Islam has, from its inception, placed a high premium on education and has enjoyed a long and rich intellectual tradition. Knowledge (‘ilm) occupies a significant position within Islam, as evidenced by the more than 800 references to it in Islam’s most revered book, the Quran. During the golden age of the Islamic empire (usually defined as a period between the tenth and thirteenth centuries), when western Europe was intellectually backward and stagnant, Islamic scholarship flourished with an impressive openness to the rational sciences, art, and even literature. It was during this period that the Islamic world made most of its contributions to the scientific and artistic world. The Muslim Ummah was a productive Ummah . Muslim scholars, scientists and intellectuals did not limit the treasures of knowledge and wisdom to their own nation. But they also provided an opportunity for the other nations of the world to avail the benefit of grabbing knowledge. So that backward nations of that time learned science and philosophy from Muslim Scholars. Non-Muslim scientists in the west received education from Islamic universities and enlightened the west with new science. But alas!Today the Muslim ummah is considered far behind in the field of education. We have not the number of people who specialize in different sciences and arts equal at all. We have ignored the various sciences and arts by saying that this is worldly science and is not the job of Muslims to learn it. This has greatly increased the decline and backwardness of the Muslim Ummah. There is a famous verse of Dr sir Mohammad Iqbal that
گنوادیہمنے جو اسلاف سےمیراثپائیتھی
ثریا سےزمینپرآسماننےہمکودے مارا
Surprisingly! The same Ummahthat taught the world a lesson of progress and prosperity. Who gave birth to such that personalities who enlightened the world on new avenues of development through their deeds, And those who laid the foundation in every field of knowledge and art, the Ummah that flooded the river of knowledge and wisdom and the same Ummahneeds today other nations for a single drop. The same Ummah that emerged as the great power of the world today looks helpless in the faces of oppressive powers. Honestly this period of humiliation and tranquility is continuing on the Muslim Ummahand the whip of divine as punishment is raining down on this Ummah with great intensity.
In fact, the indifference of the Muslim Ummah is that, they are still deciding where to tie hands in prayer . And they separated by giving priority to the conflicting issues over the real issues. The pace at which the world is running, unfortunately this Ummah lagged behind this race. This Ummah should have been ahead in this race, but this Ummah scattered. Finally, I would like to say that the Ummah should exert it’s identity. And take the despair out from their hearts. The infidels got knowledge from the universities of Muslims. And now they are plotting against the Muslims and they are trying to destroy the name and symbol of Islam. In past these infidels were plotting, and also they are still plotting like in future these people will lead the youth of this nation towards a new 3-D technology known as Metaverse (That is a hypothesized iteration of the internet supporting persistent online 3-D virtual environments through conventional personal computing, as well as virtual and augmented reality headsets.) In which man will come out of the world of reality and will go into the world of virtual reality. This infidel mentality will fight against the Muslim Ummah but Muslims also should prepare to defend these infidels. And should work with courage and also should develop revolutionary mindsets because a revolutionary mindset is a necessary basis for revolution. Insha Allah will definitely reach our goal and we will be successful in our mission. Education in the context of Islam is regarded as a process that involves the complete person, including the rational, spiritual, and social dimensions.
(The author is 10th class student from Palhallan Pattan. Views are exclusively his own)