10 Zulkeadah 1435H / 05 September 2014
IMPORTANCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING ETHICS
Prof. Madya Dr. Azhar bin Muhammad
Director, Islamic Centre
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
‫اﶵﺪُ ِ ﳓﻤﺪُ ُﻩ و ﺴ ﺘﻌﯿ ُﻨ ُﻪ و ﺴ ﺘﻐ ِﻔ ُﺮﻩ‪ ،‬وﻧ َ ُﻌﻮ ُذ ﺎﺑ ِﻣ ْﻦ ﴍو ِر ٔاﻧﻔ ِﺴ ﻨﺎ وﻣﻦ ﺳ ِ‬
‫ﯿﺌـﺎت ٔاﻋﲈﻟﻨﺎ‪َ ،‬ﻣﻦ‬
‫ﷲ ﻓﻼ ُﻣ ِﻀ َّﻞ ‪ ،‬و َﻣﻦ ﯾُ ْ‬
‫ﴍﯾْ َﻚ‬
‫ﷲ َو ْ ﺪَ ُﻩ َﻻ َ ِ‬
‫ﻀﻠﻞ ﻓﻼ ﻫﺎدي ‪ ،‬و َٔا ْﺷﻬَﺪُ َٔا ْن َﻻ ا َ اﻻَّ ُ‬
‫ﳞﺪﻩ ُ‬
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‫َ‬
‫َ ُ ‪َ ،‬و َٔا ْﺷﻬَﺪُ َٔا َّن ُﻣ َﺤ َّﻤﺪً ا َﻋ ْﺒﺪُ ُﻩ َو َر ُﺳ ْﻮ ُ ُ‪َ ،‬اﻟﻠَّﻬُ َّﻢ َﺻ ِ ّﻞ َو َﺳ ِ ّ ْﲅ َﲆ َﺣ ِ ْﯿ ِ َﺎ ُﻣ َﺤ َّﻤ ٍﺪ َو َﲆ َا ِ ِ َو ْ‬
‫ﲱ ِﺒ ِﻪ‬
‫ﺘﻘﻮى ِ‬
‫ﷲ ْ‬
‫ﻮن ‪،‬‬
‫ﻓﻘﺪ َ‬
‫ٔاﲨﻌﲔ ‪ٔ .‬اﻣﺎ ﺑﻌﺪ ‪ ،‬ﻓ ﺎ ﻋﺒﺎد ﷲ ‪ ،‬اﺗ ُﻘﻮا َ‬
‫ﻓﺎز اﳌﺘ ُﻘ َ‬
‫ﷲ ٔاوﺻ ُﯿﲂ وٕا َي ﺑ َ‬
‫ﺣﻖ ﺗﻘﺎﺗﻪ وﻻ ﲤﻮﻦ ٕاﻻ و ٔاﻧﱲ‬
‫ﷲ َّ‬
‫ﻗﺎ َل ُ‬
‫ﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﰲ ﻛﺘﺎﺑ ِﻪ اﻟ َﻌﺰﺰ‪ٔ :‬اﳞﺎ ا ﻦ آﻣ ﻮا اﺗﻘﻮا َ‬
‫ﻣﺴﻠﻤــﻮن‬
‫)آل ﲻﺮان ‪(102‬‬
• Let us together increase our taqwa to Allah SWT by doing all His commandments and avoiding all His prohibitions.
• Show our obedience to Allah, especially as a people of knowledge who are always close to knowledge.
• Welcome to all undergraduate students who had just enrolled as a citizen of this research university.
• As someone directly involved in the pursuit of knowledge, it is appropriate to appreciate the importance of manners or ethics as a student during his study.
Ma‘asyiral Mukminin RahimakumulLah
• We need to realize that learning and having knowledge in Islam has a very high position until it is regarded as a form of worship.
• Thus Allah puts the status of those who have the knowledge at a very high level.
• Allah SWT says in Surah Al Mujadalah verse 11:
This means:
O you who have believed, when you are told, "Space yourselves" in
assemblies, then make space; Allah will make space for you. And when you
are told, "Arise," then arise; Allah will raise those who have believed
among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And
Allah is Acquainted with what you do.
• Due to the noble and high status in learning with knowledge in Islam, the first revelation to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also initiated the order which is very closely related to the knowledge of reading.
• This can be seen in the word of Allah:
This means:
Recite in the name of your Lord who created –
(Surah Al Alaq verse 1)
• Dear brothers in Islam,
• The Prophet (pbuh) in lots of his hadiths has mentioned the advantages of studying and the position of someone who is studying to attain knowledge.
