The Importance of Education in Islam

To seek knowledge is a sacred duty, it is obligatory on every

Muslim, male and female. The first word revealed of the
Qur?an

was

"Iqra"

READ!

Seek

knowledge!

Educate

yourselves! Be educated.
Surah Al-Zumr, ayah 9 reveals: "Are those equal, those
who know and those who do not know?" Surah AlBaqarah, ayah 269 reveals: "Allah grants wisdom to
whom He pleases and to whom wisdom is granted
indeed he receives an overflowing benefit."
Centuries old monarchy, colonialism and the oppressive rule
of their own people have brought about moral and spiritual
degeneration of Muslims throughout the world. To retrieve
them from this degeneration, it?s about time that the Muslim
Ummah restructures its educational priorities along Islamic
lines, fulfilling the existing needs as well. By virtue of such an
educational program, the future generations will become the
torch-bearers of Islamic values and play an effective role in
the present world. The challenges of modern times call for
rebuilding the structure of our educational program on such a
foundation as to fulfil our spiritual as well as temporary
obligations. Today we need an education system which can
produce, what the late Sayyid Abul A?la Mawdudi said,

"Muslim philosopher, Muslim scientist, Muslim economist,

Muslim jurist, Muslim statesman, in brief, Muslim experts in
all fields of knowledge who would reconstruct the social order
in accordance with the tenets of Islam."
The Muslims today are the most humiliated community in the
world. And should they persist in following the same
educational program as given by their colonial masters, they
will not be able to recover themselves from moral and
spiritual decadence.
Ibn Mas?ud (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
the Messenger of Allah (S) said: The position of only
two persons is enviable; the person whom Allah
bestowed wealth empowering him to spend it in the
way of righteousness, and the person whom Allah gave
wisdom with which he adjudges and which he teaches
to others.
According to Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, Ibn Abbas (Allah
be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of
Allah (S) said: A single scholar of religion is more
formidable against shaytaan than a thousand devout
persons.
Islam is our greatest gift. We have to be thankful for this gift.
We have to render to Allah His due. Allah has given us so

much by making us a part of the Ummah of the Prophet

Muhammad (S) so we must totally commit ourselves as
followers of the Prophet (S). We must become true Muslims.
Now how can we become Muslims in the true sense of the
word? First let?s define what a Muslim is. A Muslim is not a
Muslim simply because he?s born one. A Muslim is a
Muslim because he is a follower of Islam, a submitter to
the Will of Allah. We?re Muslim if we consciously and
deliberately accept what has been taught by the Prophet
Muhammad (S) and act accordingly. Otherwise we?re not true
Muslims.
The first and most crucial obligation on us is to acquire
knowledge

and

secondly

to

practice

and

preach

this

knowledge. No man becomes truly a Muslim without knowing

the meaning of Islam, because he becomes a Muslim not
through birth but through knowledge. Unless we come to
know the basic and necessary teachings of the Prophet
Muhammad (S) how can we believe in him, have faith in him,
act according to what he taught? It is impossible for us to be
a Muslim, and at the same time live in a state of ignorance.
It is essential to understand that the greatest gift of Allah ?
for which we are so over whelmed with gratitude ? depends
primarily on knowledge. Without knowledge one can?t truly

receive Allah?s gift of Islam. If our knowledge is little, then

we will constantly run the risk of losing that magnificent gift,
which we have received unless we remain vigilant in our fight
against ignorance.
A person without knowledge is like someone walking along a
track in complete darkness. Most likely his steps will wander
aside and he easily can be deceived by shaytaan. This shows
that our greatest danger lies in our ignorance of Islamic
teachings and in our unawareness of what the Qur?an
teaches and what guidance has been given by the Prophet
(S). But if we are blessed with the light of knowledge we will
be able to see plainly the clear path of Islam at every step of
our lives. We shall also be able to identify and avoid the
dangerous paths of Kufr, Shirk and immorality, which may
cross it. And, whenever a false guide meets us on the way, a
few words with him will quickly establish that he is not a
guide who should be followed.
On this knowledge depends whether our children and we are
true Muslims and remain true Muslims. It is therefore not a
trivial to be neglected. We do not neglect doing whatever is
essential to improve our trades and professions. Because we
know that if we do neglect, we will starve to death and so
lose the precious gift of life. Why then should we be negligent
in acquiring that knowledge on which depends whether we

