There is a strong connection between the student and the teacher who is responsible for the activities of teaching and training in Islamic manners. There is a mutual enlightenment; a spiritual interchange occurs between the hearts.
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) would talk with his Companions and ask them questions which lead them to contemplate. When he felt that they have reached a certain level of maturity, he would tell them the things that he planned to teach them. There are many good examples of this method in the life of the Prophet (pbuh).
a. The Prophet Responding to Questions
The Companions were eager to increase their knowledge and solve their problems by asking the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) questions. The Prophet (pbuh) would give every one of their questions a satisfactory answer. This is a divine method which was taught to the Prophet (pbuh) by Allah the Almighty thorough the Archangel Gabriel. Gabriel (A.S.) employed the method of questions and answers while teaching them their religion. One of the best examples of this method is seen in the following tradition which is also known as the “tradition of Gabriel.”
Umar b. al-Khattab (r.a.) narrated:
“One day when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was with his followers, a dark haired man wearing white clothes whom none of us knew came to the Messenger of Allah. He sat before him so that his knees touched the Prophet’s knees, and placing his hands upon the Prophet’s knees he said:
“O Prophet of Allah! Tell me what is iman (faith)?” He (the Holy Prophet) replied:
“That you affirm your faith in Allah, His angels, His Books, His meeting, His Messengers and that you affirm your faith in the Resurrection in the Hereafter.” The man said:
“You are right,” We were puzzled for he had asked a question and then confirmed the answer. Then the man asked again:
“O Messenger of Allah! Tell me what Islam is?” He (the Holy Prophet) replied:
“Islam means that you worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him and that you establish obligatory prayer and pay the obligatory poor-rate (Zakat) and you observe the fast of Ramadan.” He (the inquirer) said again:
“You are right.” And asked:
“O Messenger of Allah, what does Ihsan mean?” He (the Holy Prophet) replied:
“That you worship Allah as if you see Him, and even if you cannot see Him, He certainly sees you.” He (the inquirer) once again said:
“You are right” and then asked:
“O Messenger of Allah, when will the hour (of Doom) be?” He (the Holy Prophet) replied:
“The one who is asking about it is no better informed than the inquirer.” The man continued:
“Then tell me about its signs” Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) replied:
“When the slave-girl will give birth to her master,٭ when the naked, barefooted shepherds compete with each other in constructing high building.” Then the man quietly turned his back and disappeared. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“Bring that man back to me.” The Companions went to bring him back, but they could not find him.Thereupon the Messenger of Allah asked:
“O Umar! Do you know who that man was?” I said:
“Allah and His Messenger know best.” Then Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) told us:
“He was Gabriel, who came to teach you your religion.” (Muslim, Iman, 1, 5; Bukhari, Iman, 37)
Another version of this narration reported by Abu Hurairah (r.a.) shows more clearly how the Prophet (pbuh) employed the method of questions and answers. Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated:
“Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) told us:
“Ask me questions (about matters pertaining to Islam),” but they (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) hesitated to ask questions out of profound respect for him. In the meantime a man arrived and sat near the Prophet’s knees … (Muslim, Iman, 7)
These narrations consist of many significant aspects regarding educational methods and training activities. We can enumerate them as follows:
1. Scholars should compassionately approach their inquirers and gain their confidence. Thus, a student can ask his questions without fear.
2. One should ask his questions politely.
3. If someone who attends a scholar’s circle recognizes that people are hesistant to ask certain questions, he should bring up those issues. In this way, not only the questioner but also the entire circle will be able to benefit from the scholar’s response.