Plenty of rewards are available to a person who is learning, as promise by Allah SWT leading a person who is learning to paradise as the Prophet (pbuh) says from Abu Hurairah :
‫ﻣﻦ ﺳ ﻃﺮﯾﻘﺎ ﯾﻠﳣﺲ ﻓ ﻪ ﻠﲈ ﺳﻬﻞ ﷲ ﺑﻪ ﻃﺮﯾﻘﺎ ٕاﱃ اﳉﻨﺔ‬
"Those who go through the way for seeking knowledge, Allah will facilitate for him a path to paradise" (HR Muslim).
• Thus Islam views learning or acquiring knowledge a very important scope and highly valued. What is most special is that learning in Islam does not only cease to worldly education, but also includes education for the hereafter.
• Thus al‐Imam al‐Ghazali Rahimahullaah divided knowledge into two main divisions, namely fardhu
ain (obligatory knowledge) which is required on every person to know and learn to meet the demands of religion and fardhu kifayah which must exist in a group of people in the community.
• But today we see the community do not strive to learn fardhu ain (obligatory knowledge) but they just focus on fardhu kifayah only.
• Al‐Ghazali also stated that the purpose of seeking knowledge is to gain understanding about things that drive towards good conduct and character.
• Morals are a manifestation of a wide range of life events accounted for connecting people with Allah, between mankind and all the other creatures of Allah in this world.
• So we need to understand that achieving a perfect character is the real purpose for us to learn in whatever field. • A student must have the appropriate criteria as a person who is learning.
• This matter is important in Islam because knowledge that is learnt is not only to know and understand, in fact, it has the blessings of Allah SWT
• Thus undergraduates must be ethical with all aspects related to learning, including manners with knowledge, with teachers, with friends and with the community so that knowledge gained by the students is beneficial.
• Dear brothers, in this limited opportunity, the pulpit will only mention a few ethics and manners to be observed by a student .
• Placing sincerity as a basis of searching knowledge.
• Students need to put the learning objectives from one angle i.e. to cleanse the hearts and equip themselves with praiseworthy attributes and on the one hand, it is to get closer to Allah Almighty.
• This is the main objective for learning; with first class mentality to learning. If any student that has not set the intention, he should quickly correct it!
• Remember the saying of the Prophet (pbuh) that explains its meaning. Narrated by Abu Huraira r.a. the Prophet said:
"Anyone who studies a proper knowledge in order to attain Allah's pleasure but they learn only to get worldly rewards (wealth, influence or rank) they would not be able to smell the scent of paradise on the Day of Judgement" (Narrated by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah).
• Cleanse themselves from the behavior and the nature of evil.
• Before studying, students must cleanse their hearts from bad behavior which is not permitted by Allah, from committing evil that is forbidden by Allah.
• This is because knowledge is placed in the hearts and its purpose is to get closer with Allah, so the hearts must be clean to receive knowledge.
• The knowledge of Allah will only be given to those with clean hearts because knowledge is the light that will shine over and illuminate the people who have that knowledge.
• Imam Syafi’i said to his teacher:
"Knowledge is light and Allah's light will not be given to the evil doer.“
• Students who have poor behavior and bad characteristics may acquire knowledge or a certificate, but that knowledge will not get the pleasure and blessings of Allah SWT.
• Respecting the teachers or lecturers.
• Students need to know that teachers / lecturers not only serve to teach in the subjects or areas of specific purposes, not only encourage to pass the exam or get the highest grades in each certification; but they teach you how to live in the world and further in the afterlife blessed by Allah SWT.
• Be aware of the position of the teachers / lecturers in life, so that teachers / lecturers must be placed in an appropriate position.
• According to the ways of the Prophet (pbuh) a student or students must respect teachers / lecturers and appreciate them.
• Therefore, students should respect and honor teachers / lecturers.
• Among the manners that must be noted by the students:
9Give salam upon meeting them
9Be mindful of their dignity
9Never try to find mistakes and embarrass them
9Be polite when talking to them
9Do not argue or go against their instructions
9Do not hurt their feelings
9Should not be arrogant and proud to them
9Degrading their credibility
9Submit questions or inquiries within the scope permitted by them
9Follow what is told by them as long as it is not contrary to Islamic law.
