Evils of Ignorance: An Introduction

Ignorance is an evil that causes much harm to Muslims themselves and those around them. Islam came to bring people out of the darkness of ignorance to the light of Islam. If we look at the pre-Islamic period, it was known as “al Jaahiliyyah”. This name is indicative of a situation that people were living in where ignorance prevailed and all of the negative factors of such a state were dominant in that society.

The first word that was revealed in the Qur’an was the word “Iqra” which means to read or say something and this word is strongly linked to knowledge or knowing which is the opposite of not knowing or being ignorant.

The greatest and most essential knowledge is knowledge of our Creator and what He requires us to do while on this temporary journey of life. A reading of the Holy Qur’an teaches us both of these important aspects of knowledge through the names and attributes of Allah as well as His informing us of the purpose of our being created.

Knowledge on the other hand is light that guides a believer through this life teaching him right from wrong and saving him from danger into safety.

Many scholars have explained that knowledge is not simply being aware of the information but acting upon it. The people who call themselves Muslims today, but fall into shirk are no doubt doing this because they were misled by ignorant people who led them astray until they became stuck in their present state which became their new religion. The Prophet ﷺ said:

This is why Allah refers to the Christians in al Faatihah as “Astray”, because they want to worship Allah but they do not have the right knowledge to help them avoid falling into shirk in their worship.