In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
`" Wa’-tasimu bi-Habli-LLahi jamee-‘anw -wa la tafar-raqu.."
“Hold the Rope of Allah.. and be not Divided..!!"
(Glorious Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran, Surah:3, Aayat: 103
●▬Importance Acquring Knowledge▬●
The first surah sent down to Prophet Muhammed (p.b.u.h). it could have been any other sura . It could have been ‘sura Al-Fil’, it could have been
‘Al-Ikhlas’, it could have been ‘just worship your Lord’. But Allah (swt) in His own greatest and manifest wisdom, had it be ‘Read’, to emphasize the importance of knowledge. How beautiful is it that Allah (swt) began with the ‘aql as the gateway to your heart. To understand and love Him rather than blindly believe, submit, and follow without emotion or reason. Furthermore, we can’t correct the ongoing misconceptions of Islam to non-Muslims and Muslims alike, and correct our image in the world today, if we don’t have the knowledge to back ourselves up. "IQRA BISMI RABBIKAL LAZI KHALQ". Read!In the name of your Lord who created (all that exits). Surah Al’Alaq 96:1
IQRA is the first word revealed to our Muhammed (p.b.u.h) from ALLAH swt,which means read, acquire knowledge.As our Muhammed (p.b.u.h) said “Talab ul ilmu farizatun ala kulli muslim".Acquiring knowledge is obligatory on every muslim..Knowledge of Truth and wisdom.And ofcourse which knowledge is grater than the knowledge of Quran
Iqra! The first word sent down to Muhammed (p.b.u.h). I thought to myself, it could have been any other word. It could have been ‘Allah’, it could have been ‘Salam’, it could have been ‘just worship your Lord’. The word “Iqra” has a double meaning . It means “read” and it also means “proclaim.” Furthermore , the very fact that the very first word of the very first revelation is “Iqra” is very significant. It ensures that it remains in the memory of muslims –ie it is easy for people to remember the first verse ; but to remember the 5th or 10th verse is not so easy. The significance for muslims (and all humanity) is that knowledge is light ; during any period of Jahiliya & ignorance , it is only knowledge that can bring people out of darkness. Furthermore , before one can ‘proclaim’ or spread the message , it logically follows that the proclaimer of the message must first ‘read” – ie it is our duty to first acquire the knowledge (ie read) and then spread the knowledge (ie proclaim). The Muhammed (p.b.u.h) also warned about a period when ignorance will prevail :
Sahih Bukhari Hadith Narrated by Anas (RA)
Allah’s Apostle (SAW) said :” From amoung the portents of the Hour are the following
(1) religious knowledge will be taken away (by the death of religious men)
(2) ignorance will prevail
To avert the above and to show the importance of seeking knowledge and spreading knowledge , the Muhammed (p.b.u.h)urged his followers to spread knowledge as much as possible :
Sahih Bukhari Hadith Narrated by Abdullah bin Amr (RA)
The Muhammed (p.b.u.h): “ Convey my teachings to the people even if it were a single sentence”
The Muhammed (p.b.u.h) also enjoined his followers to ‘seek knowledge even if you have to travel to China” and “knowledge is the lost property of the believer”. The Quran challenges the reader to ponder :
S39V9 (Surah Zumar) :….”Say “are those equal , those who know and those who do not know?”
And furthermore , we are encouraged to ask Allah’s (SWT) help in seeking knowledge
S20V114 (Surah Ta-Ha) :”O Allah ! Increase me in knowledge”. Hence , the importance of acquiring knowledge and spreading knowledge is indisputable. Muslims throughout the ages have been motivated & inspired by the numerous verses in the Quran and by the advice of the Muhammed (p.b.u.h). The early Muslims thus heralded the Golden Age of Islam. EARLY MUSLIM’S SUCCESSES THROUGH KNOWLEDGE : in brief
The Quran & Sunnah inspired thousands of scholars to branch out in various fields and in far corners of the world in search of knowledge as well as in spreading the knowledge , in keeping with the concept of “Iqra.” They did this with enthusiasm and became world class experts in various fields such as Medicine , Science , Astronomy , Mathematics & sea-voyages. As a result of this , the Muslims became theSuperpower of the world for more than 800 years. They were world leaders in military & technology and science . Yet they neither abused the power that they acquired , nor did they hold on to this knowledge selfishly . Instead , they used this knowledge for the upliftment of humanity and also shared this knowledge with others. Arabic became the international language of the world in the same way that English , today, is the international language . Modern Universities and institutes of learning together with huge libraries , were established in Cordova, Spain & in Iraq (Baghdad). These institutions gave birth to thousands of students and scholars in various fields of endeavours . Non-Muslim students from the West , specifically learnt Arabic so that they could attend these Muslim Universities , which had the status of the “Harvard’s” , “Cambridge’s” & “Oxfords” of today. Many of these Western students went back to their homelands and plagiarized the Muslim discoveries and cloaked them as personal discoveries. Hence , we find that Sir William Harvey had been credited with the discovery of the blood circulation in 1615, while in fact , the Muslims knew about this 300 years previously. Another example is the discovery of America. History books inform us that Columbus discovered America while in fact , America was discovered by the Spanish & West African (Morroco) Muslims 500 years prior to Columbus’s voyage. Interestingly , Columbus documented in his journal that as he approached the shores of America , he noticed several minarets of Mosques. Two of the Captains of his fleet of ships were in fact Muslim navigators who already had detailed cartographic information on the route to traverse across the great Atlantic Ocean to reach the far distant land of America. There are however , some Non-Muslim writers who acknowledge the important role played by the Muslims :
