Download ROLE OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN NATION BUILDING

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ROLE OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION
IN NATION BUILDING
BISMILLAHIRRAHMANIRRAHIM.
ASSALAMUALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAHI WABARAKATUH AND
VERY GOOD MORNING.
MINISTER OF ISLAMIC AFFAIRS, HONOURABLE DR. MOHAMED
SHAHEEM ALI SAEED
CABINET MINISTERS
PRESIDENTS AND MEMBERS OF INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS
SENIOR STAFF OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS
STUDENTS FROM UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES AND HIGH
SCHOOLS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
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1.
I RECENTLY LEARNT THAT THE MALDIVIAN PARLIAMENT
HAS MADE IT COMPULSORY FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES TO BE
TAUGHT IN ALL MALDIVIAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
FROM GRADES 1 TO 12.
2.
A CULMINATION OF THE PROPOSAL MADE IN OCT 2012 BY
THE LATE DR AFRASHEEM ALI. I BELIEVE THIS IS A
PROFOUND AND SIGNIFICANT MOVE:
A SIGNIFICANT
TESTIMONY OF MALDIVIANS’ FAITH IN ISLAM, A FAITH AND
AS A WAY OF LIFE.
3.
I AM IMPRESSED WITH THIS MOVE BY THE MALDIVIAN
GOVERNMENT TO EMBRACE THE UNITY OF THIS FAITH
FROM THE EARLIEST POINT. IF PROPERLY DONE, THIS WILL
STRENGTHEN YOUNG MALDIVIANS WITH THE LEGACY OF
ISLAM AND THE ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION.
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4.
THE
ULTIMATE
OBJECTIVE
OF
THE
MALDIVIAN
GOVERNMENT, I BELIEVE, IS ONE OF NATION BUILDING.
AND TO BUILD A MUSLIM NATION THAT ADHERES TO THE
IDEALS AND FUNDAMENTALS OF ISLAM.
5.
NATION-BUILDING
REFERS
TO
THE
PROCESS
OF
CONSTRUCTING A NATIONAL IDENTITY, WHICH AIMS AT THE
UNIFICATION OF THE PEOPLE SO THAT THE NATION
REMAINS
IN
THE
LONG
RUN
POLITICALLY
STABLE,
SOCIALLY HARMONIOUS, AND ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED.
6.
BUT UNITY HAS TWO ASPECTS: FIRST, THE OUTWARD AND
EXTERNAL UNITY—MANIFESTED IN SOCIETY AS COMMUNAL
AND NATIONAL SOLIDARITY. SECOND, THE INWARD AND
INTERNAL UNITY—WHICH REFERS TO THE UNITY OF IDEAS
AND MIND, THE INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL UNITY.
7.
EDUCATION PERTAINS TO THE UNITY OF IDEAS AND MIND,
WHICH IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE REALISATION OF THE
SOCIAL AND NATIONAL SOLIDARITY. INDEED, NATIONBUILDING NEEDS PROPER EDUCATION AND CONSTANT
GUIDANCE, SO AS TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF NATIONAL
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CHARACTER
AND
ETHOS,
VALUES
AND
LANGUAGE,
INSTITUTIONS AND INFRA-STRUCTURES.
8.
THE MOST PRECIOUS ASSETS OF A NATION ARE ITS
PEOPLE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL, THE
UPGRADING
CAPACITY
OF
OF
A
THE
MENTALITY
NATION
IS
AND
ONE
OF
INTELLECTUAL
THE
BIGGEST
CHALLENGES FACED BY MUSLIM TODAY.
9.
IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALISATION, HIGH QUALITY
HUMAN
CAPITAL
HAS
BECOME
A
NECESSITY.
THE
APPROACH MUST BE HOLISTIC AND EMPHASISE THE
DEVELOPMENT
OF
KNOWLEDGE,
SKILLS
AND
INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL IN FIELDS SUCH AS SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY,
AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE MUST DEVELOP A CULTURE THAT IS
PROGRESSIVE, COUPLED WITH HIGH MORAL AND ETHICAL
VALUES.
10. ISLAM IS ALLAH’S SUPREME GUIDANCE TO MANKIND.
HUMANS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO FULFIL THEIR DUTIES
AND AND THIS REQUIRES THEM TO EMBRACE KNOWLEDGE,
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SKILLS AND EXPERTISE IN ORDER TO BUILD CAPACITY.
ISLAM MAKES IT COMPULSORY FOR MUSLIMS TO EMBRACE
TRUE KNOWLEDGE IN ALL FIELDS.
