|
Our Children, Our Future
By Hwaa Irfan
20/02/2001
Education today is a far cry from the days before the madrasah (college), when formal schooling (typically only available to males) depended on whether one's father could afford to hire a specialized tradesman, teacher or scholar to teach him a particular subject.
The teacher was invited to the home of the student (or vice-versa) to teach him Qur'an as well as anything from philosophy, jurisprudence, logic, or theology to poetry, bookkeeping, and calculations. When necessary, students even traveled great distances in order to be taught by a particular person.
This is the manner in which the great Muslim scholars of the past were educated.
Rasul'ullah said:
"Acquire knowledge because he who acquires it in the way of the Lord, performs an act of piety; who speaks of it, praises the Lord; who seeks it, adores Allah (SWT); who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms; and who imparts it to its fitting objects, performs an act of devotion to Allah (SWT). Knowledge enables its possessor to distinguish what is forbidden from what is not, lights the way to Heaven, is our friend in the desert, our companion in solitude, our companion when bereft of friends; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is our ornament in the company of friends; it serves as an armor against our enemies. With knowledge, the creature of Allah rises to the heights of goodness and to noble position, associates with sovereigns in this world, and attains the perfection of happiness in the next."
With this in mind, in 1994, the Association of Muslim Researchers' (AMR) Education Society was set up to provide private courses at the Muslim College in Religious Studies (Islam) in Britain as it was felt that many Muslim students attending both state and private schools did not have the opportunity to study Islam in depth. It was their contention that the schools belonging to mosques were inadequate in providing a quality Islamic education and were 'old-fashioned' - possessing outmoded and didactic methods of instruction. In addition, they felt, the schools lacked an understanding of modern pedagogy, which resulted in their imparting poor quality teaching, learning, and curriculum delivery. In reaching these conclusions, AMR referred to the opinion of several revered members of the community.
Many may agree with these concerns, but how does one determine what is 'old-fashioned?' Those of us living today are not as knowledgeable as many of our predecessors, and we are not as effective as we teach large groups of students many of whom live such distracted lives that their hearts and minds cannot be commanded.
The many subjects included in modern day curricula command far more of students' time than their religious study and worship does - leaving little time for self-development and growth.
In this context, we are doing very well in our attempts to lead more economically independent lives. A 1998 report of
Population Action International (Washington, U.S.) found that Muslim girls were making great strides towards equal education for girls and boys - notably, in Oman, Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and Egypt.
However, how much of our growth is one-sided? And how much takes into account important aspects of our relationship with Allah (SWT), ourselves, and others? How much that is truly important is actually being negated?
Many argue that state funded education leads towards an inadequate Islamic education. Two of the 'top' Islamic schools in Britain are state-funded - Islamia and Al-Furqan primary schools in London both 'topped' the London Education Authority's (LEA) league tables in the main subjects last year. Feversham College, run by Rehana Shaquat, 'topped' secondary schools.
Britain has a Muslim population of more than 1.5 million with over 40 both state-funded and privately run Muslim schools. When we accept state funding, what do we lose and what is the long-term effect of that loss?
Moiz Amjad of Renaissance argues that most of the people who study religion today do not have the aptitude for it.
A Muslim scholar of old was conversant in a wide array of subjects, which he knew intimately like he knew the students that he taught. Only in such a situation can a scholar answer his students' questions satisfactorily, and not encourage the development of fear, anger, inadequacy and prejudice within them.
Al Ghazzali, an outstanding scholar of the past, regarded as the first duty of teachers that they accept all students unconditionally as they would their own child. When this happens, it is easy to witness the degree of respect that children have for their teachers, their level of attentiveness, and the great achievements that are accomplished.
Rasul'ullah also said:
"No one ever relates a tradition to a people that is beyond their minds to understand without being commanded to give every man his rightful place and to communicate with everyone according to his own ability to understand."
Times have changed; however, a minimum requirement of education for Muslims should be that quality time is given to Islamic Studies - inclusive of Science, Mathematics, Logic, Jurisprudence, Literature, Medicine, and Philosophy. Islamic education should not be reduced to memorizing the Qur'an without the benefit of learning its meaning and value. As educators (parents and teachers both), we must give serious thought - amidst the tidal waves of the 21st century - as to how can we best provide for our children without forsaking the many treasures that lie within Islam.
Sources:
Mottahedeh, R. The Mantle of the Prophet
Lapidus, I. A History of Islamic Societies
Al-Khoei Centre. Summer School '96
Al-Khilafah Publications. Systems of Islam.
Muslim News, Oct. 1995
Muslim News, February 2001
Guardian Weekly, November 1998
Newsweek, May 1995
Renaissance Webzine
Jedaar, Rashard. Islamic Education.
Al-Naraqi, Muhammad Mahdi ibn Abi Zarr. Textbook of Ethics.
|
