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saalamalaikum,
Sometimes people are averse to secular education just because it is worldly. Islam encourages secular education as long as the reasons are sincere. Islam condones is today’s reasons why people want to be educated. People want to be educated to compete in extravagant spending and feeding their ego more than contributing to society. (There are always exceptions.) This is an excerpt from Indian Muslims by Sheikh Wahiduddin Khan.

WORLDLY EDUCATION

Later-day Muslim reformers, who have recognized the need to propagate modern sciences and western learning amongst Muslims, have, by and large, based their arguments on verses from the Quran and sayings of the Prophet (saw) which lay stress on the importance of learning (al-ilm). Such arguments, far from proving definitive, have stirred up controversies between religious and secular scholars, the former holding that those verses and sayings of the Prophet (saw) which emphasize the acquisition of learning refer to religious learning, and not to worldly sciences with their connotations of materialism. Muslim reformers insist that injunctions on learning refer to both religious and the secular knowledge. This controversy, which began a century ago, shows a few signs of being resolved.

So far as the verses which deal with learning are concerned, there is surely room for both interpretations. But no matter whether one group takes them to apply to religious learning while another group relates them to secular learning, the importance of modern science simple cannot be denied. It may be an object of heated controversy, but its final acceptance is just as important to Muslims as it is to other nations and communities. Here is a verse from the Quran which not only approves of the acquisition of modern sciences, but which holds it to be the duty of Muslims to pursue them.

“Muster against them all the force and cavalry at your disposal, so that you may strike terror into the enemies of God.” (8:60)

We are therein commanded by God to make ourselves strong so that our adversaries may be overawed. The notion of strength (al-quwwah) in this verse applies, surely, to all things which, at any given time, confer power upon their possessors: this may be the power of ideas, or the power of material things- either or both, depending upon the exigencies of the times.

It is an indisputable fact that modern scientific learning is a force in this day and age. Today it is those nations which are advanced in science and technology which have real strength as compared with their more backward neighbours. We must be realistic and accept the fact that the awe inspired in one nation by another is to a very great extent the result of the acquisition of scientific learning.

Even if the importance of the modern scientific education is not underscored by the verses which deal with learning, it is certainly testified to by the verses which deal with the necessity of power.
Whether Muslims bow to the wisdom of the verses on strength or learning, it is clearly their bounded duty to create conditions which are favourable to the inception and growth of scientific education in their own community.

(If you have benefited from this article, raise your hands and pray for me and send it to others)

I would not say that it's a reform for a muslim to apply themselves to learning the sciences and its incorrect to claim the sciences have a western root - many great minds from the Islamic world have brought forth breakthroughs in mathmatics and medicine which have changed the worlds knowledge base for the good of all for around a couple of thousand years now.

This guy seems to imply that sciences should be learnt to impress awe and overcome adveraries rather then grow and contribute to the world - He then quotes 8.60 and it all becomes clear.

I would much rather hear your interpretation, i bet it would offer a lot more then this man. Opnions like this carry a tone of seperation which the world does not need right now.

saalam,
I think the author meant when he said western learning, he was implying english as a language. You will be suprised that at one point muslims in India were told not to learn the English language just because it was a foreign language. This offcourse is no more the case.
Education is power and sometimes should be learnt to impress awe and overcome adversaries.
One of the best examples that come to my mind is Jews. Right after World War II, jews faced immense discrimination in N/A. But they worked hard and are one of the most educated community in N/A.
I know there are many conspiracy theories of jews over the net. But the reality is that they do have a powerful lobby in N/A not because they are sinister because they are highly educated. I am not anti-semetic. I actually acknowledge their hard work.
In every top accounting, medical, law firm etc., you will find jews. I have seen this through my own eyes. I personally have seen jews (bearded wearing their skullcaps) in every field that requires high education.
They are a community that have proved themselves useful to such a degree that they cant be ignored but acknowledged. This is something I think muslims should learn from jews.
The verse of Quran that was quoted does have a historical influence. However, it could still be applied even today. In the sense, if muslims were so highly educated, we would be percieved in a far greater positive light. Only when we are useful to someone, can we hold an awe in their hearts.
Hope this clarifies.
saalam

Once again, much of this is divisory. The Muslim world should be embracing its wealth (acquired through scientific gains in extracting and refining oil) to invest in coming generations. The religious education is there, but what could be more fulfilling for a muslim country/ scholar than to discover a cure for one of the terrible diseases mentioned on the other thread (AIDS, cancer etc.) and then license that technology for next to nothing to developing nations to let them stand on their own feet.

