Editorial

Abstract

“Read! In the name of your Lord Who has created” (Surah al-Alaq 96:1).
The first blessed verse (āyah) revealed to our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began with ‘IQRA’ - Read.
The word “Iqra”’ (read or recite)” is a command to read or recite. This word refers to speaking particular
words, either written or memorized by heart (Al-Allamah Taahir ibn 'Ashoor).
The first verse of Surah al-Alaq (96:1) is of great significance. It did not order us to establish prayer, pay
zakāt or comply with the pillars of Islam. It was just the commandment to Read. Hence, the first duty in
Islam revealed was to acquire knowledge (‘Read‘). To excel in all aspects of Islamic studies, we should
acquire knowledge from the Qur’ān, Sunnah, and eminent scholars.
It is a sad state of affairs that, in contemporary times, illiteracy rates in the Muslim world range between
40% among males and 65 % among females, with rural areas lagging behind urban areas by over 10%
(ISESCO). It means there are hundreds of millions of illiterates, especially females, who cannot read or
write. Another set of statistics showed that over 70% of the 1.2 billion Muslims are illiterate (Yahia
Abdul Rahman, 2007). Despite the advancements in technology and the use of social media, “Muslims
who know how to read, do not read! We do not educate ourselves” (Yahia Abdul Rahman, 2007).
Another set of statistics showed that in the 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC), there are an estimated 1,460 universities (UNESCO, SESRTCIC, 2015). That means
there is only one university per every 821,918 Muslims. For example, Saudi Arabia has two universities,
Turkey has one university, Iran has one university, and Malaysia has one university. These are the only
Muslim-majority states ranked in the top 500 ranking universities worldwide (CSIC, 2018). The top 5
universities that have published articles within OIC countries (2004-2006) are all in Turkey and include
Hacettepe University, Istanbul University, Ankara University, Gazi University, and the Middle East
Technical University. In addition, the University of Iran ranked 7th, Cairo University 9th, Kuwait
University 13th, and the University of Malaysia ranked 16th (SESRTCIC, 2015). The contribution of
Muslim countries to the scientific world and science literature is also insubstantial.
OIC countries have 8.5 scientists, engineers, and technicians per 1,000 people compared to 40.7 of the
world average and 139.3 for OECD [Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development]
countries. The United States of America has 1.1 million scientists (4,099 per million); Japan has 700,000
(5,095 per million) (Farrukh Saleem, 2005). Forty-six Muslim countries contribute 1.17 % to world
science literature compared to 1.66 percent by India and 1.48 percent by Spain (Wikiislam.net).

In terms of the Nobel Prize, only two Muslim men Abdus Salam (Physics-Italy and UK) and Ahmed
Zewail (Chemistry, Egyptian-American scientist), won it in Physics and Chemistry. "Over the past 105
years, 1.2 billion Muslims have produced eight Nobel Laureates while a mere 14 million Jews have
produced 167 Nobel Laureates”(Wikiislam.net). Publishing and reading books seems to be a lost asset for

most Muslims. The average number of books published in the Arab world is approximately 30 (0.7%),
around 212 in the US and 584 in Europe. As for the Arab world: the average Arab reads 1/2 page per year
compared to the average American at 11 books per year and the average British at seven books per year
(Yahia Abdul Rahman, 2007).
Unfortunately, these days, many of us want knowledge to fall into our laps or to gain it when it easy and
convenient for us. Generally, Muslims on a global scale have lost their reading skills.
It is common among undergraduate Muslim students who depend on notes, lecturers, and PowerPoint
presentations rather than attending a local library to undertake further readings. Even as consumers of
knowledge, we have become passive and dependent.
We are no longer willing to sacrifice to gain knowledge. We can see many beautiful examples amongst
the most knowledgeable Muslims, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all), their sacrifices,
and their dedication in seeking knowledge. One example is Ibn Abbas
,
who would sit outside the
doors of the older Companions in the heat and the wind, waiting patiently to ask them about hadith. When
they would come to him, they would say, 'Why didn't you send someone for us?' and he would say, "No,
it is more proper that I come to you." Another example is Abu Hurayrah
, who would divide the night
into three portions, one for sleep, one for prayer, and one for studying hadith. Later, scholars would travel
for a month to hear a single hadith. Those Companions and scholars of the past did not wait for
knowledge to come to them but went out to seek knowledge which is the only path that leads directly to
Allah and His Paradise. As the Prophet ﷺ, said,
Whoever follows a path in order to seek knowledge thereby, Allah will make it easy for
him, due to it, to Paradise (Muslim).
In this hadith, according to Ibn Rajab
, a path means to incorporate both the physical way and the
non-physical means by which one attains knowledge. This statement includes all acts, such as traveling,
walking, driving to attend lectures, meet the scholars to learn from them, as well as reading, studying,
memorizing, pondering, and like these. All of these are 'paths' by which one seeks knowledge (Yahia
Abdul Rahman, 2011). The majority of commentators on this hadith stated that what is meant by
'knowledge' here is knowledge of the religion, and some asserted that it incorporates other types of
knowledge as well. Certainly, knowledge of religion seems to be the most likely knowledge to facilitate
us on the path to Paradise. We know from other hadith that seeking knowledge is an obligation upon
every Muslim, but it does not come without effort. We must sacrifice and struggle to gain knowledge, and
when we do this, Allah will make it easy for us to attain that knowledge and follow it to Paradise.
According to Islamic teachings, “literacy is a legitimate duty, moral obligation, message of civilization
and social responsibility, which requires all segments of society, including governments, organizations,
civil associations, international and professional organizations, and trade unions, to contribute to the
process of eradicating illiteracy (Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri). In conclusion, as Muslims, we need to be

proactive and increase our capacity to produce, disseminate (through various mediums), and apply
knowledge.
Above all, we need to revive the “awakening of knowledge”, to become producers rather than consumers
of knowledge.