Of Early Education for Muslims

When I was young and went to the madrasah, we were told to Fear instead of Love Allah and to reap His rewards like collecting game-points.

"Do this so that you'll get enough merit to enter Jannah. Why? Because Jannah is the happiest place ever. You can get anything you want!"


"Fear Allah because He will punish you, because He is Powerful. Yes, He is Merciful but it is not a sign of respect if you say you love Him. How can you Fear someone you Love? Better to Fear than Love."

It always made me feel like I'm in the wrong for feeling like we are all just being selfish and greedy by wanting to enter Jannah because it's a wonderful place and not because it means our love is His and He loves us.

It always made me wonder if any one of my God-fearing (but not loving) classmates would end up resenting Him for all the punishments He gave but will not be grateful for the even greater Blessings and gifts He showered us with.

Also, the 6 years in the madrasah were filled with failed attempts to explain religion scientifically because, I suspect probably quite correctly, that the teachers do not see science or philosophy as integral aspects of dakwah and do not promote questions among their students. They are really just reciters of what they've learned before.

It's in the books written by other scholars, therefore, it must be true. No need to cross-reference with science or philosophy.

I am blessed to have gone to an Islamic University to study Architecture. Architecture students are taught to question everything. Our favourite question is "why" and so it is to no surprise that we were the more eager to understand beyond the written statements of scholars about Islam. If there is a philosophy behind it, we wanted to understand that. If Islam is the truth, we wanted to see how science is explained and accepted in Islam.

We questioned but not to raise anarchy. We questioned to eradicate those inkling of doubt that came in our heads when logic did not mesh up with what the teachers of our youthful madrasah preached about.

One of the first things I learned from the numerous religious classes by the university is that our religion is about knowledge. The first revelation that was sent down to Our Prophet Muhammad (SAW) by Jibril (AS) is "Read". Searching for knowledge is a kind of Islamic jihad. Well, if you make it your Islamic jihad, of course.

So it saddens me when these teachers who had the first chance to dip their knowledge into the minds and hearts of young Muslims aren't well-versed in philosophy and science, enough to answer the simple yet profound questions that came from children. They will shape our children's perspective of Islam and what we fear is the blind faith of those racing to be the ones with the most points to get into Jannah, greedy for the material rewards awaiting them.

Let's instil the greed for Allah's Love and Mercy in ourselves and our children.
Let's not let them think only of the many nubile virgins, delicious foods and wonderful rewards waiting for them if they go through motions and rituals.
Let's not assume their questions are not important enough to be answered seriously.

Bismillah and InsyaAllah.