become Muslims and remain Muslims? Does such negligence

not entail the danger of losing an even more precious gift ?
our Iman? Is not Iman more precious than life itself? Most of
our time and labor is spent on things, which sustain our
physical existence in this life. Why can we not spend even a
tenth part of our time and energy on things, which are
necessary to protect our Iman, which only can sustain us in
the present life and in the life to come? It is not necessary to
study extensively to become a Muslim. We should at least
spend about one hour out of twenty-four hours of the day and
night in acquiring the knowledge of this Deen, the way of life,
the Islam.
Every one of us, young or old, man or woman, should at least
acquire

sufficient

knowledge

to

enable

ourselves

to

understand the essence of the teachings of the Qur?an and

the purpose for which it has been sent down. We should also
be able to understand clearly the mission, which our beloved
Prophet (S) came into this world to fulfil. We should also
recognize the corrupt order and system, which he came to
destroy. We should acquaint ourselves, too, with the way of
life which Allah has ordained for us.
No great amount of time is required to acquire this simple
knowledge. If we truly value Iman, it cannot be too difficult to

find one hour every day to devote for our Iman.

Knowledge is identified in Islam as worship. The acquiring of
knowledge is worship, reading the Qur?an and pondering
upon it is worship, travelling to gain knowledge is worship.
The practice of knowledge is connected with ethics and
morality

with

promoting

virtue

and

combating

vice,

enjoining right and forbidding wrong. This is called in the

Qur?an: amr bil-l ma?ruuf wa nah-y ?ani-l munkar.
Not only should we seek knowledge, but when we learn it, it
becomes obligatory on us to practice it. Though we must
remember that correct knowledge should come before correct
action. Knowledge without action is useless because a learned
person without action will be the worst of creatures on the
Day of Resurrection. Also, action should not be based on blind
imitation for this is not the quality of a thinking, sensible
human being.
Knowledge is pursued and practiced with modesty and
humility and leads to beauty and dignity, freedom and justice.
The main purpose of acquiring knowledge is to bring us closer
to God. It is not simply for the gratification of the mind or the
senses. It is not knowledge for the sake of knowledge or
science for the value of sake. Knowledge accordingly must be

linked with values and goals.

One of the purposes of acquiring knowledge is to gain the
good of this world, not to destroy it through wastage,
arrogance and in the reckless pursuit of higher standards of
material comfort.
Another purpose of knowledge is to spread freedom and
dignity, truth and justice. It is not to gain power and
dominance for its own sake.
Obviously, what we may call the reservoir of knowledge is
deep and profound. It is a vast and open field that is not
limited.
It is impossible for anyone to gain anything more than a
fraction of what there is to know in the short span of one?s
life. We must therefore decide what is most important for us
to know and how to go about acquiring this knowledge.
The

following

ahadith

shows

how

important

and

how

rewarding knowledge is.

"He who acquires knowledge acquires a vast portion."
AND "If anyone going on his way in search of
knowledge, God will, thereby make easy for him the
way to Paradise."

We, the children, are the future. The future lies in our hands,
but only through knowledge because whoever neglects
learning in youth, loses the past and is dead for the future.
May Allah (SWT) give us strength to behave and act just as
He likes us to do and be pleased with us, and that should be
the purpose of our lives. Rabbi zidnee ilma (O Lord,
increase us in knowledge). Aameen.

Some Hadith's on Knowledge

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The seeking
of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim." - Al-Tirmidhi,
Hadith

74

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: One who

treads a path in search of knowledge has his path to Paradise
made

easy

by

God

Riyadh

us-Saleheen,

245

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "A servant of

God will remain standing on the Day of Judgment until he is
questioned about his (time on earth) and how he used it; about
his knowledge and how he utilized it; about his wealth and from
where he acquired it and in what (activities) he spent it; and
about his body and how he used it." - Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 148

The Prophet also said: "Knowledge from which no benefit is

derived is like a treasure out of which nothing is spent in the
cause

of

God."

Al-Tirmidhi,

Hadith

108

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "God, His

angels and all those in Heavens and on Earth, even ants in their
hills and fish in the water, call down blessings on those who
instruct others in beneficial knowledge." - Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 422
The Prophet also said: "Acquire knowledge and impart it to the
people."

Al-Tirmidhi,

Hadith

107

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "If anyone

travels on a road in search of knowledge, God will cause him to
travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their
wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge. The
inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and (even) the fish in
the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. 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