Lecture-3: Education: Building Personality

“The good deed and the evil deed can’t be equal. Repel the evil with one which is better, then verily, he between
whom and you there was enmity will become as though close friends.” (Quran 41:34)

What is fundamental for young people is the inculcation of a strong foundation, a moral and
spiritual root, to which they are anchored from the very beginning of their life. The concept of
producing good human being is missing altogether in western education. How can young people
become both good citizens and good human beings without having in them the conviction and
stability based on faith in the all-powerful and ever-vigilant Creator, to Whom all men turn to in
the day of Judgement? How would they know that responsibility and accountability are at the
core of emancipation from whims and desires? Without incorporating these in the education
system and a determined effort to their dissemination, the expectation will remain pure
idealism.

Education: Western Perspectives

Good citizenship is the only objective

The basic precept of western education is to produce ‘good citizens’ to, mainly, increase or
sustain economic productivity. The whole state-craft and social might is geared to this effect. As
a result, education is always at the centre of public debate in all the western countries. Buzz
words like ‘standard’, ‘excellence’ and ‘performance’ are used extensively by the experts.
Teachers and education providers have to experience immense pressure to come up with better
attainment in schools, colleges and universities. The fear that, in recent time, many western
countries are falling behind a number of developing countries elsewhere, has created a sense of
urgency among the policy makers. The concern has also risen because of the increasing anti-
social behaviour among the younger generation, such as bullying, juvenile delinquency, racism,
drug abuse, alcoholism, teen-age pregnancy, etc. In some western countries, they are now
growing in an alarming rate and creating a big hole in the confidence of their capacity to move
forward.

Nobody would ever deny that citizenship concept, such as loyalty, liberty, justice and fairness is
less important in disseminating education to the younger generation. But they can never be
balanced and wholesome if the knowledge of human purpose on earth is ignored and excluded
from education. If that is done, the prevailing materialistic values and philosophy filters through
the education system and directly affects the younger generation.

Leading to Materialism and Capitalism

The modern western society has developed by leaps and bounds in technological advancement
and organised institutions. Life has become fast, competitive and complex. With the rapid rise of
materialism, the concept of divine purpose and accountability of life is all but lost. As a result,
the western societies are losing many values and norms human beings hold so dear in other
parts of the world. They are entering in an era dictated by the philosophy of moral relativism.
There does not seem to be any absolute values and norms of life. Everything changes according
to the needs and demands of people. While societies are creating needs, needs are influencing
societies. This has given rise to global consumerism of an unparalleled strength. Human
behaviour is changing accordingly. In the moral maze spiritual bankruptcy is the manifest
outcome. The vacuum created by the weakening of religious influence in the West over the
centuries is deepening. This has now been filled with alternative but powerful ‘religions’, such as
Secular Liberalism and Market Capitalism which can, at times, be as proselytising and intolerant
as some religions used to be in the past.

Devoid of Moral and Religious Values

Education is predominantly task-centred where a learner is not given prime importance as a

human being. With rising social pressure and peer influence, the moral, ethical and spiritual
dimension is sidelined. They are compromised by the needs of the society. In the absence of
exemplary role models around them, the young people are tempted to imitate those who have
made name and fame but have little balance in their life.

The situation has worsened after the Second World War when the powerful Secular Liberal
camp has succeeded in creating an environment where individual freedom and self-fulfilment
are paramount. Religion is no longer the ‘opium’ of the people, because mankind has invented
far more powerful ‘opium’ to indulge in. So, it is demanded, young people in the educational
institutions should not be overburdened with the age-old ‘dogma’ of religious teaching!

As an outcome of post-modern religious disengagement of the society, the education system is

promoting an indulgent and value-free philosophy of life. Young people have little opportunity
or access to knowledge leading to accountability and responsibility on earth. Life is governed
and conditioned by the desire to survive and succeed. Human beings are at best rational animals,
albeit an intelligent one.

The long-term effect of sidelining universal and transcendental values in education has proved
counterproductive. History has witnessed the appalling atrocities carried out by ‘good citizens’
of some countries on others, e.g., holocaust in Nazi Germany and genocide in Cambodia,
Rwanda, Bosnia and Chechnya. The list is long. Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and leaders like them
were definitely the best citizens of their country in their lifetime. That is why, Iqbal, the
philosopher poet of the East, cried out and reminded the world (sic) that removal of religion
from public life gives rise to Chengis’ cruelty.

Contemporary Religious and Theological Education Prevailing in the West

It is evidently clear that the religious or theological education prevailing in the West is out of
touch and inadequate to face the challenges of the modern Jahiliyah they have created. It has,
in fact, little influence in shaping the life of the young people. Offering bigger chunk of time for
‘Religious Education’ in the curriculum is not going to do any miracle. What is essential is to
address the issue from a wider perspective and if necessary change the lock stock and barrel of
the education system. Without a deliberate and assertive impregnation of moral and spiritual
values, derived from revealed knowledge, into the education ethos nothing is going to change.

