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THE

QUR’ANIC
VIEW OF

KNOWLEDGE
AND

TEACHER

BY

Lt Col Sarfraz Hussain (Retired)

Former Deputy Secretary
To the Government of Pakistan
Islamabad
0333-5225009
0334-5148200
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They said: "Glory to Thee: of knowledge we have none, save what Thou hast
taught us: in truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom."
[AL-BAQARAH-32]

KNOWLEDGE IS FROM ALLAH AND IS A MEANS TO WISDOM. 2:32

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Say those without knowledge: "Why speaketh not Allah unto us? Or why cometh
not unto us a Sign?" So said the people before them words of similar import.
Their hearts are alike. We have indeed made clear the Signs unto any people
who hold firmly to Faith (in their hearts).
[AL-BAQARAH-118]

THOSE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE TALK IRRATIONALLY. 2:118

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A similar (favour have ye already received) in that We have sent among you a
Messenger of your own, rehearsing to you Our Signs, and purifying you, and
instructing you in Scripture and Wisdom, and in new knowledge.
[AL-BAQARAH-151]

TEACHING IS A JOB OF ALLAH’S MESSENGERS. 2:151

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Their Prophet said to them: "Allah hath appointed Talut as king over you." They
said: "How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to
exercise authority, and he is not even gifted, with wealth in abundance?" He said:
"Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath gifted him abundantly with
knowledge and bodily prowess: Allah granteth His authority to whom He
pleaseth. Allah is All-Embracing, and He knoweth all things."
[AL-BAQARAH-247]

KNOWLEDGEABLE ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE APPOINTED LEADERS. 2:247

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There is no god but He: that is the witness of Allah, His angels, and those
endued with knowledge, standing firm on justice. There is no god but He the
Exalted in Power, the Wise.
[AL-I-IMRAN-18]

KNOWLEDGEABLE ARE EQUATED WITH ANGELS AND THEY STAND

FIRM ON JUSTICE. 3:18

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Ah! ye are those who fell to disputing (even) in matters of which ye had some
knowledge! but why dispute ye in matters of which ye have no knowledge? It is
Allah Who knows, and ye who know not!
[AL-i-IMRAN-66]
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THOSE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE ARE EXPECTED TO INDULGE IN

DISPUTES. 3:66

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But those among them who are well-grounded in knowledge, and the Believers,
believe in what hath been revealed to thee and what was revealed before thee;
and (especially) those who establish regular prayer and practise regular charity
and believe in Allah and in the Last Day: to them shall We soon give a great
reward.
[AN-NISSA-162]

KNOWLEDGEABLE AND THE MUMINUN ARE PROMISED GREAT

REWARDS. 4:162

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When it is said to them: "Come to what Allah hath revealed; come to the
Messenger": they say: "Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers
following." What! even though their fathers were void of knowledge and
guidance?
[AL-MAIDAH-104]

THOSE DEVOID OF KNOWLEDGE ARE NOT LIKELY TO BELIEVE IN

ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER AND ARE THUS INELIGIBLE FOR
GUIDANCE. 5:104

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He said: "O Noah! he is not of thy family: for his conduct is unrighteous. So ask
not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge! I give thee counsel, lest thou act
like the ignorant!" Noah said: "O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee, lest I ask
Thee for that of which I have no knowledge. And unless Thou forgive me, and
have Mercy on me, I should indeed be lost!"
[HUD-46-47]

PRAYERS WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE MAY BE MISLEADING. 11:46-47

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"Thus will thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of stories (and
events) and perfect His favour to thee and to the posterity of Jacob, even as He
perfected it to thy fathers Abraham and Isaac aforetime! for thy Lord is full of
knowledge and wisdom."
[YUSUF-6]
TEACHING IS ALLAH’S WAY. 12:6

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When Joseph attained his full manhood, We gave him power and knowledge:
thus do We reward those who do right.
[YUSUF-22]

TEACHING IS ALLAH’S WAY, IS A MEANS TO POWER AND BESTOWED

ON RIGHTDOERS. 12:22

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The Unbelievers say: "No messenger art thou." Say: "Enough for a witness
between me and you is Allah, and such as have knowledge of the Book."
[AR-R’AD-43]

THOSE POSSESSING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOOK ARE TERMED AS

WITNESS TO THE PROPHETHOOD IN ADDITION TO ALLAH ALMIGHTY.
13:43

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Leave them alone, to enjoy (the good things of this life) and to please
themselves: let (false) Hope amuse them: soon will knowledge (undeceive them).
[AL-HIJR-3]

KNOWLEDGE HELPS KNOWING THE TRUTH. 15:3

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And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or
of seeing, or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of
Reckoning).
[Al-Israa-36]

KNOWLEDGE SERVES AS GUIDE TO DOING RIGHT. 17:36

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"O my father! to me hath come knowledge which hath not reached thee: so follow
me: I will guide thee to a Way that is even and straight.
Maryiam-43]

KNOWLEDGE MAKES A SON ELIGIBLE TO BE FOLLOWEDE EVEN BY HIS

FATHER. 19:43

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High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth! be not in haste with the Qur-an before
its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in
knowledge."
[Ta-Ha –114]

PRAYING FOR ADVANCEMENT IN KNOWLEDGE IS PROPHET’S WAY.

