How should a teacher be?

 

How should a teacher be?

 

Teaching is a noble profession.  In this article, we give the proprieties that a teacher must follow if he/she is to change the lives of students. 

 

The first propriety of teaching is that the teacher should be affectionate with his/her students.  The teacher should consider the students as his/her own children.  This is what the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said to the Companions:  I am like your father for you.  (Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan Nasaai)

 

The intent here is that the teacher should save his/her wards from the fire of hell the way parents keep their children safe from the fire of this world.  Saving them from hellfire is more important than saving them from the fire of this material world.  For this reason, teachers are more valued than parents.  Teacher here means the person who teaches the sciences of the hereafter or the one who teaches worldly sciences with the intent of deriving benefit for the hereafter and not that person who teaches only for the sake of the material world.

 

The second propriety of teaching is that the teacher must follow the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in teaching.  He/she should not have any other intention other than that of teaching students.

 

The third propriety of teaching is that the teacher should spare no effort in proper instruction of the student.  For example if the teacher sees that his/her student is desirous of high posts without making the requisite efforts for them, the teacher should advise the students against this approach.  The teacher must teach the students that knowledge is sought for the sake of Allah’s pleasure.  This point must be stressed so much that it takes root in the heart of the student.

 

The fourth propriety which is very important for a teacher is that the teacher must advise the student against blameworthy traits.  The teacher must never relax his/her guard against this.  However, the teacher must never scold the students for this.  The reason is that once a thing is stated openly, the veil is removed and the student develops the arrogance to commit that act even before the teacher.  The teacher of all teachers, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  If people were ordered to abstain from splitting goat droppings, they would certainly do it and say:  There must be something in it since we have been stopped from this.  (Ibn Shaheen).  Another benefit of not warning them openly is that the student who is intelligent will understand the intent behind the words of the teacher and this will further encourage the student to act on it.

 

The fifth propriety is that the teacher must not criticize other more excellent sciences as being unworthy of being sought.  A teacher of one subject must not criticize that other subjects are not worthy.  If a teacher teaches just one subject, then the teacher should provide opportunities for the student to learn other sciences as well and if the teacher teaches multiple subjects, then he or she should be careful that the student gradually masters all those subjects.

 

The sixth propriety is that the teacher must be mindful of the intelligence and the ability of the student.  The teacher must avoid saying those things which the student cannot understand.  If the teacher does so, then the student will be disheartened that he/she cannot understand things.  The teachers should keep in mind the following words of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in this regard:

 

We are Prophets.  We have been ordered to treat people as per their stations and to converse with them as per their intelligence.  (Sunan Abu Dawood)

 

When a person says something before a nation that their minds cannot grasp, then that becomes a source of tribulation for that nation.  (Abu Nu’aim)

 

Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) gestured towards his chest and said:  It has many sciences provided there is someone who understands them.

 

The seventh propriety is that when a teacher understands that a student has less ability and intelligence, then the teacher should teach him those things which are obvious for that student.  Also, the teacher must not tell the student that there are things beyond this which I am not telling you.  If the student it told this, then he/she will lose interest in studies and will feel disappointed.  The student will think that the teacher is being miserly in giving out his/her knowledge.  He/she can never grasp that he/she has less than the requisite intelligence for this.

 

The eighth propriety is that the teacher must act on what he/she teaches.  It should not be that he/says says something and does something else.  If there is a dichotomy between what the words and actions of the teacher, then the student will not receive proper guidance through the teacher.  If someone is himself eating something and tells us others not to eat it as it is harmful then people will laugh at him.  The teacher and the student are one with each other like the shadow of a wood.  If the wood itself is crooked, then how can its shadow be straight?

 

[Excerpted from Ihya Ul Uloom]