Some Educationists go down slippery slope of knowledge and morality determined based on conjecture or desires


In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Recently, some educationists have raised concerns about sex education in some schools and that children are being taught sex education lessons that have no basis in any reputable scientific biological explanation, such as the claim that there are 100 genders (see footnote a). This – in their view – is due to the fact that the current relationships and sex education (RSE) guidance places no limit on what can be taught which as led to “age-inappropriate” sex education materials in some schools. They argue that there are materials being used which have no basis in any reputable scientific, biological explanation or any properly grounded understanding of human relationships. Listen here: https://sau.posthaven.com/advice-regarding-sex-education-abu-khadeejah-abdul-waahid

Firstly, one of the basis of this problem is nothing else other than the departure from what the Creator has ordained and replacing it with either conjecture or desires. Allaah stated: [إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهۡوَى ٱلۡأَنفُسُ‌ۖ – They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire]. There is a tremendous benefit derived from this, because the one deprived of sound Imaan and the sound creed sent down as revelation by Allaah- The Lord of the enire existence, then his affair is one of two: corruption in knowledge or corruption in his Intent. Corruption in knowledge occurs as a result of following conjecture and corruption in one’s intent occurs as a result of following desires, or the person may combine both of them. Another benefit derived from this is that the rectification or well-being of a person cannot be attained except by way of two affairs: upright knowledge and upright intent. This is why Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated in Miftaah Daarus Sa’aadah that a person is in need of two things: sound knowledge by way of which he is guided and lofty aspiration by way of which he is urged towards that (sound aspiration), because it maybe that a person has beneficial knowledge but not sound intent and aspiration. Therefore, one cannot be upright except by way of upright knowledge and intent. Sound knowledge is corrupted through following conjecture and sound intent is corrupted through following the desires of one’s soul. [An Excerpt from Sharh Kitaab At-Tawheed. Audio Lesson 4]

Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: As for the meaning of beneficial knowledge and its specification, which is indicated by the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, it is every knowledge that leads to the lofty goals that are sought after and the outcomes in beneficial things. There is no difference between what is related to this worldly life or the Afterlife (in this affair). Everything that guides to the (upright) path and promotes (sound) beliefs, morals and deeds is part of (beneficial) knowledge. Islam categorized the sciences into two: the goals (aims or purpose behind those sciences) and the means (or paths) that helps to reach those goals.

The Maqaasid (Goals) are the sciences that serve the various divine laws (see footnote b); and the Wasaa’il (Means) are the things that helps to attain those goals, such as the Arabic language and its various sciences, the sciences related to affairs of the universe whose fruitful outcome leads one to acquire knowledge and awareness about Allaah, the Oneness of Allaah and His Perfection, and acquaintance with the truthfulness of His Messengers”. Its fruitful outcome is that it is utilized as an aid to worship Allaah, thank Allaah and establish the religion. That is because Allaah [The Exalted] informed us that He has subjugated this universe to us, commanded us to reflect upon it and extract both the religious and worldly benefits from it. And a command regarding an affair is itself a command to fulfil the affair, as well as a command to employ the means without which the command cannot be fulfilled. Therefore, this is an urge to know the worldly sciences by way of which are extracted what Allaah has subjugated to us, because we cannot acquire its benefits spontaneously, rather it has to be through seeking after it, reflection and experience. Allaah [The Exalted] said: [ وأنزلنا الحديد فيه بأس شديد ومنافع للناس – And We brought forth iron wherein is mighty power (in matters of war), as well as many benefits for mankind (Surah Al-Hadeed. Aayah 25)]. These benefits cannot be obtained except through acquaintance with knowledge of the worldly sciences, so that they are produced. (see footnote c) [Ad-Deen As-Saheeh page ?]