20:114

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We gave (in the past) knowledge to David and Solomon: and they both said:
"Praise be to Allah, Who has favoured us above many of His servants who
believe!"
[Al-Naml-15]
KNOWLEDGE IS THE CRITERION OF PICKING UP PEOPLE ABOVE
OTHERS. 27:15

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He said: "This has been given to me because of a certain knowledge which I

have." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed, before him (whole) generations,
- which were superior to him in strength and greater in amount (of riches) they
had collected? But the wicked are not called (immediately) to account for their
sins.
[Al-Qasas-78]

KNOWLEDGE IS NOT TO BE BOASTED UPON. IT IS THE WRONGDOERS

WHO DO THAT AND BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR DESTRUCTION. 28:78

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But those who had been granted (true) knowledge said: "Alas for you! The
reward of Allah in the Hereafter) is best for those who believe and work
righteousness: but this none shall attain, save those who steadfastly persevere
(in good)."
[Al-Qasas-80]

KNOWLEDGEABLE ARE CAPABLE OF PERCEIVING EVENTS IN THEIR

TOTALITY. 28:80

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Nay, the wrong-doers (merely) follow their own lusts, being devoid of knowledge
but who will guide those whom Allah leaves astray? To them there will be no
helpers.
[Ar-Rum-29]

THOSE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE FOLLOW THEIR LUSTS, ARE TERMED

AS WRONGDOERS AND WILL FIND NO HELPERS. 30:29

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But there are, among men, those who purchase idle tales, without knowledge (or
meaning), to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah and throw ridicule (on the
Path): for such there will be a humiliating Penalty.
[Luqman-6]

THOSE WHO RESORT TO LEAD WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE WILL SUFFER

HUMILIATING PUNISHMENT. 31:6

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Now, when trouble touches man, he cries to Us; but when We bestow a favour
upon him as from Ourselves, he says, "This has been given to me because of a
certain knowledge (I have)!" nay, but this is but a trial, but most of them
understand not!
[Az-Zumr-49]

FAVOURS FROM ALLAH ARE NOT THE RESULT OF OUR KNOWLEDGE

ALONE. 39:49

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SUMMARY

1. KNOWLEDGE IS FROM ALLAH AND IS A MEANS TO WISDOM. 2:32

2. THOSE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE TALK IRRATIONALLY. 2:118
3. TEACHING IS A JOB OF ALLAH’S MESSENGERS. 2:151
4. KNOWLEDGEABLE ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE APPOINTED LEADERS.
2:247
5. KNOWLEDGEABLE ARE EQUATED WITH ANGELS AND THEY
STAND FIRM ON JUSTICE. 3:18
6. THOSE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE ARE EXPECTED TO INDULGE IN
DISPUTES. 3:66
7. KNOWLEDGEABLE AND THE MUMINUN ARE PROMISED GREAT
REWARDS. 4:162
8. THOSE DEVOID OF KNOWLEDGE ARE NOT LIKELY TO BELIEVE
IN ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER AND ARE THUS INELIGIBLE FOR
GUIDANCE. 5:104
9. PRAYERS WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE MAY BE MISLEADING. 11:46-47
10. TEACHING IS ALLAH’S WAY. 12:6
11. TEACHING IS ALLAH’S WAY, IS A MEANS TO POWER AND
BESTOWED ON RIGHTDOERS. 12:22
12. THOSE POSSESSING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOOK ARE
TERMED AS WITNESS TO THE PROPHETHOOD IN ADDITION TO
ALLAH ALMIGHTY. 13:43
13. KNOWLEDGE HELPS KNOWING THE TRUTH. 15:3
14. KNOWLEDGE SERVES AS GUIDE TO DOING RIGHT. 17:36
15. KNOWLEDGE MAKES A SON ELIGIBLE TO BE FOLLOWEDE EVEN
BY HIS FATHER. 19:43
16. PRAYING FOR ADVANCEMENT IN KNOWLEDGE IS PROPHET’S
WAY. 20:114
17. KNOWLEDGE IS THE CRITERION OF PICKING UP PEOPLE ABOVE
OTHERS. 27:15
18. KNOWLEDGE IS NOT TO BE BOASTED UPON. IT IS THE
WRONGDOERS WHO DO THAT AND BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR
DESTRUCTION. 28:78
19. KNOWLEDGEABLE ARE CAPABLE OF PERCEIVING EVENTS IN
THEIR TOTALITY. 28:80
20. THOSE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE FOLLOW THEIR LUSTS, ARE
TERMED AS WRONGDOERS AND WILL FIND NO HELPERS. 30:29
21. THOSE WHO RESORT TO LEAD WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE WILL
SUFFER HUMILIATING PUNISHMENT. 31:6
22. FAVOURS FROM ALLAH ARE NOT THE RESULT OF OUR
KNOWLEDGE ALONE. 39:49