Education Is The Backbone Of The Nation By Ismail Mazari It is time state governments must implement RTE in its respective state instead of investing money in other unnecessary activities and jobs Knowledge is an essential tool for comprehending realities of life. Human beings are considered superior to other creatures of God by virtue of knowledge. It enlightens heart and soul and enriches the mind. Besides it produces excellences in intellect. It is knowledge through which one distinguishes between good and evil. Islam is the only religion which has made education mandatory for its adherents. Even the first revelation was sent to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Almighty God also indicates towards knowledge. The holy Quran says: Read in the name of thy Lord who created- created man, out of a leech � like clot: Read and thy Lord is most bountiful. He who taught the use of the pen, taught man that which he knew not. (S. 96, A-1-5) If we think why God commenced the first revelation with reading, we find that the age in which Prophet Muhammad was sent, was the age of ignorance. It is obvious that without education ignorance and stagnation can not be dispelled. That is why Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has laid great emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge. The Knowledge, says a Tradition of the sacred Prophet, is the lost property of a Muslim and he is its rightful owner. The Prophet further 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 God, who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms, and who imparts it to its fitting objects, performs an act of devotion to God. Knowledge enables its possessor to distinguish what its forbidden from what is not; it lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our society 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 armour against enemies. With knowledge the servant of God rises to the height of goodness and to a noble position, associates with sovereigns in this world and attains to the perfection of happiness in the next. According to Ibn Khaldun, the doyen of Muslim scholars, knowledge is essential for three basic reasons. Firstly it facilitates cooperation among human beings. Sociability of man is an unquestioned reality. Nothing in life can be accomplished in isolation. The variety of human needs, frailty of human character, and physical weakness, prompt men to live in company and seek others help, knowledge alone helps them to understand the nature and purpose of such cooperation for various occasions. Secondly, the path-ways of life are strewn with many ghoulish objects. Man is in dire need of knowledge to differentiate between good and evil so that he can avoid the latter and perpetuate the former. And lastly, knowledge economises time and increases human energies, to resolve the numerous imponderable problems of life. (The Muqaddima, vol. II, p. 418) In this context recent Right of Children Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) passed by Union Government augurs well. It is indeed a historic milestone in Indias struggle for childrens right to education. The credit of it goes to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He really wants to see every citizen of India Literate, educated and civilized. He has rightly said: I am what I am today because of education. It is time state governments must implement RTE in its respective state instead of investing money in other unnecessary activities and jobs. Minister of Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal asserted that the 86th Constitution Amendment and the RTE have provided us the tools to provide quality education to all our children. It is now imperative that we, the people of India; Join hands to ensure the implementation of this law in its true spirit. The government is committed to this task though real change will happen only through collective action. The only lacuna in the RTE is that it has not specified that Maktabs and Madrasas run by Muslims are covered by the Act. If Muslim boys and girls are forced to study only in State run schools then they will be deprived of their religious lessons. Unfortunately scant attention is paid by us towards this great asset. Criminal negligence is found on the part of parents in upbringing of their children. It should be a bounden duty of parents to impart education to their off springs from their early childhood. In short education is the backbone of the nation. Reformation is not possible in the society without it. Our life is hollow and barren sans education. History bears witness that no nation made progress and attained prosperity without it. So long Muslims sticked to education, they made great strides in every walk of life. According to S.M. Rabey Hasani Nadwi, noted Islamic Scholar, when Europe was passing through darkness and ignorance of the middle ages, Muslim world was producing scholars, thinkers, educationists and eminent masters of physical and social sciences. European writers have quite often acknowledged that for six hundred years Europe learnt and benefited from the researches and treasures of knowledge of the Muslims before commencing on their march to progress. Suffice to say that only true education may lead us to the path of progress and salvation and may save us from ruin, degradation, annihilation and demoralization.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 09:32:29 +0000
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