1) The document discusses the importance of education from an Islamic perspective. It argues that seeking knowledge is compulsory in Islam for both men and women. 2) It addresses common misconceptions that educating girls or acquiring a Western education is haram (forbidden) in Islam. The document explains that Islam encourages the pursuit of all types of beneficial knowledge. 3) The importance of education is emphasized for empowering women, improving health, reducing poverty, and spurring economic growth from an Islamic viewpoint. The talk encourages students to take their education seriously and continue their studies to high levels.

1. Nysc Charity Club, Talata Mafara, Zamfara State.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
INTRODUCTION
In the name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.
Madam Principal, Our amiable Vice Principal, all the heads of departments, all members of staff
(both teaching and non teaching), my fellow Charity Club Corp members, students. Good
morning to you all. It is always morning in NYSC as they say.
Madam Principal! Allow me to brief you of our sensitization. It is part of the four cardinal
agenda of the NYSC that during the service year to one’s fatherland, one must engage in a CDS
(Community Development Service) program, and every CDS must engage in one sensitization or
another, we members of Charity Club deemed it fit to choose your citadel of learning for our
sensitization.
Suffice is to say that Charity Club is one of the best CDS group in Talata/Mafara The reason is
not farfetched, as our motto attest to this, i.e. Serving the needy. It is apt to dilate from an excerpt
of John F. Kennedy which states that; `` ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you
can do for your country’’. It is from this submission, that we members of this Club, deemed it fit
to contribute our own quota to the development of academics as well as to foster scholarship
among our students, hence, we organize this program for our female students.
In brief, we are here to give lecture to them to serve as a means of motivation, as well as, to
present token to some outstanding amongst them so as to encourage competition.
Thank you!!!
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2. THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE.
Maintaining the already established protocol. I thank Almighty Allah for giving me this
opportunity in contributing my own quota to scholarship by delivering this lecture. I praise His
Holy name, I adore Him, and I exalt His Mightiness and confirm His oneness. He is the All
Knowing, knowledge emanates from Him, and He loves knowledge and enjoined His creatures
to seek for it that is why His first revelation focused on the acquisition of knowledge i.e Q96:1-5.
Read in the name of your Lord who created
He created man from the clot of blood
Read and your Lord is the most Gracious
Who taught man by the use of pen
He taught man that which he did not know.
May His Peace and Blessing be upon the noblest of soul, Muhammad (SAW) who encouraged
his followers to seek for knowledge even if it warrants going to China. By implication, China is
neither an Islamic nor Arabic country, so why did he urge us to search for it up to that extent? By
implication, we should not be restricted to the canonical aspect of knowledge alone.
Madam Principal, suffice is to say that Islam as a religion, is not that is restricted to the canonical
acts alone, but, it is a complete way of life. This can be deduced from the holy Qur’an Q28:77.
But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the
hereafter, and forget not your portion of lawful enjoyment in the world; and do
good as Allah has been good to you, and seek not mischief in the land. Verily,
Allah likes not the Mufsidun (those who commit great crimes and sins,
oppressors, tyrants, mischief-makers, corrupters).
In this wise, after due consideration of the environment where we are serving, a place where one
is proud to say that Islam is the culture of the land, it urges me to discuss the importance of the
education you are acquiring from Islamic perspective and expatiates on whether it is Haram per
se as often perceived?
MEANING OF EDUCATION
First and foremost, education according to Oxford Advanced Dictionary is defined as a process
of teaching, training and learning especially in schools or colleges to improve knowledge and
develop skills. While Babs F. (1974) sees education as the program of study which is conducted
with the aim of making the recipient a useful and acceptable member of the society.
However, from the Islamic point of view, the word education means Tarbiyyah which means to
improve someone gradually to attain perfection. In Islamic culture, education covers all aspects
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3. of one’s life including; upbringing, learning, ethical behavior, spiritual elevation, discipline,
cleansing, leadership, advice, guidance, reform.
Upbringing: This is usually facilitated by the parents, hence they must acquire it.
Learning: This is achieved through learning institutions like schools.
Ethical behaviour: The Prophet said that he was raised to perfect the best of characters, this must
reflect in the education we are acquiring
Spiritual Education: This is referred to as Tazkiyatu An-Nafs. The rationale behind the
incorporation of the study of religions is to achieve this.
Discipline: Every student ought to exhibit this unique quality.
Leadership: There is no doubt that good and effective education is the product of this, as he is the
one who will influence his subjects with both his actions and deeds.
Advice: This can be achieved either directly or indirectly; even the prophet was commanded to
seek for it.
Guidance: Every student must have one, usually the parents. We are guidance of other
generations tomorrow, so let’s make judicious use of the education we are acquiring.
Reform: The aim of education is to bring reform to a corrupt society; we must all bear in mind of
reforming this nation from corruption.
Hence, education from Islamic perspective focuses on raising the self to the full potential for
which it is created according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
IS EDUCATION COMPULSORY IN ISLAM FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU?