4. By asking questions and receiving answers, matters can be listened to more carefully and be better understood.
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) taught many principles and rules of Islam through answers given to the enquiries of the Companions. He even encouraged his Companions to ask questions sincerely and told them:
“Asking questions is the cure for ignorance.” (Abu Dawud, Taharah, 125)
However, asking useless questions is discouraged. In fact, at that time, some people were asking questions just to ridicule with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). Some others were asking question to test him and some others were asking strange questions just because of their naivety. “Who is my father?” “Where is my lost camel?” are among the examples of such questions. (Bukhari, Tafsir, 5/12)
According to a narration, when the verse “…pilgrimage to the House is a duty men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey…” (Al-i Imran 3; 97) was revealed, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) was asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! Is it required forevery year?” Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) stayed quiet and did not answer the question. He was asked second time:
“O Messenger of Allah! Is it required for every year?” He said:
“No, but if I had said “yes,” it was going to be obligatory for every year.” (Tirmidhi, Tafsir, 5/15)
The following verse was revealed about such people:
“O you who believe! Ask not of things which, if they were made known unto you, would trouble you; but if you ask of them when the Qur’an is being revealed, they will be made known unto you. Allah pardons this, for Allah is Forgiving, Clement. Some people before you did ask such questions, and on that account lost their Faith.” (al-Maidah 5; 101-102)
Out of their deep respect and love for him, the people of Medina were hesitant to ask the Prophet (pbuh) questions so much that they would sometimes wait and hope for a stranger to come and ask questions so that they could also benefit from the answer.
Nawwas b. Sam’an (r.a) reported:
“I stayed with Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) in Medina for one year. What precented me from migrating was nothing but persistent inquiries from him about Islam. It was a common observation that when anyone of us migrated to Medina, he ceased to ask questions from Allah’s Messenger (pbuh). So I asked him about virtue and vice. Thereupon, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said:
“Virtue is the goodness of morality and vice is what rankles in your mind and that which you do not want to be known by the people.” (Muslim, Birr, 14-15)
Asking questions is the key to attaiing scholarship and the cure for ignorance. However, questions should be asked properly and in certain manners; so that everyone can get the best out of the answers.
b. Asking Questions for Elaboration
Sometimes Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) would ask questions in order to attract his Companions’ attention to a certain matter and then he would give the answer.
Abu Huraira reported:
“One day Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) asked those who were with him:
“Do you know who is poor?” They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said:
“A poor man amongst us is one who has neither a dirham with him nor wealth.” He (the Holy Prophet) said:
“The poor man of my ummah is the one who shall come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but he shall find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others, unlawfully consumed the wealth of others, shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of the one who suffered at his hand.If his good deeds fall short of clearing the account, then his sins will be entered in his account and he will be thrown in the Hell-Fire.” (Muslim, Birr, 59; Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 2)
Another example for the method of question and answer is narrated on the authority of Mu’adh b. Jabal (r.a.):
“I was riding behind the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) on an ass known as ‘Ufair. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) asked:
“O Mu’adh! Do you know what right Allah has over His bondsmen and what right His bondsmen have over Him?” I replied:
“Allah and His Messenger know best.” Thereupon, the Holy Prophet remarked:
“The right of Allah over His bondsmen is that they should worship Him and should not associate anything with Him, and the right of His bondsmen over Allah, the Glorious and Sublime, is that He does not punish those who do not associate anything with Him.” I said to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh):
“Should I then give these glad tidings to the people?” He (the Holy Prophet) replied:
“Do not tell them because, they would trust in it alone and show laziness.” (Bukhari, Jihad, 46; Muslim, Iman, 48, 49)
Here, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) not only states a fact but also warns not to talk about things that may cause people to be lazy.
Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) would sometimes do something or smile and then would want his Companions to ask the reason for his action. And then, he would give an answer after the reason was asked. Anas b. Malik (r.a.) narrated:
“One day Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) smiled and said:
“Aren’t you going to ask me why I smiled?” And then he continued:
“I was amazed by a servant’s dispute with his Lord on the Day of Judgment.
