“O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not (for executing) the commands they receive from Allah but do that which they are commanded.” (66:6) The Holy Prophet Muhammad
said:
“Two persons were bane to Islam after me.” His followers asked who these persons would be and the Messenger of God said, “The first is the learned who keeps his learning (education) by himself and did not share it with others. The second is the uneducated who pretend to know better (in matters of religion).” At times, the ulama here stood calm in the midst of adverse comments from some younger persons who uphold violence and claimed to have learned Islam better. In another day, the same people would seek dialogue with the ulama on unconventional changes on otherwise established interpretation of the Shariah of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet . Everything has its share of adverse and beneficial outcome. For, such occasions of dialogue gave each party the opportunity to know each other’s stand as well as the background and academic tools upon which violence on the other side or tolerance on our part was upheld. The Muslim parents ought to provide their children with sound education or continuing learning on Islam and upbringing based on the noble character of the Prophet . Education is the right of every Muslim child. In Surah al-Alaq, the first verse revealed to Prophet Muhammad (under compulsion in the hands of the Archangel Jibril), thus:
, Allah commands His Prophet
“Read! In the name of your Lord Who created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick congenital blood). Read! And your Lord is Most Generous Who taught (the writing) by the pen; he has taught man that which he knew not. Nay! Verily, man does transgress (in disbelief and evil deed) because he considers himself self-sufficient. Surely, unto your Lord is the return.” (96:1-8) Prophet Muhammad
said:
“Seek knowledge from cradle to grave.” In another occasion he
was reported to have said:
“Seek knowledge even if it has to be (acquired) in China.” And: “God has not created anything better than reason.” Another Hadith quotes the Prophet
as directing the parents to:
“Train your children in archery and swimming.” 76 | Selected Khutba: A Guide to Social Development for the Muslim Communities in the Philippines
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