Imam Ghazzali likens study to the acquisition of wealth. There are four states in which one may be:
- Actively seeking them but relying on others
- Self sufficient and independent
- Enjoying ones hard earned acquisitions
- Enjoying and sharing ones acquisitions with others.
The forth state is the highest. The one who shares his wealth is charitable. The one who shares knowledge is a teacher. The Prophet (pbuh) said "“The best of you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it to others”. However not all who claim to be teachers fall into this category.
In his book albidaaya, Ghazzali describes three types of teachers. ‘ There is a man who seeks knowledge as a provision for the life to come,,,, he is of the successful ones’. There is the one who seeks knowledge for worldly benefit. This person is in jeopardy. It is possible this knowledge will benefit him and he will repent before he dies. If he does not repent, he may be faced with a bad ending and punishment in the next world.
The third type has been overcome by the devil. He has chosen knowledge as a means to attain wealth and influence. In addition to this evil intention he has become arrogant and feels he has obtained a high status with Allah. Such a person is among those who will be punished in the hellfire. To be of the first category, Imam Ghazzali prescribes eight duties, which should be implemented.
1.Empathy with the students
The teacher is likened to the parent. He should feel the same duty and the love that the parent feels for his or her children. The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said " I am to you like the father is to his child”.
2. Not working for remuneration
Teachers do work of the prophets; that is they educate people in the way of goodness. The prophet ((pbuh) did not ask remuneration. He said ‘ oh my people, I ask you not for riches. My reward is of Allah alone’ (Hud, 11.29)
Teachers should not feel that their students ‘owe’ them anything. They should always give the students full credit and respect for disciplining themselves in order to come closer to Allah. Teachers should not feel pride in what they have done. Although a teacher is allowed to take payment, anyone that teaches for money will soon lose the satisfaction and pleasure of teaching that is if he is teaching solely for the reason of attaining wealth.
Payment is necessary but a secondary aspect of a teacher’s motivation. The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said: “ Three things which (society) cannot do without paying of teachers, otherwise people would be ignorant, the selling of the Qur’an otherwise the book would become rare, and judges, otherwise people would ‘eat’ from one another.
(The final part will soon follow Insha'Allah)
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