“….. O my Lord, increase my knowledge.” [Qur’an, 20: 114]
The call for Muslims is to live in this material world with moral excellence, by following the code of Islam, and continuously striving for achieving the highest level of perfection possible. This does not imply, however, that they should shield themselves, for instance, in protected masjid confines against a socially polluted external environment. Such an alienating attitude of indifference toward society amounts to isolationism. It defeats the wisdom behind the challenge of being in this world and disables a person to maximize his potential in a broader context.
Too much insulation and protectionism may render a person vulnerable to the harsh realities of life when exposed to an outside setting, and may even put him in a conceding position. The Prophet Muhammad SAW has expressed his disapproval of such a behavior. Once he noticed a person sitting in a masjid and asked him: “How do you support yourself?” The man replied, “My brother brings me food.” The Prophet said, “Your brother is better than you.” [Bukhari] This emphasizes the importance of confronting the challenges of the real world. To encounter the outside world, filled with a multitude of conflicts and contradictions, is but inevitable. An effective survival in a hostile environment requires, among other things, a broader understanding of the dynamics of the society and its ills, a fully developed defense mechanism for self-protection, and leadership qualities to take new initiatives for redirecting society towards palatable goals. This, in essence, is the recipe for a successful pursuit by a Muslim of his lifetime objectives. As he endeavors to extend the masjid environment to his external surroundings, he is equipped to live a righteous life outside, and he presents an opportunity to others at the same time to reshape theirs.
Remaining in touch with society and contributing toward its well-being is an Islamic duty. Negligence to this obligation is a Qur’anic violation under the principle of collective punishment of Islam: “And guard against the mischief that will not only bring punishment to the mischief mongers among you …” [Q, 8: 25] This refers to those social evils whose baneful effects are not confined only to those addicted to them, but extend to those as well who, even though they might not be indulged in those sins, are willing part of the society. When the collective conscience of the society is weakened to a point whereby immoral practices are not suppressed, and good people adopt a passive attitude and are content with being righteous merely in their own lives, then the entire society is subjected to a scourge that does not distinguish between the nobles and the wicked ones. Muslims are reminded that if they fail to participate in the reformatory task to which they are invited they will embrace Allah’s punishment along with those who commit evils.
Thus, Muslims must actively participate in reshaping society for the better and make this commitment a part of the discipline and personality development of their young generations for sustained progress. Obviously, education plays a major role in this process. In fact, to nobody’s surprise, education is a key priority in Islam. The divine revelation to the Prophet SAW began with the word “Iqra” (read) – the first step in learning and seeking knowledge. The name “Qur’an” given to the divine Book of Islam means “the most read book.” Seeking knowledge allows us to better appreciate the world around us and be more conscious of our actions and reactions. It also helps us become more aware of our spiritual journey and strengthens our bond with Allah SWT. The Prophet SAW has made it binding for his followers to seek knowledge: “Seeking knowledge is obligatory for all Muslim men and women.” [Bukhari, Muslim]
This is a lifetime process, as it is commonly suggested to seek knowledge from cradle to grave. That is, when it comes to learning, one is never too young to start it, nor is too old to stop it. Knowledge is so vital for the intellectual growth and development of an individual that the Prophet SAW encourages us to even undertake the journey for it if needed: Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. People do not gather in the houses of Allah, reciting the book of Allah and studying it together, but that tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will cover them, angels will surround them, and Allah will mention them to those near him.” [Muslim] That is, the knowledge is so precious that accept whatever the cost or hardship this expedition may entail. Scholarly works have a more constructive and lasting impact on the thinking and behavior of people than whatever happens in other fields.
The knowledge has been referred to here in a broad context. Any knowledge that has a beneficial impact on life and society is desirable. Whether the derived benefits are social, medical, or economic, they are all valued by Islam. But the knowledge that enriches a person intellectually and sharpens his vision about this life, his position in this universe, and the relation of this universe to him, occupies the highest place in Islam. Thus, the study of the Qur’an, Islamic History, Mathematics, Science, Economics, or Sociology, all contribute to the development of a well-rounded person ready to become a responsible and productive member of society.