Secondly, another reason behind this problem is due to an absence of Taqwah. Allaah [The Exalted] stated:

أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٍ خَيْرٌ أَمْ مَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍ فَانْهَارَ بِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Is it then he, who laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allah and His Good Pleasure, better, or he who laid the foundation of his building on an undetermined brink of a precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him into the Fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the Zaalimoon [polytheists and wrong doers]. [Surah At-Tawbah. Verse 109]

Whoever wants his building to be elevated, then it is incumbent upon him to strengthen and fortify its foundation, because the elevation of the building is based on the firmness and fortification of its foundation. Deeds are a building and Imaan is their foundation. If the foundation is strong, it carries and elevates the building, and if a part of the building is damaged, it is easy for it to bear the [damage]; but if the foundation is not firm, then neither will the building be elevated nor will it be firm. And if something from the foundation is damaged, the building will either collapse or close to that. Therefore, the duty of a knowledgeable person is that he makes the foundation sound and fortified. As for the ignorant person, he elevates [the building] whilst building upon other than a [strong] foundation, so his building does not remain.

The foundation of deeds is like the physical strength of a person- if the strength is vigorous, the body will be able to withstand burden and repel many harmful things; but if it is weak, the body’s ability to withstand burden is weakened and harm quickly overcomes the person. Therefore, support your building [i.e. your actions and deeds] with the foundation of Eemaan; for if something from the top of your building decays and falls down, then it would be much easier for the [building] to bear [the damage], rather than the destruction of the foundation. This foundation [i.e. Eemaan] is based on two affairs: (I) Sound knowledge and awareness of Allaah, His Commandments, Names and Attributes. (II) Complete submission to Allaah alone [i.e. by worshipping Him alone] and [unconditional obedience to] His Messenger alone. This is the firmest foundation upon which the slave establishes his building [i.e. his actions and deeds]. Therefore, one solidifies the foundation, preserves its strength and carries on being enthusiastic, and thus what is desired [i.e. success in this life and the next] will be reached [InShaaAllaah]. [Source: An Excerpt from ‘Al-Fawaa-id: page 154. slightly paraphrased]

Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: One of the most amazing of affairs is that many contemporary writers and politicians seek to remedy the many social ills and try to do so do from many angles, however as for the problem of turning away from the path of the Creator -whose surge has carried away the majority of young people, they have not rushed to stop it by returning to sound Imaan certainty; rather they have been abandoned to wander blindly in their misguidance and wavering in beguilement, and thus the social ills they seek to remedy gives birth to other social ills- because if the path to remedying social ills is not based on Eemaan and sound Deen, they will increase and become worse. [An Excerpt from ‘Al-Adillatul Qawaatiq’ pages 40-41′. slightly paraphrased]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Disobedience is the cause of being in shaytaan’s captivity and a prisoner of lowly desires. A disobedient person is always in the captivity of his devil, the prison of his lusts and leadership of his desires. He is a captive and a shackled prisoner. There is neither a captive whose state of affairs is more evil than that of a captive whose captor is his worst enemy, nor is there a prison more restricted than the prison of desires, and shackles that are more restrictive than the shackles of lust; so how can a heart that is a captive and a shackled prisoner follow the path to Allaah and the home of the afterlife? How can he follow a single path when the heart is shackled and stricken with harm from every angle as a result of the [severity] of its shackles? The likeness of the heart is that of a bird; it distances from harm whenever it flies high and surrounded by harm whenever it lands. The person is protected by Allaah through Taqwah. Taqwaah is a shield and shelter from Allaah between the person and his wolf (i.e. shaytan), just as it is a shield against punishment in this life and the afterlife. Whenever the sheep is closer to its shepherd, it is safer from the wolf and whenever it is distanced from the shepherd, it comes closer to being destroyed. So the sheep is more protected when it is closer to the shepherd, for the wolf only takes away the [sheep, cattle] that are distanced and far away from the shepherd. The basis of this affair is that whenever the heart is distanced from Allaah, then harm upon it is quicker, and whenever it is comes closer to Allaah, it is distanced from harm. Being distanced from Allaah is of various levels and some are more severe than others. Being distanced from [Allaah] through disobedience is greater than being distanced from [Allaah] through thoughtlessness; being distanced from [Allaah] through bidah is greater than being distanced from [Allaah] through disobedience, and being distanced from [Allaah] through hypocrisy and shirk is greater than all of that. [An Excerpt from ‘Ad-Daa’u Wad-Dawaa’u’ pages 119-120]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: And one of the most noble and beneficial sciences is the knowledge regarding the hudood [the appropriate limits], especially the divine limits-the commands and prohibitions [ordained by Allaah (The Most High) and His Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him]. The most knowledgeable people are those who have the most knowledge regarding those divine limits, hence they neither include- within those limits- that which is not from them nor remove that which is included in them. Allaah [The Most High] said: [ٱلۡأَعۡرَابُ أَشَدُّ ڪُفۡرً۬ا وَنِفَاقً۬ا وَأَجۡدَرُ أَلَّا يَعۡلَمُواْ حُدُودَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ – The bedouins are the worst in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more likely to be in ignorance of the limits (Allah’s Commandments and His Legal Laws, etc.) which Allah has revealed to His Messenger]. [Soorah At-Tawbah’ Aayah 97] Therefore, the most just, balanced and upright people are those who stay within the limits of the Akhlaaq, actions and the deeds legislated in the Islamic legislation- in knowledge and practice. [Source: An Excerpt from ‘Al-Fawaa’id page 207- 209]

