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The Prophetic Method: Why We Must Learn Faith Before Quran
Peace, mercy, and Blessings of ALLAH be upon you. May ALLAH greet you all, and welcome to everyone.
In these days, we are launching a new journey of “AlBina AlManhaji“ (The Methodological Construction) with a new batch. This journey, ALLAH willing, will continue for years, and we ask ALLAH for success.
Naturally, this is a scientific, constructive, and methodological journey. Whenever we use the term “methodological,” a person must reflect: What are the beginnings? The concepts of “methodology” and “constructive methodology” necessitate a specific order in receiving knowledge. This order of reception has various paths and vast areas for consideration and ijtihad (reasoning). Consequently, Islamic schools and Shari’ah institutes differ on the issue of where to begin.
In reality, many who are responsible for Shari’ah teaching may overlook the importance, centrality, and value of the beginning—specifically, the importance of modeling it after the beginning that existed in the time of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon Him).
The Methodology of Building the Companions
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) had a specific methodology in building His Companions (may ALLAH be pleased with them). This methodology can be gleaned from certain explicit Hadiths, and it can also be deduced or extracted from the totality of the Quranic spiritual upbringing that the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) established and instilled in them.
One of the explicit Hadiths is the statement of Jundab (may ALLAH be pleased with him):
“We were young, strong boys with the Messenger of ALLAH (Peace and Blessings be upon Him), and we learned faith before we learned the Quran, then we learned the Quran and increased in faith by it“
Note the phrase: “We learned”. This is linked to learning. It indicates an order and a priority: there is something, and there is something before it. It emphasizes the beginnings: “We learned faith before we learned the Quran”.
This raises a massive question: What is this faith that is “learned”? Here, faith is linked to the issue of knowledge. “We learned faith”; what constitutes this faith that is taught and studied?
In my opinion, this question has not been given its due attention, reflection, care, or a structured methodological answer by many who oversee the educational process in Shari’ah studies. I believe this Hadith is a critical foundation and basis for Islamic education: “We learned faith before we learned the Quran”.
How can this be applied in educational curricula? Or how can it be observed even if it is not formally written into a curriculum? If scholars and sheikhs in charge of institutes and lessons paid attention to this, they would find abundant goodness, ALLAH willing.
Defining the “Faith” That Must Be Learned
The Hadith says, “We learned faith before we learned the Quran”. Naturally, the faith being learned is not separate from the Quran; it does not consist of issues absent from the Quran. Rather, faith is learned from what is in the Quran. However, there is a difference between learning the wording, memorization, and pronunciation (Tajweed), and learning the meanings.
Therefore, one of the first and most important aspects of learning faith is learning the meanings of the Quran. This does not mean Tafsir (exegesis) of the Quran verse by verse. No. It means there are Major Meanings in the Quran that are the very core of faith. These must be taught at the beginning and established in the souls.
Then, after that, the Quran is received, its words are memorized, and its letters are perfected. When this direct interaction with the Quran occurs after the meanings of faith have settled in the soul, it bears fruit and blossoms, just as Jundab said: “Then we learned the Quran and increased in faith by it”.
This is not exclusive to the Hadith of Jundab. There are several Hadiths from the Companions confirming this meaning, indicating it was a continuous methodology of the Prophet (Peace be upon Him). Incidentally, Jundab was not among those who accepted Islam early on; he met the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) in the later Madinan period. This means this was not just a methodology for the Makkan period, but a continuous approach.
We must reflect: What are these Major Meanings of faith that are learned? Without a doubt, they are Quranic topics. As I mentioned, this is found in the Hadith of Hudhayfah and Ibn Umar:
“We were given faith before we were given the Quran“
Ibn Umar then criticized the change that occurred later, where the matter was reversed, and people began to be given the Quran before faith. This is a sign of decline. Undoubtedly, this phenomenon is prevalent in our time: the focus on memorization, receiving words, and perfecting pronunciation before receiving the major meanings of faith.
The Pillars of Major Faith: Knowledge of ALLAH
This is a significant and critical question. I will answer part of it now regarding what enters into these major issues of faith.
- Knowledge of ALLAH (The Exalted): Foremost among these issues is the Knowledge of Almighty ALLAH and firmly establishing certainty in HIM. Therefore, the very first subject in the new batch of AlBina AlManhaji will be “Knowledge of ALLAH”. It is a session of about an hour and a half or two hours dedicated to knowing Almighty ALLAH.
This subject includes the importance of this door, how we achieve knowledge of ALLAH, and the means to attain it. These keys are given to the student so they possess them and strive to achieve them. There are keys to the knowledge of ALLAH, and they require constant care and self-attention.
Knowledge of ALLAH is a vast door. It is what leads to Khashyah (reverence/fear). The goal is not to fall into the same trap of just memorizing texts. We must not flee from memorizing Quranic words only to memorize the words of Mutoon (texts) and say, “This is Knowledge of ALLAH!” No.
While memorizing the Quran is a great blessing—and a student of knowledge who memorizes the Quran is far better than one who does not—the idea here is about priorities and beginnings. Some think that if they memorize a text in Aqeedah (Creed), they have achieved the aspect of knowing ALLAH. This is a mistake, especially if that text is focused on refuting sects, which—while important in its own context—does not enter into the core of knowing ALLAH HIMSELF.
- Knowledge of the Messenger of ALLAH (Peace be upon Him): Also among the major issues of faith is knowledge of this noble Prophet, His state, the truth of His prophethood, prioritizing His message, and understanding that He is the followed Prophet whose words take precedence over all others. This includes venerating Him, loving Him, and knowing the magnitude of His Sunnah (Peace be upon Him).
- Belief in the Hereafter: Certainty in the Hereafter, complete belief in meeting Almighty ALLAH, and knowledge of the states of Paradise, Hell, Resurrection, and Gathering are central Quranic issues. Almighty ALLAH took great care to explain these in HIS Book.
- States of the Heart: Finally, learning faith involves realizing the essential actions of the heart: Love, Fear, Truthfulness, Sincerity (Ikhlas), Reliance (Tawakkul), and Turning to ALLAH (Inabah).
All of these fall under Jundab’s statement: “We learned faith”.
Conclusion: A Curriculum for the Soul
This question is massive, dangerous, and deserving of extreme care. Since AlBina AlManhaji is a long journey of four years or more, the Preliminary Phase will fundamentally focus on answering the question of “We learned faith” by presenting materials linked to faith.
Of course, the Preliminary Phase cannot cover everything, but it also includes other helpful matters like scientific methodologies for learning, time management for the student, and awareness of reality.
However, the main point I wanted to convey is that the most important thing we care for—and the first subject presented in this batch—is linked to learning faith and the Knowledge of Almighty ALLAH. I hope this methodology, this beginning, and this care will help fulfill the requirement of truly following the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon Him) and His guidance.
May ALLAH reward you with good. Peace, Mercy, and Blessings of ALLAH be upon you.
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