The Principles of Prophetic Education (4)
One of the fundamental principles of Prophetic education is the guideline: “Make it easy; do not make it hard!” The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) repeatedly emphasized and commanded that this measure should be the basis of education and teaching on various occasions: “Make things easy, and do not make them hard.”1
In this comprehensive hadith, where he summarizes his philosophy of education and teaching, the Prophet expressed opposites together, emphasizing both the importance of these principles and ensuring their full understanding. For everything is best understood in contrast to its opposite. If he had only said “Make things easy!” and left it at that, someone who occasionally made things easy but later abandoned this practice might have thought they were adhering to this principle. By mentioning ease along with its opposite—difficulty—he highlighted that ease should be the standard in all conditions and situations.
Indeed, the human brain and psychology are naturally inclined toward ease. Therefore, the ego resists taking on difficult responsibilities and often finds excuses to avoid them. Our mother, the respected Aisha, reported that “Whenever he was given a choice between two matters, as long as it was not sinful, he would always choose the easier one. If the easier option was sinful, he would be the furthest from it.”2
With this statement, she informs us that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) consistently adhered to and applied this principle throughout his life.
Just as the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) made this principle his own in education and teaching, he also advised his companions to act in accordance with this guideline under all circumstances. One of the most striking examples of this truth is the following incident that took place in the Prophet’s Mosque:
While the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in his mosque, a Bedouin came, prayed two raq’ahs (units of prayer), and then made this supplication: “O God! Have mercy on me and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and do not have mercy on anyone else with us!” Upon hearing this, the Prophet turned to the Bedouin and said, “You have made something vast (God’s mercy) narrow!” Shortly after, the same man stood up, moved to a corner of the mosque, and began to relieve himself.
Those who witnessed this rushed towards him to stop him. Realizing the situation, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Leave him alone; do not disturb him!” When the man had finished, the Prophet instructed those present, “Now get up and pour a bucket of water over the area where he urinated. You were sent to make things easy, not difficult.” He then called the Bedouin over and, with a calm and gentle manner, advised him, “Mosques are not suitable places for relieving oneself. These places are dedicated solely to the remembrance of God, prayer, and recitation of the Qur’an.” 3
Through this incident, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) reminded his companions of the principle of “making things easy” in education. He emphasized that they were entrusted with the responsibility of instilling this principle, thus giving a lesson on facilitation to the teachers and guides of his community. Furthermore, when sending his companions as teachers, officials, and administrators to various places, he would remind them of this principle, advising them to be cautious and considerate.4
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), who adopted the principle of “facilitation and never making things difficult” in education, also established certain guidelines to ensure this principle was implemented effectively:
1.Avoiding Anger
One of the essential principles to ensure ease in education and teaching is controlling one’s anger. When people are approached with anger, they become alienated from both the learning process and the teacher or guide. In this sense, anger has nothing to contribute to education. 5
For this reason, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized the importance of this principle by stating three times, “Teach knowledge and make it easy, do not make it difficult!” He then followed with a warning, repeated twice: “If you become angry at that moment, control your anger and remain silent!” This underscores the significance of not letting anger affect the process of education. 6
Thus, approaching someone with anger drives them away and complicates education. On the contrary, patience, gentleness, and mildness make learning easier and more appealing. As the Prophet said, “Whoever is deprived of gentleness is deprived of all good.” 7
Just as gentleness is the key to every good action or endeavor, it is also one of the fundamental principles of education and teaching. This is why, in another hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) highlighted this principle by saying, “God is gentle and loves gentleness. He gives rewards for gentleness that He does not give for anything else. Therefore, whoever lacks gentleness in their family is deprived of all goodness.”8 With this, he reminded that controlling anger, behaving gently, and embracing with compassion are irreplaceable fundamentals in education and upbringing.
2.Adherence to Gradualism
One of the key pillars of making education and teaching easier is gradualism. Gradualism means getting a person accustomed to something step by step, advancing gradually, and covering distances in stages. Just like other human abilities, the intellect is also limited. As a result, people cannot immediately grasp or comprehend everything at once. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) facilitated learning Islam by applying gradualism in the education and teaching of his companions.
