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The Study of Education

SOME IMPORTANT ESSAYS

THE MEANING AND PURPOSE OF EDUCATION

Education is the inherent right and basic need of man. Without getting proper education
man is unable to develop his mental and physical capabilities. That is why Islam has also
stressed on the importance of education. God says in his Holy Book, "An illiterate man
cannot compete with a literate one". Similarly the Prophet (PBUH) has also termed it
mandatory for every Muslim male and female. An uneducated or half educated person
can hardly survive in the modern era, which is the age of struggle and competition.

The term education has been inteipreted by different scholars in different ways. In the
words of John Dewey., Education is such a reorganization of experiment which enhances
the meaning of experiment and in turn helps us in conducting new experiments in a better
manner. Definitions of some other scholars are given as under. "Education tells us about
the vicissitude of life and teaches us ho\\ to live a successful life". "Education makes us
good citizens and we prove useful for ourselves and for the society we are a part of.
There are certain aims and objectives of life for which education is necessary.

The definitions given above tell us clearly about the meaning and purpose of education.
More over education is just life filing and polishing which enables the human personality
to reach its full development. It enables a man to lead a better life physically, mentally
and spiritually.

Since a man has a mind a spirit and a body. Therefore, education has a three-fold purpose.
Its aim should be to develop his mental, physical and spiritual capabilities. As health is
the first requisite of all human activities and is indispensable for all progress, so
education must first of all enable a person to live hygienically and to earn an honest
living. The man who cannot support himself and his family is only half educated. The
man who does not know the rules of hygiene and cleanliness is even worse and a menace
to human society.

Knowing about the laws of health and their true observance must be an integral part of
our physical education. Balance diet, suitable clothing and clean ways of living play a
vital role in making one's health. Physical exercise gives a healthy tone to different
organs of the body. Bodily strength is as much needed as intellectual activity in ensuring
success in life. If we want to be healthy, strong and free from diseases we should take
regular exercise. There are different kinds of physical exercise such as walking, riding,
gymnastics and games. Physical exercise has manifold advantages. It increases our
appetite and enables us to digest our food properly. It protects us from diseases and
makes us not only healthy but also happy and cheerful.
Education should also elevate our mental and moral aptitude. It should remove
superstition, prejudice and bigotry. It should inculcate the passion of truth, devotion,
sympathy and philanthropy. The mind should be able to seek truth in every thing.
Education should enable a person to distinguish between right and wrong, essential and
inessential, between fundamental and accidental. Above all, it should enable a person to
think for himself and decide for himself. This free activity of mind is the greatest gift of
education but sorry to say that our educated class is totally or partially devoid of this
lively characteristic. They blindly follow the thoughts and opinions of others which is a
form of intellectual servitude.

Similarly education should also refine our soul. Even if a man is healthy irf body and
sound in mind, something is missing. Even if one can eat decently and think logically his
education is incomplete. One must be able to feel humanly and act rightly. A well-
educated person must be refined in his thoughts and kind in his intentions. His spirit
should be sublime and fashioned according to the highest values of ethics and feeling. If
vulgarity and cruelty still exists it is not worth the name. If a man is dull in his thoughts,
beastly in manner and rough in his actions he is uneducated.

Now if the fust aspect of education is most essential, the other two .are more important. If
a man has been educated in such a way that he keeps physically fit and can earn a better
livelihood, he is not higher than the level of beast who at their very birth know how to
keep themselves healthy and find food and drink for their survival. Man as a social
animal has to raise a step above. The chief distinction between man and animal is the
power of thinking and its proper functioning makes a man a rational being but even then
he remains a rational animal. It is the third aspect of education, the development of his
moral and spiritual stature that makes man a perfect man. It is the sole characteristic that
has made man an object of reverence for angels. The negligence of this aspect of
education has ruined the west and will devastate the East as well if we blindly and
slavishly imitated them.

The aim of education is not only to satisfy our animal needs in a better way than cats and
dogs. So far man is able to cater to his physical needs or provide for his material
requirements, he is only a little better than animals. Certainly a man neetls something
more than material gains and pleasure to be a man. A man may have all the facilities. He
may live in a palace enjoy the pleasure of music, painting and reading fascinating novels
yet he is no better than a crow which builds nest in high places, has inquisitive nature
.and loves noise. His heart may be as black as a crow and despite education he may be
times more dangerous because he possesses far more resources and means to satisfy his
base desires. Education is not complete unless it removes the savagery of the heart and
discipline the wild nature of man. Truly speaking, the modern scientifically advanced
man is only half educated. Despite reading books his mind is coarse. He sees atoms but
his rnmd is blind. His house is brilliantly lit but his soul gropes in the dark. He makes
lethal weapons and bombs to destroy his enemy but is unable to end his own savagery.
Naturally he cannot be at peak with himself or with the world. Our aim is not to derogate
science and scientific achievements but to emphasize the ethical and spiritual values of
man. Science is no doubt the pivot on which civilization turns today. As much we probe
into nature so much we realize the infinitude of God's Creative power.

Besides the above discussion about the aims and objectives of education the renowned
Muslims scholars Shah Walliullah held the opinion, "the objective of education is to
contemplate to find the reality and truth". It also means the individual and collective
shaping of man through eternal struggle and hardship. The endeavour and pursuit of a
truly educated man should focus on the welfare and well being of his nation in
particularly and stranded humanity in general.