Seeking Knowledge

It has become one of the sources of social pride and the
characteristics of civilized familiesand high classes to send their
daughters without a Mahram (non-marriageable male) to studyin a
foreign country. They imbue this act with a religious form andsaid
that the Prophet, , said: "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon
every Muslim." [Ibn Maajah (Al-Albaani: Saheeh )] They ignore the fact
that the knowledge meant in the Hadeeth (narration) is that knowledge
which draws the Muslim man andwoman nearer to Allaah The Almighty; not
the false knowledge which keeps them away from Him.
Some people nowadays have trespassed the limits of Sharee'ah (Islamic
legislation) and give the name "knowledge" to dancing, music, singing,
drama, cinema, theater, obscene stories and every means of immorality
and disbelief. Moreover, they call the study of means of Riba (usury)
and the sexual theories of Freud "knowledge"! They have become
impudent to the extent that they claim that the obligatory knowledge
meant in the Hadeeth of the Prophet, , is immoralitywhich is disguised
by the slogansof knowledge.
For the sake of clearing up any confusion, the knowledge meant in the
Hadeeth is what is necessary to know about religion; such as knowing
the two testimonies of faith and their meaning, prayer, fasting,
Zakaah (obligatory charity) for those who have the Nisaab (the minimum
taxable amount), Hajj for those who are able to perform it, the
rulings of transactions and trade for those who wish to trade, rulings
of Muzaara'ah (Crop Sharing) for those who wish to embark upon this
transaction; and by the sametoken everybody should learn therelevant
Sharee'ah (Islamic legislation) knowledge in his/her field.
This kind of knowledge is called "individual obligation" that every
Muslim must learn. Any additional knowledge is considered "communal
obligation" which when some Muslims learn, the other Muslims are not
required to learn. When no Muslims learn it, all of them bear guilt so
long as the branch of knowledge is needed. Allaah The Almighty Says
(what means): } And it is not for the believers to go forth [to
battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of
them a group [remaining] to obtain understanding in the religion
andwarn their people when they return to them that they might be
cautious. { [Quran 9:122]
After teaching the children, boys and girls, the necessary knowledge
of religion; we shouldbring up each group according tothe needs of
natural disposition. The programs of teaching boys and girls cannot be
the same; otherwise, the matter would be like shoe factories whose
machines produce only one model. Unifying the educational programs of
boys and girls is the worst form of foolishness and ignorance. There
must be a difference in educational programs so that in the end we
would have mothers who are knowledgeable of how to raise their
children and manage their homes and families. They should also have
general knowledge about nursing, and some of themshould be specialized
in this branch of knowledge in order to nurse and treat women and
children. The girl should be aware of household management, sewing,
needle-work and cooking. She should learn how to bring up children in
a righteous manner.
These are the basics that every girl should master after knowing the
necessary matters of religion.Then, it is permissible for her to know
various branches of knowledge or become specializedin them if she has
the ability and desire. There is a wide sphere for this matter under
Sharee'ah as long as it remains within the limits of Sharee'ah and
there is nointermixing between the sexes, exposing of adornments or
spreading corruption and obscenity.
Dr. Alexis Carrel said that it is foolish to make the woman renounce
motherhood. Therefore, girls must not have the mental and material
training that the boys have. They must not be encouraged to have the
same goals as boys. Mentors must exert great effort and pay attention
to the physical and mental characteristics of the male and female and
their natural functions. There are differences between the sexes that
cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is inevitable that we take these
differences into account when building a civilized world.
He also said that it is a cause of wonder that programs of girls'
education do not include any detailed study of the young and their
mental and physiological characteristics. The natural function of the
woman must be returned to her. This function does not include
pregnancy only, but also includes taking care of her children.
Unfortunately, educational programs for girls and boys are similar all
over the world even in Arab and Islamic countries which,regrettably,
blindly follow the course of the West.
The words of Dr. Carrel with regard to the similarity of educational
programs offered to boys and girls and its danger to society are very
important because this approach leads to attempts to obliterate the
natural and biological differencesbetween boys and girls and their
ignorance of their role in life.

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