Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
7. The Importance of Education in Islam
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7. THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION
IN ISLAM
“My Lord! Increase me in Knowledge.” (20:114)
T
HE
mission of the Prophet of Islam has been introduced in the
Quran at more than one place as an Instructor of the Book and
giver of wisdom. Here is a verse from the Quran:
“He it is who has raised among the unlettered people a
Messenger from among themselves who recites to
them His signs and purifies them, and to instruct them
in the Book and wisdom.” (62:2)
Similarly, on another occasion the Prophet of Islam presented
himself before the people saying, “I have been sent only as a
teacher.”
Then the first word revealed in the form of the Quran was
‘Iqra’ (96:1). The fourth verse of the first revelation forming part of
the chapter
Al-Qalam
has this to say:
“God has taught man by the pen.” (96:4)
We find more than 1500 derivatives and synonyms of the word
Ilm
, that is, knowledge. It becomes easy to understand in the light
of this how the revelation of the Quran in this almost illiterate
nation of Arabia set off such a wave of receiving and imparting
education, which can rightly be called a learning explosion.
