Principles of Islamic Education

Dr. Amin Abulawi Origins of Islamic Education Introduction All praise be to Allah, we praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and the bad consequences of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, there is none to misguide him; and whomever He misguides, there is none to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims. [Al-Imran: 102] O people, fear your Lord who created you from a single soul and created from it its mate, and dispersed from both many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed, Allah is ever over you an Observer. [An-Nisa: 1] As for what follows, the most truthful speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst of affairs are the newly invented matters, and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire. Then, after that, the emergence of Islamic education dates back to the day when the light of Islam was unveiled and the dawn of monotheism shone. Islamic education began with the command in it from the chosen one, Allah, to call and deliver the message. As soon as a group of men from the people of Mecca embraced Islam, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, began to educate them.