In the name of Allah Most Beneficent Most
In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful Concept of Education in Islam Dr. Abdulazeez Abdulraheem www. understandquran. com 1
Importance of Education – Allah says: (78) ﺍﻟ ﻭ ﺍ ﻻ ﻭ ﺋ ﺍﻟ ﺍﻷﺍ ﺍﻷ ﻭ – Here the faculties mean the use of hearing (collecting info), seeing (observation), and thinking (deriving new results). – Whichever group excels in using it becomes the leader, especially when Muslims do not follow Islam. www. understandquran. com 2
Importance of Education Difference between a Muslim and a non. Muslim and/or Kafir is in two areas: – Knowledge; and – Action www. understandquran. com 3
Knowledge – attribute of Allah. (‘Aleem) – ﻳ ﺍﻳ ﺍﻳ www. understandquran. com –ﺍ ﻻ ﺍ ﺍ 4
The only source – Allah (ayatal-Kursi) ﻻ ﺍﺍ www. understandquran. com ﻻ ﻳﻭ 5
Importance in Islam (1) ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻱ (5) ( ﺍﻹﻧﺍ ﺍ 4) ( ﺍﻱ ﺍ 3) ( ﺍ ﺍﻷ 2) ﺍﻹﻧﺍ 5 words (on learning) in the first 5 verses Revealed in an age which was not information age In a society of Ummiy-yoon where extremely few knew how to read and write The Prophet himself was Ummi www. understandquran. com 6
Reading Mentioned Twice in the First 5 Verses!!! – It emphasizes that we should be real and prolific readers. The tragedy is that when it comes to Qur’an: – They (the others) read to learn; and – We learn to read (and stop there). We don’t try to understand the Qur’an!!! www. understandquran. com 7
Importance of knowledge in Islam – ﺍﻟ ﺍﻳ آﻭﺍ ﺍﻳ ﻭﻭﺍ ﺍ ﺍ Allah has taught the Prophet pbuh, the supplication: ﻱ ﻣ O my Lord! Increase me in knowledge. www. understandquran. com 8
Prophet’s role The Prophet pbuh said: ( ﺇﻧﻤﺎ ﺑﻌﺜﺖ ﻣﻌﻠﺍ I am sent as a teacher. ) Allah says: ﺍﻱ ﻱ ﺍﻷ ﻳ ﻭﻻ ﻭ آﺍ ﻳ ﺍﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻭﺍ ﻱ ﻻ ﻳ www. understandquran. com 9
Prophet’s roles – The Comprehensive Education The verse mentions 4 roles: • Recite the verses • Do Tazkiah: Purify their lives (from negatives) and enhance good qualities • Teach them the Book • Teach them the Hikmak The above 4 are the real areas of education in Islam. It is not just delivering information. www. understandquran. com 10
Information or knowledge or much more… – Our condition: “We are drowning in information and starving for knowledge. ” – Hikmah is an abundant and huge gift of Allah. It shows us how to use the knowledge. – ﻱ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍ ﻭ ﺭ ﻳﺮ www. understandquran. com 11
Types of (knowledge) There are only 2 types of knowledge in Islam: 1. Beneficial; and 2. Not beneficial Note the supplications of the Prophet pbuh: – ( ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺇﻧﻲ ﺃﺴﺌﻠﻚ ﻋﻠﺍ ﻧﺎﻓﺍ O Allah! I ask you for the beneficial knowledge). – ( ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺇﻧﻲ ﺃﻌﻮﺫ ﺑﻚ ﻣﻦ ﻋﻠﻢ ﻻ ﻳﻨﻔﻊ O Allah! I take refuge in You from useless knowledge). www. understandquran. com 12
Classification of (knowledge) in Islam according to Importance 1. Obligatory ( )ﻓﺮﺽ 2. ( ﻓﺮﺽ ﻛﻔﺎﻳﺔ Obligatory on society) 3. ( ﻣﺴﺘﺤﺐ Desirable) 4. ( ﻣﺒﺎﺡ permissible) 5. ( ﻣﻜﺮﻭﻩ detested) 6. ( ﺣﺮﺍﻡ prohibited) www. understandquran. com 13
1. Obligatory Knowledge On every Muslim; so that he can live Islamically. He should know the basics of: – Beliefs ﻋﻘﺎﺋﺪ – Worships ﻋﺒﺎﺩﺍﺕ – Dealings ﻣﻌﺎﻣﻼﺕ – Prohibitions which lead to punishments ﻋﻘﻮﺑﺎﺕ – Etiquettes of life آﺪﺍﺏ ﻣﻌﺎﺷﺮﺕ – Purification of heart ﻗﻠﺐ www. understandquran. com 14
2. Fard Kifayah In every locality, there has to be a group which knows these areas otherwise the whole society will be a sinner. These are of Two types. Those which are: – Means to know obligatory knowledge (Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, Arabic, . . ). If we know Qur’an, we can know our creed… – Essential for a human society to excel others (Science, Technology, Economics, Business, Administration, Media…). Our focus is here, missing the first one!!! www. understandquran. com 15
Goal of Education in Islam – Not just to learn for the sake of learning – The goal should not to be left on children. They are too young to come up with one. You have to help them. – If you don’t specify the goal, they will make some mean or cheap goals www. understandquran. com 16
Allama Iqbal says: – Knowledge gives power. This power should be under Deen. Otherwise it is pure Satanic. A Muslim must Islamize his knowledge. www. understandquran. com 17
The Islamic Objectives 1. To produce individuals who believe firmly in the individual and collective system of Islam. To protect, practice, and promote it. 2. To help in knowing Allah and the ways to please Him using latest means at his disposal (as a Khalifah). 3. To develop morals by following the Prophet pbuh (Ta’leem + Tazkiah + Himkmah) www. understandquran. com 18
