In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

Concept of Education
in Islam
Dr. Abdulazeez Abdulraheem

www.understandqur 1
 Importance of Education
Allah says:










(78)
Here the faculties mean the use of hearing
(collecting info), seeing (observation), and
thinking (deriving new results).
Whichever group excels in using it becomes
the leader, especially when Muslims do not
follow Islam.

www.understandqur 2
 Importance of Education
Difference between a Muslim and a non-
Muslim and/or Kafir is in two areas:
Knowledge; and
Action

www.understandqur 3
 Knowledge attribute of
)Allah. (Aleem

www.understandqur 4
 The only source Allah
)(ayatal-Kursi

www.understandqur 5
 Importance in Islam
(1 )


( 3)
( 2)



(5) ( 4 )


5 words (on learning) in the first 5 verses
Revealed in an age which was not information
age
In a society of Ummiy-yoon where extremely
few knew how to read and write
The Prophet himself was Ummi

www.understandqur 6
 Reading Mentioned Twice in the
First 5 Verses!!!
It emphasizes that we should be real
and prolific readers. The tragedy is that
when it comes to Quran:
They (the others) read to learn; and
We learn to read (and stop there). We
dont try to understand the Quran!!!

www.understandqur 7
 Importance of knowledge in
Islam

Allah has taught the Prophet pbuh, the

supplication:


.O my Lord! Increase me in knowledge

www.understandqur 8
 Prophets role
The Prophet pbuh said:
(I
)am sent as a teacher.

Allah says:

www.understandqur 9
 Prophets roles The
Comprehensive Education
The verse mentions 4 roles:
Recite the verses
Do Tazkiah: Purify their lives (from
negatives) and enhance good qualities
Teach them the Book
Teach them the Hikmak
The above 4 are the real areas of education
in Islam. It is not just delivering
information.

www.understandqur 10
 Information or knowledge or
much more
Our condition: We are drowning in
information and starving for
knowledge.
Hikmah is an abundant and huge gift of
Allah. It shows us how to use the
knowledge.

www.understandqur 11
 Types of (knowledge)
There are only 2 types of knowledge in
Islam:
1. Beneficial; and 2. Not beneficial
Note the supplications of the Prophet
pbuh:

( O Allah! I
ask you for the beneficial knowledge).
( O
Allah! I take refuge in You from useless
knowledge).
www.understandqur 12
 Classification of (knowledge) in
Islam according to Importance
1. Obligatory
( )
2. ( Obligatory on society)
3. ( Desirable)
4. ( permissible)
5. ( detested)
6. ( prohibited)

www.understandqur 13
 1. Obligatory Knowledge
On every Muslim; so that he can live
Islamically. He should know the basics of:
Beliefs
Worships
Dealings
Prohibitions which lead to punishments
Etiquettes of life

Purification of heart

www.understandqur 14
 2. Fard Kifayah
In every locality, there has to be a group
which knows these areas otherwise the
whole society will be a sinner.
These are of Two types. Those which are:
Means to know obligatory knowledge
(Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Arabic, ..). If we
know Quran, we can know our creed
Essential for a human society to excel
others (Science, Technology, Economics,
Business, Administration, Media). Our
focus is here, missing the first one!!!
www.understandqur 15
 Goal of Education in Islam
Not just to learn for the sake of learning
The goal should not to be left on
children. They are too young to come up
with one. You have to help them.
If you dont specify the goal, they will
make some mean or cheap goals

www.understandqur 16
 Allama Iqbal says:
Knowledge gives power. This power
should be under Deen. Otherwise it is
pure Satanic. A Muslim must Islamize
his knowledge.

www.understandqur 17
 The Islamic Objectives
1. To produce individuals who believe firmly
in the individual and collective system of
Islam. To protect, practice, and promote
it.
2. To help in knowing Allah and the ways to
please Him using latest means at his
disposal (as a Khalifah).
3. To develop morals by following the
Prophet pbuh (Taleem + Tazkiah +
Himkmah)

www.understandqur 18
 The Islamic Objectives (Contd.)
4. Live a balanced life (spiritual vs
material; self vs society; spending vs
saving; avoiding extremes)
5. To be expert in ones own field
6. To have a vision and a mission along
with discipline within the limits
given by Allah.

