Prophetic Education is a curriculum of Islamic Education from which the fundamentals of our true religion stem, which relies on basics and principles.

Formerly, we have interviewed Professor Hasan Yousef Al-Sherif, the Islamic Affairs Thinker and Scholar, regarding the topic of Islamic Education with whom we talked about the meanings, basics, principles, fundamentals and obstructions of Prophetic Education. In this episode of Interviews and Discussions, we shall review with him the thinking as being the first obligations in the Prophetic Education.

Q. Professor, How can we consider thinking as the first obligation of prophetic education?

In prophetic education, thinking is the first obligation, therefore Imam Shafei, May Allah be merciful with him, said that: "You should know that the first obligations of the commissioned muslim are to contemplate and conclude knowledge of Allah, the Exalted. Contemplation means reflection of the heart and meditation in what is viewed, in order to be acquainted with and through which one can know what is absent from necessity and recognition and it is considered an obligation in the religion fundamentals, as Allah the Exalted said in the Holy Qur'an: "Then take admonition, O you with eyes (to see).” (Al-Hashr: 2) and "Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth,” (Yunus: 101).

We said that the first obligation is contemplation as most of obligations are entrusted to intentions. Intention means intending worshipping for an identified God and intention here cannot be fulfilled unless God is fully known whose acquaintance cannot be achieved but through contemplation and conclusion. So we said that the first obligation is what emphasised by Imam Razi in his Interpretation “Tafseer” and is being inferred by many proofs. He said that: “Engagement in worshipping Allah is done after being acquainted with Allah, the Creator and we should know the proofs for His existence and the attributes of Exaltedness and Oneness.” May Allah be merciful with him also said: “There is no way towards being acquainted with Allah other than contemplation and reflection.”

Engagement in worshipping Allah should be preceded by being acquainted with Allah the Truth and undoubtedly followed by stating evidences of His existence and the attributes of Exaltedness and Oneness. Evidences have categories, from which we mention creation of human beings, creation of the heavens, water and plants, inferring through animals states, concluding by stories, etc.

Q. How has our Islamic thinking cared for the topic of sound thinking and made it in a high rank?

Thinking is the most important manifestation of human beings' existence as it gives them the highest rank that characterizes them from animals. Through thinking man can face the surroundings in which he discovers what would help him adapt, survive and build a civilization. Allah made man the successor on earth and imposed on him the great trust in order to achieve his responsibility by means of thinking and perform assignments that were imposed on him on accepting such trust. Allah, the Exalted, said that: "Truly, We did offer Al­Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results)." (Al-Ahzab: 72).

Henceforth, thinking is a nature and Islam is the religion of nature, as it does not refuse thinking. Nevertheless, it always encourages man to use it and not to disable his energies and it paves the way for spacious fields before him. There is no divine or non-devine scripture that asked human beings not to motivate their intellectual faculties. Islam encouraged man to use this nature, such as the Holy Qur'an in hundreds of verses, in various ways that prompt individuals to think deeply in the fate of universe, life and humankind.

Companions, followers and subsequent scholars recognized this express Islamic truth, so they prepared mental extrapolation with all its legal regulations originally from the religion fundamentals, such as juristic reasoning, discretion in legal matters, interests achievements, preventing deeds and eliminating harmfulness, as well as other forms of extrapolation.

The Islamic scholars are about to agree unanimously on the authority of intellect in its field, Imam Shafei – May Allah be merciful with him – said that: “Allah, the Exalted, bestowed upon servants their intellects, therefore they identify by means of which the difference between different matters and guided them towards the truth in text and meaning.”

Q. What about the faulty thinking as viewed by the Islamic thinking scholars?

As a matter of fact, in our modern times, the faulty religiousness is the reason behind altering the sound direction of Muslim intellect by many Muslims, whose thinking is passive regarding looking into Allah while being positive in looking into discovering the right thing. Through this thinking, they led the world towards a mistaken path and with which they became so underdeveloped that their lives focussed dependently on developed nations.

Imam Ibn Taimia – May Allah be merciful with him – considered that those who are criticizing the mental proofs are absolutely wrong as they think that these evidences are contrived being innovated by philosophers and people of words.

Imam Al-Ghazali expresses this serious deterioration in saying that: “Absolute passivity before Allah and absolute positivity before the universe; these are two cases that mark the soul of Muslim who is connected to Qur’an, related to its spirit and impressed by its revelation.”

Islamic thinking was affected by a serious deterioration when its theses was upside down, so its thinking became passive regarding the universe while being positive towards Allah. What an astonishing deterioration. How can we find a support for that in our religion?

Q. What about the most supreme and helpful thinking in Prophetic Education for which you are calling?

Imam Ibn Al-Qayem – May Allah be merciful with him – told us that there are five categories of thinking from which we benefit, in saying that: “The most supreme, helpful and magnificent thinking is in Allah and Other Life, which include:

First Category: Thinking and comprehending the revealed verses, as well as understanding the goals behind them, so they were revealed by Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, not to be recited, while this recitation is just a means.

Some predecessors said that: “Qur'an was revealed in order to be practiced and applied, so you should deem its recitation as an application and practice.” 

Second Category: Thinking and lessoning His witnessed verses as well as using them in order to conclude His attributes, wisdom, beneficence, piety and generosity. Allah – the Exalted – incited contemplating, reasoning and reflecting on His verses and dispraised those who are unaware of such.

Third Category: Thinking in Allah’s verses, beneficence, favour on His servants with different types of blessings, mercy, forgiveness, vastness and kindness. These three categories derive from the heart the knowledge, hope, love and fear of Allah. The continuance of this thinking accompanied by remembrance of Allah mark the heart completely with knowledge and love.

Fourth Category: Thinking in the soul’s defects and flaws and in the shortcomings of work is considered a very profitable category of thinking as it leads to good and advantage, as well as it playing a vital role in mortifying the self-accusing soul that on being mortified, the righteous soul will live and dominate.

Fifth Category: Thinking in the timed duties and functions, being interested fully in that. The one who knows the value of his time, is the one who never wastes it. Otherwise all his interests will be lost, as all interests are traced back to time and if being wasted will not be regained. Actually, man’s time is his life and the matter of his eternal life in paradise and also it is the material of his miserable life in hell. It is spent as fast as clouds. The one whose time if for and with Allah, it is his life, otherwise it is not counted from his time. If man lived his life just as beasts, so he wastes his time in mindlessness and heedlessness and void wishes and his death is better than being alive.

Here is an Islamic plan for achieving the prophetic education, which begins with awakening the mind to think.:

These are the thoughts of upright people in the prophetic school that promotes systems of human nature and the soul righteousness in the way of Allah with its function in life, which is the belief in right religion and establishing its protecting life. Allah – the Exalted and Almighty – says that: “Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice. And We brought forth iron wherein is mighty power (in matters of war), as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help Him (His religion), and His Messengers in the unseen. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.” (Al-Hadid: 25).

Finally, in your names, we would like to thank Professor Hasan Yousef Al-Sherif, the Islamic Thinker and Scholar, on these thoughts which upon being applied by Muslims would have the biggest share and best opportunities in taking command of leadership in a contemporary nation. We ask Allah – the Almighty – to give this nation guidance with which obedient people will be given honour and the disobedient will be given dishonour. To provide it with practical scholars, good leaders and wise commanders. Peace and blessing of Allah be upon our Master Mohammed and his family and companions.