Knowledgethe way to know Allah

By Nadeem Ah Mir

The Almighty Allah  has blessed man with innumerable blessings and one of the most important of these blessings is knowledge. Knowledge is the identity of a human  being and the proof of being a noble creature. It is because of the treasure of knowledge that Aadam (As) got superiority over angels and all of the angels bowed their heads before him. Knowledge is so important in the eyes of Almighty Allah  that He placed the word “Iqra” in the first revelation in the eternal guidance of mankind ~ AL QURAN and laid the foundation of the entire Shari’ah on knowledge. Knowledge plays an important role in shaping the character of the world of humanity.
The concept of knowledge in Islam is to introduce the true Creator to the servant and make him his perpetual slave. The power to change the course of history is evident only in those who are well versed with knowledge. In Shari’ah, on the one hand, the acquisition of knowledge and its dissemination is of such virtue and importance, on the other hand, we are using it for the most trivial purposes in modern times. Today’s youth has become a victim of chaos. In today’s world, the new generation is haunted by the specter of careerism and the purpose of knowledge has became to gather as much information as possible, to give exams, to obtain certificates and degrees and to earn a living. The concept of moral life is diminishing day by day as people are engaging in careerism and materialism in this tumultuous age. The reason for this is that in schools and colleges ,acquiring knowledge  has become materialistic.The youth are only achieving a certificate of degree from the institutions,without having moral education. Allama Iqbal has given the correct interpretation of this period in these words:

By catching wrong thoughts and ideas in schools and colleges, the youth class is now moving away from religion day by day. However, the youth class is the future of the nation. The same class of the Ummah has to go ahead and perform the duty of martyrdom and has to present the truth and universality of Islam to the world. The same class has to give a blunt answer to the false thoughts and ideas and in future, have to take the reins of the Ummah in their own hands. This class has to change the destiny of the nations.
But alas! This young class has now forgotten its responsibilities and has become so madly in love with the world that it has lost its purpose. This class has forgotten its true lover and has now started carving out new idols and has misused its abilities and lost its future.Having lost sight of the purpose of life, this class has now become distracted. If degrees do not bring a young person closer to the Lord, then it is not education but ignorance, because only those who have knowledge (religious and worldly) are more afraid of Almighty Allah.
The Qur’an mentions this in the following words:
 *”Only those of His slaves fear Allah who are knowledgeable. “*  
                                     (Fatir 35:28)

The only thing that drives this whole story is that this great section of the Ummah has been kept in a state of materialism and contemporary education system. Allama Iqbal has exposed this fact in these words. That:
The pursuit of knowledge is a means to reach to the real purpose and aim of life, not a means to an end. Knowledge should be a goal in the minds of the young generation, and in whatever field of knowledge they are,their aim must be the achievement of purpose of life.Therefore, whoever deviates from the goal and lives in this world like materialistic, obscenitic and animals will have to suffer the consequences of that in the world Hereafter. The Holy Qur’an has already foretold this in these words:
*”But whoever is (too) blind in this (world to see the right path) will be (too) blind in the Hereafter (to reach the salvation), and much more astray from the path.”*
                                  (Al Isra 17:72)

In this age a Muslim youth should get out of materialism, pointlessness and westernism and run towards the  Almighty Allah to please Him. The Almighty Allah still calls him in a compassionate voice in these words:

*”So, flee to Allah”*
                             (Adh dhaariyat 51:50)

Therefore, keeping in view the above verse, Muslim youth should run towards Allah, establish Him in their hearts, make it their desire to gain His pleasure and make the supremacy of His religion their own. Understand the destination and make every decision of your life subject to His commands. The secret of  worldly and otherworldly success lies in adopting this method.

Writer is Nadeem Ah Mir, R/o:Katapora,Kulgam can be reached at
Email:mirnadeem243518@gmail.com