Protecting the Spirit of Education: Knowledge, Humility and Character

Occasion of reflecting on this hadith: 09^th September.: International Day to Protect Education from Attack

Introduction

Protecting education is not only about protecting school buildings and classrooms. It is also about protecting the values of learning: respect, humility, intention, responsibility and the willingness to learn from others.

In this context, a beautiful saying from Imam Ali (peace be upon him) offers a powerful lesson for everyone involved in education:

امام علی (ع): تَوَاضَعُوا لِمَنْ تَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُ اَلْعِلْمَ وَ لِمَنْ تُعَلِّمُونَهُ وَ لاَ تَكُونُوا مِنْ جَبَابِرَةِ اَلْعُلَمَاءِ فَلاَ يَقُومُ جَهْلُكُمْ بِعِلْمِكُمْ

“Be humble towards those from whom you learn knowledge, and towards those whom you teach. Do not be among the arrogant and overbearing scholars, for your ignorance cannot be made up for by your knowledge.” (Gharar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim, vol. 1, p. 321).

Educational messages of the hadith for teenagers and youth

1. Be Humble Towards Those Who Teach You

Be humble and respectful towards your teachers, parents and everyone from whom you learn.

Practical challenge: Thank one person this week for something they have taught you.

2. Be Humble When You Teach Others

If you teach someone something, treat them with the same humility and respect.

Practical challenge: Help someone learn something without making them feel that you are better than them.

3. Knowledge Is Not the Same as Wisdom

Having more knowledge or higher academic qualifications does not necessarily make someone a better or wiser person.

Practical challenge: This week, notice one good quality in someone who may know less than you academically.

4. Use Knowledge to Serve, Not to Control

Use what you know to help and serve others, not to dominate them.

Practical challenge: Use one of your skills this week to solve a problem for someone else without expecting anything in return.

5. Be a well-mannered student

Bad behaviour and poor character can destroy the value and credibility of even great knowledge and expertise.

Practical challenge: When you feel angry this week, pause before speaking and choose respectful words.

6. Prevent Intellectual Pride

Never let your knowledge make you feel superior to others.

Practical challenge: When you know the answer in a discussion, listen to someone else’s view before giving yours.

7. Learn from People Who Are Different from You

A person does not have to be your age, have your background or think like you to teach you something valuable.

Practical challenge: Have one respectful conversation this week with someone whose experience or opinion is different from yours, and identify one thing you can learn from them.

Educational messages of the hadith for parents

1. Do Not Overemphasise Academic Success

Encourage your children’s education, but remember that faith, humanity, conscience and good character are more important than academic qualifications alone.

Practical challenge: This week, praise your child specifically for one act of honesty, kindness or responsibility rather than for an academic achievement.

2. Be Humble Towards Your Former Teachers

Remain grateful and humble towards the teachers from whom you have learned, even after many years.

Practical challenge: Contact or remember one former teacher this week and express your gratitude for something they taught you.

3. Be Humble When Raising Your Children

It is true that you teach your children many things. However, this should be done with humility and modesty.

Practical challenge: This week, let us consciously avoid one arrogant word or behaviour in our family environment.

4. Learn from Your Children Without Feeling Weak

Being humble towards those who teach you includes your children; welcoming their new knowledge strengthens their confidence and your family bond.

Practical challenge: Ask your child to teach you something they know well and listen without correcting them.

5. Do Not Make Your Advice Ineffective

Anger, impatience and poor behaviour can make your valuable knowledge and life experience meaningless in your child’s eyes.

Practical challenge: The next time your child makes a mistake, correct them calmly rather than reacting with anger.

6. Listen Before You Advise

A parent who listens carefully shows that learning can go in both directions.

Practical challenge: Set aside ten minutes this week to listen to your child without interrupting, correcting or immediately giving advice.

7. Do Not Use Your Experience as a Weapon

Being older and more experienced does not mean that every opinion you have is automatically correct.

Practical challenge: In one family disagreement, instead of saying, “I am your parent, so I know better,” explain your reasons and invite your child’s view.

Educational messages of the hadith for imams and teachers

1. Explain the Difference Between Wisdom and Qualifications

Help people understand that true wisdom matters more than simply gaining knowledge or academic qualifications.

Practical challenge: Include one simple example in your next sermon showing how knowledge should lead to wisdom and good action.

2. Be Humble Towards People

Treat your audience and the wider community with humility, respect and dignity.

Practical challenge: After your next sermon, spend a few minutes listening attentively to people without trying to impress or correct them.

3. Be Humble Towards Experts in Other Fields

Respect and learn from specialists in other areas of knowledge, recognising the limits of your expertise.

Practical challenge: Consult a qualified specialist before speaking publicly on a subject outside your area of expertise.

4. Let Good Character Strengthen Religious Teaching

Impatience, harshness and inappropriate behaviour can undermine even the deepest religious knowledge; a scholar’s conduct can speak more powerfully than their sermons.

Practical challenge: For one week, consciously practise patience and gentle speech in every difficult interaction.

5. Welcome Criticism and Take Responsibility

Accept sincere criticism and correct your mistakes openly, because humility and accountability are among the strongest ways to earn public trust.

Practical challenge: Ask one trusted person this week, “Is there anything in my behaviour that I should improve?” and listen without becoming defensive.

6. Make Questions Welcome

People learn better when they feel safe to say, “I do not understand” or “I have a question”.

Practical challenge: In your next lesson, deliberately invite questions and thank at least one person for asking a question, even if it is very basic.

7. Never Humiliate a Learner

Correcting someone’s mistake should increase their understanding, not damage their confidence or dignity.

Practical challenge: For one week, avoid correcting learners publicly when a private and respectful correction would be more helpful.

8. Keep Learning Yourself

Teaching others does not mean that you have stopped being a learner.

Practical challenge: Choose one subject outside your usual area of expertise and spend at least 30 minutes this week learning from someone who knows more about it than you do.

9. Admit the Limits of Your Knowledge

Saying “I do not know” can be one of the strongest lessons a teacher or imam gives.

Practical challenge: The next time you receive a question you cannot answer confidently, do not guess; say that you need to check the matter and return with a reliable answer.