Irfan Khan 2020-2533

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IN THE LIGHT OF ISLAM

Education comes from Latin word “educare, educere or educatum” which means to lead pupils
or to draw out there latent talents. The word “educare” also means rearing where “educere”
means to bring out and “educatum” means to practice.
There are two main explanations for the importance of education. Man becomes a right thinker
as a result of his education. No one can think properly in an acceptable way without education.
It instructs man on how to think and make decisions. The second explanation for education's
value is that it is only through education that man is able to obtain knowledge from the outside
world.

EDUCATION IN THE LIGHT OF QURAN and HADITH

“And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them, a
party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound
knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to
them, so that they may guard themselves against evil”.(Surah Tubah(
Education is the core basis of human being that gives satisfaction and saves him from
destruction. Islam is the only religion which first verse of the Holy Scripture, Al Qur‟ânwas
revealed with the instruction of education. The first word “Iqra” is a command that means
„read‟ in Arabic, and that implies the concepts of „learning‟, „exploring‟ and „seeking
enlightenment‟. Allâh says:

"Read! In the Name of your Lord who has created (all that exists). He has created
man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the
Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that
which he knew not.”(Surah Alaq)

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged all Muslims to acquire knowledge and share it. He
said:
"Acquire knowledge, for he who acquires it in the way of Allah performs an act of piety; he who
speaks of it, praises the Lord; he who seeks it, adores Allah; he who dispenses instruction in it,
 Irfan Khan 2020-2533

bestows alms; and he who imparts it to others, performs an act of devotion to Allah." (Bukhari,
Muslim)

The following Hadith shows how important and how rewarding knowledge is: Abu Hurairah (R)
narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUP) said,
“He who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allâh will make that path easy,
leading to Paradise for him and those persons who assemble in one of the houses
of Allâh (mosques), recite the Book of Allâh and learn and teach the Qur’ân
(among themselves). There will descend upon them tranquility, mercy will cover
them, the angels will surround them and Allâh will mention them in the presence of
those near Him. He who is slow-paced in doing good deeds, his (long) descent does
not make him go ahead.”

Prophet Muhammad (s.m) said:

“Seeking knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim”

Which type of Education allowed in islam?

The Quran has specifically talked about science,

“In the creation of the heavens and the earth the alternation of the night and the day, in the ships
that sail in the sea with their load…. in the rain which Allah sends down from the sky and thus
revives the earth after its death; and then He spread in all kinds of animals; in the changing of the
winds: in the clouds which have been left suspending between the heaven and the earth -in all
these are clear signs for the people who understand” (Quran, 2:164)

The famous war of Badr, non-Muslims were not asked to teach Muslims children the religious
and non-religious knowledge. At the battle of Badr, in which our beloved Holy Prophet (SAW)
gained victory over his foes, seventy people of the enemy rank were taken to prison. These
prisoners were literate people. In order to benefit from their education the Prophet declared that
if one prisoner teaches ten Muslim children how to read and write, this will serve as his ransom
and he will be set free. This was the first school in the history of Islam established by the Prophet
himself with all its teachers being non-Muslims. The Sunnah of the Prophet shows that education
is to be received whatever the risk involved.