An Overview of Educational Backwardness of Muslims
By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
17 June
2023
Why Are
Muslims Lagging Behind In Education?
Main Points:
1.
Muslims lack education due to various reasons.
2.
Education is highly valued in the Islamic
faith.
3.
Madrasas must improve education and take into
account contemporary needs to remain relevant among Muslims.
4.
Islamic experts should issue a fatwa mandating
that everyone study science and technical education, leading to a big change in
the future.
-------
The people
for whom reading was the first command in the Quran now seem to have the lowest
literacy rate. This is given the shockingly low graduation rate. From a
religious standpoint, Muslims shouldn't have lagged behind in education
because, per a hadith, "Getting an education is obligatory upon every male
and female." The early Muslims excelled in the sphere of education the
most under such orders. However, the Modern Muslims are unable to support the
upward trend in education. Who is responsible for that? There are numerous
compelling reasons for that. But nobody is willing to take responsibility—not
even parents, national leaders, or the government.
But it's
also important to bring up an intriguing and unexpected issue in order to
understand why Muslims are lagging behind in education. Nowhere else in the
world will you find a system that provides free shelter, food, and education
like the one that Muslims provide. Yes, there is a network of Madrasas in every
place, and only Muslims are served by this system. This is such a system which
has not been recognized by the major organizations of the world and has not
been considered as authentic. However, even little organisations have been
acknowledged by significant international organisations. They were recognised
for their achievements with awards and honours. The top prize in the world was
given out for managing orphans, teaching girls, and assisting them in becoming
economically independent.
We have
established male Madrasas, which also serve as orphanages, in addition to
female Madrasas, which educate a significant number of Muslim females. But the
issue is that, as of yet, neither a national nor an international body, nor the
government, has acknowledged the services that these Madrasas offer. This is another reason why those who attend
Madrasas are discouraged. There is also the concern that we have not made an
effort to demonstrate the benefits that these Madrasas are providing in terms
of raising the nation's literacy rate. In the era of advertising, it is also
crucial to advertise your work in order to raise awareness of its importance.
Along with
these inquiries, a significant one is whether these Madrasas have neglected to
improve education at their own level and to take into account contemporary
needs. Madrasas are becoming less significant among Muslims themselves. Is it
not a result of our carelessness? Since the percentage of education among Muslims
is currently declining, it is necessary to address a number of these questions.
By bringing
up Madrasas, I'm not just pointing the finger at them; rather, I'm attempting
to emphasise their significance and the fact that there is no system or
significant network in the world that supports education for the sole purpose
of receiving spiritual rewards [Sawaab] and viewing it as a national service.
Of course, millions of letters should be used to describe the services provided
by Madrasas in India. However, it is also imperative to take into account the
errors that have been made.
Numerous
reasons contribute to the low rate of education among Muslims. The way Muslims
think is one of them. Most people dispute what kind of instruction should be
provided to children when talking about their education. Do you prefer modern
education or religious instruction? In this contentious region, the majority of
them are unable to settle one of them. Why does education require such a
division? Learning is learning. You must always be knowledgeable about Islam if
you want to be a Muslim. They should also receive modern education,
nevertheless, at the same time. Additionally, decisions regarding the
children's continued education must be made in light of their mental aptitude and
mental attitude. This aspect needs to be considered.
It is
astonishing and depressing to learn that no efforts have ever been made to
advance education in India since the Middle Ages, not even while the country
was ruled by Muslims, and that there has never been a system in place to do so.
As a result, Muslims have always trailed behind in the educational system of
this nation. After the kingdom was divided, or rather, starting in 1857, there
was a period of strange conflict. Despite the fact that traditional education
was practised in this area, there was no organised regulation. The Muslims
opposed the British after they arrived, but they did not make any real efforts
to advance their educational stance. After the country was divided, the time of
anarchy was not yet ended; a never-ending succession of prejudices began, some
of which are still there now. However, this democratic system of the country
has granted every citizen the right to make progress in education.
It is
regrettable that despite opening numerous Madrasas, we haven't succeeded in
establishing schools in our communities where we can provide fundamental
Islamic education alongside modern arts and sciences.
Education
is a fundamental requirement since ignorance is the root of all evils and knowledge
is the root of all perfections. In the Islamic faith, seeking knowledge is
highly valued. About 500 different times in the Holy Qur'an, references to the
value and significance of education are made, either directly or indirectly.
Muslims are urged by the Quran to pursue education because it will help them
recognise God Almighty. To do this, Muslims must pursue both religious
education and modern education in order to be able to recognise the truth of
the planets and the signs of God Almighty.
The
majority of Islamic academics advocate reading Islamic literature. This is
excellent, but they should also motivate them to pursue science and technical
education. If an 8-year-old child could memorise the entire Quran, he or she
would be able to pass any IIT or medical examination with ease. If Islamic
experts issued a fatwa mandating that everyone study science alongside Islamic
literature, a big change may be seen in a few years.
-------
Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a
regular columnist for New Age Islam.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/educational-backwardness-muslims/d/130011