Once again, the clash of the theology and the reality seems difficult for some to take, stepping back and asking how the wealth of muslim countries in the GCC could be used to unite the world around common issues will do more for the standing and spread of Islam than quoting the Qu'ran ever will.

scot1870 wrote:Once again, much of this is divisory. The Muslim world should be embracing its wealth (acquired through scientific gains in extracting and refining oil) to invest in coming generations. The religious education is there, but what could be more fulfilling for a muslim country/ scholar than to discover a cure for one of the terrible diseases mentioned on the other thread (AIDS, cancer etc.) and then license that technology for next to nothing to developing nations to let them stand on their own feet.

Once again, the clash of the theology and the reality seems difficult for some to take, stepping back and asking how the wealth of muslim countries in the GCC could be used to unite the world around common issues will do more for the standing and spread of Islam than quoting the Qu'ran ever will.

saalam,
Your points are good but you forgot that you have to selfless to be able to do anything for others such as your example of licensing technology next to nothing to other developing countries. That selflessness has to come from somewhere. This is where the Quran comes in to take its place.
History is witness that degree of selflessness the companions of Prophet (saw) had is no where to be found. This is because of them following everything the Quran commands them to do.
saalam

I have to agree with Jaba's first post on this thread - I also disagree with the tone and premise of the article.

Science is not bad or a tool of the enemies of Islam!

Science is the study of the natural world, i.e. the study of the Creation of Allah (according to Muslims).

There are more verses of the Quran that deal with nature and the study of nature than there are verses laying down the religious injunctions. Muslims are told again and again in the Quran to investigate the creations of God and expand our knowledge.

This fact was not lost on the countless scholars that advanced human knowledge of sciences in the first 400 years of Islam. Scholars of every religion were welcomed and most of the major sciences were advanced or even started in this period. The study of science was not seen as 'secular' or as 'against Islam' - but as part of Islam itself.

There is a famous Hadith which says a Muslim needs to seek out knowledge, even if it means travelling to China (a reminder that China was the longest reigning super-power in history, and is poised to re-take this position.. but that's another thread). No early scholar took this Hadith to mean 'religious' knowledge - but all agreed it was a call for Muslims to be educated in all spheres.

It is indeed unfortunate that power-hungry and insecure Mullahs now preach that there is indeed a distinction between 'religion' and 'science', and that 'secular' is separate from 'religion' in terms of quality of knowledge. This is reminiscent of the Middle Ages of Christianity, which are also known as the Dark Ages - characterised by insecure clergy using religion to seek to control the masses through fear and misinformation.

I was heartened by the news a few months ago that Sheikh Mohammad was setting up a 10 Billion dollar foundation here to promote the sciences, particularly research and development. This is indeed enlightenment.

The first Muslim Nobel laureate in science, Professor Abdus Salaam (who got the prize in Physics in 1979) - was a Pakistani. He wanted to set up a research institute for Physics in the developing world and dearly wanted to set it up in a Muslim or Arab country. Unfortunately, no one wanted to entertain such a far-sighted venture (he wanted it to be centre that would attract scientists from the developing world etc).

In the end, he set up his centre in Italy - in Trieste - where the institute bearing his name is still in operation and fulfilling his wishes, only it is not in a muslim country.

Hopefully things are now changing.. but far too slowly for my liking.

Cheers,
Shafique

jabbajabba wrote:I would not say that it's a reform for a muslim to apply themselves to learning the sciences and its incorrect to claim the sciences have a western root - many great minds from the Islamic world have brought forth breakthroughs in mathmatics and medicine which have changed the worlds knowledge base for the good of all for around a couple of thousand years now.

saalam,
Nowhere in the article did it mention or claim that sciences have a western root. I am afraid before you read the article, you had a preconcieved notion.

By the way, the author of the article is Maulana Wahiduddin Khan.

"In 2002, Maulana Khan has been awarded 'Demiurgus Peace International Award' by the Nuclear Disarmament Forum AG. The award, under the patronage of the former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, has been awarded to acknowledge his outstanding achievements in strengthening peace among nations and for his efforts to develop a complete ideology of peace and present Islamic teachings in the style and language of the present day." (Taken from wikipedia)

I hardly believe that this man is divisive in any way.
The other point is that its the verse of Quran that was presented in the article and as a muslim, i would have to accept it.
Reality is reality no matter how much you run away from it. After World War II, Japan and Germany were devastated. It was only through investing in science and skills that Germany is the largest exporter of goods today.
No wonder people associate anything from Germany or Japan to be of higher quality machinery. (the awe effect)
Unfortunately, the only asset that is associated with the muslim world is oil.
Thus, muslims need to be educated to contribute and not consume like oil rich countries where everything from a shoe lace is imported. The only fear is that muslims when educated become arrogant instead of being humble.
Remember me in your prayers.
saalam