Dr Wasim Ahmad
Department Head of Islamic Studies
Preston University Ajman
Sometimes I feel that knowledge itself acts as a barrier – occasionally – towards more knowledge. For example, having researched on the Sachar Committee Report a lot may not leave any room for thinking anything beyond the Recommendations. It may not leave any room to reflect that we as Muslims should also devote a fraction of our attention on ‘giving’ as well.
History is an extremely important source of knowledge – according to Qur’an. The universal history and not the history of only Muslim peoples. But the knowledge of history may act as a barrier, too, towards learning any lessons from it for the present and devising some strategies for the future. One may be so much engrossed in the past that the present may totally escape him.
Too much information about the details of what is happening may not leave any space to think about what should happen. Too much information about what happened may not leave space to reflect on what should have happened. Too much involvement in the micro management, as an example, may make oneself oblivious of the vision and the final goal.
Too much information about the past literature of Islamic jurisprudence may not make one realize that each generation is supposed to contribute towards the total fund of knowledge otherwise the process of progress will be stalled. One may be so much involved with the suggested solutions of the past generations that he may overlook the fact that each generation has to solve its own problems.
This is what happens when critical and scientific thinking is missing from the curriculum. This is not a problem. The problem is that we are not relaizing what is missing!