Understanding the Holy Qur’an and establishing its boundaries that Muslims are banned from crossing is without a doubt a defining quality of a faithful and righteous country. Similarly, a faithful and righteous nation is defined by its devotion to the rules and principles of pronunciation, with each letter spoken in accordance with the recital of Imams and Sheiks who are closely related to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
From this perspective, we see the significance of hearing the Holy Qur’an from a knowledgeable Sheik or Imam who is well-versed in Qur’an recitation and Tajweed principles. To appreciate the significance of this, we can extrapolate it from the life of the prophet, who received the Qur’an from the Honest Spirit and Truthful Bearer of the Revelation (Angel Gabriel), who transmitted Allah’s will and words as embodied in the Qur’an today, and verily Allah says in the Qur’an.
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ ﴿4﴾ عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ(5 )
It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺.
He has been taught by one ˹angel˺ of mighty power.
Furthermore, according to the Qur’an, the prophet used to hasten his tongue during the recitation of Angel Jibreel because he was so eager to receive and memorise it, so Allah forbade him from doing so, and instead instructed him to wait until the recitation of Angel Jibreel was completed, as stated in surat Al Qiyama:
Do not rush your tongue trying to memorize ˹a revelation of˺ the Quran. It is certainly upon Us to ˹make you˺ memorize and recite it. So once We have recited a revelation ˹through Gabriel˺, follow its recitation ˹closely˺. Then it is surely upon Us to make it clear ˹to you˺.
Importantly, according to Imam al-Bukhaari, Angel Jibreel used to examine and recite the Quran with The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) once a year in Ramadan, except for the year the prophet died, when he reviewed it twice. In short, the prophet (PBUH) studied the Quran with the trustworthy Angel Jibreel throughout his prophethood.
Similarly, the companions were told to take the Qur’an from a teacher, and the prophet, peace be upon him, stated, “Take the Koran from four: from the son of Massoud, and Salem Mawla Abu Hudhayfah, and Maaz bin Jabal, and Abi bin Ka’b,” according to Bukhari.
In Islam, the instructor is regarded as the spiritual father. All Prophets were sent as teachers before Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was clearly a wonderful teacher for all humanity. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) instructs us on how to worship Allah, how to apply the Quran’s teachings in our daily lives, and a variety of other topics. Knowledge is highly valued in Islam. Allah Almighty has commanded the Muslims to learn and acquire knowledge on several occasions. Islam places a strong emphasis on gaining knowledge as well as paying reverence to those who transmit it. That is why, in Islam, teachers have the highest status. In Holy Quran Almighty Allah says: “Allah elevates to high positions those from amongst you who are faithful and those who have acquired knowledge”.
(Quran, 58:11)
Teachers’ Rights
A teacher educates a student so that he has some rights. The following are a few of them:
- Lead his pupil means it’s the duty of the teacher to make his student smarter and have a good Akhlaq.
- Get reward and appreciation. The teacher is the spiritual father of the student as he is the one who provides spiritual nourishment and improves the behavior of learners. That’s why we should appreciate teachers for their great work.
- Teachers should have freedom of expression, obstacles and intervention should be cleared.
- Teachers should get respect from other people. We need to respect the teacher who is willing to give us the knowledge.
- Teachers should get good treatment to make his job easier.
- Teachers should have freedom in giving judgment.
- Teachers should acquire and utilize learning facilities and infrastructure.
- Teachers should get physical and spiritual needs.
In summary, we should learn to respect teachers who are eager to provide us with education and information. Respect your teacher at all times.
