Knowledge: Qur’anic emphasis not
restricted to religion only

Q318 :Many people argue that modern scientific
education is not the right one for Muslims because a Muslim should
concentrate only on the Qur’an and Hadith. If we were to take this
view, Muslims will certainly be at a disadvantage in this world. Since
there is repeated emphasis in the Qur’an on knowledge, could you please
explain whether it refers to knowledge of the Qur’an and Hadith only or
to other branches of knowledge as well.

A318 : It is not true that the proper education is
that which concentrates on the Qur’an and the Hadith. There are
important branches of knowledge and it is essential that individuals in
every Muslim netmunity should specialize in them and attain a standard
of excellence in these disciplines. To suggest, however, that religious
are the only disciplines of knowledge required of Muslims is wrong. To
start with, we cannot achieve any degree of excellence in these
branches of knowledge unless we also acquire a standard of excellence
in other fields and, indeed, in all branches of knowledge. The Qur’an
invites people to look around them in the universe and to try to fathom
its secrets. How can they do that unless they acquire appropriate
knowledge? Moreover, Allah has made everything in the universe
subservient to us. He wants us to use these in order to build human
life. This is the task required of mankind. How could they build human
life, or build the earth, without knowledge? Moreover, Allah calls on
people to reflect on his signs all over the horizon. For them to
appreciate these signs requires good knowledge of the universe around
them. That again requires an in-depth study of the world and everything
relevant to it. If we were to abandon all branches of knowledge under
the pretext that we should concentrate only on the Qur’an and the
Hadith, then we shrink into a little shell and that is exactly what the
enemies of Islam want us to do. An ignorant person can cause only harm
to himself and to his netmunity. If the netmunity is netposed of
ignorant people, then they have no hope of a good future. The task of
the Muslim netmunity is to provide a model of everything good in life.
That can only be achieved through excellence in all fields of
knowledge. This was how the early Muslim generations understood their
task. They were able, as a result, to build a civilization which was
unique in the history of mankind. Those who want us to concentrate only
on the Qur’an and the Hadith do not themselves know what the Qur’an
requires of us. They do not know what they are talking about. I should
say that Islam opens all the horizons of knowledge for its followers to
excel in them, be they men or women. [ In your keenness towards pursuit
for “other horizons of knowledge” you must not neglect your basic
obligation towards knowledge of Qur’an and the Hadith, through which
you realize the need for such a pursuit.]

Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )