WE all can learn from Imam Nawawi’s collection of forty (in actuality 42) hadiths (sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad) as long as it is “properly conducted”. As for restricting it only to Muslims, well, as a believer I have learned much from reading about Socrates, an avowed atheist.

The tragedy for Muslims is that the teaching of hadith at all levels is a one-way street, reminiscent of the Catholics’ catechism. Less education, more indoctrination; little learning, a whole lot of listening. 

Mufti Albakri’s recent 50-minute lecture on Nawawi’s first hadith (actions judged by intentions) was typical. He spent over 40 minutes reciting the hadith’s long chain of narrators as well as its various equally tedious iterations, all in their original Arabic. This was after his droning endless praise of the author. 

There was not a word on the hadith’s relevance to everyday life or its connection with the Quran, no critical analysis at all. 

Likewise with the many translations of Imam Nawawi’s book. No prompts for readers to think. Must all actions have intentions? What about unintended consequences? How sure are we of our intentions?

The Ministry of Education’s proposed “study module” on Nawawi’s 40 hadiths would degenerate along similar mind-numbing patterns. What a shame as both hadith and Quran are great resources for exercises in critical thinking, quite apart from lessons and inspiration to lead a purposeful life.

In my book “Qu’ran, Hadith, And Hikayat:  Exercises In Critical Thinking”, I chose a familiar hadith: Seek knowledge even if you have to go to China. A young Indonesian girl, Bina Izzatu Dini, was intrigued and decided to write an essay about it. Indeed, the prophet, being a merchant, must have heard of China then as the ancient Silk Route passed through the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Her essay even won her a scholarship to a Chinese university!

I once attended a Masters of Islamic Studies seminar at the University of Malaya. The programme was popular with ambitious young Malay civil servants out to burnish their Islamic credentials. Halfway through his presentation, the esteemed professor said something ridiculous that prompted me to ask a question. Instead of addressing my query, he brushed me aside.

My friend apologised on behalf of his professor. There was so much material to cover that he (the professor) did not have time to answer questions, that was the excuse. Obviously, the professor was not an educator, more a postman.

Contrast that with how retired Duke Professor of Islamic Studies, Bruce Lawrence, would handle such a situation. Though not a Muslim, his course was popular with students from the Third World needing to fulfil their humanities prerequisites. He was astounded by one of his students who – despite being a hafiz (one who has memorised the Quran) – could not understand a word of it. In the ensuing discussion, Lawrence learned much about Pakistan’s education system, demonstrating the truism that teaching is the best way to learn.

Malay teachers regard their students as bins to be filled with dogmas. Why not heed the wisdom of Munshi Abdullah? He likened a child’s mind to a parang, to be sharpened. With a sharp parang you could hack your way out of a jungle. To a surgeon, a sharp knife is an instrument to cure cancer; to a thug, a killing kit. Differentiating the two is the Islam part of Islamic education.

By all means, teach Imam Nawawi’s 40 hadiths to sharpen students’ critical faculties, not numb their minds. Do it as an extracurricular activity. – August 30, 2023. 

M. Bakri Musa reads The Malaysian Insight.  

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.