Knowledge power
No nation can progress socio-economically without proper education. Superstition, ignorance, bigotry, blind allegiance to leadership and jealousy are stumbling block to successes. That is why, the first word revealed to the Hazrat Muhammad (SM) is Ikra. The Bengali synonym of Ikra is ‘Read’. According to the ‘Students’ Favourite Dictionary’, the word ‘Read’ is referred to pursue, study, comprehend and interpret. The Prophet made the recital of the Quran, the learning of grammar, reading and writing, and Sharia compulsory. After victory in the Battle of Badr, the Prophet promised to release all those war prisoners who would teach the Muslims grammar, reading and writing.
Unless a man realises what is right and what is wrong, misfortunes will continue to pursue him. Allah said in the Al-Quran, “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation and debate in the best manner,”-Surah An-Nahl, Verse No.125. It is because when I shall call a man to the right track, I should have knowledge enough to meet his enquiries.
After Pakistan came into being in 1947, none of its governments took initiative to reform the country’s economy. Zamindari was abolished in 1953, but feudalism became stronger than before to hinder the economic prosperity and the end of exploitation of one wing by another. The eventual fate of the country is known to history.
The former Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi made identical mistakes. He did not move to reform the country’s economy and administration; rather became unnecessarily hasty to draft a new constitution in line with his party manifesto. The reactionary Armed forces supported by Saudi Arabia dethroned him from power just after one year of his becoming the Egyptian ruler.
Ameer Hamzah
Dhaka.
