6. www.understandqur 6
Importance in Islam
أْائ رَي قْائ لا) قَي لَي خَي ذ يِك لَّه لا كَي بِّ رَي مِك سْائ بتاِك1(
) قٍ ع لَي عَي نْائ مِك نَي ستاَي لنِك لا قَي لَي خَي2(أْائ رَي قْائ لا) مُنو رَي كْائ لَي لا كَي بُّك رَي وَي3(
ذ يِك لَّه لامَي لَّه عَيمِك لَي قَي لْائ بتاِك)4(مَي لَّه عَيمْائ لَي متاَي نَي ستاَي لنِك لامْائ لَي عْائ يَي)5(
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
7. www.understandqur 7
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!!!
8. www.understandqur 8
Importance of knowledge in
Islam
–مَي لْائ عِك لْائ لا تنولاُنو أوُنو نَي ذيِك لَّه ولاَي مْائ كُنو نْائ مِك ننولاُنو مَي آ نَي ذيِك لَّه لا هُنو لَّه لال عْائ فَي رْائ يَي
تٍ ع جتاَي رَي دَي
Allah has taught the Prophet pbuh, the
supplication: لماْائ عِك نيِك دْائ زِك بِّ رَي لْائ قُنو وَي
O my Lord! Increase me in knowledge.
10. www.understandqur 10
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.
11. www.understandqur 11
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.
–دْائ قَي فَي ةَي مَي كْائ حِك لْائ لا تَي ؤْائ يُنو نْائ مَي وَي ءُنو شتاَي يَي نْائ مَي ةَي مَي كْائ حِك لْائ لا تيِك ؤْائ يُنو
ثيراِك كَي يراْائ خَي يَي تِك أوُنو
12. www.understandqur 12
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:
– عتاًا نتاف متاًا عل أسائلك إني لاللهم (O Allah! I
ask you for the beneficial
knowledge).
– ينفع ل علم من بك أعنوذ إني لاللهم (O
Allah! I take refuge in You from
13. www.understandqur 13
Classification of (knowledge) in
Islam according to Importance
1. Obligatory ()فرض
2. كفتاية فرض (Obligatory on society)
3. مستحب (Desirable)
4. مبتاح (permissible)
5. مكروه (detested)
6. حرلام (prohibited)
14. www.understandqur 14
1. Obligatory Knowledge
On every Muslim; so that he can live
Islamically. He should know the basics
of:
– Beliefs عقائد
– Worships عبادات
– Dealings معاملت
– Prohibitions which lead to punishments
عقوبات
– Etiquettes of lifeمعاشرت آداب
15. www.understandqur 15
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!!!
16. www.understandqur 16
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
17. www.understandqur 17
Allama Iqbal says:
– Knowledge gives power. This power
should be under Deen. Otherwise it is
pure Satanic. A Muslim must Islamize
his knowledge.
18. www.understandqur 18
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)
19. www.understandqur 19
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.
20. www.understandqur 20
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)
22. www.understandqur 22
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
23. www.understandqur 23
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.
24. www.understandqur 24
Secular Education
– Students are taught Science, maths,
social studiens, politics, history, law,
management, economics, etc. 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.
25. www.understandqur 25
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
26. www.understandqur 26
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
27. www.understandqur 27
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)
مُ عماَما نْاَع لَما ا لُ كُ أْاَع تَما مماَما كَما نَما لنوُ كُ أْاَع يَما وَما نَما عنوُ تَّع مَما تَما يَما رواُ فَما كَما نَما ذيَِني لَّع واَما
مْاَع هُ لَما نو ىً ى ثْاَع مَما رُ نماَّع والَما
28. www.understandqur 28
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!
29. www.understandqur 29
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.
30. www.understandqur 30
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
31. www.understandqur 31
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!
32. www.understandqur 32
A Muslim’s Goal is Ibadah (in
the full sense of the term)
نَِني دوُ بُ عْاَع يَما لَِني لَّع إَِني سَما لنَِني واَما نَّع جَِني لْاَع ا تُ قْاَع لَما خَما مماَما وَما
بِّ رَما هَِني لَّع لَِني ت يَِني مماَما مَما وَما يمايَما حْاَع مَما وَما ك يَِني سُ نُ وَما ت يَِني صالَما نَّع إَِني لْاَع قُ
) نَما ميَِني لَما عماَما لْاَع ا162(
وأحيما أمنوت بماسمك اللهم
33. www.understandqur 33
The Goal is repeated more
than 25 times everyday
) نُ عيَِني تَما سْاَع نَما كَما يماَّع إَِني وَما دُ بُ عْاَع نَما كَما يماَّع إَِني5(
) مَما قيَِني تَما سْاَع مُ لْاَع ا طَما راَما صِّ ال نماَما دَِني هْاَع ا6(
مْاَع هَِني يْاَع لَما عَما تَما مْاَع عَما نْاَع أَما نَما ذيَِني لَّع ا طَما راَما صَِني
) نَما ليِّ ضماَّع ال ولَما مْاَع هَِني يْاَع لَما عَما بَِني ضنوُ غْاَع مَما لْاَع ا رَِني يْاَع غَما7(
– Goal: To do Ibadah and be among the
first group (مْاَع هَِني يْاَع لَما عَما تَما مْاَع عَما نْاَع أَما ) and not
among the last 2.
34. www.understandqur 34
The Goal…
Who are those (مْاَع هَِني يْاَع لَما عَما تَما مْاَع عَما نْاَع أَما ) :
– 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.
35. www.understandqur 35
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.
36. www.understandqur 36
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?
37. www.understandqur 37
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
has happened to Iraq or Afghanistan).
38. www.understandqur 38
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
39. www.understandqur 39
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.
40. www.understandqur 40
Areas of Islamic Education
1. God’s word – Based on revelation –
منقولت
2. God’s world – Using the 3 faculties
Allah gave to each one of us (listening,
watching, and using mind) - معقولت
41. www.understandqur 41
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
42. www.understandqur 42
Comprehensive Education
ALLAH’S WORD ALLAH’S WORLD
DIRECT STUDIES SUPPORTING STUDIES
QURAN (and Hadith)
STUDY
Ayyamillah Allah’s world GOD’S
KINGDOM
HISTORY,
CULTURE
SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY
LAWS,
ECONOMICS
LANGUAGES ARTS
Start everyday with Allah’s word and then let the students
go to study Allah’s world!!!
43. www.understandqur 43
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.
44. www.understandqur 44
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
45. www.understandqur 45
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)
46. www.understandqur 46
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
48. www.understandqur 48
Taleem + Tarbiyah at home too
– Do it at home too. You can’t rely on
school alone
– The parents have to get involved
49. www.understandqur 49
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.