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13. Character and Ethical Values
The Qur'an was revealed for the acquisition of good character, not for chanting written chapters. It is not difficult to find examples of increasingly materialistic, grasping, self-obsessed, and self-serving behavior in our society, in which there are many signs of regression by adults into infantile behavior. Such signs include the very obvious expressions of rage and insatiable greed which are a disfigurement and debasement of the true nature of the human being.
In this climate, students need, above all, role models of adult behavior who actively embody in their lives a conception of what a true human being is, in its totality. For people of faith, this is a spiritual matter, but for others who may not hold any spiritual beliefs it still operates at the level of an ethical or moral vision, a belief in standards of conduct which are not abandoned because of the effort or will needed to uphold them, nor for the sake of pandering to lower standards because that is what everybody else does in today's world.
In a climate of self-interest, it is schools which are increasingly going to have to counter the negative trends in society, and schools which promote the highest standards of conduct and character, which demand the best of what a human being can be, and at the same time engage in a process of education which makes students think and feel why such conduct is better—these are the schools which responsible parents are going to want to send their children to, not the ones which merely promise advantage, achievement, and success above all other things. But policies cannot ultimately achieve this; it is only a common vision, shared values, and consistent application of principles and policies by every member of staff which creates and sustains these standards.
I would emphasize also that the introduction of Citizenship into the curriculum, while a step in the right direction, may not go far enough. The objective of Islamic education, and, indeed, all systems of education which are based on an understanding of the full potential of the human being, is to produce a good and complete man or woman (in the sense of balanced intellectual, moral, and spiritual excellence, with refinement of culture and character), not merely a compliant citizen of a secular state.
The notion of “citizen” here reflects the British government White Paper, Schools: Achieving Success, which, as I have already pointed out, regards “the success of children at school” as being “crucial to the economic health and social cohesion of the country.” Social cohesion is undoubtedly important, as long as it is not founded on mono-cultural conformity, but rests on the respect for diversity, inter-faith tolerance and inter-cultural sensitivity which is an element of the Citizenship program. Faith schools, whether single-faith or inter-faith, as well as secular schools which teach religious education, contribute to this process by showing how the development of character and ethical values also goes beyond utilitarian citizenship and is based ultimately on our correct spiritual relationship to God ( adab ), not merely on a functional relationship to the state.
It is vital, however, that faith schools show how this concept of the precedence of God does not have to be associated with a severe clash of loyalty between the secular state and religious beliefs. This is especially important in the context of the current fears about a “segregated” mentality, disaffected youth (wrongly associated with faith schools) and extremists engaged in a war against the West (whose anti-secularism is seen to emanate from religious instruction).
I would offer one caveat: I doubt if there are any “secular” schools which have a mission which does not include a moral dimension, if not a spiritual one. Phillips Exeter Academy in the United States, for example, has a mission founded on the idea that Knowledge Without Goodness Is Dangerous. John Phillips wrote this in his original deed of gift in 1781: “But above all, it is expected that the attention of instructors to the disposition of the minds and morals of the youth under their charge will exceed every other care; well considering that though goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble, yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous, and that both united form the noblest character; and lay the surest foundation of usefulness to mankind.”
This academy is founded on “humanist,” “utilitarian” philosophy, and has no explicit religious orientation, but it cannot be denied that the above statement accords with one level of Islamic values, even if it does not encompass the ultimate source of knowledge and goodness. The transmission or possession of knowledge without the appropriate moral and spiritual qualities is considered dangerous in Islam, too, and Sana'i, the Persian poet, describes a person having knowledge without virtue as a “thief.” The Prophet said, “The worst of men is a bad learned man, and a good learned man is the best.”
The emphasis on the “usefulness to mankind” of knowledge is also wholly consonant with the supplication of the Prophet that God protect him from “useless knowledge.” The Prophet also said, “The knowledge from which no benefit is derived is like a treasure from which no charity is bestowed in the way of the Lord.”
Faith schools should not believe that they have a monopoly on moral and spiritual values. The most coveted student prize at the school where for many years I served as director of studies was not an academic, cultural, or sports trophy but the one that was presented last as the climax of the day: it was for the three C's, Courtesy, Consideration, and Community Spirit, and the school prided itself on the way it fostered these virtues in all areas of school life.
I wrote the mission statement for the same school and it went like this:
“Our mission is to educate the whole child by providing unparalleled opportunities in breadth and depth for the concurrent development of academic, cultural, spiritual, moral, sporting, and practical dimensions of school life.”
The statement goes on to set out the principles underlying this mission, which include “the discovery and development of the unique talents and abilities of each individual” and “a forward-looking and innovative approach which reflects our awareness and anticipation of cur rent and future trends but does not sacrifice traditional strengths.”
It concludes by saying that the school aims to accomplish its mission
within the framework of a secure and caring community based on:
- A code of conduct which encourages co-operation, courtesy and common sense, promotes mutual trust and respect, and rewards responsible behavior.
- A common purpose which actively promotes the importance of personal, social, moral and spiritual values.
- A climate of open, friendly communication which creates a vibrant and happy atmosphere.
- An awareness of the wider community and the value and uniqueness of the school environment.
I once gave a paper on Islamic education at a conference on Islam and Social Responsibility and began by displaying this mission statement. No one in my largely Muslim audience dissented from my point that this statement, though not explicitly Islamic, was fully in accord with Islamic principles. We might object, of course, that this is the statement of an essentially secular school paying lip-service to spiritual values, and that there is no over-arching, spiritual dynamic, no vertical axis which should inform and permeate all the horizontal dimensions of human development the school claims to encompass. This is a valid objection, and essential to an Islamic perspective.
Nevertheless, we need to consider very seriously Al-Attas's point (to which I have already referred) that, in effect, secular Western education systems, with their core curriculum, are better-rounded than Islamic curricula. I would actually contest this generalization at this time in the light of the progressive narrowing of the curriculum to serve utilitarian ends which is constricting state education in many of those Western education systems and in other countries which have adopted them or been heavily influenced by them. The best of secular Western education has been, and still is, well-rounded and has sustained its commitment to a broad and balanced curriculum and to the development of character, but in Britain at least this kind of education is often only provided by independent schools which have been able to preserve relative freedom from the statutory obligations imposed by the National Curriculum on state schools. Parents are aware of this, and it is well known that if independent school fees were more affordable, their children would be taken out of the state education system in droves.
My point here is that faith schools can learn from the best of secular schools, as well as from each other, in the way that a well-rounded education, which encompasses good behavior and refinement of character, is nurtured in the school community. Credibility for faith schools is enhanced when religious values are not merely intoned but actively expressed in the way people treat each other. That necessarily implies courtesy and consideration to all people, of all cultures and faiths, and all occupations. The Prophet said, “Kindness is a mark of faith; and whoever has not kindness has not faith,” and “All God's creatures are His family; and he is the most beloved of God who does most good to God's creatures.”
Next: High Expectations
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