There is wrong perception of this notion in many quarters that educating a girl child is not
necessary from the Islamic point of view. Allah the most High, while referring to adherents of
knowledge is not explicit on whether it should be a male or a female, as far as the acquisition of
knowledge is concerned, both genders are enjoined to strive to acquire it. Allah said; `` Can we
compare knowledgeable people with ignorant people’’.
The Prophet also said that the acquisition of knowledge is compulsory on every Muslims (both
male and female).
A woman occupies an eminent position in a family. That is why the prophet said that educating a
single woman is like educating a whole nation. By implication, if we have more educated
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4. women, the society will proper. It is only an educated woman who can imbibe the spirit of
scholarship in her offspring.
Moreover, considering prominent Islamic scholars like Imam Malik, who acquired most of his
rudimentary knowledge from his mother, shows the impact in which an educated woman can
make in her society. A woman is a school, as rightly asserted by a great poet.
Hence, to my own submission, educating a girl is not necessary, but compulsory.
IS THE ACQUISITION OF WESTERN EDUCATION HARAM?
Haram literally means something that is forbidden; technically it means anything that is
forbidden from the Islamic point of view, hence one must refrain oneself from doing it, as doing
it usually attract a stipulated punishment both in this life and the hereafter. An example of
Haram is the indulgence in adultery, consumption of alcohol e.t.c.
The western education is the education that you are acquiring, as it consists of western subjects
like English Language, mathematics, geography e.t.c. But, is studying all these Haram? To me, it
is not.
First and foremost, it could be recalled that the prophet said that we should seek for knowledge
to the extent of going to China, which is neither Arabic nor Islamic nation? That means a Muslim
must seek for any knowledge that will be beneficial to both himself and the society at large.
Secondly, studying western subjects did not debar one from studying of one’s religion. That is
why we study Islamic studies from primary school level up to the university. I am an example of
that.
More so, considering the culture of your land, where Islam take eminent position, where every
Muslim girl is always be in Hijab, there is no cause of behaving like a western individual
because you have Islamize everything.
Nigeria as a nation is a secular nation, where every religion is welcomed and the only
prerequisite to prominent positions is the acquisition of western education, hence we must strive
for its acquisition.
To this end, I am of the opinion that western education is not Haram per se, what needed to be
done is to Islamize it according to our own capacity.
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5. IS MARRIAGE A BARRIER TO EDUCATION
Marriage (Nikkah) which is the union between a man and woman to become husband and wife. It
is an emphatic tradition of the holy prophet. The Qur’an is explicit on this i.e Q4:3
``….then marry women of your choice, two or three, or four; but if you fear that
you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one……’’
The prophet said that anyone who does not engage in it is not his follower, hence it is mandatory
for Muslims to get married.
But the question arises on the age barrier, Shar’iah (Islamic law) is not explicit on a stipulated
age for a girl before she can marry, so far she is matured physically and psychologically, she can
marry.
Is it a barrier to education? The answer is no. Various statistics have shown that a married person
usually concentrate and take his study more serious than a single person. And since the
government of the day is not against early marriages and did not debar married ladies from
attending schools regardless of any level, therefore, marriage is not an impediment to education.
The former minister of education in person of Prof. Rukayyatu Rufai, is a female like you from
the north i.e Jigawa state, she married early, now she is a Professor who occupies an important
position in the society
THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
Seeking for knowledge, they say is from cradle to grave. Almighty Allah enjoined us to acquire
it, the holy prophet also supported it, and hence, it is the adherence to the commandment of
Allah.
The importance of education can never be over emphasized especially for you females such as
supporting gender empowerment, improving child health and maternal health, reducing hunger,
fighting the spread of terminal diseases, eradicating poverty, spurring economic growth, and
building peace.
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6. RECOMMENDATIONS
All praise is to Allah, who has made education the bedrock of humanity. Sequel to all the
aforementioned submissions, I will like to make these recommendations.
First and foremost, all of you students must take this education that you are acquiring seriously.
Always listen attentively in classrooms, ask sensible questions, don’t play truancy, shun any act
that can distract your mind from education like boy friendship e.t.c and always do your
assignments.
More so, you must be prepared and enthusiastic to further this education up till any level. Thank
God, we Charity Club Corpers have female in our midst now, who are graduates in their various
fields of specialization. We want you too to be one. I want you to see Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai as
your role model. She promoted her religion and gender during her tenure in office as the minister
of education, and thank God, your principal is a female too.
In the same vein, I will like to urge you not to forsake the Islamic education. You must know
more about your religion. As you as coming here, I also urge you to attend Islammiyyah schools
if time warrants. Because one cannot know how to worship one’s God without having the
knowledge.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
On behalf of all my executives, and members of this NYSC/Charity club. I will like to thank you
madam Principal and the Vice Principal for making this sensitization a reality. Thank you very
much. In line with the Islamic tradition, I will say Jazakumllah Khayran, Warafanahu makana
`aliya .
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