Muslims need Education
Mu'
meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As
Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy
and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Dear
Mumineen Brother/Sister, I appreciate this posting , but I have one query
here . Why is that all and everyone in Islam is talking about following quran
with all muslim people. Being a follower of Islam everyone is suppose to follow
that, what is needed today for muslims all over the world is knowledge.
Knowledge that we have to mix the worldly knowledge with the deen knowledge. I
have been never heard more than a handful of people to preach among the muslim
about the education. How can anyone accept that with preaching only deen we
will succeed. Mind here I am not against deen . I am a strong believer of Islam
. But what is happening in countries from Afganistan to Bangladesh , from Indo
to mala , in africa . Our people do not have knowledge , they are behind the
masses. Among all the people education is least among our coomunity. Those who
study a little have high hopes. There are good educated people but they are
sidelined. See the situation in Afganistan . Is that what we are looking for.
How many scholarship do we have for
muslim to go and study abroad in places like US and work for there
community. No to none. Arabs are so wealthy but how many try to get knowledge
and lead the world . few may be hundred or thousands. I believe we need to put our house in order . Islam flourished
during 9 to 15 century , because with deen we had latest technology and
knowledge with us. We were the best. We need to try to reach this level . I am
a believer for years we need to work and strengthen ourself . this need to be
done quietly and with sincerity. I am not a believer in making a bang when you
do not have something to support. I have just put my thought and would like to
appologize to all of you if I have hurt anyones feeling.
Regards
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
We could not agree more with what you have said at the
humiliating state of the Muslim Ummah today.
Maybe we have not been able to put our thoughts across in the proper
perspective. When we say that it is
the duty of every muslim today to read, understand and implement the Holy Quran
in his life, we by no means, mean to imply that one should leave the
‘duniya’ and sit in some corner of the mosque.
We have the example of the
Messenger of Allah (saws) and the noble companions in front of us, and they
balanced the deen and duniya perfectly.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:
There is indeed the best model for you to follow, in the Messenger of Allah,
for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers
Allah much.
What we mean to say is that we should not separate the
deen from the duniya, like what has happened to the world today, but rather
start to realize in light of the Quran and Sunnah, who is our Creator, what is
our mission in this transitory world, and what will happen to us when we
ultimately die and return to our Lord.
What we want the believers to realize is that this ‘duniya’ is not a thing
that one should see in isolation, but rather what Islam says: that this duniya is nothing but a first step
towards the Hereafter. Islam basically
takes the believers out of the narrowness of this transitory world, and brings
them to the vastness of life, when linked with the Hereafter.
When one becomes a true believer and fears Allah and the Last Day, and
follows the commandments of the Quran and Sunnah, it is expected that he will
set up a system in this world of justice, honesty, Truth, harmony, peace and
prosperity. Every laborer will work
honestly, and his dues will be paid by his employer with justice. Every professional will strive to deliver
his works perfectly, and will be rewarded accordingly. Every businessman will trade honestly, and
will not try to cheat his customers for some paltry gain if he fears Allah and
the Last Day. Every ruler will rule
over his subjects justly, and fear Allah.
When every believer realizes and understands that he has to stand in
front of his Lord on an Inevitable Day, to give a full accounting of his deeds,
he will deal with everybody honestly and justly. That is the system Islam stands for. And once that system is established, peace, harmony, and
prosperity will automatically follow.
That is the promise of Allah Subhanah in the Quran. And this process can only be started, when
one reforms himself individually first in direct accordance of the Quran, and
consciously fears Allah and the accounting of the Last Day.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 65 Surah Talaq verses
2-3: With this you are admonished, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last
Day. Whoever fears Allah in whatever he
does, Allah shall open for him a way out of the difficulties and shall provide
for him his ‘rizk’ from whence he could little imagine! And whoever trusts Allah Alone, He is enough
for him. Allah brings His Decrees to
fulfillment.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 71 Surah Nuh verses
10-13: (And Noah) said: “Seek forgiveness from your Lord. Indeed He is All Forgiving. He will open the skies and provide for you
in abundance, and will help you with wealth and children, and will create
gardens for you, and bestow on you rivers.
What is the matter with you, that you place not your hopes for dignity
in Allah?”
