Pursuit of Moral Knowledge to Save the Diminishing World Culture of Pluralism and the Responsibility of Religious Heads and Scholars
By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
7 July 2021
To Save the
Dying Moral Civilisation of The Planet Earth, Religious Heads and Scholars Who
Matter Should Come Forward And Take Responsibility on behalf of Humanity For
Improving Moral Essence And Spreading Spiritual Teachings in this regard.
Main
Points:
Education
opens the door to enlightenment.
Education
introduces human beings to the spiritual, social and scientific treasures
hidden in and around us in the social atmosphere.
There is no
longer any concept of the Teacher-Student relationship laced in the morality of
respect, admiration and care.
Education
sans morality is transforming the world into a mechanical device.
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Education
opens the door to enlightenment. Education is the key to all kinds of knowledge
that introduces human beings to the spiritual, social and scientific treasures
hidden in and around us in the social atmosphere. Education is needed to
understand the religious books and spiritual lessons in their originality.
(Photo courtesy: soapboxie.com)
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Moral
Education Vs. Materialist Education
People may
be pleased to say that education in the 21st century has got more prominence
than that of the earlier ages. But it will be like demeaning the education
imparted by Rishis and spiritual leaders sans books and copies. The degrees
obtained by the students was known and prominently displayed with the names of
the teachers (Gurus and Spiritual Sufis). We are aware that the students were
treated at par with each other without any distinction of their social status.
The Ashrams and the Kutiyas (rooms for students) were classic examples of
uniformity. Earlier educational institutions imparted education in all the
social and military spheres with the values of morality. Those days
Guru-Shishya system was based on ultimate respect, admiration and care for each
other.
Now the
time has changed. Now people buy education according to their social status,
and sometimes to raise their social status, as the education is on sale.
Teachers are not taken as Govind (God) because gods can never be bought as they
are not for sale. Therefore there is no longer any concept of Teacher-Student
relationship laced in respect, admiration and care. Teachers are bound to teach
(attend classes) and students are bound to read (attend classes) as both are
bound with the relationship of a buyer and seller. Knowledge can never be sold
and bought. Therefore, there are innumerable degrees but no knowledge. In
absence of knowledge, our society ceases to acknowledge any kind of
relationship, at home or outside it.
Education
sans morality is transforming the world into a mechanical device. Rules are
followed mechanically and implemented mechanically sans any kind of humane
approach. What society immediately needs
is a humane touch and approach in every field be it social or scientific.
Scientific inventions need the humanistic approach as much as the rules
governing the social environment of human beings.
Once a
humane touch is designed, developed and implemented in our educational system,
it will begin creating human beings in the classes in place of ' rules
implementing machines. These machines are not encouraging society to grow up
and be a man of spirituality and humility with the essence of pluralism.
Acquiring
Moral Knowledge as the Nucleus of Islamic Essence
Islamic
texts are proof of the importance granted to education. The first five verses
of the Holy Quran are related to acquiring knowledge and in this verse, we find
the word ‘Read’ used two times, the word ‘Teach’ used two times and the word
‘Pen’ used once. Consider the verse:
“Recite
in the name of your Lord who created – Created man from a clinging substance.
Recite and your Lord is the Most Generous – Who taught by the pen – Taught man
that which he knew not.” [Quran, 96: 1-5]
“Proclaim!