‫َٔا ُﻋ ْﻮ ُذ ِﺎﺑ ِﻣ َﻦ اﻟ َّﺸ ْﯿ َﻄ ِﺎن َّاﻟﺮ ِﺟ ْ ِﲓ‬
This means:
Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating
and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy
of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to
those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of
understanding. (Surah Az Zumar verse 9)
‫ءان َاﻟْ َﻌ ِﻈ ْ ْﲓ َوﻧ َ َﻔ َﻌ ِ ْﲏ َوا َّ ُ ْﰼ ِﲟَﺎ ِﻓ ْ ِﻪ ِﻣ َﻦ ْااﻟٓ َ ِت َوا ِّ ْﻛ ِﺮ‬
‫ﷲ ِ ْﱃ َوﻟَ ُ ْﲂ ِﺎﺑﻟْ ُﻘ ْﺮ ِ‬
‫َﺎﺑ َر َك ُ‬
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‫ﺻ‬
‫ﻤ‬
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‫ﻋ‬
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‫ﯿ‬
‫َاﻟْ َﺤ ِﻜ ْ ِﲓ َوﺗَ َﻘ َّ َﻞ ِﻣ ِ ّ ْﲏ َو ِﻣ ْ ُ ْﲂ ِﺗ‬
‫د‬
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‫ﻠ‬
‫ﻌ‬
‫ﻟ‬
‫ا‬
‫ﻼوﺗَ ُﻪ اﻧ َّ ُﻪ ﻫ َُﻮ َاﻟ َّ ْ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ ْ َ َ ﷲ‬
‫َ‬
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‫ﴗ َ َﲆ َﻃﺎ َ ِﺔ ِ‬
‫ﷲ‬
‫َوا َّ َي ِﺑ َﺘ ْﻘ َﻮى ﷲ ﻓَ َﻘ ْﺪ ﻓَ َﺎز َاﻟْ ُﻤﺘَّ ُﻘ ْﻮ َن َو َٔا ُﺣ ُ ُّْﲂ َوﻧ َ ْﻔ ِ ْ‬
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‫ﷲ اﻟْ َﻌ ِﻈ ْ َﲓ ِ ْﱄ َوﻟَ ُﲂْ‬
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‫ﺳ‬
‫َو َر ُﺳ ْﻮ ﰱ ِ‬
‫ﰻ َوﻗﺖ ﻟ َﻌﻠﲂ ﺗُﻔﻠ ُﺤ ْﻮ َن ‪ ،‬ا ْ َﺘﻐﻔ ُﺮ َ‬
‫َو ِﻟ َﺴﺎﺋِ ِﺮ َاﻟْ ُﻤ ْﺴ ِﻠ ِﻤ ْ َﲔ َواﻟْ ُﻤ ْﺴ ِﻠ ِ‬
‫ﲈت َواﻟْ ُﻤ ْﺆ ِﻣ ِ ْ َﲔ َواﻟْ ُﻤ ْﺆ ِﻣ ِ‬
‫ﺎت ﻓَﺎ ْﺳ َﺘ ْﻐ ِﻔ ُﺮ ْو ُﻩ ﻓَ َﺎ ﻓَ ْﻮ َز‬
‫َاﻟْ ُﻤ ْﺴ َﺘ ْﻐ ِﻔ ِﺮْ َﻦ َو َ َ َﳒﺎ َة َاﻟﺘَّآﺋِﺒ ْ َِﲔ‬
O servant of Allah, remember that this world is a place for temporary lodging. Truly, hereafter is the everlasting and permanent abode. So let us devote to Allah for obtaining happiness and escape from the punishment of hellfire.
• Allah says in Surah Al Ahzab verse 56:
• Which means:
“Indeed Allah confers blessing upon the prophet and His angels (ask Him to do so). O! You who have believed, ask Allah to confer blessing upon him and ask Allah to grant him peace.”
• Let us pray that Allah SWT accept the khalifah
of Rasulullah s.a.w Sayyidina Abu Bakr al‐
Siddiq r.a., Sayyidina Umar al‐Khattab r.a.,
Sayyinda Uthman ibn Affan r.a., Sayyidina Ali
ibn Abi Thalib r.a.
• And to his companions who struggle to uphold
the religion of Allah, also to his uncles Sayyidina
Hamzah and Sayyidina Abbas r.a. and to his
granchildren Sayyidina Hassan and Sayyidina
Hussain r.a., his daughters sayyidatina Fatimah al‐
Zahraa’, his wives Sayyidatina Khadijah and
Sayyidatina Aisyah r.a. and the other wives.
Followed by his family, companions, followers of
the companions and those who come after them
from time to time until the end of the world.
• O Allah, forgive the Muslims and the believers,
whether surviving or deceased. O Allah, grant
us guidance, strength, prosperity and help the
leaders of the Muslim countries especially
your servant Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum
Sultan Iskandar, the Sultan and ruler for the
State of Johor Darul Takzim.
• To Raja Zarith Sofea Binti Al Marhum
Sultan Idris Shah, Tengku Ismail Ibnu
Sultan Ibrahim, Tengku Mahkota Johor
and, the Prince and Princess, the royal
kinship, and all Muslims.