What every parent should realize when it comes to their child's education

One of the great scholars of Islam, Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali said it best when he described the child as "a trust (placed by God) in the hands of his parents,
and his innocent heart is a precious element capable of taking impressions."

With these thoughtful words in mind, Muslim parents know
they face an important responsibility in guiding their children on a path of
learning that will impress upon their hearts sound knowledge.

Where are they getting that knowledge? Muslim students are attending all sorts of classes in a variety of environments. The majority of Muslim students in Canada attend public schools where there is little opportunity for Islamic learning. Other Muslim children and youth are taking classes in Islamic schools and high schools. Here in Ottawa, for example, there are
Muslim elementary schools as well as one of Ontario's few Muslim
high schools (Ottawa Islamic School) and a small minority of Muslim
children are at home, taught by their own parents, which is legal in Ontario.

So who among our children is gaining sound knowledge?

Any Muslim parent or educator would agree that first, and
foremost, a child must understand what it means to be a Muslim. At the
outset, this is a simple exercise, but the goal is to raise a child who is
aware of Allah Subhana'wa Taala in every action and who looks to the
final Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as an example.

This kind of outcome can only come about through constant
effort by parents regardless of where the child spends the school day.

To be aware of Allah Subhana'wa Taala requires knowledge of
the Quran. Islamic tradition encourages children to memorize the Quran
between the ages of 7 and 9. It may seem like a daunting task to adults;
however, most children are quick to absorb information. The Prophet
(peace be upon him) said that on the Day of Judgement, crowns of light
await the parents of a child who has memorized the Quran.




Memorizing and understanding the Quran would require
knowledge of Arabic; an important skill for anyone who sincerely wants
to gain sound knowledge. But are Muslim parents placing as high an
emphasis on learning Arabic as say, learning French?

Compare these two assessments of the Quran by two British
men. Marmaduke Picktall described the Quran as, “That inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy."

On the other hand, Thomas Carlyle dismissed it with the following words: "As tedious a piece of reading as I ever undertook, a wearisome, confused jumble, crude, incondite --
nothing but a sense of duty could carry any European through the Koran."

In his anthology of Islamic literature, historian James Kritzeck wonders
and then concludes,

"How could two sensitive and intelligent men
of very similar backgrounds differ so markedly concerning a book which
everyone knows is a wold classic? The answer is complicated, but it can
be made simple: Pickthall read Arabic and Carlyle did not."

Learning Arabic also opens up many new worlds to our children,
because vast tracts of Islamic literature remain untranslated from
Arabic. It offers the student an opportunity, too, to read the words of Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him), in their original form.

Sources: Anthology of Islamic Literature "From the Rise of Islam to Modern Times" selected, edited and introduced by James Kritzeck, 1964 Canada, Holt, Rinehart and Winston of Canada, Ltd. Western Education vs. Muslim Children by Khadija Anderson at www.jannah.org/articles/ westernedu.html

This article first appeared in the Muslim Link, Sept. 2003.