Education: The missing link

In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the knower of All


“Read and your Lord is Most Honorable, who taught (to write) with the pen, who taught man what he knew not.”  (Qur’an, 96-3-5)



“Only those from amongst His servants who possess knowledge are the ones who fear Allah; surely Allah is Mighty Most Forgiving.”
(Qur’an, 35:28)

Also Anas Radiyallahu ‘anhu related that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: “Seeking of knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim.” (Ibn Majah, graded as Sahih by Shiekh Albani)


I was listening to one of my Profressor, who was teaching us comparative religions, and he brought a wonderful point, and it just penetrated my heart. He said that education has three roles in a culture. It can preserve the culture, it can transfer the culture, and it can transform the culture. Just like other groups, Islam has a culture and for it to survive, education need to be established. On the surface, it could be obivous to some, but it has deep impact on our survival. Education is nothing but acquiring knowledge with its correct understanding. Islamic culture welcomes all other cultures, except when they contradict the Islamic culture.

Of course, there are two type of knowledge that we have. One is revealed knowledge that was revealed by Allah through messengers, and it is the most reliable knowledge, because once we know that it is truly from Allah, it becomes the absolute truth. Other type of knowledge is emperical knowledge that we acheive through our experiences like what we perceive, what we measure, what we observe, etc. Emperical knowledge is less reliable, because there is a chance of error, and we are always revising it.

Both are important. Emperical knowledge will benefit us in this world which is our home till death. It is our obligation to seek the knowledge of this world to benefit ourselves and others. Most importantly, Revealed knowledge will benefit us in this world as well as in the life after death.

As we know that Islam is not a religion but a way of life, and every way of life has a culture, and this way of life can only survive if the education fulfils the above three rules. If one of them are missing, it falls short, and could damage Islam. Usually, when I visit the masjid or listen to "religious" scholars, they are transfering the knowledge. Some of them may be preserving the knowledge, and others may not be preserving it. However, most of them do not transform the knowledge according to the audience and situation.

Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu ‘anhu narrated that The Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: “Whoever seeks a way to acquire knowledge Allah will make easy his way to paradise.” (Trimidhi # 2655)

But, if a Muslim does not seek knowledge, they make it almost impossible for themselves to enter paradise. They will not be aware of the commands of Allah and prohibitions, and will commit sin. On the other hand, if a Muslim seek out knowledge, they are helped by Allah, as mentioned in the above hadith. So, if a person is sincere, why wouldn't they seek out the knowledge. In this case the whole chain is broken, so most of the links are missing.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "... The superiority of the learned over the devout is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave (no monetary inheritance), they leave only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an abundant portion. - Sunan of Abu-Dawood, Hadith 1631


Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “Whoever performs a deed that is not in accordance with our matter will have it rejected.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 18, Number 4266]


Once a Muslim starts to seek knowledge, this knowledge should be preserving Islam by only including what comes from Quran and Sunnah, and it does not include additions in revealed knowledge. If the Islamic culture is preserved in this education, it can survive that generation, and be available for the next generation. It is one of the missing link that prevent Muslims from progressing. Most don't trust the knowledge because it is tainted with innovations, and hence don't seek it.

"Truly, Allah does not remove Sacred Knowledge by taking it out of servants, but rather by taking back the souls of Islamic scholars [in death], until, when He has not left a single scholar, the people take the ignorant as leaders..." (Sahih Bukhari Book of Knowledge Hadith # 100)

Then, this preserved knowledge should be transferred to the next generation, which will ensure the survival  of Islam from generation to generation, and death of scholars will not result in loss of knowledge. This does not happen in the most household where parents are knowledgable. The parents will go to the classes, but they do not sit with their kids and explain them what Allah has commanded, and why we should follow it. This is one of the missing link that prevent Muslims from progressing

“And We have not sent you (Mohammed) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, but most men know not.” (Quran 34:28)

Preserving the knowledge and transferring the knowledge is not enough, because knowledge is useless if not applied in practice. However, the culture, and lifestyles evolve with time and place, and one applicaiton of the knowledge may not work in other circumstances, so knowledge has to be transformed into appropriate applicaiton for the situation. This is where most knowledgable folks slip, and cause damage to Islam. One group is so reluctant to transform that they create incompatible version of Islamic culture that does not work for a certain society, although it is not due to contradiction to basic tenants. Other group transform the knowledge unconditionally to assimilate with the situation so much that Islamic culture loses its foundation and Islam is lost. Correct path is to allow transformation without compromising the fundamentals of Islam. This path is called ijtihad or search for answer.

The saying of the Prophet (saw) when he sent Mu’az as Qadi to Yemen: “By what will you pass judgement?’ He said: By the Book of Allah. The Prophet (saw) said: If you do not find it there? He said: By the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saw) .He said: And if you do not find it ? He said: 'I will exercise my own ijtihad’ He (saw) said: ‘Praise be to Allah who has made the messenger of the Messenger of Allah to accord with what Allah and His Messenger loves.” [Ahmad: 5/230, Abu Dawud:3592, at-Tirmizi:1327]

“Say, my Lord, increase me in Knowledge.” (Qur’an, 20:114)

I would like to end with a personal story. When I was a child, my school, National High School in Karachi, Pakistan, had a logo, which was on our uniform and everywhere else in the school. In this logo, there was a sentence that I really liked. It said, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge". I didn't know that it was part of Quran, because no one really teaches Quran to their kids in our family. We just learned how to read the Arabic, but never go back and read it or taught the meaning. Quran was more like a sacred book that was wrapped in a cloth and stored in a secret location. I used to repeat that sentence all the time, and it just became part of my habbit and it will always at my tongue when I am free. It was catchy, and beautiful, and short.

Also, I was very short in stature, and was afraid to remain a short person, so I will always make two duas. One was to have height of  5 feet 6 inches, and other to have my knowledge increased. Alhamdulilah, both of these duas were accpeted, and my height today is exactly 5 feet 6 inches, and Allah has increased my knowledge in revelations, and my emperical knowledge. I suggest to all my brothers and sisters to make their utmost goal to seek knowledge, and best of the knowledge is revealed knowledge.

If you don't seek knowledge of Islam, you are certainly among the losers. Why not make the intention to find an online school, a book, a teacher, or some other means to start seeking knowledge regularly and consistently. Of course, after you acquire it, apply that knowledge, otherwise it is like the money you earned but never spent.


Jazakallah Khairin

AbuArman Jumani
A seeker of knowledge