The recent stream of immigrant Muslims from various parts of the world to the US began in the 1960s. Estimated about five million and the followers of the third largest religion in the country, they are now well established and some have their fourth generation growing up. One of their paramount concerns is to preserve their Islamic identity and pass on the Islamic heritage to their children. Islamic identity, according to some, refers to characteristics of thoughts, behavior and attitudes emanating from the Islamic beliefs; and it should be manifested in an Islamic way of life. The practice of Islam gives Muslims a tangible identity that they live with and project to the rest of society. It can be preserved by their active interaction with the realities of the American system of life and influencing and transforming the society through Islamic thoughts.
Towards this end, they have established Muslim communities and built nearly three thousand masajid and Islamic centers in all major population areas of this country over the last four decades. Initially relying on weekend schools for the Islamic education of their children, they turned toward building full-time Islamic schools in the late 1980s. Currently, there are more than three hundred Islamic schools educating about 50,000 Muslim students. They combine the Islamic education and the secular education in their curricula taught in an Islamic environment.
The movement of full-time Islamic schools began by Muslims as an extreme response to their dissatisfaction with public education, which is a culmination of academic, social, and religious considerations. Many people separate religion from the rest of the curriculum. This poses a major issue for Muslims. They realize that science, for instance, merely looks into details and tries to understand what Allah SWT has done in creating this universe. The Qur’an explains the beginning and the end of the universe and establishes relations between man and man, and man and Allah SWT. Science helps man to develop his mind and have a better understanding of the workings of this universe as Allah’s creation. As, Muslims, our educational aim is to develop the personalities of our children to the end so that they will be conscious of their responsibility to Allah SWT and to fellow humans. On the contrary, American society is oriented toward individualism and materialism, and the concept of the Sovereign Creator is beyond the scope. The academic programs for Muslim children must focus on the entirety of Islam as a way of life.
The stereotyping of Muslims, socially and morally detrimental environment, drugs, violence, dating, and safety concerns make many Muslim parents nervous about the behavioral future of their children. Anti-Islamic images and perceived apprehensions against those who look different and practice different religious values are some of the reasons that have precipitated in support for having separate Islamic schools. Muslim teenagers often cite peer pressure, alienation, and ignorance of fellow students about Islam that make their high school experience hard, distracting, challenging, and even hostile to practicing Muslims. Yet, other students, with marginal Islamic backgrounds, resent the restrictions placed on them by Islam. They cave into their desire for assimilation with the mainstream and adopt the lifestyle of their counterparts.
With some exceptions, Islamic schools so far have had marginal to moderate degrees of success. Many of them are barely surviving. Most of them face many obstacles – ranging from finance quandaries to curriculum dilemmas and from a lack of Islamic environment to disciplinary problems. Many parents fear these schools trade off academics for an Islamic environment. There is a lack of certified and licensed teachers. In a cozy atmosphere, the seriousness of students suffers. Parents also feel in a comfort zone by placing their kids in an Islamic school and developing a false delight. Their involvement in Islamic teaching and nurturing of their children further declines.
Educating children under 18 years of age requires a well-organized school system. Unfortunately, organization, planning, and discipline are among the weaknesses of Muslims in general, and it is their institutions that suffer the most. Procedures either are not in place or are simply ignored. Policies and standards relating to staff recruitment, admissions, the integrity of curriculum, teachers’ compensations, checks and balances, equipment, and physical facilities are not coherent. Some schools even use non-Muslim teachers who cannot be expected to adhere to Islamic values. This is contrary to the very purpose of such settings. Some parents worry that Islamic schools offer inferior quality education that will compromise their children’s competitive ability to face the challenges of the modern world. Without quality substance delivered in a pure Islamic environment, merely changing the name to an Islamic school will not alter the end game.
