“No doubt I have been sent as a teacher.” (Abna Maja, Chapter excellence of knowledge)
Islam being a complete code of life provides its balanced rulings in all aspects of human existence. It starts its guidance from beliefs and spans it till the internal characteristics; kindness, honesty, wishing well for all and so on. Allah the Sublime has not revealed His orders in text form alone but to supplement He sent His beloved Prophet; Mohammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) along. He was living example of those commands which is called Islam. This was what He mentioned in His holy book; Qur’an:
‘Indeed, there is a good model for you in the Messenger of Allah.’ (Surah: Alahzab, verse no 21)
Islam consists of Allah’s wordings and life of the holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم both together. Whoever seeks guidance to the will of Allah the Almighty he has to follow them up to the hilt.
As mentioned above, the holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was a teacher. Friend of Allah, Ibrahim (Peace and Mercy be upon him) prayed to Allah the Merciful after building of Kaba and asked Him to send His prophet among the people of Makkah who would teach them the divine message. The holy Qur’an cites it as under:
‘And, our Lord, rise in their midst a messenger from among them, who should recite to them Your verses, and teach them the book and the wisdom, and cleanse them of all impurities. Indeed You and You alone, are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.’ (Surah: Albaqara, verse no 129)
Qualities of a Teacher
Keeping in view, the entire holy life of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم there are two major qualities of a teacher which he should be equipped with. One of them is ‘Tolerance’ and the other is ‘Practicing what he speaks’
His first quality is evidently stated in the holy Qur’an:
‘So, (O Prophet) it is through mercy from Allah that you are gentle to them. Had you been rough and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you. (Surah: Al Imran, verse no 159)
In some other place:
‘Surely, there has come to you, from your midst, a Messenger who feels it very hard on him if you face a hardship, who is very anxious for your welfare, and for the believers he is very kind, very merciful.’(Surah: Altoba, verse no 128)
Traditions (Ahadis) of the holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم are full of his tolerance and its examples. Some of them are being quoted here:
- 1. Abu Hamid Al saidi narrated, said: The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم borrowed lown dates (Lown is the name of an Arabian date) from a person. When he came to demand, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: We do not have anything today. If you delay until we get something, so we pay you. The person said: What a violation! Umer (May Allah be pleased with him) got in wrath against him. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Leave him O Umer. Indeed person of right has right to say. (Majma uz zawaid. Musnad Ahmed, Al Tibrani.)
- The holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم announced amnesty for makkans after conquest of Makkah although they had been very cruel to him and the Muslims, and persecuted them in various ways and even tried to assassinate the holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. Imam Baihaqi reported their conversation in his book Sunan ul kubra:
‘He (The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said: What do you say and think? They said: We say: You are our brother’s son and our uncle’s son; you are very tolerant and very kind. They repeated it thrice. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: I will repeat what Yousaf (Peace and mercy be upon him) said: No reproach upon you today! May Allah forgive you, and He is the Most-Merciful of all the merciful. (Surah Yousaf, verse no 92)’
- Once a juvenile came to the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and sought permission to fornicate. The holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم did not get angry and replied in a wise and lenient manner. Imam Tabrani narrated in his Mojam as follow:
‘Abu Umama stated: One of Qurashites’ youngsters approached the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and said: O Messenger of Allah! Allow me in fornication. All of the surrounded people became attentive and scolded him. They said: Stop stop. The holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Draw closer. He came closer. He said: Do you like it for your mother? The youngster said: No, by Allah! I offer myself to you. He said: The same way people do not like it for their mothers. He said: Do you love it for your daughter? The youngster said: No, O Messenger of Allah! I offer my life to you. He answered: Likewise people do not tolerate for their daughters. He added: Do you stand it for your sister? The youngster replied: No, O Messenger of Allah! I offer my life to you. Similarly people dislike it for their sisters. He said: Do you endure it for your paternal aunt? The youngster asserted: No, by Allah! I offer myself to you. He said: People detest it for their aunts as well. He added further: Do you bear it in your maternal aunt’s case? The youngster told: No, O Messenger of Allah! I offer my life to you. He said: People hate it for their maternal aunts too. Then the holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم put his hand on him and prayed: O Allah! Forgive his sins, purify his heart and protect his organs. The narrator said: That youngster was not used to take interest in such things afterwards. (Majma uz zawaid, Musnad Ahmed, Al Tabrani)’
All of aforesaid examples are evident of the holy Prophet’s tolerance. صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم This is a key quality of a teacher to impart knowledge.
Second quality which is obvious in the Prophet’s life is ‘Practicing what he speaks’. He guided believers to offer prayers five times a day and he himself used to offer eight times a day; Fajjar, Ishraq, Chasht, Zohar, Assar, Maghrib, Isha, and Tahjjud. He conveyed Allah’s message of fasting in Ramazan and he himself would fast three times each month in addition to Ramazan. He expressed Allah’s command of paying obligatory charity once a year whereas he himself paid whatever he owned except necessary livings. In the battle of ditch, when all companions of the Prophet (May Allah be pleased with them all) were starving and each one of them was carrying stone on his belly, the holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was fastening two stones on his august belly due to hunger. He asked people to be patient and he presented its illustration in this tradition:
‘Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) says: I was walking with the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and he was wearing shawl of Najran, with thick borders. All of a sudden a villager appeared and pulled his shawl severely to the point I saw its effects on the Prophet’s neck and he said: Pass an order of endowment for me from those bounties which Allah has blessed you with. He turned towards him and smiled and gave an order for him.’ (Bukhari)
These traditions of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم accentuate teachers to mould their lives in this frame and equip themselves with above mentioned two qualities.
Superiorities of Teacher
The first and highest superiority of a teacher is that Allah the Beneficent commenced His foremost revelation with an act of teaching as:
‘Who imparted knowledge by means of the pen. He taught man what he did not know.’ (Surah: Alalaq, verses no 4, 5)
Beside this He said in Surah AlRahman:
‘The Rahman (The All-Merciful Allah) has taught the Qur’an. He has created man. He has taught him (how) to express himself.’(Verses: 1 to 4)
His ultimate Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم name himself as a teacher. He said:
‘No doubt I have been sent as a teacher.’(Abna Maja, Chapter excellence of knowledge)
In another tradition the holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم declared:
‘Verily, Allah, His angels, those who are in heavens and earth and even an ant in its hole and even fish ask Allah’s blessing for the one who teaches people righteousness.’(Tirmizi, Chapter: Knowledge)
In nutshell, Allah the Lord of the world favored a teacher with gigantic status. So, every teacher has to follow those qualities which are described for him in Islam. If he follows those guidelines he will certainly feel and observe the fruits of his efforts. Allah forbid if he does not, he will find this status evidence against him in hereafter.
May Allah lead us to His will and heavens. Amen
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