The respected Jundub Ibn Abdullah said, “A group of young men, including myself, were being educated together by the Prophet. Before we started learning the Qur’an, we were taught lessons on matters of faith. Then we began learning the Qur’an, and as we learned more of it, our faith increased.” With this, he highlights the Prophet’s method in this regard.
3.Considering the Level of the Learner
An important aspect of the principle “make it easy, don’t make it hard” in education is taking into account the intellectual, memory, reasoning, and comprehension levels of the learners, as well as their social, psychological, physical, and emotional development. Differences in individual abilities are an undeniable reality, and this is particularly crucial in education. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “We, the community of prophets, have been commanded to speak to people at their level and in a way they can understand,” 10 and he always adhered to this principle.
As a natural result, he adjusted his style in a way that included everyone. In personal interactions, he spoke to children in ways they could understand, to young people at their level, and to the elderly in a manner suited to their comprehension. He also emphasized this principle by saying, “Speak to people according to their level of understanding,” 11 stressing the importance of considering the different levels of comprehension in guidance, communication, and education.
Our mother Aisha remarked, “When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded something to his companions, he would always give orders in a way that they could easily accomplish,”12 highlighting that he always took into account the abilities, talents, and strength of his audience, never burdening them beyond their capacity.
4.Choosing the Most Suitable Time
Another fundamental discipline that ensures ease in education and teaching is identifying the most appropriate time for discussions and lessons. If learners are too tired, unmotivated, or in need of rest, or if their minds are preoccupied or distracted, the education provided will not be very effective. One of the Prophet’s closest students, the respected Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, emphasized the Prophet’s sensitivity on this matter, saying, “When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to give us a sermon or advice, he would observe our state and choose the most suitable time so that we would not become weary.”13
At times, when asked a question, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would delay his response, later calling the person back to answer. This was a method he used to help the person refocus their scattered thoughts and attention, ensuring they would better retain what was being said.
5.Speaking Clearly and Distinctly
One way to make education and teaching easier is by speaking clearly, slowly, and in a way that can be easily understood. Otherwise, if the learners cannot clearly hear or understand the teacher or guide, they will struggle to grasp the message or intent. A teacher with unclear speech will also face difficulties in effectively communicating with their audience.
Our mother, the respected Aisha, reported, “The speech of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was clear and understandable to everyone,”14 highlighting the Prophet’s attentiveness and exemplary communication. She also said, “When he spoke, he did not rush. One could easily count the words he used.” 15
Otherwise, the message would not be conveyed clearly, and this could sometimes lead to serious misunderstandings.
6.Repeating When Necessary
Another dynamic that facilitates education and teaching is repetition, depending on the complexity and importance of the subject. Occasional repetition by teachers, guides, and mentors helps make learning easier and ensures that the information is firmly implanted in the learners’ minds, making it more lasting. For this reason, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes repeat a word or phrase three times to ensure it was fully understood. 16
7.Utilizing Shapes and Drawings
One of the elements that both facilitates education and makes knowledge more enduring is the use of written material and drawings in explanations. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was attentive to this, sometimes drawing shapes related to the topics he discussed.
For example, one day, while sitting and speaking, he drew a line in front of him and said, “This is the straight path of God.” Then he drew another line on each side of it, saying these represented the paths of Satan, and he recited the following verse:
“And this is My straight path; follow it. And do not follow other paths, for they will separate you from His path. This is what He has commanded you so that you may be away from the evil things.” 17
8.Utilizing Analogies
Another method that can be applied to facilitate learning is the use of analogies. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) occasionally employed analogies when explaining a topic. For example, he described the bonds of brotherhood among believers with the following analogy:
“The example of believers in their mutual love, compassion, and kindness is like the limbs of a single body. If one limb is ill, the other limbs share in its sleeplessness and fever.”
He also illustrated the importance of choosing the right friends and avoiding bad company with this analogy: “A good friend is like someone carrying musk, while a bad friend is like someone blowing on a bellows. The musk carrier may either offer you some or you may buy it from him, or his pleasant scent may linger on you. The one blowing the bellows, however, may either burn your clothes or the foul odor may settle upon you.” 19
Thus, parents, teachers, and guides should not neglect the characteristic of examples that facilitate understanding and make learning appealing in education.
9.Practical Teaching
One way to facilitate education and upbringing is by demonstrating what has been taught in practice. In this regard, practical teaching plays a crucial role in translating learned knowledge into real-life application and behavior. Indeed, the educational approach of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) largely relies on this method. He first lived and practiced the revelations he received before conveying them, often demonstrating them in a practical manner.