The Islamic Objectives (Contd. ) 4. Live a balanced life (spiritual vs material; self vs society; spending vs saving; avoiding extremes) 5. To be expert in one’s own field 6. To have a vision and a mission along with discipline … within the limits given by Allah. www. understandquran. com 19
Develop the Educational System Yourself – No nation can survive by copying the Educational system of others – Russians had developed their own after communist revolution. – Even in science, there are facts and interpretations – Interpretation depends upon culture (Ex: Water; Species) www. understandquran. com 20
Current Situation We have two streams of education • Deeni / Madrassa Education • Secular / School Education www. understandquran. com 21
Deeni / Madrassa Education. – Mostly out-of-date with current situation – Originally designed for producing civil servants (in Muslim rule); that is why living in India, you don’t find any syllabus for Dawah; or how to live and interact with others in a multi-cultural society; – Generates 1000’s of Huffaz but not even 1% know what they have memorized! – Yes, their contribution is immense. Especially in the absence of any www. understandquran. com alternative 22
Secular / School Education – Has no link with Islamic education. – A subject (on Islamic Studies) is there but it is confined mostly to beliefs, worship, and morals. – Nothing to do with the concept of knowledge. Nothing to relate oneself with other subjects. www. understandquran. com 23
Secular Education – Students are taught Science, maths, social studiens, politics, history, law, management, economics, etc. but no where do you see any Islamic perspective. – The one who has money and positions is the successful one (Media, culture) – Result: The whole life is built along non. Islamic lines. www. understandquran. com 24
Current Status – For masses (of students), this is what we have – So, we need to work more to save our generation – Especially in the light of TV/Internet and media onslaught against Islam and Muslims www. understandquran. com 25
Akbar Ilahabadi said (Urdu) Yon qatl se bachchon ke wo badnaam na hota Afsoos ke fir’oun ko college ki na soojhi – Pisr mein bu aaye kyonkar … – Doodh hai dabbey ka aur taleem hai sarkar ki www. understandquran. com 26
95% of our Students Study in Schools – Do they have a goal of life? It is not a philosophical question. – After spending 15, 20 years in education, if a Muslim does not know his goal, it is a disaster!!! – Not just eat, live, and produce children (just as animals do) ﺍﻳ ﻭﺍ ﻭ ﻭ ﺍ ﺍﻷﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﻯ www. understandquran. com 27
Without Goal!!! – If our educated, leader, cream class does not have a goal, forget about others. It is a sign of a dying millat. – Especially so because this millat is not based on caste, color, race, or state. If it looses goal, … forget the future! www. understandquran. com 28
Secular Education Prepares Atheists & Materialistic Persons! Examples: – Science: Anomalous expansion of water. Not taught: The One Who created sea creatures created water. This is not automatic. – History: Egyptology, the most imp. subject. Not taught: Why Moosa (A) is mentioned most in the Qur’an. – Economics: Not taught: You don’t have to rely on interest. www. understandquran. com 29
When I graduated and went to the University library… I could hardly find books written by Muslims (in almost all sciences). I could not understand the role of Islam in history until I read: – “Islam and the World” by Ml. Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi – “Islam and Science” by Ml. Waheeduddin Khan – “Hijab” and “Al-Jihad fil Islam” by Ml. Maudoodi www. understandquran. com 30
My Goal then was… – Just to survive or have a good life. – As far as my role as a Muslim is concerned: It was limited to praying Namaz / Salah. – With time it improved to serve Muslims. – Now I know that it should be to serve humanity, not just Muslims. This is the way to serve Islam. – But this teaching simply does not exist in our educational system! www. understandquran. com 31
A Muslim’s Goal is Ibadah (in the full sense of the term) ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻹﻧ ﻻ ﻭ (162) ﺍﺍﻳ ﻻﻱ ﻱ ﺍﻱ ﺍﻱ ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺑﺎﺳﻤﻚ ﺃﻤﻮﺕ ﻭﺃﺤﻴﺎ www. understandquran. com 32
The Goal is repeated more than 25 times everyday ( 5) ﺍ ﺍ ﻳ (6) ﺍﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﺍﻳ (7) ﺍﻭ ﻻ ﺍﻟ ﺍﻳ – Goal: To do Ibadah and be among the first group ( ) and not among the last 2. www. understandquran. com 33
The Goal… Who are those ( ) : – Prophets, Truthful, Martyrs, and Righteous Let us just take the first group (Prophets) and the top among them. Muhammad pbuh. He followed Allah’s will and became the Most Successful (a/c to non-Muslims) He achieved peace and happiness (the ultimate goal) too. www. understandquran. com 34
