Islam emerged in an illiterate nation with limited access to knowledge, where inherited traditions held back progress and enlightenment. Islam came to reshape this nation, transforming it into a new creation that would lead the world for centuries, offering a rich heritage of guidelines, values, goals, and methods that remain beneficial even in our modern era.
Here, we will discuss some of the goals and regulatory principles of education in Islamic history that must be considered to improve our declining educational system.
Educational Goals in Islam
The primary goal of seeking, performing, and utilizing knowledge in Islam is to prepare humans to be righteous successors on earth, following Allah's guidance: “And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.'” (Al-Baqarah: 30) The destruction of the educational system in a nation begins with ambiguous, conflicting, or absent goals. It is essential to define educational objectives that align with the identity and essence of the nation.
Hence, clear goals have reinforced the prophetic role of knowledge entrusted to the best nation brought forth for mankind, where scholars became leaders, conquerors, seekers of martyrdom, history-makers, and witnesses over humanity.
The primary goal of seeking knowledge in Islam is to prepare humans to be righteous successors on earth.
- Developing a Scientific Mindset
Developing a scientific mindset remains the primary aim, prioritized according to the needs of acquisition and formation. This is a crucial requirement in our era, especially in the Arab world, which has long been subjected to ignorance and superstition. This mindset adheres to scientific methodology, rejects stagnation and imitation, respects experts and knowledgeable individuals in every matter, and does not accept claims without evidence, making belief the result of proof.
Regulatory Principles of Scientific Endeavor in Islam
- Achieving Sincerity in Seeking Knowledge
The scientific system in Islam originated from a creed that covered all its parts: “[And say, ‘Ours is] the religion of Allah. And who is better than Allah in [ordaining] religion? And we are worshippers of Him.’” (Al-Baqarah: 138), and “Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (Al-Alaq: 1) The first lesson to be learned from the educational heritage of the Ummah is to link education with creed, an intrinsic connection in its system, where every act that doesn’t begin with the name of Allah is incomplete, and any insincere intention in seeking knowledge is invalid and detrimental. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever seeks knowledge in order to argue with the foolish, or to show off before the scholars, or to attract people's attention, Allah will admit him to Hell.” (1) The anticipation of divine reward motivates diligence in seeking knowledge, as “Whoever takes a path upon which to obtain knowledge, Allah makes the path to Paradise easy for him.” (2)
Prioritizing is one of the most important aspects we need in our education today. The focus on memorizing and practicing the Quran was paramount.
- Knowledge Calls for Action
Sufyan al-Thawri said: “Knowledge calls for action, otherwise it departs,” reflecting the practice of the Companions who would learn ten ayahs from the Prophet, not moving on to the next ten until they had understood and applied the first ten, thus learning both knowledge and action together. (3)
- Ensuring the Usefulness of Knowledge
This principle demands that knowledge be beneficial to deserve the dedication of lives in its pursuit. Allah says, “As for the foam, it vanishes, [being] cast off; but as for that which benefits the people, it remains on the earth.” (A-Raad: 17) In our era, slogans like “knowledge for knowledge's sake” prevail. Although knowledge has its intrinsic pleasure, its utility and contribution to succession for which humans were created remain the highest pleasure. Allah speaks of people who learned harmful and unbeneficial knowledge (magic): “And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them.” (Al-Baqarah: 102), which applies to various sciences that have been exploited for the dominance of their proponents through tyranny and arrogance.
- Prioritizing in the Educational System
Prioritizing is crucial in our current education system. The focus was initially on memorizing, studying, and applying the Quran, to the extent that Umar ibn al-Khattab forbade people from being distracted from the Quran, even by narrating hadiths. (4)
A nation preoccupied with the duties of building, delivering its message, and bearing the burdens of defense and jihad cannot afford to waste efforts on useless pursuits. In early Islam, they discouraged questioning about hypothetical scenarios, as Umar said: “I caution you against asking about what has not happened, for we have enough to occupy us with what has.” (5)
- Necessity of Inheriting Knowledge and the Continuation of Educational Institutions
Our educational heritage emphasized passing down knowledge mixed with righteousness, leading to the establishment of prestigious scientific schools by pioneering scholars and their dedicated students, some of which have endured till this day. These include major jurisprudential, theological, literary, and critical schools, among others.
One significant aspect of Islamic scientific heritage is the independence of knowledge and scholars from political dominance.
Muslims inherited major civilizations with significant scientific and intellectual contributions. They neither arrogantly rejected nor became overly enchanted by them. Instead, they adopted what was deemed beneficial, added to it, and innovated within its scope. Historical experience shows that interaction with the heritage of previous nations had its negative aspects, particularly in some human sciences, including philosophies that led to debates, speculations, and preoccupations with metaphysical and theoretical issues that Muslim were better off without. Our scholars engaged with nations seeking knowledge from their mosques and universities, establishing the foundations of these nations' renaissances and civilizations.
- Combining Comprehensive and Specialized Knowledge
Early Islamic sciences tended towards comprehensiveness, with scholars mastering various fields such as Quranic tafsir, hadith, jurisprudence, creed, history, and more. This approach produced remarkable scholars like Ibn Abbas, al-Tabari, al-Masudi, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Rushd, extending into later periods with figures like Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Khaldun, and Ibn Hajar. Meanwhile, other scholars specialized in their fields, such as al-Bukhari, Muslim, and al-Tabarani.
- Necessity of Independence of Knowledge from Political Dominance
A critical aspect of Islamic scientific heritage is the independence of knowledge from political control, particularly under oppressive regimes that dominate sciences and their institutions.
During its peak, the Ummah supported its scholars, with the Islamic endowment system playing a crucial role. This acknowledgment does not overlook the role of Islamic governments in supporting science, facilitating its pursuit, establishing its institutions, and honoring its scholars.
Despite these facts, history tells of malpractice by some rulers towards scholars, attempting to dominate them due to their prominent roles and positions within the Ummah. Historical records narrate the stories of scholars like Abu Hanifa, Malik, Ibn Taymiyyah, and al-Izz ibn Abd al-Salam, who remained steadfast and faithful to their religion and Ummah, resisting political pressure.
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- Narrated by Abu Dawood (3664), Ahmad (8457) in meaning, and Ibn Majah (260).
- Narrated by Abu Dawood (3641), at-Tirmidhi (2682), Ibn Majah (223), and Ahmad (21715).
- Ibn Hanbal: al-Musnad (38/466).
- Al-Bayhaqi: Ma'rifat al-Sunan wa al-Athar, p. 147.
- Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi: Al-Faqih wal-Mutafaqqih (2/12-13), Ibn Hajar: Fath al-Bari (13/266).
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