Parables of the Qur’an II

Episode 20

The Value of Knowledge

In the Name of Allah[1], the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.  Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)[2].

Today's story takes place during the period when Prophet Musa (AS) (Moses) was preparing and teaching the Israelites.  A strange event happened that revolves around a mysterious man whom Prophet Musa (AS[3]) (Moses) himself will strive to meet.  We know him as al-Khidr.  We continue to wonder who is he? Where did he come from? Where has he disappeared? Is he married? During the period where the Israelites and Prophet Musa (AS) were lost in Jordan near the Dead Sea, this minor story takes place.  Yet, its significance to the story of the Isrealities is profound as one of Allah's (SWT[4]) apostles himself goes in search of the knowledge that this savant holds. This makes us wonder to the type of knowledge that al-Khidr possesses, and why Allah (SWT) found it necessary to make Prophet Musa (AS) travel thousands of kilometers to learn.  The value of Knowledge is the main lesson learnt from this journey.

The sea plays a significant role in Prophet Musa's (AS) life.  As a child, he was thrown in it and was rescued by Pharaoh's family.  Later he was saved by the sea as he crossed it with the Isrealites, and today’s is the third sea-related event.  

The Israelites were engulfed by a variety of heart ailings after they had been prohibited from the Holy Land. These include their incapability of believing in Allah (SWT) and in their overall creed.  One of the main reasons for all of this is their ignorance.  They were illiterate and lived for many years in Egypt caring only about eating and drinking.  Pharaoh was also keen to keep them ignorant and so they never perceived the value of knowledge.  This is similar to our status now and Prophet Musa (AS) realized that a nation could never revive without knowledge.  The first word of the Qur'an revealed to our Prophet (SAWS) was "Iqraa" (read) and yet the Ummah (Muslim Nation) does not realize that education is a vital matter; performing rituals is not enough to achieve revival.

Allah (SWT) decreed the change of attitude of the Israelites.  He (SWT) also willed that they learn to love knowledge and be taught practically, not through sermons, but through an intriguing real-life story.  The story is related in the Qur’an in Surat[5] al-Kahf, which we read every week.  It is a reminder for us to love knowledge. It is also related in a long hadith[6] reported by al-Bukhary and Muslim, hence signifying the value of knowledge.

Once Prophet Musa (AS) was giving his sermon to the Israelites when a man deviated from the topic and asked him who the most knowledgeable person on earth at the time was.  Prophet Musa (AS) looked around and noticed that all those who surrounded him were ignorant and that he was the most knowledgable amongst them.  The archangel Jibril (AS) (Gabriel) came down to earth and infromed Prophet Musa (AS) that Allah (SWT) is reprimanding him for not first stating that Allah (SWT) knows best and that all knowledge is from Him (SWT).  He also told him that there was a servant of Allah who was more knowledgeable.  This taunted Prophet Musa’s (AS) curiousity and asked Allah (SWT) where to find this savant.  He (SWT) told Prophet Musa (AS) to find this man at the junction of the two seas and learn from him.  This could be one of two places: either in Sinai at Ras-Muhammad, or in Sudan where the White Nile conjugates with the Blue Nile.  Musa (AS) was beside the Dead Sea and it was such a long distance between either destinations, which shows the value of knowledge and how far we have to travel to get it.  Musa (AS) then asked Allah (SWT) to give him a sign to know where the man was, and he was ordered to put a salty grilled whale in a bag and keep walking and he will find the man when he loses the whale.  But how will Musa lose the whale?

Musa (AS) began the journey with a young Israelite named Yusha Ibn-Noun (Joshua).  Musa (AS) was preparaing a youth that will lead the entry into Jerusalem after his death. The only task that was assigned to Yusha Ibn-Noun was to carry the bag with the whale.