Allah says describing His Way with prosperity about the
‘People of the Book’ in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 66: Had
they observed the Torah and the Gospel and the other Books which had been sent
down to them by their Lord, We would have given them abundance from above them
and from beneath them.
As long as the muslim Ummah was united and lived their
lives in accordance to the Quran and Sunnah, Allah bestowed upon them honor and
mastery over the world. That is the
time Islam was admired far and wide for its system of government, for its
learning institutions, for its knowledge, and for its justice and peace. But when, in the past couple of centuries,
the muslim rulers and their subjects got so carried away with the wealth and
luxuries of this transitory world, and started de-linking this world from the
Hereafter, and moved away and rebelled against the commandments of the Quran
and Sunnah, and thus the disobedience of Allah; Allah humiliated them and made
them the slaves and imitators of the pagans and their systems!
The Messenger of Allah (saws) prophesized these words of wisdom in an
authentic narration, “ When the believers will fall in love with this world and
hate death; Allah will relieve the enemies of the awe of the muslims, and put
fear of the enemies into the hearts of the believers.”
And Allah is our witness, that is precisely what has
happened!
In the light of the Holy Quran, it is the belief of every believer that
Allah Alone is the Owner of All the Bounty and Treasures of the heavens and the
earth. And it is Allah’s promise that
when we obey, follow, fear and worship Allah, He will increase us in our
prosperity. I realize that this might
sound a bit too far-fetched and impossible … but that is the Promise and Way of
Allah, the All Mighty, All Powerful.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa verse
122: The promise of Allah is true, and who can be truer in his word than Allah?
Yes, we need to increase our knowledge… in deen as well as in
duniya. Yes, we need to set up learning
institutions. Yes, we need to increase
our GDP (gross domestic product) and our PCI (per capita income). Yes, we need to educate ourselves to the
helm. Yes, we need to create
opportunities and jobs and businesses and factories. Yes, we need to unite this broken and divided Ummah.
Brother, this will happen the day we make a commitment to our Lord that
we will reform ourselves first and then our surroundings. And then the help of Allah will come … and
when Allah helps, there is no need for any other helper or supporter! He Alone is sufficient for all our needs.
And it will happen when we put ourselves, first, and then our systems
of governance in order and in line with the guidance of Allah and His Messenger
(saws). It will happen the day we
consciously start fearing Allah and the Last Day. It will happen when the day our government and our rulers fear
Allah and the Last Day. It will happen
we move away from greed, corruption, nepotism and the subjugation of our fellow
human beings.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 11:
Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change
themselves.
If today we establish the learning institutions in competition with the
pagans, and imitate their ‘supposed’ prosperity, without the guidance of Allah
and His Messenger (saws), brother we will miss this ‘duniya’ and also the
Hereafter! The only way to gain
mastery over this world, is implement the Quran and Sunnah in all aspects of
our lives.. individually,
socially, morally, economically and collectively … and then see
how Allah changes the condition of this Ummah.
Thus brother, we absolutely agree with you that we must educate
ourselves thoroughly, but must always keep in mind to keep a good balance
between the knowledge of this duniya with the Hereafter. That is the only way to achieve success in
this world and the Hereafter.
I leave you with the words of wisdom and caution from the Holy Quran Chapter 102 Surah At-Takathur: Your craze for more and more and mutual rivalry for worldly gains, has made you heedless (of the Hereafter); until you reach your graves. By no means! Soon you shall know (the reality)! Again, by no means! Soon you shall know (the reality)! Nay! Had you known with certainty of knowledge (you would not have acted thus.)
You shall certainly see Hell! Again, (note it well)
you shall most certainly see it Then,
on that Day, you shall certainly be called to account for the comforts of this
life.
May Allah help us, guide us, and have mercy on us. May Allah give us the knowledge and the
wisdom to balance this world with the Hereafter. May Allah bless and bestow His Mercy and His Grace on the Ummah
of Islam.
May Allah guide you and us to read and understand the simple and plain
words of the Glorious Quran. May Allah
increase our knowledge from the Holy Quran.
May Allah guide us to the Siraat al Mustaqeem.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and well wisher in Islam,
Burhan