Knowledge and Education in Islam (3/4)

The Arabic language

The Arabic language   is the language of the Noble Qur’an,   the language   of the Hadith,   and the language of Islam.  An individual cannot truly reach the depths   of knowledge and comprehension of Islam without the Arabic language.  

Shaykh al-Islam[1] Ibn Taymiyah said,

The Arabic language is from the religion, and the knowledge of it is an obligation. For surely the understanding of the Qur'an and the Sunnah is an obligation, and these two are not understood except through understanding the Arabic language, and whatever obligation is not fulfilled except by certain steps, then those steps themselves become obligatory (to fulfill of the initial obligation).[2]

Knowledge of the Arabic language is essential for every Muslim to understand the principles of faith and belief, to perform religious acts of worship, and to be proficient in the recitation of the Noble Qur'an. Allah mentions the Arabic language in several places in the Qur'an:

“Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand.”                                                                       (Qur'an, Surah Yusuf, 12: 2)

“A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Qur'an  for a people who know.”   (Qur'an, Surah Fussilat,   41: 3)

 “And indeed, it [the Qur'an] is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit [Gabriel] has brought it down upon your heart, [o Muhammad] - that you may be of the warners - in a clear Arabic language.” (Qur'an, Ash-Shuara’, 26:  192-195)

It is sad to see that Muslims in our time seem to have forgotten the significance of this message and the important role of the Arabic language.  

You  will  find  Muslims   spending   thousands   of dollars  for their  children   to  learn  a foreign   language,    while  at  the  same  time ignoring   the  language   of  revelation.  

The younger   generations   have been brainwashed to think that the Arabic language is outdated   and insignificant for modem   times.  

Attempts   are  made  to  marginalize Arabic   in  the  scientific   and  the  pragmatic aspects   of  our  lives  by putting  foreign  languages   before  it and using  these  languages  to teach in every  subject.  For this reason and others, young people have turned away   from   the Arabic language to focus their energies on more 'worldly' knowledge.   Amazingly, you will actually find Muslims in Arab countries who cannot   speak,   read, or write Arabic.

Parents   must  put  it in their  minds  that  it is an  obligation   for them to learn the Arabic  language   (if they do not already  know  it) and to teach  it to their  children.  Arabic  should  be the first language  that a child  hears  (call  to  prayer   at  birth)  and  his  or  her  "first  language' throughout    his  or  her   lifetime.   Studying, learning,   and   speaking Arabic should be a daily routine, for it is essential for understanding the Qur'an, the narrations   Prophet   Muhammad    (Peace be upon him), and the entire religion.   As  a  former   non-Muslim    who   has  gone   from   not  even knowing   a letter  of the Arabic  alphabet  to reading  the Qur'an fluently with   comprehension, I  can  attest   that  I  now   truly   appreciate    the significance    and  depth  of  the  Arabic   language.

It is interesting to note that research   has   confirmed    that language   acquisition    is much easier during the childhood   years.  In fact,  research   has  found  that  the  time  span  from  birth  to age  five  is critical  for language   acquisition.  

At birth, children have the ability to produce   any sound from any language   in the world.  With exposure and shaping, they Jose the ability to make sounds that are not heard or are infrequent. For this reason, parents should expose their children to Arabic from birth.  It is important for them to hear the sounds and to begin to communicate in the Arabic language. Arabic is a complicated language to learn, as anyone who has attempted it in adulthood will attest to. For children however, it comes very easily due to these natural processes.  This, of course,  applies  as well to learning  the  Qur'an and the  rules  for  precise  articulation  in  the recitation  of  the  Qur'an.  Parents should take advantage of these precious years before they fade away.

Prophet Muhammad's methods of education and teaching

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) is the ideal example to follow in all aspects of life, including education and teaching. He was the best educator and teacher for his Companions, and he spent many hours teaching them detailed aspects of the religion. In his teaching, he utilized various educational methods that may be applied to parenting. Some of these are discussed below in order to assist parents in developing and improving their own style.

It is important to understand that education and training are complex processes.  They involve more than just teaching the principles of religion and the rules of Islamic law. A parent as teacher must first make  a connection with  his  or  her children, and  then continual1y strive to establish  concepts  firmly  in their  minds  and hearts through the utilization of various methods. For this purpose, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) varied his techniques, which included the following: illustrative parables, narrative stories, making oaths, examples, and exhortation. The choice of technique may depend upon the nature of the topic or problem, the personality of the person(s) involved, and situational or circumstantial aspects.

Illustrative parables

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) often used parables when illustrating abstract concepts to assist the people in comprehension. A parable is a short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle. Parables have been used throughout the course of history by prophets and learned men. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: Behold! Can any dirt remain on the body of anyone of you if there were a river at his door in which he washed himself five times daily?” They said: ‘No dirt would remain (on his body).’ He (Peace be upon him) said: “That is like the five prayers by which Allah obliterates sins.”[3]

 (Continued)