CULTURE IN ISLAM

Islam laid a great deal of stress educational aspect from beginning, because
of its importance in the life of human beings. The first verses of the Holy Quran
which were revealed ordered the prophet to read. Al- Alaq (The Clot) verses 1-5, they
are:
Read, in the name of the Lord, who created
Created man from a cloth of congealed blood
Read! and the Lord is most bountiful.
He who taught the use of the pen.
Taugh man that which he knew not.
This leads us to understand that Muslims should gain as much knowledge as
they can, because the Holy Quran also considers knowledge as light and ignorance
as darkness and considers the knowledgeable man as a live man and the ignorant
man as a dead man and that those who have knowledge fear God most for Allah
says:
Those truly fear God
Among His servants, who have knowledge.
The blind and the seeing
Are not alike. Nor are the depths
Of darkness and the Light.
There are many sayings of the prophet which encourage Muslims to seek
knowledge from the beginning of their lifes until the end, and which also consider
knowledge as the way which leads to Paradise. First he said: Seek knowledge from
the womb to the grave, and he also said: Whoever sets foot on their way to
knowledge, Allah directs him to the way to Paradise.
Once the prophet entered the Mosque, and found two groups of Muslims
sitting there. One of them was occupied in contemplation of God, and the others
were studying. He joined the group of those who were studying and this was as af
sign that he appreciated their way and encouraged Muslims to seek knowledge by
any means. In another Hadith he said:
The angels spread down their wings in appreciation for the seeker of knowledge.
The prophet not only gave verbal encouragement to people to seek
knowledge but took every chance to provide opportunities for a large number of

people learn to read and write, as this is a way to knowledge. This is clearly
illustrated after the Battle of Badr, when the Muslims took a number of prisoners from
the Quraysh in the battle. Some of them were literate. The ransom of those who
could read and write was that they should teach Muslim children to read and write.
When you read the Holy Quran you will find many verses urging Muslim to
study what they see around them on earth and on the sky, and to use these things for
the benefit of Muslim society. They cannot use them correctly unless they have some
knowledge, and knowledgeable people are of high rank in the sight of God- for the
Holy Quran says:
Those who know and those who do not know cannot be regarded as equal.
The Muslim people understood clearly the approach of Islam towards
education. Therefore they started to gain knowledge, taking the guidance of the Holy
Quran as a light to show the right way. And therefore they established Islamic
civilisation which prevailed throughout most of the world, and gave human beings the
benefit which they got from the teaching of the Holy Quran, and the history of Islam
is full of famous Muslim thinkers in every branch of knowledge: philosophy, law,
science, astronomy and art.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. What aspect does Islam emphasize?
Islam emphasizes on educational aspect, because of its impotance in the
life of human beings.

2. What verse of the Quran supports his aspect?

The cloth verses 1-5
Read, in the name of the Lord, who created
Created man from a cloth of congealed blood
Read! and the Lord is most bountiful.
He who taught the use of the pen
Taugh man that which he knew not.

3. What is the consequence of this?

The consequence is the Holy Quran considers knowledge as light and
ignorance as darkness and considers the knowledgeable man as alive man
and the ignorant man as a dead man.

4. What parable does the Holy Quran give in this respect?

The parables of the Holy Quran give in the respect are:
-

These truly fear God, among the servants who have knowledge
The blind and the seeing are not alike. Nor are the depths of darkness
and the light.

5. Besides verse of the Holy Quran, are there sayings of the prophet support the
impotance of knowledge? Give some sayings of the prophet as examples?
Yes, there are saying of the prophet
For example:
- Seek knowledge from the womb to the grave
- Whoever sets foot on their way to knowledge, Allah directs him to the
way to Paradise
- The angels spread down their wings in appreciation for the seeker of
knowledge.

6. Can you give a proof from history that the prophet appreciated Muslims who
sought knowledge?
Once the prophet entered the Mosque, and found two groups of Muslims
sitting there. One of them was occupied in contemplation of God, and the
others were studying. He joined the group of those who were studying and
this was as sign that he appreciated their way and encouraged Muslims to
seek knowledge by any means.

7. Besides giving verbal encouragement to seeking knowledge, what else did the
prophet do?
Beside verbal encouragement to people to seek knowledge, the prophet
alos took every chance to provide opportunities for a large number of
people learn to read and write.

8. From history you have read, how was seeking knowledge illustrated in the
history of the prophet?
Seeking knowledge illustrated after the Battle of Badr, when the Muslims
took a number of prisoners from the Quraysh in the battle. Some of them
were literate. The ransom of those who could read and write was that they
should teach Muslim children to read and write.

9. What are the functions of the world around us, and what should Muslims do in
the respect?
The function of the world around us are when we read the Holy Quran you
will find many verses urging Muslim to study what they see around them on

earth and in the sky, and to use these things for the benefit of Muslim
society. They cannot use them correctly unless they have some knowledge,
and knowledgeable people are of high rank in the sight of God.

10. What approach do Muslims take towards education?

The approach muslim take towards education are Muslims start to gain
knowledge, taking the guidance of the Holy Quran as a light to show the
right way

11. What is the result of this approach?

12. What do Muslims get from this result?
The result of this approach are muslims established Islamic civilisation
which prevailed throughout most of the world, and gave human beings the
benefit which they got from the teaching of the Holy Quran, and the
history of Islam is full of famous Muslim thinkers in every branch of
knowledge: philosophy, law, science, astronomy and art.

13. Did the world have famous Muslims thinkers? Who are they?
Yes, the world have so many famous Muslim thinkers, like Al Farabi, Al
Ghazzali, Ibn Rushd, Ibn Arabi, Ibn Khaldun, Abu Yusuf, and etc.

14. What lesson can we take from the first verse of the Quran?
The first verse of the Quran is Read, in the name of the Lord, who
created. The leasson we can take from this verse is Allah Commands us to
read (the environment of the universe to discover who the real God).

15. How long does a Muslim have to learn?

A muslim has to learn as long as lives.