www.understandqur 19
 Develop the Educational System
Yourself
No nation can survive by copying the
Educational system of others
Russians had developed their own after
communist revolution.
Even in science, there are facts and
interpretations
Interpretation depends upon culture
(Ex: Water; Species)

www.understandqur 20
 Current Situation
We have two streams of education
Deeni / Madrassa Education
Secular / School Education

www.understandqur 21
 Deeni / Madrassa Education.
Mostly out-of-date with current situation
Originally designed for producing civil
servants (in Muslim rule); that is why
living in India, you dont find any syllabus
for Dawah; or how to live and interact
with others in a multi-cultural society;
Generates 1000s of Huffaz but not even
1% know what they have memorized!
Yes, their contribution is immense.
Especially in the absence of any
alternative
www.understandqur 22
 Secular / School Education
Has no link with Islamic education.
A subject (on Islamic Studies) is there
but it is confined mostly to beliefs,
worship, and morals.
Nothing to do with the concept of
knowledge. Nothing to relate oneself
with other subjects.

www.understandqur 23
 Secular Education
Students are taught Science, maths,
social studiens, politics, history, law,
management, economics, etc. etc. but
no where do you see any Islamic
perspective.
The one who has money and positions is
the successful one (Media, culture)
Result: The whole life is built along non-
Islamic lines.

www.understandqur 24
 Current Status
For masses (of students), this is what
we have
So, we need to work more to save our
generation
Especially in the light of TV/Internet and
media onslaught against Islam and
Muslims

www.understandqur 25
 Akbar Ilahabadi said (Urdu)

Yon qatl se bachchon ke wo badnaam na hota

Afsoos ke firoun ko college ki na soojhi

Pisr mein bu aaye kyonkar

Doodh hai dabbey ka aur taleem hai sarkar ki

www.understandqur 26
 95% of our Students Study in
Schools
Do they have a goal of life? It is not a
philosophical question.
After spending 15, 20 years in
education, if a Muslim does not know his
goal, it is a disaster!!!
Not just eat, live, and produce children
(just as animals do)

www.understandqur 27
 Without Goal!!!
If our educated, leader, cream class
does not have a goal, forget about
others. It is a sign of a dying millat.
Especially so because this millat is not
based on caste, color, race, or state. If it
looses goal, forget the future!

www.understandqur 28
 Secular Education Prepares
Atheists & Materialistic Persons!
Examples:
Science: Anomalous expansion of water. Not
taught: The One Who created sea creatures
created water. This is not automatic.
History: Egyptology, the most imp. subject.
Not taught: Why Moosa (A) is mentioned
most in the Quran.
Economics: Not taught: You dont have to
rely on interest.

www.understandqur 29
 When I graduated and went to
the University library
I could hardly find books written by
Muslims (in almost all sciences).
I could not understand the role of Islam in
history until I read:
Islam and the World by Ml. Abul Hasan
Ali Nadwi
Islam and Science by Ml.
Waheeduddin Khan
Hijab and Al-Jihad fil Islam by Ml.
Maudoodi
www.understandqur 30
 My Goal then was
Just to survive or have a good life.
As far as my role as a Muslim is
concerned: It was limited to praying
Namaz / Salah.
With time it improved to serve Muslims.
Now I know that it should be to serve
humanity, not just Muslims. This is the
way to serve Islam.
But this teaching simply does not exist
in our educational system!
www.understandqur 31
 A Muslims Goal is Ibadah (in
)the full sense of the term

)(162

www.understandqur 32
 The Goal is repeated more
than 25 times everyday
)(5






)(6





)(7

Goal: To do Ibadah and be among the

( first group

) and not among

the last 2.
www.understandqur 33
 The Goal
Who are those (

) :

Prophets, Truthful, Martyrs, and Righteous
Let us just take the first group (Prophets)
and the top among them. Muhammad pbuh.