Imaam Ibraaheem Bin Ad’ham [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Zudh (Abstinence) from the worldly life is of three types: obligatory abstinence, the abstinence that is of a superior virtue and the abstinence that is safety. As for obligatory abstinence, it is to abstinence from the unlawful; the abstinence that is of superior virtue is to abstain from the unnecessary things of the worldly life, and the abstinence that is safety is to abstain from the doubtful matters. [Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page: 310]

We ask Allaah
اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي
وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, which is the safeguard of my affairs; rectify my worldly [affairs], wherein is my livelihood; and rectify my Afterlife to which is my return; and make life for me [as a means of] increase in every good and make death for me as a rest from every evil. [Saheeh Muslim Number: 2720]


Footnote a: Dr. Shaikh Abu Iyaad [may Allaah preserve him] has an article titled “The Two Biological Sexes and The Invention of Gender” biological-sex-gender (1)

Alteration of Sound Fitrah and The Original Natural Physical Appearance: https://salaficentre.com/2022/09/15/alteration-of-sound-fitrah-and-the-original-natural-physical-appearance-a-goal-of-shaytaan-and-his-allies/

Footnote b: Islamic law is the final and seal of all the divine laws. All other divine laws have been abrogated after the advent of the seal of the Prophets Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him]. Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ ۚ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’an) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Mohayminan alay (trustworthy in highness, a witness and judge over the old Scriptures). So judge between them by what Allah has revealed (in the Qur’an and Sunnah), and do not follow their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come to you. To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so strive as in a race in good deeds. The return of you (all) is to Allah; then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ. [Surah Al-Maa’idah Ayah 48]

Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated regarding the above Ayah: The Qur’aan gathers all the (good, excellence) in the previous books (i.e. before they were distorted). The Qur’aan contain an increase in all that will lead to the pleasure of Allaah in this life and the next, and the (most beloved and honourable) manners. The Qur’aan gathers every truth found in the other books, and it commands and urges mankind towards it. The Qur’aan is a book that gives news about the earlier and later generations. It contains (perfect) judgements and (perfect) wisdom. Whatever the Qur’aan declares to be truth in the previous Books is to be accepted, and whatever it rejects has to be rejected because it would be something that has been distorted and substituted by those who received it etc. [Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan. Explanation of Surah Al-Maa’idah. Aayah 48]

Abu Hurairah [may Allaah be pleased with him] reported that Allaah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “By the one in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, none from this nation of Jews and Christians hears of me, and then dies without having faith in my message, except that he will be an (eternal) inhabitant of Hellfire”. [Ṣaḥeeh Muslim. Hadeeth Number 153]

Footnote c: https://salaficentre.com/2021/11/17/the-religion-of-islam-embodies-beneficial-contemporary-sciences-and-professions-all-20-posts-updated-and-placed-in-one-file/

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