Dr M Athar Khan
PLACE, position and mission of the teacher in Islamic society are equated with those of a prophet. The mission of the teacher as of the Holy Prophet (SAW) is implied in the connotative meanings of Iq’ra, which in its wholeness is descriptive of all aspects and specifications of the job of the teacher as mission of the Prophet (SAW). Iq’ra, like other Qur’anic injunctions, has a general context and applies to all Muslims regardless of their place and position in the Muslim Ummah. Accordingly it is obligatory for all Momineen to acquire Ilm (learn or educate oneself), disseminate it (teach others) and make and help others learn (exhort and provide others facilities for learning) for purposes none (commercialization and worldly gains of any kind) other than in obeying and carrying out Allah’s command—Iq’ra. However, to practise teaching as vocation still requires selection, preparation, education and training of teacher, as well as ethics and accountability, all of which are analogous to the life and mission of prophets in general and of the Last Prophet (SAW) in particular as it provides documented evidence of all aspects of his prophetic life and mission.
Madrassa, as Islamic Institution of Education, derives all its concepts, systems and practices from the Qur’an and life and teachings of the Holy Prophet (SAW). Madrassa teacher as a concept is ideally modelled after the Holy Prophet (SAW), who presents a perfect model of a teacher in all aspects. The figure -1 below is a graphic presentation of the prophetic model of teacher, which depicts aspects of the teacher’s personality and profession. It is not only suggestive; but in effect it provides guidelines and criteria for development of personality, education and training, and specification of responsibilities of a teacher. It is no exaggeration that the teacher of the Madrassa of the Golden Era of Islam was a living representation of the prophetic model of the teacher: or at least the great known teachers of the Muslim world fulfilled the criteria of the prophetic model in most aspects.
Fig: 1 (Prophetic model of a teacher) The Prophetic Model of a Teacher figured above is derived from the very life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW), which in all respects is personification of the Qur’an. It implies that all that is contained in the Qur’an is practically demonstrable and observable through human behaviour in all situations. This same generalized statement applies to all that concerns education with particular reference to the personality and job of a teacher. The Prophetic Model of Teacher depicts aspects of personality and occupation or profession of a teacher. The three elliptical circles describe personality aspects of teacher in terms of (1) man as human being, (2) faith and ideology and (3) knowledge and experience. (1). The Man: The central circle of the personality of the teacher, “the man”, forms the core of the personality of the teacher. It describes the human aspect of the teacher, which include physical, mental and spiritual aspects of teacher’s personality. Allah (SWT) has created man on earth with a noble purpose and to that end He should have wanted him to develop all his attributive qualities and capabilities (with which he has endowed the man) to the maximum; and use them for the best that is expected of him in life in this world. While this is taken as maxim for all men and women, it has special significance and application for, people who are in teaching profession and those who aspire to be teachers.
(2). Aqa’ed and Naz’riyat (Faith and Ideology): The middle circle of the personality is descriptive of Aqa’ed and Naz’riyat of man. It forms the second core aspect of teacher’s personality, which encircles the human aspect of the teacher. It provides both, inner strength and fortification to the human aspect of man as well as it regulates human behaviour all the times and under all conditions. Aqeeda has its root in the Arabic word “a’qa’da”, which denotes ‘hard knot’. (belief + action) in all matters of life. Aqeeda in its real sense is descriptive of level, degree and firmness of belief that one is in the awareness of presence of God at all times and under all conditions. As such it permeates all thoughts and actions of man, and acts as the sole determinant of all human behaviour. Naz’riyah in the Islamic context means Qur’anic perspective of and about things as they exist or the way things are to be done. Naz’riyah together with Aqeeda describes and illuminates the Sirat-e-Mustaqeem, the path that leads to the ultimate well being and welfare of man in this world and the hereafter. (3). The third and the outermost circle of personality of teacher is made up of one’s knowledge and experience. It has no limiting boundary. It continues expanding from birth to the end of life with Ilm and experience that one acquires voluntarily or as process of natural development. Continued updating and expansion of this third circle of teacher’s personality necessitates voluntary use of sources and means of knowledge and experience (as it is implied in the meaning of Ilm), to keep one’s knowledge from being stagnant, and for meeting the demands of the changing time. Reading (knowledge gained from books), Observation (noticing and learning from things and events as they exist and happen), Cerebration (Ta’aqqul, Tafak’kur and Tadab’bur), Intuition (knowing and sensing without use of rational process) and Heavenly Revelation (Qur’an) are means to knowledge and experiences.
—The writer is Prof & Advisor to the VC, Sarhad University, Peshawar.