“World and faith are inseparable in Islam. Faith and learning are also profoundly interconnected. The Holy Qur’an sees the discovery of knowledge as a spiritual responsibility, enabling us to better understand and more ably serve God’s creation. Our traditional teachings remind us of our individual obligation to seek knowledge unto the ends of the earth - and of our social obligation to honor and nurture the full potential of every human life.”
Mawlana Hazar Imam, Foundation Ceremony of the Aga Khan Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 20, 2008
This article will begin by grounding the nature of education in Islamic traditions. The centrality of the role of intellect in Islam can be traced back to the Holy Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).
The Holy Qur’an calls on people to think, comprehend and reason by repeatedly using terms such as y‘aqiluna, yatfakarun, yafqahun and yatadhakarun (to think about, to understand, to remember); that is, to use the Divine gift of the intellect to reflect on and to serve Allah’s creation. For example, in Sura 45, Aya 13, the Qur’an says, “And He has subjected to you what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, all together, from Him. Surely in that are signs for a people who reflect.”
The hadith literature is full of examples of the Prophet encouraging the search for knowledge. The Prophet is reported to have said, “The seeking of knowledge is a duty for every Muslim man and woman.” Hazrat Ali (‘alayhi-salam) is reported to have said, “One dies not who gives life to learning.” Based on such traditions, teaching was undertaken for the service of God, and great traditions of learning emerged throughout the Muslim world, stretching from Spain and North Africa across to Central Asia.
For example, the Bayt al-Hikma (House of Wisdom), a research and teaching centre with a library and translation facilities, was established in Baghdad during the early Abbasid period. It was here that the philosophical and scientific works from Greek, Roman, Persian and Indian civilizations were translated, studied and elaborated upon. Centuries later, these intellectual endeavours entered Europe through translations from Arabic into Latin. Indeed, the European Renaissance was heavily influenced by Muslim scholarship and the tradition of learning.
These inspirations from the Qur’an and the life of the Prophet manifested throughout the Shi‘a tradition, in the teachings and the lifework of the Imams. During the Fatimid period, Imam al-Mu‘izz (‘alayhi-salam) founded the city of Cairo as his new Egyptian capital, and built Al-Azhar as the city’s main congregational mosque in 972 CE. Al-Azhar became an important centre of learning, commonly regarded as one of the world’s earliest universities, and remains one of the most eminent seats of Sunni religious learning in the Muslim world today.
Subsequently, Imam al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (‘alayhi-salam) established the Dar al-‘Ilm (House of Knowledge) in Cairo in 1005 CE. Its vast library contained thousands of volumes and a public reading room, and was a meeting place for scholars of various disciplines, including the study of Qur’an and hadith, philosophy, grammar, law, astronomy and mathematics.
From the time of the Prophet until today, education and the pursuit of knowledge can be seen as a continuous search at every stage of life, with the intent to seek to understand Allah’s creation and ensure that knowledge and wisdom are shared with those in need. By doing so, we can improve quality of life, serve humanity, and leave the world in a better place.
As Mawlana Hazar Imam said at the Inaugural Ceremony of the Diamond Jubilee on July 11, 2017:
“Ours is an intellectual tradition which premiates the pursuit of knowledge that is to be used for the good of larger society. Live your faith through acquiring knowledge with which to help others.”
To learn more about the nature of education in Islam:
- Article: Learning and Education by Prof. Azim Nanji
- Article: “Ethic of Education and Research” from AKDN: An Ethical Framework by the Institute of Ismaili Studies
- Article: Keynote Address at ‘Intellectual Traditions in Islam’ Seminar by Dr. Aziz Esmail
- Book: Intellectual Traditions in Islam, edited by Dr. Farhad Daftary
- Reading Guide: The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning by Dr. Heinz Halm
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Explore Part 2: Ismaili Imams and their Love for Knowledge
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