He followed Allahs will and became the Most

Successful (a/c to non-Muslims)
He achieved peace and happiness (the
ultimate goal) too.

www.understandqur 34
 To achieve that goal

Do our students ever bother to explore

his Seerah in detail (his faith, his
worshipping style, his time
management, his attitude, his
confidence, his relationship with others,)
Nobody tells them, nor prepares them,
nor reminds them, nor gives them a
plan, nor follows up their progress on
this path.

www.understandqur 35
 The Problem
We shoot directly into Aakhirah only
i.e., Pray Salah and you will be rewarded
in Aakhirah
But Salah has to do with TODAYS work
too.
The 5 prayers (+Quran study etc) do
not consume even 2 to 3 hours.
What about the rest of the day? Is it
confined to only behaving well with
others?
www.understandqur 36
 Imagine
A Muslim country of an-amta alayhim:
All Daees but beggars in every other area.
No doctors, no engineers, no technicians,
no nurses, no businessmen, no
economists, . All these are either
Chrisitians, Hindus, or Buddhists
And when some outside power is unhappy,
you can expect a boycott or an attack
which may kill millions (as has happened
to Iraq or Afghanistan).

www.understandqur 37
 Imagine another case:
A country/ society with a team of good
Muslims and Daees
They have doctors, researchers,
inventors, scientists, engineers,
technocrats, economists, businessmen,
managers, and all other experts.
Each group having very clear about its
vision and mission as a Muslim;
Excellent interaction between them.
Dont you think Allah wants such a society
for true Khilafah!
www.understandqur 38
 What after Salah?
Whatever you do counts towards becoming
excellent in your field.
Towards forming that excellent team.
So, for a student, he has to perform best in
studies (with the right intention)
He reaches there step by step; day by days
work.
He behaves best with parents, teachers, friends,
etc.
Uses his time to optimum use.

www.understandqur 39
 Areas of Islamic Education
1. Gods word Based on revelation

2. Gods world Using the 3 faculties
Allah gave to each one of us (listening,
watching, and using mind) -

www.understandqur 40
 Comprehensive Education

Allahs Word (Direct studies)

Allahs World (Supporting studies)
To live in Allahs WORLD
and handle it according to Allahs WORD
to become true Khalifah
to get HIS PLEASURE

www.understandqur 41
 Comprehensive Education
Start everyday with Allahs word and then let the students
go to study Allahs world!!!

ALLAHS WORD ALLAHS WORLD

DIRECT STUDIES SUPPORTING STUDIES
QURAN (and Hadith) Ayyamillah Allahs world GODS
STUDY KINGDOM
HISTORY, SCIENCE, LAWS,
CULTURE TECHNOLOGY ECONOMICS

LANGUAGES ARTS

www.understandqur 42
 Important Features Islamic
Education - 1
No division between religious and
secular.
Up to high school, same syllabus for
everyone
All essential subjects will be taught.
Supporting subjects (Maths, Sciences,
etc.) will be taught in the spirit of Islam.
A student will look at this world with
Islamic vision.

www.understandqur 43
 Important Features Islamic
Education - 2
After high school, education for Specialists
in
Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, History
Tarbiyah, Dawah,
Islamic Social sciences
Islamic Philosophies
Comparative religion
Islamic Economists

www.understandqur 44
 Current Reality
No such system exists (in secular and
most Muslim countries)
Islamic Studies is just one subject in our
schools
It is the Most neglected, abused, and
last in priority
No supervision or follow up for it
Most importantly Quran is missing!
(except for rote memorization of few
Surahs and their translation passages)
www.understandqur 45
 If we keep Islam as
If we keep it as the lowest priority
Our children will treat Islam as the
lowest priority when they grow up

www.understandqur 46
 Islamic Education
A responsibility on every one
School
Masjid
Home
Neighbors/elders/society

www.understandqur 47
 Taleem + Tarbiyah at home too
Do it at home too. You cant rely on
school alone
The parents have to get involved

www.understandqur 48
 An Appeal
Try to get understanding of the Quran
teaching into curriculum of your school too. It
is the most important subject.
Almost no school, even Muslim schools teach it
to the full.
A high school graduate should be able to
understand the full Quran and listen to at least
a big book on Hadith (like Riyadhus-saliheen or
Bulooghul Maraam).
It needs only 200 hours of teaching for adults
and around 300 or little more for students.
Visit www.understandquran.com for details.
www.understandqur 49