An Islamic School is a complex undertaking for its operational sustainability. The major problem is the density of the Muslim population. In areas where the population is sparse, these schools are not financially viable because of low enrollments and high overheads. Under these demographics, multi-community school is a cost-effective way to proceed. Where a large population exists, fully accredited schools should be built, and staffed by adequately trained Muslim teachers. Local communities must support their Islamic schools make them among the best and equip their graduates with the state-of-the-art knowledge to excel in any career they choose, while, of course, remaining committed to the Islamic code of life and the well-being of the society.
Of course, we must continue initiating more and better Islamic schools to cater to the educational needs of our children with excellence and cost-effectively. They need to be competitive robustly.
The Islamic schools, however, must not be seen as a substitute for public education, rather an option. Negativism against public schools will subdue Muslim resolve to stand up against a flawed system. On the other hand, realistically speaking, we cannot be public school-free in the foreseeable future. Only a tiny fraction (0.01) of Muslim students attend Islamic schools for whatever reason. For the overwhelming majority, public education will remain their only choice. Most families cannot even afford to send their kids to the Islamic Schools. Currently (2025), the average tuition is $10K per child, which is huge compared to zero for public schools. Especially, it is a financial backbreaker for families with multiple children within close range. On the flip side, the schools still run deficits and rely on the philanthropic support of the community.
The public schools are run with tax dollars to which Muslims contribute. When they are paying for the services, why not use them and demand, as citizens, what suits their needs. Work for reforming the system instead of abandoning it. Parents must get involved at various levels of the public education system for gradual modifications consistent with their values. Islamic education begins at home and parents must shoulder that responsibility personally. They should not even entirely depend on Islamic schools for this vital component of their child’s education. Public schools particularly in the suburban areas provide quality education relatively in a safe environment. Muslims must take advantage of such systems of which they foot the bill anyway.
Misinformation about Islam is rampant in public schools. The veneered Western scholars of Islam have engaged in intellectual dishonesty over the past centuries to keep their masses ignorant about Islam and foster animosity in their hearts against its global message. Demagogues have made their careers out of it. Thoughtlessly, the textbooks on social sciences in these schools, for instance, contain stereotypical images of Islam and Muslims. The predicament of Muslim youth is manifold. They spend 6-8 hours a day in a hostile school environment and have to resist temptations that are the norm for many of their peers. Clearly, their imperative is to maintain their moral sanctity. However, combating stereotyping and prejudice against Muslims makes the school experience even more formidable. Muslims have the responsibility to take appropriate action to rectify the status quo. To open non-Muslim minds to Islam and to end the process of distorting young minds against Islam is a challenge that must be addressed head-on.
In a broader context, Muslims reside in this country by choice. Muslims are permitted to live in a non-Muslim land only to introduce people to the Islamic way of life by being able to practice it fully and protecting their children’s Islamic future for the process to continue. If Muslims wish to see their future in this land committed to Islam, they need to proceed with this perspective and raise and educate their children with the same outlook to live a meaningful life with distinction. This will be consistent with the motivation the Prophet SAW inspires for the on-going rewards: “When a person dies his acts come to an end, except for three things: perpetual charity, beneficial knowledge, and pious children who pray for him.” [Muslim] The public schools provide an opportunity for advancing this cause, which must not be missed.
Thus, exactly for the same reasons used by the exponents of Islamic schools, others insist that we must keep our presence in public schools and increase our voice in their functioning. The latter argue that if we turn our back on these schools and give them an open field, partly at our expense, the campaign of creating misconceptions about Islam and Muslims will continue on public school campuses for the worse, subsequently extending to society. Hence, it is strategically astute that we intensify our involvement in reforms in the public school system that we support with our tax dollars. Inevitably, most of our children will depend on it for their future, regardless.
Islamic Point of View 