Lecture 1: On Knowledge, and seeking Knowledge.
An important element in the quick rise to power of Islam was the Muslim’s thirst for knowledge, inspired by the Divine message. Adam a.s. was worthy of the prostration of the angels because he had knowledge of the names taught to him by Allah Himself. The Muslims were eager to search out knowledge from all sources. They adapted useful elements of knowledge from the Greek, Indian, Chinese, Persian and other civilizations. This process of “Islamization” of knowledge has been successfully carried out by the Ummah many times in the past. One important aspect of the decline of the Muslims has been the loss of this thirst for knowledge. Ignorance and illiteracy is widespread in the Ummah, where once everyone was taught to read the Quran.
How did this happen? How did we get from a situation where all children were taught to read the Quran and nearly 100% literacy prevailed all over the Muslim world, to the present, where illiteracy is widespread? This was due to a long and complex historical process, which we cannot discuss here. The burning issue which faces us is the problem of changing this trend, and becoming part of the solution, instead of being part of the problem.
Working to reverse this trend, and spread the love of learning explicit in the teachings of Islam must be a high priorty task for those who are working for the Ummah. To do this, it is necessary to combat an idea imported from the West, which has now become widespread in the Ummah: knowledge is acquired as a means of getting jobs and earning a living. This subordination of knowledge to acquisition of wealth is alien to Islamic teachings:
“Q6:162 Say: "Truly, my prayer and my sacrifice (struggles/efforts), my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds.”
Our acquisition of knowledge and wealth must be motivated by the desire to serve humanity and thereby please God. Only in this way can we hope to receive the blessings of Allah, and success in this venture of Islamization of knowledge.