Islam has insisted that life is to be lived in a positive, gainful, and effective manner and that an individual has deep obligation toward the collective welfare of the community. To achieve this objective this objective it is essential to maintain a constant flow of fresh knowledge into the society so that its members can be saved from ignorance and stagnation.
The pre Islamic Arabia was not denuded of learning, but whatever evidence has been preserved shows that knowledge as something higher, nobler and truer did not exist at that time. The prophet of Islam for the first time in the history of Arabian Peninsula made knowledge essential tool for understanding realities of life.
Under his inspiring guidance, learning acquired respect and reference which remained the hallmark of Islamic civilization for centuries afterwards. The Qur’an its self in lucid and self explanatory terms has laid great emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge. In the chapter entitled the clot which is considered by commentators to be among the earlier, if not the earlier revelation, the Qur’an in unmistakable terms points out god’s desire to educate men in arts and sciences which are difficult for them to comprehend.
Under his inspiring guidance, learning acquired respect and reference which remained the hallmark of Islamic civilization for centuries afterwards. The Qur’an its self in lucid and self explanatory terms has laid great emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge. In the chapter entitled the clot which is considered by commentators to be among the earlier, if not the earlier revelation, the Qur’an in unmistakable terms points out god’s desire to educate men in arts and sciences which are difficult for them to comprehend.
The important which the Qur’an attaches to knowledge can further be explained by the frequency which it has used the word ilm (knowledge). According to one estimate it has been used 750 times in holy book. The tradition of the prophet have also emphasized in unequivocal terms that life whit out knowledge is hollow and barren. Knowledge is a great fertilizer of the humans mind, and to have the maximum harvest out of human existence it is essential to enrich one’s life with continuous learning. Al-Bukhori in his monumental work attributes a tradition to the prophet which says that disappearance of knowledge and absence of scholars from society would spell the demise of human civilization.
The entire prophetic tradition is replete with reference from Qur’an and the sayings of the prophet which abundantly prove that religion and knowledge are the two main pillars of human life.
Some historians have attributes the saying of the holy prophet in the following statement: acquire knowledge, because he who acquires it in the way of the lord performs an act of piety; who speaks of it, praise the lord, who seeks it adores god, who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms, and who imparts to its fitting objects, performs an act of devotion to Allah.
Knowledge enable its possessors to distinguish what it is forbidden from what is not; it light the way to heaven; it is our friend in the desert; our society in solitude, our companion when bereft of friend; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is our ornament in the company of friend; it serves as an arm our against enemies. With knowledge the servant of god rises to the height of goodness and to a noble position, associates with sovereigns in this world and attains to the perfection of happiness in the next.
Knowledge enable its possessors to distinguish what it is forbidden from what is not; it light the way to heaven; it is our friend in the desert; our society in solitude, our companion when bereft of friend; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is our ornament in the company of friend; it serves as an arm our against enemies. With knowledge the servant of god rises to the height of goodness and to a noble position, associates with sovereigns in this world and attains to the perfection of happiness in the next.
Islam has insisted that reason and revelation are the two wheels of the vehicle of life, and in order to reach one’s destination, both wheels have to be equal in size, strength and lubrication. In other words, search for knowledge is an act of piety, it is equivalent to prayer. To make search for fresh knowledge easier, Islam has kept its principles and precepts flexible, and left an ample room for individual interpretation, so that growing complexities of human problems could be resolved in the light of increasing knowledge.
The role of knowledge in the religion political life of the Muslim community is decisive and all pervading. It is considered to be a source of strength for human character. It enlightens the souls, dispels ignorance, enriches the mind, produces excellences in intellect, and saves men from omissions nod excesses, cures passions and impulses of their way wardens and solidifies faith and belief in the revealed word of Allah.
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