SOME OF THE SUNNAH METHODS AND MANNERS OF TEACHING

When Muallims (teachers) teach, they should intend to guide Allah’s slaves to Islam’s truth and essence and what may correct or improve their states. When Allah guides someone through a person’s effort, it is better for them than everything on which the Sun and the Moonrise.

Guiding an (astray) person back to the worship of Allah and obedience to Him is better in the sight of Allah than the worship of the whole of mankind and the Jinn. Among the signs of a good Muallim are not coveting people’s wealth, treating students gently while teaching them, and being humble and compassionate towards them.

Only deserving people should be taught, and when such deserving people are found, they should be taught all the subject matters with no restrictions. Teaching undeserving people is causing the knowledge to be lost. Restraining the knowledge from the deserving people is oppression.

A Muallim should begin teaching the subject matters the learners need the most and the most needed matters pertaining to Dunya (worldly life) and the Akhirah. It is a Sunnah to address each class of people according to a level suitable to their intellect and apprehension. When an Alim (scholar) speaks about truth on a matter and a stubborn denier falsifies him or an unsmart person belittles him or misunderstands him, this would be the greatest injustice and evil. For that reason, people should only be taught what they can understand and digest. (Islamic Akhlaq and Manners, Fazilet Publishing).