The Importance of Education in Islam

Education is a very basic need and a sacred responsibility on every Muslim; it is made compulsory by Allah on every Muslim whether male or female. We can estimate the importance of education in Islam by looking in the Quran. The first word which was revealed in the Quran was “IQRA” READ! Pursue knowledge! Become educated.

In many places in Quran, Allah has greatly emphasized Muslims to seek and gain education.

From centuries, Muslims have been slaves of other people and have forgotten their moral and spiritual values. It’s high time that the Muslim Ummah should understand the importance of education in Islam and reform their educational priorities. The future generations will also be then able to cope up with the system of education and prepare their minds according to it.

In Islam, education is not limited to only getting it but also practicing it in the real life so that a better life could be lived. It was due to the outcome of the implementation of education that Muslims were able to become a global force in the world for twelve centuries.

In today’s world, parents only focus on imparting only secular education to the children. The children who are weak in studies or are not very fond of learning were directed to the Islamic Schools. This is the reason why Muslims’ position got weaker as time passed and they became slaves.

In order to achieve a successful life, one must get both Islamic, as well as, modern scientific education.

The importance of education in Islam can be understood by understanding the meaning of the word “Muslim”. According to Quran, a Muslim is a person whose duty is to seek and acquire knowledge and the second obligation bestowed upon him is to preach this knowledge. If a person is a true Muslim, then he must have knowledge and he should be able to preach it. Without these two things, no one can be a true Muslim.

A person who does not seek knowledge is similar to someone who is walking along a track in complete darkness. His steps will most likely wander here and there, and he can easily get into the trap of shaytaan. This displays that if we ignore Islamic education as well as modern scientific education, then we will have no straight path and this will be the biggest danger of our life.

The importance of education in Islam can be understood from the fact that if one acquires education then he has the ability to think, express his thoughts and will be free from slavery. No one can brainwash a person’s mind, if he is educated and is strong in his thoughts.

The importance of education in Islam can also be calculated by understanding the fact that if one is educated, he has gotten the ability to identify the straight path which Allah has decided, and he will be able to refrain from going on to the dangerous paths of Kufr, Shirk and immorality.

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