For example, ‘sex education’ is dealt primarily in the light of ‘safer sex’. In most cases, they are
either embarrassing or provocative to the recipients. With a confused ethos and uncomfortable
environment, it becomes a recipe for sensual life pattern. Although, the focus is primarily to
reduce sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, the result is opposite. Sex
related crimes and teen-age pregnancies are on the rise everywhere.

Nobody ever denies the importance of knowledge in this area, but what needs to be
emphasised is a balanced understanding and responsibility in sexual behaviour. This needs to be
taught under the broad topic of parenting, Once this is done, a fresh air of sanity can blow in the
society. Likewise, all other areas of knowledge could be re-focused in the light of man’s
responsibility and justice on earth.

Lessons from the Positive Aspects

Although devoid of spiritual dimension, the West’s material success lies in their education
system which is creative and imaginative. It prepares the young people with social qualities and
life skills. It is important to note that pre-university education has been given prime importance
in the West, as they provide the foundation of a nation. They also continuously address the
problems of under-performance through improving literacy and numeracy, reduction of class
size, ensuring equal opportunities for all, improving school leadership and teacher training,
inspection of schools and education providers and use of ICT in effective and efficient manner.
There is the urge to maintain standards and accountability and that is essential for success.
Essential are also the partnership with teachers, parents, businesses, voluntary and statutory
bodies as well as their implementation with proper planning, sensitivity and funding.

Education: Islamic Perspective

Prime Objectives

The main focus of education in Islam is child-centred and bent on preparing a young man for a
role compatible with the purpose of his creation on earth. As man is put in-charge of the affairs
of this world, it is an immense responsibility on him.
Education, in Islamic framework, is intrinsically linked with this vision. As a result, there is a clear
unanimity of opinion among the Muslim scholars that education should aim at familiarising the
individual with his.

individual responsibility in life.

relationship to other creature.

responsibility towards the human community.

social relations.

relationship to the universe and universal phenomena and exploration of natural laws in
order to utilise and exploit them.

Maker’s creative wisdom apparent in the creation.
(Curriculum and Teaching Education, Ed. M.H. Al-Affendi and N.A. Baloch, Hodder and
Stoughton, p16 1980.)

Education should, therefore, be a continuous process of transmitting knowledge and values in

order to promote the intellectual, moral, spiritual and physical development of the young
people enabling them to cope with the challenges of the modern society and grow up as
balanced and motivated individuals. There should be a harmonious development of mind, body
and soul. On the one hand, education should help equipping Muslim children with the required
skills and experiences needed to meet the challenges of modern competitive life. It should
prepare them how to live as ‘Muslims’ by serving man beings in diverse societies.

Responsibilities of the Muslims in the West

Muslims cannot expect this happening in foreseeable future in the West. But this is a process, a
big challenge. Muslim parents and educationists can take lead in forging links with other people
in the moral majority. People having common grounds concerning human values can join hands
together to encourage their followers to work in harmony with others. The Qur’an is explicit
about the necessity of this joint challenge and harmonious co-existence between people so that
they explore commonality in order to build a peaceful world. (al-Qur’an, 3:64).

The physical world has become quite small now. Man’s natural diversity of race, colour, religion
and geographical location is now taken as richness, rather than weakness. But it looks that the
gulf between man is widening. Man’s survival and prosperity is now a collective endeavour that
needs good human beings. Should education not aim to produce this sort of people? Should the
Muslim parents not attempt to educate their children in their homes and communities? Should
they not strive to influence the education system of the societies where they live?

It is difficult and challenging, but not impossible. Most western countries are now plural and
multi-cultural. Diverse and rich religious and cultural values are increasingly becoming ingrained
there. As a result, people with moral and spiritual stronghold can influence the education
system with moral and spiritual dimension. Gradual but consistent penetration in the system is
important. Only then a generation will grow up with a sense of responsibility rather than
recklessness, conviction rather than doubt and humility rather than arrogance.

Young people need stability in their life. Those, born and brought up with physical and
emotional care as well as love and warmth in stable families, have the unique potential to
deliver the same to the wider community. On the other hand, those born to irresponsible
parents in unstable environment suffer most and can contribute very little to the society. All the
more, they become burden on the society. Deprivation is not purely economic and social, it
could be moral and spiritual as well. The former creates chaos in the society, whereas the latter
brings confusion and eventual destruction. No nation can prosper with social impairment and
internal instability.

In short, what is needed is the will and courage of the moral majority in the education and
political establishment. In this, Muslim parents have challenging role to play. It is a big stake.

Questions:

1. What is fundamental for young people to become good citizens and good human beings?
What is the consequence if this is excluded from education?
2. Why are the fears and concerns of education policy makers in the western countries?
3. Discuss the effects of rapid rise of materialism on the society.
4. What consequence does the absence of exemplary role models have on young people? What
is the outcome of removing religion from the public life and education?
5. How is sex education dealt and what are the consequences of it? Briefly discuss what an
effective approach for sex education is.
6. What lessons can we learn from the positive aspects of western education?
7. What are the main purposes of education in islam?
8. What is the crucial duty of muslim parents and educationists in changing the education
system? What is the fate of those young people born to irresponsible parents in unstable
environment?