His teaching was not merely theoretical or instructional. For example, after explaining the details of prayer, he told his companions, “Pray as you see me praying,” 20 and he personally demonstrated how to perform the prayer.
10.Making Comparisons
Another method to facilitate education and teaching is through comparisons. Comparing a new topic with another subject that is better known can enhance understanding and help retain information more effectively. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) occasionally employed this technique.
One day, a man approached him and said, “O Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him)! My mother has passed away, but she had a month’s worth of Ramadan fasts to make up. Can I fast on her behalf?” In response, the Prophet asked, “If she had a debt to someone, would you pay it off?” When the man replied, “Yes,” the Prophet said, “Then just as you would pay off her debt to a person, it is more rightful for you to make up her debt to God.” 21
11.The Questioning Method
Using questions in explanations is another way to facilitate learning. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be uopn him) occasionally employed this method with his companions to stimulate their curiosity and focus their attention on the topic at hand, ensuring that the matter was understood clearly and easily.
For example, one day he wanted to explain how ablution and prayer purify a person. He began with a question: “If a river flows in front of someone’s house and they wash themselves in it five times a day, do you think any dirt would remain on them? What do you say?” The people present responded, “Of course, no trace of dirt would remain.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then said, “This is the example of the five daily prayers. Through this act of worship, God erases all the sins of His servants.” 22
Conclusion
Islam is a religion based on ease, encompassing belief, worship, social interactions, and educational systems. According to the Qur’an, God did not send the religion to put people in hardship,23 nor has He placed any difficulty in the religion (see Hajj 22:78). 24 The fundamental principle established in the Qur’an is that “God desires ease for His servants, not hardship.” The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) also stated, “Indeed, religion is ease,” 25 highlighting that Islam is characterized by its ease.
Moreover, the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him) warned some of his companions who were making worship burdensome for themselves by saying, “I was sent with a religion based on generosity and ease.” 26
This clearly expresses the essence of this truth. Therefore, considering both the fundamental nature of Islam and the Prophet’s command to “Facilitate, do not make things difficult,” it is important to strive to simplify education and teaching by making the most of contemporary educational approaches and technologies, as this is a significant practice of the Prophet’s tradition.
Author: Dr. Selim Koç
Footnotes:
1.Bukhari, Knowledge 11, Ethics 80, Jihad 164
2.Bukhari, Virtues 23
3.See Bukhari, Ablution 58; Abu Dawood, Purification 138
4.See Muslim, Jihad 6; Abu Dawood, Ethics 20
5.The issue of discipline and authority should be addressed separately from the topic of anger.
6.Bukhari, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, p. 68 (245); Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, I/239 (2136, 2556); Haythami, Zawaid, VIII/73
7.Muslim, Righteousness 75 (2592)
8.Munziri, Al-Targhib wa Al-Tarhib, III/361
9.Ibn Majah, Sunnah 9 (61); Bayhaqi, Al-Sunan Al-Kubra (5498)
10.Sahawi, Al-Maqasid Al-Hasanah, p. 120; Zebidi, Ithaf Al-Sadah, II/65
11.Abu Dawood, Ethics 23; Munawi, Fayz Al-Qadir, III/75
12.Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, VI/56
13.Tirmidhi, Ethics 72
14.Abu Dawood, Ethics 18
15.Bukhari, Virtues 23
16.See Bukhari, Knowledge 30; Tirmidhi, Virtues 9
17.Al-An’am, 6/153; Musnad, (4142, 4437); Bayhaqi, Sunan (11174)
18.Muslim, Righteousness 17 (2586); Bukhari, Ethics 27 (6011)
19.Muslim, Righteousness 146 (2627)
20.Bukhari, Call to Prayer 18
21.Muslim, Fasting 27 (1148)
22.Bukhari, Prayer Times 6 (528); Muslim, Mosques 282 (667)
23.See Taha, 20/2
24.See Al-Baqarah, 2/185
25.Bukhari, Faith 29; Nasai, Faith 28
26.See Bukhari, Faith 29 (in the chapter heading); Musnad, I/236; Haythami, Zawaid, II/263; Bukhari, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, p. 78 (287)