A Vital Bond

1. A Vital Bond 2009 | Hijri 1430
A VITAL BOND
After our bond with Allah, in believing Allah should be our First Teacher, by
in His Oneness, comes the bond of the virtue of He being the Creator;
Prophet Muhammad, as a practical Prophets and Messengers, the first
example of Islam, an ideal model to teachers of the human kind, by virtue
follow. Then come parents, the bond of of their being appointed by Allah to
which should be maintained as long as guide the mankind. Reliable scholars,
it does not go against the disobedience as third kind of teachers, by virtue of
of Allah as shown by the Prophet. We being knowledgeable and who are
love our parents, because they acknowledged as intellectual
deserve it, as we are their children. authorities; parents, the first teachers
The parent–child bond is different from by direct contact, by virtue of being
that of other bonds. It involves the procreators. And, teachers proper,
physical and mental factors. by virtue of being qualified to shape us
on the right mold.
For over a decade or two we develop
under a bond, without which our life in “From the point of view of education,
this world is just animalistic, without the personality of teacher is of crucial
which we pass off as unpolished. This importance. If the teacher embodies
bond gains memento only when it’s and reflects the values he is teaching
treading and also makes us tread the then the impression he leaves on his
path of Islam, committed to hard pupil is very deep and indelible. The
work, involving physical and mental success of the Prophet as a teacher
exercise, and all other such factors lies in the fact that he practiced
which help mold us as a polished whatever he taught to others and, as
individual whose existence is a boon to such was the model for his
the society at large. This vital bond is Companions, both in profession and
well played, when in the garb of a practice. Once ‘Aishah was asked
teacher, who makes a persona out of about his conduct. She replied that his
us, rather than teaches for a price. conduct was the Qur’an.” [Alam, Zafar,
Education in Early Islamic Period,
In this role comes Allah as our First Markazi Maktaba Islamic Publishers,
Teacher, who places the knowledge of Delhi, p. 37]
His Oneness in our conscience and
intuition. Second, come the Prophets In the same book page 73, Dr. Zafar
and Messengers through their Alam writes in “Education under the
teachings and traditions. Third, come Pious Caliphate,” “… the teachers
those who are reliable scholars. Then attracted very large number of
come, parents, and teachers proper. students to their circles. The teachers
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2. A Vital Bond 2009 | Hijri 1430
were highly respected and much imam’s lecture, while his classmates
regard and respect was paid to them. rushed out without permission, to see
The teachers on their part treated the a rare animal in that part of the world,
student with love and affection and Baghdad, the elephant! MH
went out of their way to help and
encourage them. They considered it
their bounden duty to communicate
their knowledge and learning to
others.”
The role of a teacher is a heavy
responsibility whose traits can be felt
on those under their circle. This trait
has a telling effect on the applications
used by their wards. This serves as a
message to those playing their role as
teachers to develop the love of Allah,
and His Prophets and Messengers, and
develop sincerity, honour the trust of
their students’ parents, and be true to
their duty, and towards their protégé.
To understand the role of a teacher
further, a piece of advice by the
‘Abbasid Caliph, Harun al-Rashid, to “…
the tutor of his son al-Amin: Be not
strict to the extent of stifling his
faculties or lenient to the point of
making him enjoy idleness and
accustom himself thereto. Straighten
him as much as thou canst through
kindness and gentleness, but fail not
to resort to force and severity should
he not respond.” [Hitti, Philip K,
History of the Arabs, Macmillan:
London (10th ed., 1974), p. 409]
The duty of the educational protégé
towards the teacher is such that of
Yahya ibn-Yahya of Islamic Spain, a
student of Imam Malik ibn-Anas, who
remained seated and listening to the
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