The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) always stressed upon attaining knowledge and education. There are a large number of sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) where the Muslims have been repeatedly urged to acquire education. A Muslim has been desired by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to walk up to China for gaining knowledge. A mother’s lap has been defined as the first institution for a child. Unfortunately, the first thing that we Muslims have done after his death is to abandon this institute. We deprived our mothers, sisters and daughters from learning without realising that if we put aside this first institution then how would we become a good nation?
The Holy Quran, a book for all times, is there to be consulted. What usually happens is that we believe in what is said by the so-called custodians of religion and do not consult the Holy Quran itself. One may disagree with those who favour co-education but how can one agree with those who say that education is not useful for girls? What our Holy Prophet (PBUH) preached to us centuries ago, Napoleon reminded to us in the following words, “Give me good mothers, I will give you a good nation”.
There are other people like one Greg Mortenson, who comes from abroad and show a concern for our problems. They get inspired and moved when they see the innocent children of a forsaken northern areas village sitting in the dirt doing their school lessons without a teacher. A simple event not only changes their lives but leaves a deep impact hence motivate them to sacrifice their lives to help promote literacy and education, especially for girls in the remote mountains communities of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
I know about another ‘one man army’ here in my own country. He is Muhammad Maqbool, a retired General who is a bit different from others of the same class. To make his dream come true, he also emptied his pocket for “Teach a child” school system in Lahore. When the time came for the support by the high-ups, people on the helm of the fair were more interested in their publicity then the cause itself. It really embarrasses us when we find people who are not son of the soil shows concern for literacy in our country while those who have the potential and power here are ignorant.
Why we always look towards our governments and why don’t we step forward to fight this crusade against the literacy? Aren’t they the one who should really be worried to educate the future mothers of my beloved homeland? Amidst our politicians who make false promises and our philanthropists who make tall claims, aliens come and do our job and when we as a nation faces the radicalism, naively asks that why our youth is carrying the bombs and not the books?