11. THE MISCONCEPTION THAT THERE EXISTS A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
SO-CALLED
SECULAR
KNOWLEDGE
AND
RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE MUST BE CORRECTED. ISLAM
DEMANDS THE MASTERY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF SKILLS AND EXPERTISE. MANY
VERSES IN THE QURAN THAT TOUCH ON THE NEED TO
MASTER BENEFICIAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY SHOULD
BE STUDIED. ALL MUSLIM STUDENTS SHOULD BE AWARE
OF ISLAM’S CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE BIRTH OF THE RENAISSANCE
IN EUROPE.
12. FOR
MORE
THAN
A
THOUSAND
YEARS,
MUSLIM
CIVILIZATION WAS THE ZENITH OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT.
MUSLIMS WERE THE LEADING PHILOSOPHERS, SCIENTISTS,
AND INNOVATORS OF THEIR ERA. IN THOSE DAYS, MUSLIM
STATES
WERE
SHINING
EXAMPLES
OF
ECONOMIC
PROGRESS, SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.
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13. THROUGH THE SPREAD OF EMPIRE, MUSLIMS BROUGHT
UNTO THEMSELVES GREAT WEALTH AND PROSPERITY. THE
NAMES
OF
DAMASCUS,
BAGHDAD,
CORDOBA,
AND
ISTANBUL WERE ETCHED IN HUMAN HISTORY AS GREAT
CENTRES OF EMPIRE AND WEALTH.
MUSLIM TRADERS
BECAME MASTERS OF GLOBAL TRADE, AND MUSLIM
SHIPPING ROUTES DREW THE WORLD TOGETHER IN A WAY
THAT WAS UNPRECEDENTED AT THAT TIME.
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14. ISLAM ALSO GAVE BIRTH TO THE LEADING SCIENTISTS AND
INNOVATORS OF THEIR TIME.
MUSLIM CIVILIZATION CAN
PROUDLY NAME DOZENS OF THINKERS AND DISCOVERERS
AMONG ITS FAMOUS SONS, INCLUDING AL GHAZALI, IBN
SINA, ABU MUSA AL KHAWARIZMI, OMAR KHAYYAM, AL
BIRUNI, AL FARABI, AND AL KINDI.
15. AS MUSLIMS, WE NEED TO RECLAIM THIS GOLDEN LEGACY
THAT WE HAVE SADLY LOST TO THE AGES. WE CANNOT
REMAIN MERE SPECTATORS IN A WORLD THAT IS RAPIDLY
MOVING
AHEAD;
WE
MUST
COMMIT
OURSELVES
TO
ENHANCING OUR COMPETITIVENESS IN ORDER TO PLAY A
CONTRIBUTING ROLE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF HUMAN
CIVILIZATION, AS WAS THE LEGACY OF ISLAMIC NATIONS IN
THE PAST.
16. I BELIEVE THAT OUR WAY FORWARD NEEDS TO TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT THAT WE MUST RENEW THE SPIRIT OF UNITY
AMONG MUSLIMS. TODAY, ISLAM IS A GLOBAL FAITH THAT
BINDS ARABS, PERSIANS, TURKS, INDIANS, AFRICANS,
EUROPEANS, MALAYS, AND MALDIVIANS TOGETHER IN A
COMMON BOND; A BOND THAT WAS FOUNDED ON TAWHID
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AND SUBMISSION TO ALLAH S.W.T. MOVING FORWARD, WE
NEED TO RENEW OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM.
WE
MUST EMPHASISE OUR COMMON HERITAGE, AND PUT
ASIDE ANY SECTARIAN DIFFERENCES WHICH CAN LEAD TO
DIVISION AND CONFLICT.
17. ULTIMATELY,
ISLAMIC
EDUCATION
HAS
THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF BUILDING AN ISLAMIC CULTURE THAT
BALANCES THE NEEDS OF THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT, AN
ISLAM THAT BALANCES FARDHU KIFAYAH SCIENCES AND
FARDHU AIN KNOWLEDGE. WORLDLY AFFAIRS THAT ARE
CONDUCTED WITH SINCERITY WILL RECEIVE ALLAH’S
BLESSINGS AND WILL BE FAVOURABLY LOOKED UPON IN
THE HEREAFTER, INSYA’ ALLAH. WE MUST GIVE PRIORITY
TO PROPER DEVELOPMENT AND A REALIZATION THAT
MUSLIMS BECOME AN ADVANCED PEOPLE. TO SUCCEED,
MUSLIMS MUST ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN THIS WORLD AS
WELL AS EQUIP THEMSELVES TO FACE THE HEREAFTER.