The Qur’an says that they took off, which gives the sense of enthusiasm and strength, because seeking knowledge needs these qualities.  Another symbolic gesture is that the whale represents nutrition and food, the only indulgences of the Israelites, and losing it shows that  knowledge is more important that eating.  

They began a journey of over a 1000 kilometers, which indicates three conditions for those who seek knowledge. First, is the persistence and motivation to learn; second is humbleness and modesty; and third is the intention to seek knowledge that is useful to the nation.  The very first ayah telling the story shows the persistence they had “I will not leave off until I reach the junction of the two seas, or I will pass epochs away.” (TMQ, 18: 60).

How significant is knowledge to us? The first ayah revealed was “Read: In the Name of your Lord Who Created man from clots. Read: And your Lord is The Most Honorable, Who taught by the pen” (TMQ, 96:1-4), and the second is “N‍ûn, (The is the name of a letter of the Arabic alphabet, and only Allah knows its meaning here) and (by) the pen and what they inscribe” (TMQ, 68:1).  Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) told us that the virtue lies with the knowledgeable over an over-practicing; disavowing those that claim that praying is enough.  The Prophet (SAWS) also said that the angels lower their wings out of contentment for those who seek knowledge.  All these ahadith and ayahs teach us the value of knowledge, that the Prophet’s companions realized.  Imam ash-Shafi'y travelled a lot to drink knowledge from various places.  Imam Ahmad Ibn-Hanbal said that he would leave the bottle of ink only to go to his grave.  Ibn-Rushd (Averroës) once said that he has not stopped reading a book except twice in his life: when his father died and on his wedding day.  A survey in the USA of the most successful hundred people showed that the commmon factor between them was that all of them read fifty books per year, i.e. around a book per week.

The ayah then continues “Then, as soon as they reached the junction between the two (seas), they forgot their whale; (Or: large fish) so it took for itself its way into the sea, burrowing.” (TMQ, 18:61).  This was the sign and they finally saw al-Khidr sleeping, covering his head with a green robe.  This makes us wonder that this might be where he got his name.

Prophet Musa (AS), although extremely tired from the journey, did not wake him and waited until he woke up himself.  The Prophet greeted him with “Peace Be Upon You”, to which the reply was “Peace Be Upon You, yet there is no peace in your land”. This shows that al-Khidr knew his background, of how in Egypt under the ruling of Pharaoh there was injustice, and peace cannot exist with injustice.  He also knew that the Israelites were illiterate and ignorant, and peace cannot exist with ignorance.  Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) then narrated that al-Khidr asked Prophet Musa (AS) about the reason for coming.  Prophet Musa (AS) replied that he came to learn from him.  Al-Khidr then said “Surely you will never be able to (endure) with me patiently.” (TMQ, 18:67).  This Prophet Musa (AS) received humbly and patiently all in striving to seek knowledge.  To this al-Khidr agreed and said “So in case you closely follow me, then do not ask me about anything until I (myself) effect a mention of it to you.” (TMQ, 18:70).

        The story will be resumed in the next episode. Yet we have summarized seventeen points to the secrets of success, in order to become a mature human being and be of use to the renaissance of the nation. If ten out of these seventeen points are followed for 6 months to a year, I guarantee that a different person will be shaped.  These are:

1.      Read a book every week or every two weeks

2.      Read a useful newspaper.

3.      Subscribe to a cultural magazine.

4.      Travel in order to experience various lifestyles and cultures.

5.      Learn a handicraft from a handicraftsman.

6.      Visit the monuments in your countries with a guide.

7.      Make friendships with successful people

8.      Watch the discovery channel

9.      Watch the daily news

10.  Research your family history

11.  Write down an idea, a poem, a story or a song. Use the pen and paper!

12.   In class, always ask questions, debate and discussion. Do not just listen to what is being said

13.  Play chess.

14.   Research the intellectual and cultural sites on the internet.

15.  Visit a public library,

16.  Work during the summer

17.  Learn a new skill or sport every three months.

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