So, I want Education for all and with no holds barred.
Just go and make Education happen, that is what I want the Muslims to do.
And that is what I want everyone else to do – Muslim and non-Muslim alike; men and women alike; adults and children alike; educated and unlettered alike.
The greatest tragedy to befall the hapless and benighted Afghan society was not the Soviet or American invasion and occupation, even though those things were bad enough.
It was decades – or should I say centuries? – of illiteracy and lack of education that darkened their existence on earth.
While the proud Afghans – men as well as women – prayed and fasted and lived brave and fearless, no one ever told them to embrace the divine gift of Education.
No one taught them anything.
So, I want Muslims – every Muslim in every part of the world, man as well as woman, child as well as adult – to embrace the goal of Education.
For, there is no Islam that is higher than that. Than Education that is.
And guess what, there is also no Islam without that – without education I mean.
“I am nothing if not a teacher,” said the one (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) who taught the world everything good that the world knows today, from how to brush their teeth to how to douche their private parts to how to live in peace, freedom and harmony with each other.
Innamaa bu-‘ithtu mu’alliman, is how the Hadith puts it.
And I have just the perfect formula for it – for accomplishing the Education Mission I mean.
It is: Each One, Teach One!
That is God’s way on earth.
It is a method of divine origin, emanating from the blessed words of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam.
And those words are: Kullukum raa-in wa kullukum mas-oolun an ra-iyyatihi.
Meaning: Each one of you is a shepherd, and each one of you will be held accountable for their flock.
Now, extrapolate that to: Each one of you is a teacher!
How hard is that to figure out?
Or, hear this: Khairukum man ta’allamal Qur’ana wa ‘allamahu!
Paraphrase: The best one among you is the one who learns the Qur’an and then turns around and teaches it to someone else.
What do you think?
Now, you are a teacher (‘Allam) as well as a student (Ta’allam) – every one of us – both at the same time.
Shakespeare said: Neither a lender nor a borrower be!
Beautiful stuff that. Magnificent thought, great phraseology!
Islam seems to say: Both a Teacher and a Student be!
What a beautiful Dehla on top of what a beautiful Nehla!
Don’t know what I am saying? Sorry, can’t explain. Just wish – and pray if you are the praying kind – you knew a bit of Urdu.
And now let me take my customary dig at the Muslims, because the day is not complete without it:
This is how clear Allah’s Deen is in reality, and this is how simple the way of implementing and establishing it on God’s earth is, and still Muslims never stop running around asking everyone: What should we do and how should we do it?
Do you see how far from Islam the Muslims have wandered off?
And how clueless about life and the world in general Muslims have become?
God placed their destiny in their own hands – everybody that is. But Muslims are always looking for someone else to do the job for them.
Instead of doing what they must, instead of proactively and creatively solving their problems, and the world’s problems, Muslims are always marching and demanding and protesting.
Muslims have become a Protest People Par Excellence in a world that is designed by God as a place for solutions and for action.
In a world of Kun-fa-Yakoon, Muslims have become creatures of Qweel wa qwaal! All empty talk, very little meaningful action.
And Muslim protests are mostly – if not always – against something: against this or that or against something else.
They are rarely ever FOR something.
So, my Education Formula is: Each One, Teach One.
The object, the goal, the central idea and purpose is Education.
And the method is: Each One, Teach One.
Question: Teach what?
Answer: Does it matter? Teach anything.
Teach what you can. Teach what you know.
Or, in the language of the Qur’an, teach what the people don’t know – whatever it is.
‘Allamal insaana maa lam ya’lam!
People, how much simpler or clearer does it get?
So, what is keeping you now from going and changing the world – and from educating it?
Because, Muslims, if you won’t do it, no one else will do it for you!
Here, let us part with a most glorious Aayat of the Qur’an: Innallaha laa yughaiyyiru maa bi-qawmin hattaa yughaiyyiroo maa bi-anfusihim.
END
© 2011 Syed Husain Pasha
Dr. Pasha is an educator and scholar of exceptional
talent, training and experience. He can be reached at DrSyedPasha [at]
AOL [dot] com or www.IslamicSolutions.com.
