Author: Abdul Hai lay'yan
The Nature and Method of Study (Part Three)
Strategy of Study
In the previous discussions, the nature of study, its difference from reading, and its levels were addressed. However, despite these explanations and understandings, in order to operationalize study and achieve desirable outcomes, there is a need for a precise plan with a practical approach. Only then can one attain the intended goal: reaching the highest level of study.
To make study purposeful and fruitful, we must raise fundamental questions and outline a study strategy.
Why Should We Study?
Researchers in the field of education and training, when asked about the reason for study, often point to its results and effects on the individual. These include: self-awareness, acquiring knowledge and information, strengthening concentration, enhancing memory, developing critical and analytical thinking, keeping the mind active, reducing stress, expanding vocabulary, improving writing skills, refining behavior, and bettering conduct.[1]
Yet for a Muslim, beyond all these reasons, clarifying the religious obligation toward study is of primary importance and serves as a powerful motivator for engaging in it.
A: Study as a Religious Duty
For those endowed with insight into the purposes of Sharia, the necessity of study from a religious perspective is evident.[2] The very first command to Muslims was “اقرأ” (Read). This divine order emphasizes the importance and necessity of reading and study to such an extent that the very first implementer of this command was the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He, the recipient of divine revelation and protected by divine infallibility, was not exempt from reading and studying (in the sense of reflection and thought). Today, the importance and necessity of reading and study are undeniable, for a society deprived of them becomes tense, weakened, and merely consumptive.
B: Study as a Civilizational Obligation
Creativity and innovation are key conditions for building civilization. It is clear that without granting knowledge and research their rightful place, neither development nor progress can be achieved. Equally evident is that without careful reading and study, no research or knowledge will acquire the characteristics of civilization-building. One of the fundamental foundations of the Islamic civilization was knowledge-seeking and valuing the outcomes of learning.[3] This is impossible without study. Therefore, study can be regarded as a civilizational obligation.
C: Study as a Social Obligation
Undoubtedly, in our religious teachings, the necessity of acquiring certain types of knowledge—those essential for living well both materially and spiritually—has been emphasized. Some of this knowledge is considered an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn), while other parts are a collective obligation (fard kifayah).
Meanwhile, in today’s world, there exist essential matters of rights and duties, and unless we study them, our lives will face many challenges. Fortunately, thanks to modern technology, most of the knowledge required for different areas of human life has been systematized. For example, in fields like education, economics, religion, politics, art, business, psychology, and even the most detailed aspects of marital and social relations, comprehensive resources are available.
Therefore, in contemporary society, one cannot live effectively without study. Once we accept that just as we have rights in society, we also have obligations, then naturally knowing these obligations becomes one of life’s greatest concerns. The most obvious way to achieve this understanding is through reading and study. In simpler terms, study is the main tool for understanding and practicing social obligations. Since the goal (social obligations) is obligatory, the means (study) assumes the same ruling.
D: The Rate of Study in Islamic Countries
Constructive reading and study are among the main sources of civilizational revival. They free nations from ignorance and poverty, leading them toward progress and prosperity. Conversely, neglecting study and the rise of illiteracy threaten the future of development in any country and signal the emergence of generations that may delay growth and advancement for years or even decades.
In today’s world, the development index of a country is often measured by the per capita study rate of its people. Thus, a low per capita study rate reflects underdevelopment. According to statistics provided by national and international institutions, many countries—most of them Islamic—are in an alarming state regarding literacy.
For example, the “Eastern Orbit” news agency, quoting the “Center for Research and Strategic Studies,” reported that according to the latest statistics from the Arab Organization for Education, Culture, and Science (ALECSO), the illiteracy rate in Arab countries is 21%, which equals nearly 96 million illiterate people.
It further stated that according to UNESCO’s 2003 Human Development Report, only 1 out of every 80 Arabs reads a book annually, while every European reads 35 books per year. Another report by the Arab Thought Foundation in 2011 noted that each Arab spends only 6 minutes per year on reading, compared to 200 hours per year for the average European.
According to the latest UNESCO data, the illiteracy rates in the Arab world were as follows: Mauritania: 48%, Yemen: 30%, Morocco: 28%, Egypt: 24%, Sudan: 24%, Algeria: 20%, Iraq: 20%, Tunisia: 18%, Syria: 14%, Libya: 9%, Lebanon: 6%, United Arab Emirates: 6%, Oman: 5%, Saudi Arabia: 5%, Bahrain: 4%, Kuwait: 4%, Jordan: 3%, Palestine: 3%, Qatar: 2%.
In the global statistics of per capita study, Islamic countries also appear far less prominently compared to others.
The online magazine Taqcheh, quoting Statista, reports the top 10 countries with the highest per capita weekly reading time:
• India: 10 hours 42 minutes per week (1st place)
• Thailand: 9 hours 24 minutes (2nd place)
• Philippines: 7 hours 36 minutes
• Egypt: 7 hours 30 minutes
• Czech Republic: 7 hours 24 minutes
• Russia: 7 hours 6 minutes
• Sweden and France: 6 hours 54 minutes
• Hungary and Saudi Arabia: 6 hours 48 minutes
• Hong Kong: 6 hours 42 minutes[5]
As for Afghanistan, according to Afghan News Agency and the latest UNESCO data, the country contributes nothing to global scientific production. Reportedly, its per capita annual study time is less than one minute [though this is a general average, as some individuals may study up to 5 hours per day].[6]
Thus, it is evident that the Ummah, whose very identity began with the command “اقرأ” (Read), is now scarcely visible among the nations most engaged in reading. Truly, is it not time for the Ummah of “اقرأ” to view study more than ever as a religious, civilizational, and social duty?
Continues…
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References:
[1] Mirasha, Laili (2019). Why Should We Study?, Khandam Platform, https://khandam.ir.
[2] Saadi, Ahmad Muhammad Said, Al-Qira’ah… al-Kanz al-Mafqud fi Hayatina, Damascus: Dar al-Rowad for Publishing, n.d., p. 13.
[3] Vahidi Manesh, Hamzeh Ali, The Civilizational Elements of Islam, “Scientific Article of the Ministry of Science,” Ma’rifat Journal, 2007, Issue 123.
[4] Saadi, Ahmad Muhammad Said, Al-Qira’ah… al-Kanz al-Mafqud fi Hayatina, p. 13.
[5] Taqcheh Platform (n.d.). https://taaghche.com.
[6] Afghan News Agency (2020). Afghanistan in Scientific Production…, http://afghannews.af.
