Read, Reason and Learn – It is Your Creator’s Order!

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he present age is an age of information and knowledge. Those nations which have given importance to the acquisition of knowledge and education have excelled the others and progressed in different fields.

What does our Creator and Sustainer say about Education? Come; let us look at His revelation. That is the Holy Qur’an, which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) 1429 years ago. The Qur’an is a book of guidance for the whole of mankind, and is not for any particular community. In such a book Almighty God lays utmost importance to education.               

Look at the first verse which God revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):

Iqra Bismi Rabbikalllazi Khalaq! ... “Read in the name of your Lord, Who created (all that exists). (Who) created man from a clinging substance. Read, and your Lord is most generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not.” (Qur’an 96:1-5).

Yes, the Creator, Who bestowed our body with all facilities, commands us to read, learn, get educated and gain knowledge.

Further, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who has been sent by Him as His last messenger to mankind stressed the importance of education through his preaching. The Prophet (pbuh) said,

“Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon both men and women” (Hadith :……..).

He also said,

“Those parents who educate and up bring one, two or three daughters will be dwellers of paradise (in the life hereafter).”

God Almighty also teaches us a beautiful prayer on education:

“O Lord! Increase me in knowledge!”

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught us to pray:

“O Lord, I ask you to bestow upon me knowledge that is USEFUL.”

In the Holy Qur’an, there are lots of verses inspiring us to study His creations. His signs are spread throughout the universe.

“And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers, not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and hearts (i.e. intellect) that perhaps you would be grateful.” (Qur’an 16:78)

“Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah Sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth; (Here) indeed, are Signs for a people that are wise.” (Qur’an 2:164).

“Then do they not look at the camels – how they are created? And at the sky – how it is raised? And at the mountains – how they are created? And at the earth – how it is spread out? (Qur’an 17:20)

“Do they not see the birds controlled in the atmosphere of the sky? None holds them up except Allah. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.” (Qur’an 16:79)

“And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it. ” (Qur’an 16:66)

And Allah sends down rain from the skies, and gives therewith life to the earth after its death: verily in this is a Sign for those who listen.” (Qur’an 16:65)

Thus, the Creator’s revelation inspires man to study the contents of this vast universe. In fact these revelations, when revealed among the primitive dwellers of Arabia induced them to study the signs of God spread around them. For the first time in the history of mankind, man started to ponder over the universe. This led him to inventions and discoveries in the field of science.

Before 16^th century AD, Europe was plunged in what is known as ‘Dark Ages’ whereas it was the period of renaissance in Arabian countries. The fact that the fundamentals of science and mathematics were formed and developed by the Arab-Muslims was blacked out by the crusaders and colonial forces. The driving force behind this renaissance was the Holy Qur’an. These verses not only made them pioneers in the field of science but also in philosophy, theology, history, geography, etc. Here are a few examples: Avicenna (Ibn Sina), known as father of medical science, was a great philosopher. His Canon of Medicine was the standard medical text in the Islamic World and across Europe for a period more than 600 years until the 17^th century. He was in the habit of completing recitation of the Qur’an once in every three days. Al-Biruni, who made significant breakthroughs as a brilliant philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer, also contributed to history, geography, pharmacy, geology and anthropology. In the 13^th century Andalusian physician Ibn Nafees was the first to correctly describe blood circulation, whereas the same is falsely credited to English Physician William Harvey (of the 16^th century) in our text-books. It is not commonly known that Copernicus relied on work carried out by Arab astronomers many centuries earlier. Many of his diagrams and calculations were taken from manuscripts of the 14^th century Syrian astronomer Ibn-al-Shatir. Newton, known as father of modern optics stood on the works of a giant who lived 700 years ago. That was the Iraqi, Ibn al-Haytham, who is regarded as the world’s first physicist and the father of the modern scientific method. Today, scientific and mathematic terms like Algebra, Alkaline, Algorithm, Almanac, Alchemic, Alcohol, Albumin, etc., bear witness to the fact that they are all of Arabic origin. The Arabic prefix ‘Al’ means ‘The’ in English.

Thus, God Almighty’s revelations stimulated and encouraged original scientific thinking in our ancestors whose fruits mankind in enjoying today. God Almighty not only inspires man to study, but also asks him to reason and research even in matters of faith.

“And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning). (Qur’an 17:36)

He condemns blind following, particularly of ancestors.

“When it is said to them: ‘Follow what Allah hath revealed,’ they say: ‘Nay! We shall follow the ways of our fathers.’ What! Even though their fathers were void of wisdom and guidance?” (Qur’an 2:170)

PURPOSE OF EDUCATION

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eeking knowledge is important. Equally important is the purpose. True learning should lead man to obedience and piety, and not to arrogance. Man’s study about the universe should lead him to the realization about the Creator behind these creations, the purpose for which they are created, and the purpose behind his own existence. The realization that the present universe is a temporary one created for examining him, that he is accountable for his deeds before God, that this universe will be destroyed one day, that there will be a Day of judgement, that depending upon the volume of his good or bad deeds he will be rewarded either by blissful paradise or by punishment at Hell - his final and eternal abodes.

God Almighty mentions about the scholars thus:
“Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding. Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (with the thought): ‘Our Lord! Not for naught Hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire.’” (Qur’an 3: 190, 191)

If man’s pursuit of knowledge does not help him to realize the above facts and thereby improve him morally, then not only is it a waste, but it is harmful to society as well. This is manifest in the world today as we see the superpowers possessing atomic bombs, military and scientific might terrorizing the rest of the world. They cause mass destruction of innocent people, their wealth and health, agriculture and world resources by exploitation of scientific advancements immorally.

We should awaken ourselves to the sober fact that education without morality is actually dangerous to society. God Almighty warns mankind thus:

“Do no mischief on the earth, after it hath been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts): for the Mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who do good.” (Qur’an 7:56)

“Those who reject Allah and hinder (men) from the Path of Allah - for them will We add Penalty to Penalty; for that they used to spread mischief.” (Qur’an 16:88)

They are warned by God that that they will be sternly dealt with and punished with the torment of hell-fire. While fulfilling the basic need for which it is sought, Education should develop the student’s personality in the right manner – while stimulating creativity, scientific thinking, reasoning, etc, it should not ignore the moral development in him. The basic belief that the universe belongs to God - that we are accountable to God for our deeds - should be inculcated in the minds of students through reasoning. Only that will bring up a better, morally sound, generation, which will not be arrogant about their achievements or which will not exploit these achievements to spread mischief and corruption in the world. It will be a generation submitting itself to the Creator and humble itself before Him and working in order to please Him. They will change the world - through their education - into a better place for living life.