The servant says:
“Dear Lord! Haven’t You promised not to torture me?” Allah the Almighty responds:
“Yes, I have.” The servant says:
“I do not accept anybody’s testimony about me except my own.” Allah the Almighty asks:
“Would not I and the angels responsible from recording deeds be enough as witnesses?” The servant first repeats his words, then his mouth becomes sealed and his limbs start to talk about their deeds. Thereupon, the servant says:
“Shame on you! Stay away from me. I am trying to defend you (but you reveal everything.)” (Hakim, IV, 644)
The Companions tried to imitate the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in every aspect of life. One day Uthman b. Affan (r.a.) asked for water and then performed ablution. He smiled and asked his friends:
“Aren’t you going to ask me why I smiled?” After his friends’ question, he said:
“One day Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) asked for this amount of water, performed ablution, and smiled. Then he asked us:
“Aren’t you going to ask me why I smiled?” When we asked him, he remarked:
“When a servant washes his face during ablution, Allah the Almighty cleanses the sins committed by his face. The same thing happens when he washes his arms, rubs his head, and cleanses his feet.” (Haythami, I, 229)
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) would sometimes ask questions to encourage his Companions to perform good deeds. According to a narration reported by Abu Umamah (r.a.), one day Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) asked those who were with him:
“Who amongst you is fasting this day?” Abu Bakr (r.a.) replied:
“I am fasting, O Messenger of Allah.” He (again) asked:
“Who amongst you has attended a funeral prayer today? Abu Bakr said:
“I have, O Messenger of Allah.” He (the Holy Prophet) again asked:
“Who amongst you has served food to the needy?” Abu Bakr said:
“I have, O Messenger of Allah.” He (again) said:
“Who amongst you has visited the sick today?” Abu Bakr said:
“I have, O Messenger of Allah.” Thereupon, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said:
“The one who combines in himself all of these noble qualities and virtues shall enter Paradise.” (Muslim, Fada’il al-Sahaba, 12)
c. Guiding the Inquirer in another Direction
Sometimes the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) would ask him about a certain issue, but he would lead them in other directions for various reasons. He would explain more beneficial sides of the question. This is referred to as “Uslub al-Hakim in Arabic rhetoric.” It means to respond the inquirer’s question with an unexpected answer which is more suitable and benefitial. We can see an example of this in the following verse:
“They ask you concerning the new moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for pilgrimage …” (al-Baqara 2; 189)
The Companions had asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! We see the new moon as slim as a rope. Then it gets bigger and rounder. And then it goes back to its old state and become thin again. Why does it not stay the same?” After this the above mentioned verse was revealed. (Waqidi, p. 56)
The Companions’ question was about the physical state of the crescent, whereas the verse attracts our attention to its functions in people’s lives.
Anas b. Malik (r.a.) narrated:
“A man came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! When is the end of the world?” The Prophet (pbuh) asked:
“What have you prepared for it?” the man replied:
“I have not prepared many prayers, fasting, or charity for it, but I love Allah and His Messenger (pbuh) very much.” Upon which the Prophet (pbuh) told the man:
“You will be with those whom you love.” (Bukhari, Ashab al-Nabi, 6)
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) saved the inquirer from looking for answers to a matter known only by Allah the Almighty and directed him to the more beneficial matter of preparing righteous deeds for the Hereafter.
On another occasion the Companions asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh):
“Which deed is more virtuous?” The Prophet (pbuh) said:
“To know Allah” they asked:
“Which deed elevates one’s rank?” He said:
“To know Allah” Then the Companions said:
“O Messenger of Allah! We ask about deeds, but you respond to us with knowledge.” Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) told them:
“Little deeds done by knowing Allah give great benefits, whereas great deeds done without knowing Allah have no benefits.” (Munawi, IV, 688)
Certainly there are many ways to teach and educate. The question and answer method is one of the best methods that increases the spiritual interactions between the teacher and his students, attracts the students’ attention in the class, and helps to unearth the students’ hidden skills. This method is based on mutual conversation between the teacher and his disciples. The teacher asks questions and the students respond to him. The goal is not to test the students but to improve their comprehension skills, increase their interest, and make the lesson understood as much as possible. This is why questions should be carefully selected; and they should be educating and disciplining. In order to prevent wasting time and energy, one should stay away from asking arbitrary questions.