“BUT SEEK, THROUGH THAT (WEALTH) WHICH ALLAH HAS
GIVEN YOU, THE HOME OF THE HEREAFTER, AND FORGET
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NOT YOUR PORTION OF LAWFUL ENJOYMENT IN THIS
WORLD; AND DO GOOD AS ALLAH HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU,
AND SEEK NOT MISCHIEF IN THE LAND. INDEED, ALLAH
DOES NOT LIKE THE MUFSIDUN (THOSE WHO COMMIT
GREAT
CRIMES
AND
SINS,
OPPRESSORS,
TYRANTS,
MISCHIEF-MAKERS, AND CORRUPTERS.)” (AL QASAS: 77)
18. ISLAMIC EDUCATION MUST ENABLE MUSLIMS TO ENGAGE
THE WORLD IN A POSITIVE MANNER. LIFE ON THIS EARTH IS
A JOURNEY THAT REQUIRES US TO DISCHARGE OUR
RESPONSIBILITIES
TO
SOCIETY
IN
AN
HONEST,
TRANSPARENT AND TRUSTWORTHY MANNER. MANKIND
WILL NOT FULLY BENEFIT FROM THIS LIFE IF THEIR
ATTITUDE AND WORLDVIEW IS NOT AS IT SHOULD BE;
BECAUSE
ALLAH
CREATED
MAN
TO
BE
KHALIFAH
(LEADERS) ON EARTH. IT IS THEREFORE IMPERATIVE FOR
MUSLIMS TO ARM THEMSELVES WITH KNOWLEDGE AND
WITH SKILLS, TO ENABLE THEM TO SUCCEED. CONSISTENT
WITH THIS, THE CONCEPT OF LIFE AS SERVICE TO GOD AND
THE CONCEPT OF WORK AS WORSHIP, HUMANS AS
CALIPHS AND THE OBLIGATION TO SEEK STRENGTH IN
EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE MUST BE ACCENTUATED, IN
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PARTICULAR, THE HIGHER OBJECTIVES CALLED MAQASID
AL SYARIAH WHICH SEEKS TO SAFEGUARD, DIGNIFY AND
EMPOWER RELIGION, INTELLECT, LIFE, PROPERTY AND
PROGENY.
19. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE UMMAH TO BE GUIDED IN
UNDERSTANDING
AND
PRACTICING
ISLAM
AS
A
COMPREHENSIVE WAY OF LIFE AS A MEANS TO BUILDING A
CIVILIZATION. A WHOLESOME WAY OF LIFE WILL CREATE
THE BALANCE BETWEEN OUR RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS
WORLD AND THE HEREAFTER. ISLAM IS NOT MERELY A
RITUAL, BECAUSE RITUALISM IS MEANT SOLELY FOR THE
HEREAFTER. ISLAM TOO, OPPOSED SECULARISM THAT
REJECTS THE HEREAFTER AND OBSESSED SOLELY ON
WORLDLY MATTERS. ISLAM MUST BE LIVED AS A SYSTEM
THAT INTEGRATES THE WORLDLY LIFE AND PREPARATIONS
FOR THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.
20. WE
MUST
AIM
KNOWLEDGEABLE,
TO
BUILD
A
COMPETITIVE,
NATION
HAS
WHICH
A
IS
HIGH
PERFORMANCE CULTURE, INTEGRITY AND STRONG MORAL
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VALUES—ALL
WITH
RELIGION
AS
THE
SOURCE
OF
INSPIRATION. IT IS ALSO A SOCIETY OF LEARNED PEOPLE
WHO APPRECIATE CULTURE, HERITAGE, AND THE HISTORY
OF THEIR NATION AND RELIGION. THIS SOCIETY IS KNOWN
BY ITS STRONG SENSE OF SELF-ESTEEM AND IS NOT
EASILY SWAYED BY THE WAVES OF GLOBALISATION. THIS
SOCIETY IS STEADFAST IN ITS FAITH IN GOD AND LOYALTY
TO THE COUNTRY.
21. I PROMOTE ISLAM HADHARI THAT STRESSES ON NOBLE
UNIVERSAL
VALUES.
EMPHASISES
IT
IS
DEVELOPMENT,
AN
APPROACH
CONSISTENT
WITH
THAT
THE
TENETS OF ISLAM AND FOCUSED ON ENHANCING THE
QUALITY OF LIFE. IT AIMS TO ACHIEVE THIS VIA THE
MASTERY OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
INDIVIDUAL
AND
BALANCED
THE
NATION;
DEVELOPMENT
AN
THAT
INTEGRATED
AND
CREATES
A
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HIGH-PRINCIPLED PEOPLE WHO
HOLD
TO
NOBLE
VALUES
AND
ARE
HONEST,
TRUSTWORTHY, AND PREPARED TO TAKE ON GLOBAL
CHALLENGES.