Bertrand Russel : “The brilliant civilization of Islam flourished from India to Spain while the rest of Western Europe was still in the dark ages”
Napoleon Bonaparte : “ I hope the time is not far off when I shall be able to unite all the wise & educated men of all the countries & establish a uniform regime based on the principles of the Quran which alone are true & which alone can lead men to happiness”
Sir George Bernard Shaw : “If any religion had the chance of ruling over England & Europe , it would be Islam”
The above achievements of the Early Muslims during the Golden Age of Islam , clearly indicate that the Muslims are the intellectual forbearers of the West. Western civilization owes a debt of gratitude to the Muslims , far greater than it can ever imagine. Just as the world benefited from the Islamic Intellectual revolution, so too is the world hungry today for a spiritual revolution and a return to ethics, morality & good conduct. EDUCATING OUR YOUTH
Knowledge is light. The Quran & Sunnah removed the darkness of the world in the days of Jahiliya . Knowledge is enlightenment . The greatest threat to governments and oppressive regimes is a free thinking mind that asks difficult & uncomfortable questions. We have to train our youth to be leaders and to develop thinking skills on a foundation of sound knowledge. There will always be periods in humanity or in various societies where ignorance will prevail ; it is then the duty & responsibility of a few individuals to stand up and seek knowledge and then share this knowledge with everyone :
S14V1 (Surah Ibrahim): “ A Book which We have revealed unto thee , in order that thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light…”
Learning is everyone’s birthright . We need to inculcate the love for learning in our young & old, in male and female , in rich and poor , in black & white , in employer and employee . This love for learning should be entrenched from an early age and should continue throughout life. Matric is not the end of learning , but it is simply the beginning – school should not be viewed as a burden , but rather a joy , privilege , opportunity and a great blessing . Youth is an age of many distractions and temptations and these energies have to be channeled in the right direction :
S30V54 :” Allah is He who created you of weakness , then He appointed after weakness strength, then after strength He appointed weakness and grey hair”
The above verse clearly highlights the age of strength ,namely , the youth. Mankind is at its peak , intellectually and physically , during the age of youth . These energies have to be harnessed otherwise we will be left with a ‘lost generation” ; in the youth of today lies our destiny . Depending on what values we instill in our children today , the future of our community and society will either be a dismal failure or a resounding success. We need to encourage our children to pursue their studies & be world class in their efforts and regain the Golden Age of Islam and the Muslims. Nuclear families of today are having an impact on the lost values of the community . In extended families , the parents & grandparents transmit moral, ethical values , respect and good manners to the children. In contrast , todays youth are trained by the 24 hour babysitter , namely the Television and they learn their manners & language from the TV. Harmony between Qur’an and Science:
Islam is a faith based on the Reality and rational thought not on unscientific myths like many other religions. Allah says; “Soon shall We show them Our signs in the universe and in their own selves, until it becomes clear to them that this Qur’an is indeed the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a witness over everything?” (Qur’an;41:53). The learning of religious sciences go along with learning of other branches of knowledge which include social and physical sciences. Islam encourages reasoning, discussions and dialogue. Allah says: “Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for your Lord knows best who have strayed from His Path and who receive guidance.”(Qur’an;16:125). The Qur’an contains more than 6000 ayaats (‘signs’) out of which more than thousand refer to various subjects of science, such as Astronomy, Physics, Geography, Geology, Oceanology, Biology, Botany, Zoology, Medicine, Physiology, Embryology as well as General Science, mostly un known to humanity at the time. Astronomy:
