• Knowledge is the path to elevation and glory, crucial for achieving success in various fields of life.
• The civilizations of David and Solomon, peace be upon them, flourished due to their knowledge in various sciences.
• Islam emphasizes the importance of knowledge, as seen in the first revelations to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Islam encourages the pursuit of both religious and worldly sciences to build a well-rounded and advanced society.
• The spread of ignorance and decline of knowledge are threats to the survival and prosperity of civilizations.
• The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, emphasized learning languages and knowledge to protect and advance the Ummah.

Historical books and biographies narrate from Ibn Abbas, who said: When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, passed away, I said to a man from the Ansar, "Let us ask the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, for they are many today." He replied, "How surprising of you, O Ibn Abbas! Do you think people need you while among them are the companions of the Prophet whom you see?" Ibn Abbas said: So he left it, but I continued to pursue the questions. If a hadith would reach me from a man, I would go to him while he was taking a nap, and I would lay my cloak at his door, letting the wind blow dust over me. When he came out and saw me, he would say, "O cousin of the Messenger of Allah, shouldn't you have sent for me, and I would come to you?" I would reply, "I am more deserving to come to you and ask you." The man remained until he saw people gathering around me, and he said, "This young man is wiser than I."

What this honorable companion meant by "This young man is wiser than I" is that knowledge is the path to elevation and glory.

Anyone looking into the history and conditions of nations understands that achieving glory in any field of life is based on knowledge. Whether this knowledge is related to religious sciences or various life sciences such as experimental sciences like medicine, engineering, economics, and trade, or humanities and social sciences, they all integrate to contribute to the rise and advancement of society. Since knowledge is the foundation of civilizational progress, the Islamic nation today is in dire need of embracing the causes of progress to restore its glory and honor.

Science as the Foundation of Civilization in Previous Nations

The Quran is the most truthful source informing us about the foundation of civilizational progress in nations before Islam, such as the civilizations of David and Solomon, peace be upon them. Allah says: "And We gave knowledge to David and Solomon, and they both said, 'Praise be to Allah, who has favored us over many of His believing servants.'" (Surat An-Naml, 15). "And Solomon inherited David. He said, 'O people, we have been taught the language of birds, and we have been given from everything. Indeed, this is a clear favor.'" (Surat An-Naml, 16).

These verses speak of Allah's favor upon David and Solomon with knowledge, which encompassed all kinds of sciences, as indicated by Allah's words: "and we have been given from everything."

Al-Bahi Al-Khuli said: "The fruit of this knowledge in this civilization is the control over the laws of nature and its various forces, to utilize them for the benefit of the state. This is evident from the fruits of knowledge in serving the just king when he asked his soldiers to bring the throne of the Queen of Sheba." Allah says: "He said, 'O assembly [of jinn], which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?' An ifrit from the jinn said, 'I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy.' One with knowledge of the Scripture said, 'I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.' And when Solomon saw it placed firmly before him, he said, 'This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful.'" (Surat An-Naml, 38-40).

Do you see how the one with knowledge of the Scripture used his knowledge for the will of the just king? When Allah's favor was realized by practically utilizing this knowledge, Solomon acknowledged it and said: "This is from the favor of my Lord."

What indicates the importance of knowledge in establishing the civilization of David and Solomon is that Allah granted them wisdom and knowledge, and taught David the craft of making armor as a fortified protection for him and his people. Allah says: "And We gave understanding of it to Solomon, and to each [of them] We gave judgment and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains to exalt [Us] with David and the birds as well, and We were [already] doing [that]. And We taught him the fashioning of coats of armor to protect you from your [enemy in] battle. So will you then be grateful?" (Surat Al-Anbiya, 79-80).

One of the examples mentioned in the Quran indicating the importance of knowledge in civilizational progress is the story of Prophet Joseph, peace be upon him, when the King of Egypt had a troubling dream and presented it to his priests. They said, "Confused dreams, and we are not knowledgeable in the interpretation of dreams." (Surat Yusuf, 44). When the dream reached Prophet Joseph, peace be upon him, who was given the knowledge of dream interpretation by Allah, he interpreted it and implemented the solutions related to it, thereby contributing to saving the world from certain destruction due to famine. When Prophet Joseph, peace be upon him, was asked about interpreting dreams, he replied, "That is from what my Lord has taught me." (Surat Yusuf, 37). Therefore, knowledge is the foundation upon which civilizations are built and nations rise.

The Contribution of Science to Building the Civilizational Renaissance in Islam

The first revelation in Islam from the Quran to build this nation was a call to knowledge. The first revelation to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was Allah's saying: "Read in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clinging substance. Read, and your Lord is the most Generous—Who taught by the pen—Taught man that which he knew not." (Surat Al-Alaq, 1-5).

Similarly, one of the earliest revelations to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was Surat "Al-Qalam" to draw attention to knowledge. Allah says: "Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe." (Surat Al-Qalam, 1). This emphasizes that the Islamic foundation is based on knowledge.

Islam did not build the foundation of the nation on religious knowledge alone but opened the door to diverse sciences in various fields of life. It drew attention to the diversity of sciences and the necessity of acquiring and benefiting from them. Allah says: "Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby fruits of varying colors. And in the mountains are streaks, white and red of varying shades and [some] extremely black. And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving." (Surat Fatir, 27-28).

When Allah spoke about the elevated status of people of knowledge, He did not restrict it to religious knowledge alone but made it inclusive. Allah says: "Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees." (Surat Al-Mujadila, 11). When He called us to seek more knowledge, He used the term "knowledge" in an indefinite form to indicate the generality of all knowledge. Allah says: "And say, 'My Lord, increase me in knowledge.'" (Surat Taha, 114).

This plethora of guidance emphasizes the importance of knowledge in establishing civilizational foundations. This is reflected in the words of the poet Ahmad Shawqi: "People build their kingdoms with knowledge and wealth. No kingdom was built on ignorance and scarcity."

The Role of Knowledge in Protecting Civilizational Renaissance in Islam

One of the gravest threats to nations and civilizations is the spread of ignorance and the decline of knowledge. This signals the demise of civilization and its loss. Allah says: "Do they not see that We gradually reduce the land [in its boundaries] from all sides?" (Surat Ar-Ra'd, 41). Ibn Abbas said: "Its ruin is due to the death of its scholars, jurists, and righteous people." Mujahid also said: "It is the death of scholars." This indicates that the loss of knowledge is a precursor to the destruction of lands and the collapse of civilizations.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, provided us with a path to safeguard the knowledge, civilization, and protection of the ummah from the deceit of others when he instructed his companion Zayd bin Thabit to learn the Syriac language, which was spoken by the Jews.

By emphasizing the importance of learning, the Prophet ensured that the Muslim community remained intellectually and culturally resilient. This focus on education allowed the Islamic civilization to flourish and become a beacon of knowledge for centuries.

In conclusion, the foundation of any thriving civilization is its commitment to knowledge and education. By nurturing these values, societies can achieve progress, stability, and prosperity. The Islamic nation, like others before it, must prioritize the pursuit of knowledge to reclaim its historical legacy and build a brighter future.