The adage that ignorance is bliss could not be farther from the truth when
seriously put into practical application. Throughout the annals of time, what
great accomplishments has ignorance made? What great empires and what marvels of
science and technology now bear witness to ignorance's strength and power?
That's right, none. Nothing of true worth is achieved without wisdom and
knowledge.
It was with supreme knowledge that Allah, SWT, laid the foundations of the
heavens and the earth. It was with wisdom, knowledge and understanding that
Solaiman (p.b.u.h.) ruled the greatest empire the world has ever known. Our own
Prophet, Mohammad (p.b.u.h.) told us that acquiring knowledge was a duty placed
on each and every Muslim. But the knowledge of what and who remains the
question.
Many of us have used the above saying of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to justify
dealing in riba (interest), in order to send our sons and daughters to the
finest universities to become doctors, lawyers and engineers. We use it to
justify sending our children to private schools, because they supposedly have
higher academic standing and prestige than Muslim schools. We say we are doing
it because the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said to get knowledge, but is this the
knowledge he was speaking about?
It is narrated by Abu Musa that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said, "The example
of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain
falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain-water
and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it
was hard and held the rainwater and Allah benefited the people with it and they
utilized it for drinking, (making their animals drink from it) and to irrigate
the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither
hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then the land was of no benefit). The
first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets
benefit from the knowledge, which Allah has revealed through me and learns and
then teaches it to others. The (last example is that of a) person who does not
care for it and does not take Allah's guidance revealed through me (He is like
the barren land.)" (Bukhari).
Through the above narration, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is telling us of the
superiority of religious knowledge. This is the knowledge that we should give
priority to. All other knowledge will not be of benefit if we do not have this
one. First and foremost, comes the knowledge of Allah-knowing His names and His
attributes, knowing what is expected from us in regard to our servitude to Him,
and what mutual rights exist between us.
Secondly, we should strive to know Allah's Book, Quran. We should learn to read
it in Arabic if we don't already know how to do so. We should also try to
memorize as much of it as possible, and stress the importance of both of these
things to our children. Reading Quran should be something common-in every
Muslim’s home, and is an activity that the whole family can, and should
participate in.
Thirdly, we should know about the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhe wa
sallam, and his companions; it's by reading their stories that we learn of their
bravery, love for the Deen and their complete devotion to Allah. It's by knowing
them that we grow to love them, and through loving them, we strive to become
more and more like them. This is especially true, when most children nowadays
want to be like Mike (Michael Jordan) or Janet Jackson or some other
celebrities; they want to emulate these people because they know so much about
them. It then becomes increasingly important for us, Muslims to introduce our
children to our heroes. Who were braver in battle than Umar and Hamza; who was
more wise and gentle than Abu Bakr (RAA); and which women were more graceful and
honorable than the wives of the Prophet were?
Yes, in these times of increasing technology and information superhighways, it
is important to obtain secular knowledge. Also, as a nation, we do need doctors,
lawyers and engineers, but we need people who are knowledgeable of their
religion first and foremost. What good will it do us to have a nation of
professional people who do not know how to make the salah, or to calculate the
zakat, or how to perform Hajj?
Ignorance is not bliss. Through it runs the deviant courses of innovation,
shirk, disunity and hatred. Knowledge is the key to our success. It gives us the
power to govern our households, our communities, and ultimately ourselves. A
nation, which forgets why it was founded, whom it serves and what its
responsibilities are, by embracing ignorance, is a nation destined to fail.
كاتب المقال: Sister Sumayyah Bint Joan
المصدر: islamzine.com
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