, mufti, or a jurisprudent. However, each Muslim must acquire the basic knowledge to become a well-rounded and well-placed member of the society, plus, more importantly, a practicing Muslim. For this reason, the learning process in Islam begins right at the birth of a child when some adult whispers Adan (call for salat – prayer) in the right ear of the child and Iqama (standing up for salat) in the left. The notion is to metaphorically remind the child early at arrival his/her duties to Allah SWT and that the life on earth must be structured and conducted in the pattern of the daily salat. Primarily, the principles and discipline of salat chart out the road map of a Muslim’s daily life. The learning process needs to continue over the life span of a person as advised to learn from cradle to grave. That is, one is never too young to start learning nor is too old to stop it.
Expressing the urgency of seeking knowledge, the Prophet SAW characterizes it as: a lost treasure of Muslims and that they have a right to it wherever they could find it. (Tirmidhi) They are encouraged to search for it even if they have to journey to distant places. He describes a path to knowledge as a path to Paradise: “He who follows a path in the quest of knowledge, Allah SWT will make the path to Paradise easy for him. The angels lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he does. The inhabitants of heavens and earth and even the fish in the depth of oceans seek forgiveness for him. The superiority of the learned man over the devout worshipper is like that of the full moon to the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham but only that of knowledge; and he who acquires it has in fact acquired an abundant portion.” (Dawud, Tirmidhi)
In the context of knowledge and its significance, there is much discussion among the Islamic scholars surrounding a questionable reference that the ink of a scholar is more sacred than the blood of a martyr. It has some merit, nonetheless. Martyrdom, of course, is the ultimate sacrifice one can offer for a noble cause. Such a person is promised Paradise and is among those close to Allah SWT. Constructive scholarly work, on the other hand, requires a concerted and sustained effort with patience and persistence to enlighten the hearts and minds of the subjects for long term impact and, hopefully, a positive change in their thinking and behavior.
As the learning process needs to begin right away, discipline and education of children becomes the most intricate and challenging responsibility of parents. The Prophet SAW advises: “Muslims! Discipline your children well.” (Tibrani) To underline the critical importance of nurturing the personality and shaping the character of a child, he says: “Whatever a father can provide to his child, the best gift is good education and discipline.” (Mishkat) It must be noted here that discipline requires parents to play a role model of what they wish their children to learn, as education is by imitation and hypocrisy is the worst thing to teach.
Education has been referred to here in a broader sense – it is not discipline-specific. Any education or knowledge that has beneficial impact on life and the society is desirable. Whether the derived benefits are social, medical, economic, or moral, they all are valued in Islam. The study of the Qur’ an, Islamic history, philosophy, mathematics, science, languages, or sociology, for instance, all contribute to the development of an informed and contributing citizen of the society and are included in the educational goals.
But the knowledge that enriches a person intellectually and sharpens his/her vision about this life and its celestial enormity is the top priority in Islam. Thus, the Islamic education precedes all other forms of education and ranks at the very top. The Prophet SAW himself has set this rank order by declaring: “The best among you is one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” (Bukhari) This is simply because the Qur’an lays down the foundation for a conscience-driven-rational thinking and a visionary global perspective about life and its purpose and how to approach it. Its focal point is the Sovereignty of Allah SWT (tawheed) with a thrust to inspire a sense of responsibility and fear of accountability. The sheer awareness of Allah’s Power, Knowledge, and Compassion ignites intense love of Him with a compelling inner-force to obey Him. The conviction in the existence of One Allah and accountability by Him re-shapes a believer’s total outlook.
The Qur’anic teaching takes the front seat is also evident from the practice of the Prophet SAW. As soon as a child was old enough to speak in his family and relatives, the Prophet SAW used to teach the first two verses of sura Al’Furqan to implant early on in the young mind the concept of tawheed: “Exalted is He Who has revealed unto His slave the Qur’an (Furqan – the criterion of right and wrong) that he may be a warner to the people. He to Whom belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, He has chosen no son nor has He any partners in His sovereignty. He has created everything and has determined its measure.” [Q, 25: 1-2]
The Prophet SAW described the mission of his Prophet-hood in just a few words: “I have been appointed to perfect your (morals) akhlaq,” (Bukhari). Comprehensively, akhlaq here is a reference to good manners radiating from living a righteous life and performing noble deeds. He further says:” The best of you is the one who is the best in conduct.” (Bukhari, Muslim, and Tirmidhi) However, a genuine good conduct is not likely to sprout without following the Islamic principles with moral excellence on a day-to-day basis. It is an evolving process built on a series of steps leading to the culmination of the desired behavior. Thus, by the Islamic standards, the referenced good conduct, that supersedes all forms of deeds is, in fact, the essence of sound education rooted in the study of the Qur’an, the Seerah (model life) of the Prophet SAW, and a consistent practice of the Islamic norms. An essential part of good conduct is civic engagement as an informed and enlightened person, vis-a-vis society’s concerns, particularly its moral direction. Community outreach is not a discretionary activity in Islam either – it’s an obligation. The Qur’an says: “O Believers, respond to the call of Allah and His Messenger, when the Messenger calls you (to partake in his mission of reforming the society) to that which will give you life… And guard against that mischief which will not bring punishment in particular to the mischief-makers alone from among you…”.[Q,8: 24-25]. The warning is loud and clear – that is, our own viability as conscientious followers of Islam depends on this civic engagement; otherwise, despite being righteous in own life, we would be counted among those misguided who harm the society with their devious behavior. With knowledge, full awareness, and understanding of society’s issues and its dynamics, we must contribute to its wellbeing, peace and prosperity, safety and security, and, above all, its moral health and direction. After all, in its global vision of humanity, a society, in which humans can co-exist freely with human dignity, respect for life, protection of honor and property, freedom of religion and practice, and justice for all by the universal standards, is paramount in Islam.
Islamic Point of View 