Objectives and ends of Islamic rearing

The objectives of Islamic rearing is achieving servitude to the Lord of the worlds [i.e., people], which is the main wisdom of creating man. Allah (He may be Glorified) says: "And I (Allâh) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)." [1] The success and eternal happiness depend on achieving servitude as Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allâh ordered, by following the true Faith of Islâmic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds).* And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allâh has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islâmic Monotheism or by following polytheism or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds)." [2]

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His (Allâh's) Leave. Some among them will be wretched and (others) blessed. * As for those who are wretched, they will be in the Fire, sighing in a high and low tone. * They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills. Verily, your Lord is the Doer of whatsoever He intends (or wills). * And those who are blessed, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills: a gift without an end." [3]

Furthermore, all goals are listed under this objective because of the wide concept of worship in Islam.

Objectives of Islamic rearing:

We can highlight three main objectives for Islamic rearing:

The first is: Building an integral personality of a Muslim by achieving the physical, mental, spiritual, moral, and social growth. [4]

The second is: Achieving scientific development by discovering and promoting talents and capabilities, and teaching Muslims the suitable sciences, especially the Shari`ah sciences and other beneficial sciences.

The third is: Introducing the Muslim nation which helps and advises one another, fights the enemies, defends its rights, and carries the message of Islam to the world.

Some researchers have mentioned many detailed goals which are listed under the previous three objectives; they are either serving the Muslim personality by all its aspects and serving the scientific development or serving the entire Muslim nation.[5]

Rearing at the end aims to achieve the human perfection. Imam Al Baydawy said: [6] in his Tafsir (commentary of the Qur'an): "The word "Rabb" [Lord] in the origin is the source of "Tarbiyyah" [rearing] which means: To make something reaches its perfection." [7]

Rearing is a vivid practical process that interacts with different variables, gets affected, and affects them. One of the objectives of rearing is to grant the offspring the power to adapt with these variables along with the establishment of Islamic constants.

The system of Islamic rearing is superior to all methodologies and doctrines of the earth even if they have something in common in details and branches: It is unique in its inclusiveness and vitality in every minute in the life of human beings, every notion, idea, and every feeling, as it is unique in its effect inside the human being.

[1] [Surat Adh-Dhariyat: 56].

[2] [Surat Ash-Shams: 9-10].

[3] Surat Hud: 105-108].

[4] See "Majalatu-Tarbiyyah" [the fields of rearing] p. 19-26

[5] See the objectives and ends of Islamic rearing, Dr. Miqdad Yalgin, p. 38 and the following pages, the objectives of Islamic rearing, Dr. Maged Al Gharsan Al Kilany p. 154 and the following pages, parents reference in rearing children Dr. `Abdur-Rahman Al Babtain p. 16, Islamic rearing, Dr. Sulayman Al Huqil, p. 31-39.

[6] The scholar and the interpreter `Abdullah ibn `Umar Al Baydawy —who was well-versed in language, interpretation, and jurisprudence, one of the Shafi`i scholars, and ascetics— died in 691 AH.

[7] Anwar At-Tanzil Wa Asrar At-Ta'wil, `Abdullah ibn `Umar Al Baydawy 1/28.

[8] The approach to Islamic rearing, Muhammad Qutb, 1/9-10.