The creation of the universe by ‘The Big Bang’: “Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder?” (Qur’an;21:30). Initially there was gaseous mass before creation of galaxies: “Moreover, He Comprehended in His design the sky, and it had been (as) smoke: He said to it and to the earth: “Come ye together willingly or unwillingly.” They said: “We do come (together) in willing obedience.”(Qur’an;41:11). The shape of earth; “And the earth, moreover, hath He made egg shaped.” (Qur’an;79:30). Moon has reflected light and sun has its own light; “And (who) made the moon a light (nur, reflected light) in their midst and made the sun as a (Glorious)Lamp(siraja-own light).(Qur’an;71:16). The Sun Rotates:” It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: All (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.” (Qur’an;21:33). “It is not permitted to the sun to catch up the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day: Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).” (Qur’an;36:40). The other examples are: The sun will extinguish;(Qur’an;36:38,13:2). The expanding nature of universe; (Qur’an;51:47). Nuclear Science: Atoms can be divided;(Qur’an;10:61). Geology: Mountains are like tent pegs firmly fixed providing stability; (Qur’an;78:6-7,21:31,79:32). Oceanology: Darkness in depths of ocean; (Qur’an;24:40). General Science: The water cycle;(Qur’an;39:21, 30:24,23:18). Botany: Plants & Fruits have male and female; (Qur’an;20:53, 13:3). Zoology: The bee and its skills; (Qur’an;16:68-69). Lifestyle and communication of ants; (Qur’an;27:17-18). Honey has healing for humankind; (Qur’an;16:69). Biology: Creation of man from water;(Qur’an;25:54). Creation of living being;“ We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” (Qur’an;21:30). Importance of fingerprints: (Qur’an;75:3-4) and the existence of pain receptors in the skin: (Qur’an;4:56). Embryology: Embryological stages; (Qur’an;23:12-14, 75:37-39,82:7-8). Embryo partly formed and partly unformed; (Qur’an;22:5). First sense of hearing developed then sense of sight; (Qur’an;32:9,23:78). Sex determination factor for child; (Qur’an;53:45-46,75:37-39). o Muslim World is failing So why???????? DISTRACTIONS
There are 3 major sources of distractions that prevent our youth from acquiring knowledge. These 3 sources are prevalent on a local level as well as on a global level :
(a) entertainment
(b) War
(c) Poverty
Today’s youth are influenced by many more entertaining distractions that were not available 1-2 decades ago. The youth of today has to divide his/her time between television , video’s, cinema’s, shopping malls, cars, fashion trends, cell phones, dating , Video-Games , Internet and interactive TV. There is ‘so much to do , so little time.” Life becomes a treadmill and there simply isn’t the time to study or read or acquire knowledge . Hence , the youth of today is very ‘techno-savvy” –very knowledgeable regarding modern technology , but is actually illiterate when it comes to knowledge about the Deen or about morality , ethics, character & spirituality. This is the modern version of the age of Jahiliya – a new age of ignorance – ignorance about the Deen. War in communities usually occurs between leaders or prominent personalities in the community over difference in interpretation of Fiqh or Shariah or on optional matters. These differences split the community and the youth (& new reverts ) become confusedby all the fuss because the ‘leaders’ themselves are not good role models. CONCLUSION
Islam established the right of intellectual freedom for both men and women. As long as Islam preserved its immaculate character, it proved itself to be the main defender and promoter of knowledge and civilization and the ardent ally of intellectual liberty. The moment extraneous elements attached themselves to it, it lagged behind in the race of progress. The great tragedy of Muslim history occurred over five centuries ago, when the study of Islamic sciences was separated from the other branches of knowledge in the Islamic learning institutions, considering it be evil and against the spirit of Islam. The women were discouraged to acquire knowledge. The Ottomans and Mughal empires also ignored to concentrate on acquisition of scientific knowledge. Islam is a faith based on the Reality and rational thought not on unscientific myths like many other religions. Islam advocates to maintain balance between the life of this world and struggle for the reward in hereafter, thus asceticism and monasticism is not part of Islam. The blending of religious and other knowledge at lower and middle levels prior to separation at higher lever for specialization in a particular discipline, would broaden the vision and provide adequate depth to the students of religious and other sciences. This will enable the Muslims to regain the lost leadership, prestige and respect. Education is the best gift that a parent can give to his/her child. Our youth is our future . Each and everyone of us has the responsibility to ensure that the community that we live in , looks after its youth and inculcates in them the love for knowledge , development of sound character & sound values , enjoining the good & forbidding the wrong , looking after the widow and the orphan and be sterling examples of the strength & vigour of youth. Distractions are many. Fashions are forever changing. But the one steady , consistent , rock solid , timeless Message , is the Message of the Quran & the Sunnah. By holding firm to the Message , mankind will always find the Straight Path. The greatest disservice we do to the Qur’an is to keep it in velvet chambers on our shelves and regard it as an ‘ancient text.” The Qur’an is timeless – it is prevalent for all time : it is in fact the Book of the Future , the most modern text with a universal message for all humanity for all time to come. The Golden Age of Islam can berejuvenated again . Islam can once again be the moral force that leads mankind out of degradation and despair into hope and contentment by its transformational Eternal Message. There is only one pre-condition for this :
Verily, never will Allah (SWT) change a condition of a people unless they change it themselves , with their souls. May Allah (SWT) Guide us and our youth to the Straight Path .