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22. THE APPROACH OF ISLAM HADHARI IS AN EFFORT TO
BRING THE UMMAH BACK TO BASICS, BACK TO THE
FUNDAMENTALS, AS PRESCRIBED IN THE QURAN AND THE
HADITH
THAT
CIVILIZATION.
FORM
IF
THE
ISLAM
FOUNDATION
HADHARI
IS
OF
ISLAMIC
INTERPRETED
SINCERELY AND UNDERSTOOD CLEARLY, IT WILL NOT
CAUSE MUSLIMS TO DEVIATE FROM THE TRUE PATH.
23. ISLAM HADHARI AIMS TO ACHIEVE TEN MAIN PRINCIPLES:
1) FAITH AND PIETY IN ALLAH
2) A JUST AND TRUSTWORTHY GOVERNMENT
3) A FREE AND INDEPENDENT PEOPLE
4) A MASTERY OF KNOWLEDGE
5) A BALANCED AND COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
6) A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE
7) PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF MINORITY GROUPS
AND WOMEN
8) CULTURAL AND MORAL INTEGRITY
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9) SAFEGUARDING THE ENVIRONMENT; AND
10) STRONG DEFENCES
24.
ISLAM HADHARI IS A COMPLETE AND COMPREHENSIVE
APPROACH FOR NATION-BUILDING, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECONOMY AND CIVILIZATION,
CAPABLE OF BUILDING SOCIAL COMPETITIVENESS. THE
GLORIOUS HERITAGE OF ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION IN ALL
ASPECTS MUST BE USED AS REFERENCE AND BECOME
THE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR US TO PROSPER.
THANK YOU.
WASSALAMUALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAHI WABARAKATUH
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APPENDIX
PERSONALITIES FROM THE PAST
1) AL GHAZALI (D. 1111) - THE MOST ORIGINAL THINKER AND
GREATEST THEOLOGIAN ISLAM HAS PRODUCED;
2) IBN
SINA
(D.
1037)
-
PHYSICIAN,
PHILOSOPHER,
MATHEMATICIAN AND ASTRONOMER; WHO WROTE ALMOST
450 WORKS ON A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS, PARTICULARLY
ON PHILOSOPHY (150 WORKS) AND MEDICINE (40 WORKS).
HIS MOST FAMOUS WORK IS THE CANON OF MEDICINE,
WHICH WAS A STANDARD MEDICAL TEXT AT MANY MEDIEVAL
UNIVERSITIES,
INCLUDING
IN
THE
UNIVERSITIES
OF
MONTPELLIER AND LEUVEN, AS THE BOOK PROVIDES A
COMPLETE SYSTEM OF MEDICINE AT THAT TIME. HIS BOOKS
ALSO
INCLUDE
GEOLOGY,
WRITING
PSYCHOLOGY,
ON
ASTRONOMY,
ISLAMIC
THEOLOGY,
MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, AS WELL AS POETRY.
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ALCHEMY,
LOGIC,
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3) AL KHAWARIZMI (D. 850)- MATHEMATICIAN, ASTRONOMER,
AND
GEOGRAPHER
“ALGORITHM”
FROM
COMES.
HE
WHOSE
NAME
INTRODUCED
THE
THE
WORD
DECIMAL
POSITIONAL NUMBER SYSTEM TO THE WORLD; HE SOLVED
LINEAR
AND
QUADRATIC
EQUATIONS.
THE
ORIGINAL
INVENTOR OF ALGEBRA.
4) OMAR
KHAYYAM
MATHEMATICIAN.
MECHANICS,
(D.
HE
1122),
ALSO
GEOGRAPHY,
ASTRONOMER
WROTE
TREATISES
MINERALOGY,
MUSIC,
AND
ON
AND
ISLAMIC THEOLOGY.
5) AL
BIRUNI
(D.
1050),
MATHEMATICIAN,
PHARMACY, MEDICINE, PHYSICS,
GEOGRAPHER,
AND EARTH
SCIENCE
SCHOLAR;
6) AL FARABI (D. 950), PHILOSOPHER AND MUSIC THEORIST,
WHO DISCUSSED THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF MUSIC ON
THE SOUL.
7) AL
KINDI
(D.
873),
MATHEMATICIAN,
ASTRONOMER,
PHYSICIAN, GEOGRAPHER, AND TALENTED MUSICIAN. HE
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WROTE HUNDREDS OF BOOKS ON METAPHYSICS, ETHICS,
LOGIC,
PSYCHOLOGY,
MEDICINE,
PHARMACOLOGY,
MATHEMATICS, ASTRONOMY, OPTICS, AND ON PRACTICAL
TOPICS LIKE PERFUMES, SWORDS, JEWELS, GLASS, DYES,
ZOOLOGY,
TIDES,
MIRRORS,
EARTHQUAKES.
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METEOROLOGY
AND