What Does the Quran Say About Teachers? [2023 Tafsir]

What Is the Status of Teachers in Islam? 

“The prophets’ occupation is teaching,” said Imam Khomeini. This is a Quranic truth, not just a motivating slogan.

“Send among them a messenger of their own, who shall rehearse Your signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom,”

(Surah al-Baqarah)

In Islam, teachers have traditionally served as role models. The capacity to teach was one of the characteristics shared by the prophets. This suggests that you are following in the footsteps of the world’s greatest human beings and should be a positive role model for others. As a consequence of their instruction, those persons were assigned to perform tasks.

In Islam, teachers are responsible for more than just instruction. In other words, it is not simply their responsibility to teach the textbooks that are accessible to them. Teachers should encourage information, educate students on how to think and instill moral values in them. 

Because Islam values the profession of teaching, it has set fundamental rules that must be followed. It outlined teachers’ rights for students to follow and respect. Islam also outlined the teachers’ roles in order to inform them of what is required of them in order for this Ummah to flourish.

Teachers have special rights in Islam because of their important function. They have piqued the interest of Muslims because they are the first central pillar in the basis of social progress and completion, as well as the source of directing and molding the behaviors and mentalities of individuals and communities.

What the Quran Says About Teachers 

Let us now examine what Allah SWT states in His Holy Book:

“Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom and teaching you that which you did not know.”

(Surah al-Baqarah)

This ayah implies that the Quran was sent to the prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). According to this passage of the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was sent to teach people all across the globe about the Holy Book Quran, knowledge, and concealed matters.

Allah SWT rewards those who acquire information, and teachers are regarded as the community’s knowledge hunters. In the Quran, Allah SWT says:

“Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”

(Surah Al-Mujadilah)

What Did the Prophet Say About Teachers? 

The greatest degree of instructors may be judged by how the prophet and his companions viewed teachers at the time. It is clear from Hazrat Ali’s (May Allah Bless Him) statement:

“If a person teaches me one single word, he has made me his servant for a lifetime.” 

In addition, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has a well-known Hadith about learning and teaching the Quran. Uthman bin Affan (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) clearly connected what the Prophet (PBUH) had said:

“The best of you is he who learns the Quran and teaches it.” 

(Al-Bukhari)

This hadith should urge you to begin teaching the Quran right now. Once at a time, the Prophet (PBUH) declared:

“Do not wish to be like anyone, except in two cases: (1) A man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it righteously. (2) A man whom Allah has given wisdom (knowledge of the Qur’an and the Hadith) and he acts according to it and teaches it to others.”

(Al Bukhari)

Hadith on Teachers in Arabic and English

In Islam, there are several Hadith regarding instructors. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was continually praising the benefits of instructors and claiming that they are on a higher level than worshipers. According to Abu Umamah, the prophet (PBUH) said:

“The virtue of the scholar over the worshiper is like my virtue over the least of you. Verily, Allah, his angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and earth, even the ant in his hole and the fish, send blessings upon the one who teaches people what is good.”

(Tirmidhi)

فَضْلُ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ كَفَضْلِي عَلَى أَدْنَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ وَأَهْلَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرَضِينَ حَتَّى النَّمْلَةَ فِي جُحْرِهَا وَحَتَّى الْحُوتَ لَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَى مُعَلِّمِ النَّاسِ الْخَيْرَ

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also instructed us on how instructors should be. He was a teacher himself, which inspires other instructors to try to be like him. According to Jabir ibn Abdullah, the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said:

“Verily, Allah did not send me to be harsh or obstinate, rather He sent me to teach and to put me at ease.”

(Muslim)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَبْعَثْنِي مُعَنِّتًا وَلَا مُتَعَنِّتًا وَلَكِنْ بَعَثَنِي مُعَلِّمًا مُيَسِّرًا

He also explained how everything in this universe is pleading for mercy for the excellent instructor. Aisha (May Allah Be Pleased With Her) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Everything seeks forgiveness for the teacher of virtue, even fish in the sea.”

(Musnad al-Bazzar)

مُعَلِّمُ الْخَيْرِ يَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى الْحِيتَانُ فِي الْبَحْرِ

The Teacher-Student Relationship in Islam 

Many studies revealed that the teacher-student connection had been given an extraordinary atmosphere throughout Islamic history and was regarded as one of the primary reasons for education par excellence. It was a caring, sympathetic, mutual understanding, cooperative, and respectful relationship.

Throughout history, building strong and good teacher-student relationships has been a distinguishing feature of Muslim education. Every instructor was expected to develop personal contact with his or her students.

For example, during the reign of the second Caliph of Islam; Hazrat Umar (May Allah Be Pleased with Him), four thousand students studied under the supervision of Hazrat Muaz bin Jabal (May Allah Be Pleased with Him), who developed a personal contact with each and every one of them.

Teachers throughout Islamic history have always had pure intentions, treated students as if they were their own children, denounced vices and unseemly behavior, always started with the most important, and continually prompted further study.

Their words matched their behavior; there was no excessive joking or becoming angry, and the professors encouraged students to raise questions while avoiding egotistical debate.

They did not assign advanced students with simple material, scheduled their lessons in advance, treated all students equally, and used to be prepared to meet all of their students’ requirements.

Du’a for Teachers in Islam 

Here are some duas you can say to Allah SWT about your teachers:

• allahumma wafiq muealimi fi amalihi, wa-utihi al-afiata wa al-sihata.
• Oh Allah, help my teacher in his work and give him wellness health.
• allahumma anta alhaya ‘iilaa al abdi, ‘aetee li-muealimi al-umra al tawila, fahu insan mukhalis wawafi fi amalihi.
• Oh, Allah, you are living forever. Give my teacher long life, for he is a loyal and faithful person in his work.
• allahuma astajib ‘ilaa daewati, wamnah muealimi an-najah walkhayra walrizqa alwasiei.
• Oh Allah, respond to my call and grant my teachers success, goodness, and abundant sustenance.
• ‘allahumma inn muealimi lahu fadlun kabirun ealya, fahu lam yabkhal ealya bi-maelumatin, fa adeu ‘ilayk ‘an tuseidahu fi hayaatihi.
• My Allah, my teacher has done me a great favor, he did not spare me information, so I pray to you to make him happy in his life.
• allahumma haqiq li-muealimi almazid min alnajahi, fabidun muealimi lam akun najihaan.
• Oh Allah, grant my teachers more success. Without my teacher, I would not have been successful.