Which Has Priority: Education or Tarbiyah?
Now which one has priority?
In four verses of the Holy Quran, the issue of Ta’leem and Tarbiyah is mentioned as the goal behind the Bi’tha (appointment to prophethood) of divine messengers. In three cases (Verse 151 of Surah Al-Baqarah, Vere 164 of Surah Al Imran and Verse 2 of Surah Al-Jumua), Tarbiyah and Tazkiyah (purification of the self) are given priority to Ta’leem.
The reason why Tazkiyah is given priority in these verses is that Tazkiyah and Tarbiyah are the ultimate goals of the prophetic mission.
Read More:
Possibility of Tarbiyah
The path of Tarbiyah, training the Nafs (self) and purifying it is one of striving and making efforts. Without striving, one cannot take control of the Nafs. Some indolent persons who spend time pointlessly and run away from the Jihad against Nafs claim that rectifying the character is impossible and that natural affairs are unchangeable. To prove their claim, they cite two reasons:
1- Character is the inner form while creation is the outer form and just as the outer form is not changeable, neither is the character.
2- Good character could be achieved if one managed to uproot anger, lust, worldly desires and the like, which is impossible and working on it is useless.
In response to such people, it should be said that if character were unchangeable, so many moral recommendations, guidance and lessons would be pointless.
Also, God says in Verses 9-10 of Surah Ash-Shams: “Those who purify their souls will certainly have everlasting happiness and those who corrupt their souls will certainly be deprived (of happiness).”
So how can one believe that mankind cannot receive Tarbiyah?
