Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
7. The Importance of Education in Islam
~ 100 ~
issued a fatwah that doctors, craftsmen, and experts of other
human skills are not less important than the scholars of fiqh, hadith
and pure religious sciences (
Al-Qadim waal Hadith,
M. Kurd Ali). If
the two-fold purpose of life is to worship God and serve mankind,
then a believer cannot succeed in achieving it unless he devotes all
his potential to the acquisition of religious and non-religious
knowledge. Thus we may conclude that:
a)
Iqra
being the first word revealed in the Quran, an
intellectual process was simultaneously started which we
have called the learning explosion.
b) The commandment of Iqra has been linked with the name
of God (Read in the name of your Sustainer). This
connection has given at the very outset the Islamic concept
of education, that is, knowledge should not be sought after
for the sake of knowledge, but for the sublime purpose of
the realisation of God and the welfare of man.
c) This two-fold purpose of life naturally called for Muslims to
strive hard in seeking knowledge both related to their
religion and to the progress and development of the human
condition in general. Since the Quran and hadith have
made no discrimination between men and women
concerning their rights and duties, the commandment of
Iqra is equally inspiring and motivating to womenfolk.
Consequently, they also did their best and contributed to
this noble cause with the same spirit, fervour and
dedication.
