By: Om Mohammed

There is much in both the Quran as well as the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) which promote the learning of knowledge. To begin with, the first word of the Quran which was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was “Read!” (Qur’an 96:1). Then, in completion, the last verse revealed of the Quran was: “Today have I perfected your religious law for you, and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and willed that self-surrender unto Me shall be your religion. As for him, however, who is driven [to what is forbidden] by dire necessity and not by an inclination to sinning -behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.” (Qur’an 5:3)

KNOWLEDGE & ISLAM – PART II

By: Om Mohammed

There is much in both the Quran as well as the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) which promote the learning of knowledge. To begin with, the first word of the Quran which was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was “Read!” (Qur’an 96:1). Then, in completion, the last verse revealed of the Quran was: “Today have I perfected your religious law for you, and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and willed that self-surrender unto Me shall be your religion. As for him, however, who is driven [to what is forbidden] by dire necessity and not by an inclination to sinning -behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.” (Qur’an 5:3)

In between all of that, there are many verses admonishing mankind to simply think, as well as to learn and consider the various aspects of nature, in order to understand his (mankind’s) own position in this existence, and to know the Creator and His hand in all things. In fact, there are so many such verses that they cannot easily be represented in this short reminder, but a few shall be mentioned for the sake of making this point, that the reflection upon nature and our position in this existence is indeed because of Allah and in need of Allah.

As well, there are many instances in which the Prophet (pbuh) himself admonished those who listened to him to seek knowledge. In fact, one such well-known statement professes the glad tidings of the reward for those who seek knowledge: "Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allah will make a path to Paradise easy for him." (Al-Bukhari) It is important to note here that the Prophet, while making this statement, did not classify nor limit that this knowledge that one should pursuit must be of strictly Islamic or Religious specialty. The only stipulation, logically, would be that this knowledge one pursues should not be of a haram (prohibited) nature, such as dealing in black magic, or how to make liquor, or other dealing in other such similar haram acts. It goes without the need to say that in order for one’s path to paradise to be made easy, his quest for knowledge must be within the realms of halal (permissible) things as established by Islamic teachings and guidelines.

As concerns the many verses that were revealed after that first verse commanding man to essentially read (in other words, learn the abc’s of learning), and then completed by the final verse in which it was stated that the religion was now complete and in perfect format for humans to take and follow, I will touch upon a few important aspects of realizing the miraculous nature of our mere existence, which should help anyone to realize the nature of not only ourselves, but the nature of our Creator.

“Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding. Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” (Qur’an3:190-191)

This verse basically admonishes us to think of the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, as well as promises us of the reward for those who do consider such miracles as part of the essential creation, not just as simply ‘being’.

To go on further, let us examine exactly what is entailed in this very portion of creation: “Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)!”(Qur’an7:54)

Also, Allah Almighty says: “It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out for it stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. Allah did not create this but in truth. He explains the Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail for people who have knowledge.”(Qur’an10:5)

And: “Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He rose above (Istawa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round), each running (its course) for a term appointed. He manages and regulates all affairs; He explains the Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.”(Qur’an13:2)

All of these verses are speaking basically about the heavens (or the sky), and the sun and the moon. There is much more, as well all know, but for sake of space in this article, I will not go into those many more examples. Let it suffice to say that all of the basic evidence of the fact that these are Allah’s creation and subject to His command lies within the pages of the Quran, revealed miraculously over 1400 years ago, long before modern-day science has revealed laborious studies by dedicated scholars to prove these facts.

I find it confounding that Confucius (551 B.C.-479 B.C.), who lived and died long before the advent of Islam, made his profound statement concerning knowledge:

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” So true and such a profound insight into the nature of the human capacity for knowledge.

We are taught in Islam that “It is a sign of having knowledge to say “Allah knows better” about those things which one has no knowledge.”

Personally, I find it so amazing, that no matter how much we have accumulated of knowledge in any one subject, it seems that the more we delve into learning, the more we find that we truly know so little. At least, I find that with myself, and I am assuming that others find this true as well. Some more well-known and prominent philosophers have said this very same insight.

Richard Cecil (1748-1810) said: “The first step towards knowledge is to know that we are ignorant.”

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) said: “To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.”

As for insight into what knowledge is beneficial, or the qualification of knowledge, the philosophers have also enlightened us with their insights on this as well.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) said: “Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) said: “We can understand almost anything, but we can’t understand how we understand.” And: “The only source of knowledge is experience.” Also: “Information is not knowledge.”

John Naisbitt (1929-) said: “We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge.”

I find these last statements concerning information and its relevance (or rather non-relevance) to knowledge extremely interesting, particularly in this day and age of the accentuation on information.

And, finally, we have some insights from some of these philosophers concerning acting upon knowledge, which is a basic stabling ground stone for Islam.

Goethe (1749-1832) said: “Knowledge is not enough; we must apply.”

Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) said: “A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle.”

Martin Fischer (1954-  ) said: “Knowledge is a process of piling up facts. Wisdom lies in their simplification.”

On this last statement, I would like to add on my own insight based upon what I’ve learned in my own quest for knowledge: that wisdom lies not only in the simplification of the facts learned, but true wisdom is enacting upon those facts for one’s own betterment or perhaps the betterment of the society.

I’ve saved only one more philosophical quote for last, and this is quoted by Garrison Keller (1942-  ), in which he said: “A book is a gift that you can open again and again.”

Now, this insight can be applied generally to any book at all. However, what runs across my mind as the best gift ever given to anyone, is that of the Quran. Surely, the opening up of the Quran again and again is the best way to find one’s way onto the right path towards our Creator, and eventually into His merciful and blissful gardens of Heaven.

It is quite interesting also to note that of all these philosophical insights into knowledge and wisdom, only one, that of Confucius, was observed before the advent of Islam. All the others mentioned here (as well as so many more left unmentioned) occurred after the advent of Islam

My message today to you, my dear readers, whether Muslim or otherwise, is to Read! Expand your knowledge in good things and things that will be of benefit to you and your loved ones and the rest of the world as well. Most importantly, read the Quran, learn the message of Islam, and discover for yourself the true miraculous nature of this wonderful gift that we have been given for our own guidance. Read, learn, and apply, that you also may find happiness and peace in this life and the next.