To achieve that goal… – Do our students ever bother to explore his Seerah in detail (his faith, his worshipping style, his time management, his attitude, his confidence, his relationship with others, ) – Nobody tells them, nor prepares them, nor reminds them, nor gives them a plan, nor follows up their progress on this path. www. understandquran. com 35
The Problem – We shoot directly into Aakhirah only – i. e. , Pray Salah and you will be rewarded in Aakhirah – But Salah has to do with TODAY’S work too. – The 5 prayers (+Qur’an study etc) do not consume even 2 to 3 hours. – What about the rest of the day? Is it confined to only behaving well with others? www. understandquran. com 36
Imagine … – A Muslim country of an-‘amta ‘alayhim: – All Da’ees but beggars in every other area. No doctors, no engineers, no technicians, no nurses, no businessmen, no economists, …. All these are either Chrisitians, Hindus, or Buddhists… – And when some outside power is unhappy, you can expect a boycott or an attack which may kill millions (as happened to Iraq or Afghanistan). www. understandquran. com 37
Imagine another case: – A country/ society with a team of good Muslims and Da’ees – They have doctors, researchers, inventors, scientists, engineers, technocrats, economists, businessmen, managers, and all other experts. – Each group having very clear about its vision and mission as a Muslim; – Excellent interaction between them. Don’t you think Allah wants such a society for true Khilafah! www. understandquran. com 38
What after Salah? – Whatever you do… counts towards becoming excellent in your field. – Towards forming that excellent team. – So, for a student, he has to perform best in studies (with the right intention) – He reaches there step by step; day by day’s work. – He behaves best with parents, teachers, friends, etc. – Uses his time to optimum use. www. understandquran. com 39
Areas of Islamic Education 1. God’s word – Based on revelation – ﻣﻨﻘﻮﻻﺕ 2. God’s world – Using the 3 faculties Allah gave to each one of us (listening, watching, and using mind) - ﻣﻌﻘﻮﻻﺕ www. understandquran. com 40
Comprehensive Education Allah’s Word (Direct studies) Allah’s World (Supporting studies) To live in Allah’s WORLD and handle it according to Allah’s WORD… to become true Khalifah… to get HIS PLEASURE www. understandquran. com 41
Comprehensive Education Start everyday with Allah’s word and then let the students go to study Allah’s world!!! ALLAH’S WORD ALLAH’S WORLD DIRECT STUDIES SUPPORTING STUDIES QURAN (and Hadith) STUDY Ayyamill Allah’s world ah GOD’S KINGDOM HISTOR SCIENCE, LAWS, Y, TECHNOLOG ECONOMICS CULTUR Y E www. understandquran. com 42
Important Features Islamic Education - 1 – No division between religious and secular. – Up to high school, same syllabus for everyone – All essential subjects will be taught. – Supporting subjects (Maths, Sciences, etc. ) will be taught in the spirit of Islam. – A student will look at this world with Islamic vision. www. understandquran. com 43
Important Features Islamic Education - 2 After high school, education for Specialists in – Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, History – Tarbiyah, Dawah, – Islamic Social sciences – Islamic Philosophies – Comparative religion – Islamic Economists www. understandquran. com 44
Current Reality – No such system exists (in secular and most Muslim countries) – Islamic Studies is just one subject in our schools – It is the Most neglected, abused, and last in priority – No supervision or follow up for it – Most importantly – Qur’an is missing! (except for rote memorization of few Surahs and their translation passages) www. understandquran. com 45
If we keep Islam as … – If we keep it as the lowest priority – Our children will treat Islam as the lowest priority when they grow up www. understandquran. com 46
Islamic Education A responsibility on every one • School • Masjid • Home • Neighbors/elders/society • … www. understandquran. com 47
Taleem + Tarbiyah at home too – Do it at home too. You can’t rely on school alone – The parents have to get involved www. understandquran. com 48
An Appeal – Try to get understanding of the Qur’an teaching into curriculum of your school too. It is the most important subject. – Almost no school, even Muslim schools teach it to the full. – A high school graduate should be able to understand the full Qur’an and listen to at least a big book on Hadith (like Riyadhus-saliheen or Bulooghul Maraam). – It needs only 200 hours of teaching for adults and around 300 or little more for students. Visit www. understandquran. com for details. www. understandquran. com 49
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