(or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher (Quran, 96:1
"O
my Lord! Increase me in knowledge" (20:114)
“There
is no god but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels, and those endued
with knowledge, standing firm on justice. There is no god but He, the Exalted
in Power, the Wise”
(Quran, 3:18)
He Who
taught (the use of) the pen, Taught man that which he knew not” (Quran, 96:4-5)
…they
could devote themselves to studies in religion, and admonish the people when
they return to them, – that thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against
evil)” (Quran,
9:122)
“And
those who strive in Our (cause), – We will certainly guide them to our Paths:
For verily Allah is with those who do right” (Quran, 29:69)
"God
will exalt those of you who believe and those who have knowledge to high
degrees"
(58:11),
“It is
only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah." (Qur’an 35:28)
"And
they shall say had we but listened or used reason, we would not be among the
inmates of the burning fire." (Quran, 67:10)
"Are
those who have knowledge and those who have no knowledge alike? Only the men of
understanding are mindful. “(Quran, 39:9)
Prophetic
Tradition on the Moral Importance of Knowledge
Along with
the Quranic verses, the Prophetic traditions are full of narrations that throw
light on Prophet Muhammad Pbuh’s concern regarding the acquisition of
knowledge. The Prophet (SAW) says: Seek knowledge "even though it be in
China."
"The
acquisition of knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim, whether male or
female."
"Seek
knowledge from the cradle to the grave."
"God
has revealed to me, 'Whoever walks in the pursuit of knowledge I facilitate for
him the way to heaven.'
"The
best form of worship is the pursuit of knowledge."
"Scholars
should endeavour to spread knowledge and provide education to people who have
been deprived of it. For, where knowledge is hidden it disappears."
Someone
asked the Prophet: "Who is the biggest scholar?" He replied: "He
who is constantly trying to learn from others, for a scholar is ever hungry for
more knowledge."
"Seek
knowledge and wisdom, or whatever the vessel from which it flows, you will
never be the loser."
"Contemplating
deeply for one hour (with sincerity) is better than 70 years of (mechanical)
worship."
"To
listen to the words of the learned and to instil unto others the lessons of
science is better than religious exercises."
"Acquire
knowledge: it enables its possessor to distinguish right from the wrong, it
lights the way to heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our society in
solitude, our companion when friendless - it guides us to happiness; it
sustains us in misery; it is an ornament among friends and an armour against enemies."
“Whoever
follows a path in pursuit of knowledge, Allah makes his way easy to paradise.”
(Bukhari)
“When a man
dies all his deeds come to an end except for three: an ongoing charity,
beneficial knowledge and a righteous son who prays for him.” (Bukhari)
Verses
on Education from the Holy Books of Christianity
An
intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
- Proverbs 18:15
The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. -
Proverbs 1:7
Now
concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.”
This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. - 1 Corinthians 8:1
In whom are
hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. - Colossians 2:3
For the
protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of
knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. - Ecclesiastes
7:12
“But of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that
you eat of it you shall surely die.” - Genesis 2:17
Then the
Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and
evil. Now, lest he reaches out his hand and take also of the tree of life and
eat, and live forever.” - Genesis 3:22
For the
earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea. - Habakkuk 2:14
Teach me
good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. - Psalm 119:66
Day to day
pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. - Psalm 19:2
There is
gold and an abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a
precious jewel. - Proverbs 20:15
Upanishads’
Encourage to Acquire Knowledge
The
Upanishads and the Bhagwat Gita advocate acquiring the knowledge necessary to
understand religion. It describes knowledge as a) lower knowledge and b) higher
knowledge. Lower knowledge is means of understanding the social world and
higher knowledge is called spiritual knowledge to understand the god. Hinduism
says the purpose of education is to accumulate self-confidence and mental
maturity among other things. Consider the following Shlokas and sayings from
the Holy Books of Hinduism:
“May Brahman
protect us both – the teacher and the student; may Brahman nourish us both; may
we both acquire energy by this education; may we not hate each other (and not
hate any other being in the universe).”
