Importance of Education

I want to further my studies. I have been considering it since 2004 and somehow, I am still here at my company. I have gained 10 kg, hopped one grade higher and blessed with an addition to my family. However, knowledge point of view - not much. Yes, I have gained valuable experience bringing an engine into production but I don't see how I can contribute it back with significant impact to my company and most importantly to my beloved nation.

There are people out there (higher ranked that me) in my company telling me that pursuing a Masters degree and eventually PhD might not be the smartest move for two main reasons - losing seniority at work and having no steady income with family in tow during my studies. I suppose they are hinting that it is not necessary to have higher qualifications in order to rise within my company. Could this be true?

Anyway, I find this hard to swallow because my intent to further my studies is to better myself and contribute back to my company, to Malaysia and most importantly, to increase my chances of finding Paradise, God willing. Yes, I want to seek knowledge that will give me leverage to position myself in places where I can make a difference. For the first time, I have actually made plans (personal and career plans) until 2023. Prior to this, I have only done 5-year plans and only once a 10-year plan. Yes, this sounds too ambitious but I have the map to help me reach my target and I am ready to go. Most importantly, my wife supports the idea. But in the mean time, I want to write about the importance of education. I remembered during my high school days on the importance of education in Islam so I did some research and came across some of the material I wrote below from the Internet.

To seek knowledge is a sacred duty; it is obligatory on every Muslim - male and female. Even the first revelation of the Quran for Surah Al-Alaq that encourages people to read, to seek knowledge, to educated oneself and of course, be educated. That was why during the early years of Islam, we have had many great Muslim scientists and scholars that contributed immensely to human knowledge. Sadly, the Muslims today are arguably the most humiliated community in the world. In my heart, I know the previous statement could not be true because we have so many successful devout Muslims in the world. No man becomes truly a Muslim without knowing the meaning of Islam because he becomes a Muslim not through birth but through knowledge.

Therefore, the main purpose of seeking knowledge is bring us closer to Allah s.w.t. It is not simply for the gratification of the mind and senses but it must be linked to values and goals. Therefore, the Quran should be the guiding star to show us the path to Paradies and success in the world. Another purpose of seeking knowledge is to gain the good of this world and not to destroy it through wastage, arrogance and in reckless pursuit of wealth.

Nevertheless, it is impossible for anyone to gain anything more than a fraction of the vast knowledge that is available out there. Therefore, we must decide what is important for us to know and how to go about to acquire this knowledge.

The future is in our hands. Always remember that flow of knowledge must never be stopped so I must remind myself that as I seek knowledge I must also prepare to disperse and institutionalise it so that greater number of people can benefit from it. May Allah s.w.t. give us strength to behave and act just as He likes us to do and be pleased with us, and that should be the purpose of our lives. Rabbi zidni ilma