The importance of academic education in Islam

The idea that people should pay attention to religious education only is very disturbing. In Islam, a person is only required to acquire that amount of knowledge which will enable him/her to follow Islam. The rest is optional. Allah SWT did not ask everyone to become a scholar. On the point of scholars, there are some who are found in bars. On the other hand, there are people who only know the very basics of Islam and yet they are punctual with their daily prayers and righteous in their conduct. There are some very religious people in the world today who are PhDs.

There are many people who preach that people don’t follow Islam because they don’t read the translation of the Holy Quran and Ahadith, so they don’t know what Islam teaches. The question is, who does not know what Islam teaches? Is there anyone who does not know that a person is required to pray daily, be upright morally, pay zakat, avoid drinking, avoid giving/taking interest etc.

Realizing the importance of an academic education in Islam, a lot of madressas have now added Maths, Science and English along with the religious curriculum. This is because Islam does not teach that a person remain a ‘jahil’. Islam encourages a good, comfortable life.

An academic education is a great blessing of Allah Almighty and a person should be grateful for it.

The importance of money in Islam

Prophets Dawud and Sulaiman (A.S.) were rulers at their time. They were very rich and yet they were prophets. There were also some very rich Ashb-e-Rasool (S.A.W.), the richest of whom was Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf, who was what would be termed a billionaire today. Yet, he was so religious that Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.) was informed by angel Jibrael that Hazrat Abdur Rahman is a ‘jannati’. This shows that money is not something that is discouraged in Islam. In fact, a person can acquire a lot of good deeds and a place in heaven just on the basis of money. How about going for hajj, umrah, doing sadaqah, helping someone during a financial crisis, building a mosque, spending luxuriously on one’s family and a list of other things that are beneficial for spirituality.

Muslims with long beards, regardless of how religious they are, beg rich Muslims for money. When their family member is in the hospital to when they want to get their daughters married. Keep in mind that begging does not have to be with a bowl on the street. Begging is a heinous sin in Islam and is very detrimental for spirituality. Yet, even religious Muslims beg. Allah SWT has said that He opens the door of need for people who beg. The sin of begging arises due to not having enough money.

People who don’t have enough money take loans to buy a house, car, get their children into university etc. Then they commit the sin of paying interest on the loan. This sin is also a result of not having enough money.

How many people turn to crimes like theft due to lack of money. How many go and gamble for money. How manyPublish Post start smoking due to the stress of not having enough money. How many fall into other sins and problems due to lack of money.

Switch off your A/C for a whole day and see how much you feel like worshiping. Imagine those people who can’t afford one. How much will they feel like worshiping in the sweltering heat?

Only when a person has food in his stomach does he/she feel like worshiping. How much will a person on an empty stomach feel like worshiping?

Money is a gift from Allah SWT and a person should be thankful for it. At the same time it is important that money is spent in causes that are beneficial for spirituality.