- Upanishads
“… Lead us
from (mental and spiritual) darkness to illumination …” - prayer in the Vedas
Those who
possess this wisdom have equal regard for all. They see the same Self in a
spiritual aspirant and an outcaste, in an elephant, a cow, and a
dog." - Bhagwad Gita
There is
nothing in this world more sacred than Divine knowledge. Whoever personally
achieves success in this yoga (of Divine knowledge) realizes this truth in his
self in due course of time. - Bhagwad
Gita
Who seeking
knowledge, will gain knowledge. - Lord Krishna, Bhagavad Gita
The Supreme
Lord said: My dear Arjuna because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart
to you this most secret wisdom, knowing which you shall be relieved of the
miseries of material existence. - BG Chapter 9, Verse 1
This
knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the
purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by
realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is
joyfully performed. - BG Chapter 9,
Verse 2
Judaist
Lessons on the Importance of Education
“Know this
day and set it upon your heart that Adonai is God — in heaven above and on
earth below — there is no other.” (Deuteronomy 4:39)
My son,
heed the discipline of your father And do not forsake the instruction of your
mother. -(Prov. 1:8)
That you
may walk in the way of the good and keep the paths of the righteous. For it is
the upright who will inhabit the earth, the blameless who will remain therein.
But as for the wicked—they will be cut off from the earth; as for the treacherous—they
will be rooted therefrom. - (Prov. 2:20-22)
For I
hereby give you sound instruction; do not forsake my teaching (Torati). -
Proverbs (4:2)
And now, O
Israel, give heed to the laws and rules that I am teaching you to observe… -
Deut. 4:1
You shall
not move your countryman’s landmarks, set up by previous generations, in the
property that will be allotted to you in the land that Yhwh your God is giving
you to possess. - Deuteronomy (19:14)
It was from
the heavens that [YHWH] caused you to hear His voice, to discipline you; while
it was upon the earth that He caused you to see His great fire, hearing His
words from within the fire. - Deut. 4:36
... “What a
wise and discerning people is this great nation!” - Deut. 4:6
Sikhism
Tribute to Education and Knowledge
That
Teacher alone is educated, Who enlightens his mind with divine knowledge,
Through the right reflection in a spontaneous way, Who sublimates his education
into a right understanding of life, And cultivates devotional love for Ram Naam
- Guru Nanak
He alone is
the man of wisdom Who gains self-knowledge, And attains the realization of God,
That seer alone becomes acceptable in the Court of God, Who becomes enlightened
in his life. Through the grace of the Guru. - Guru Nanak
An educated
person, a scholar or a seer wears the garland of Ram Naam ever round his neck.
- Guru Nanak
He alone is
an educated teacher, Who is God-centred - Gurmukh,
Education
and Knowledge Embedded in Morality
To save the
dying moral civilisation of the planet earth, all who matter, should come
forward and take responsibility of improving human moral essence and improve
the diminishing spiritual teachings.
World
organisations must look into this serious problem of education sans knowledge
and educations sans morality. Scientific inventions should also have morality
as one of the traits of their inventions. Moral sciences are one of the most
important calls for human beings to prosper in a way that could bring humility
and brotherhood to the world social environment.
Consider
what our learned social philosophers have to say about morality in education:
To educate
a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. -
Theodore Roosevelt
Education
is not preparation for life; education is life itself. - John Dewey
Education
is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know. - Daniel J. Boorstin
Nowadays it
seems that moral education is no longer considered necessary. Attention is
wholly centred on intelligence, while the heart life is ignored. - George
Sand
Moral
education, as I understand it, is not about inculcating obedience to law or
cultivating self-virtue, it is rather about finding within us an
ever-increasing sense of the worth of creation. It is about how we can develop
and deepen our intuitive sense of beauty and creativity. - Andrew Linzey
Only a
moral education based on free inner discipline can bring to bear a salutary
action and lead to true morality. - African Spir
If we are
to go forward, we must go back and rediscover these precious values - that all
reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
According
to one prophetic tradition, Prophet Muhammad Pbuh says: "The ink of the scholar is more
sacred than the blood of the martyr." We are vicegerents of Allah on
this earth hence we are responsible for the maintenance of the beauty of the
land and the society. With powers of a vicegerent we are responsible to take
care of our society and its welfare and in case of being irresponsible,
punishment in place of reward is to be in the offing.
And
Allah Knows the Best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/moral-morality-culture-pluralism/d/125059