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Thus began the revelation of the Quran to Muhammad.

Although current arrangements of the chapters of the Quran lists Surah Iqraa (also known as Surah Al'Alaq) as the 96th chapter, the reality is that the first five of its 19 verses were the very first verses of the Quran to be revealed.

And it is fitting that, for a holy book made up of 30 parts, 114 chapters, and over 6,000 verses, the very first word to be revealed was "Iqraa!" -- Read!

For Muslim children who are loath to study, "Iqraa!" as an admonition is usually sufficient to return them to their books, for it is a reminder of the religious imperative to pursue knowledge.

In the larger world, the term "jihad" is taken as meaning a "holy war" -- usually of the kind brandished by terrorists.

In the normal Muslim context, however, a jihad is a "struggle". In the context of learning, then, a jihad can be taken to mean a holy war -- against the state of ignorance.


So, in the mornings when you stop your car for the little schoolchildren crossing the street to go to school, you are stopping for the jihadists.

The engineers who designed the SMART tunnel are jihadists.

Scientists who are trying to find an effective vaccine against the influenza A H1N1 virus are jihadists.

Teachers, mentors, and guides of all ilk, who struggle every day to bring enlightenment to their charges, are all jihadists.

Just how important is knowledge to Islam?

There is a hadith (saying of the Prophet), which exhorts mankind to "seek knowledge even as far as China". Though this specific hadith is considered a "false" hadith -- meaning that the Prophet may not actually have said it -- the spirit of the hadith is nonetheless respected, because it encourages learning, and observing it does not put man in deficit.

To fully appreciate the greatness of this encouragement of learning, one should view it in the perspective of 7th century Arabia, during Muhammad's time.

Unlike in 21st century Malaysia, where, thanks to budget airlines, the average middle-class person has a reasonable chance of flying to Beijing, Shanghai or Xi'an and practise saying ni hao here and a xie-xie there, the 7th century Arab would probably have had to travel half a lifetime to get to China.

And while, generally for us, China is a shopping and tourism destination or a place to hone our Mandarin, even as far back as 14 centuries ago, China was an ancient fully-developed civilisation.

One generation ago, Malaysians were said to read an average of two pages a year.

That statistic has improved only marginally since. Now, Malaysians are said to read an average of two books a year.

According to the CIA World Factbook (quoting the Malaysian housing and population census 2000), Malaysia has a literacy rate of 88.7 per cent. Literacy is defined as those above the age of 15 being able to read and write.

After 52 years of independence, is that only how far we've come?

With all the national and international issues whirling and swirling around us every day, how can we possibly afford to have more than one in 10 of our citizens not even being able to read and write?

The ability to read and write is a basic skill, and not an end in itself. We are supposed to use the ability to read to acquire more knowledge, and to know how to apply that knowledge.

For instance, since the 12th general election, owing to the altered political playing field, Malaysians have heard the phrase "unconstitutional" used in varying circumstances, from both sides of the political divide.

But what does "unconstitutional" mean? And how does it affect our lives?

Acknowledging the complexity of the Federal Constitution as a legal document, yet recognising the need and right of the people to learn about the Federal Constitution in its entirety and from a neutral perspective, the Malaysian Bar Council recently embarked on a two-year campaign to educate the public about the Malaysian Constitution.

Entitled MyConstitution or PerlembagaanKu, the campaign hopes to work with the government, private and corporate sectors, emphasising on the collective ownership of the Constitution.

I regularly refer to the Federal Constitution while at work -- my copy of it rests within arm's reach.

But I must confess: I have never read it in its entirety, I don't know all its parts and, therefore, do not know what it is about this wonderful document that makes my wonderful country everything that it is and everything that it isn't.

Tomorrow is Nuzul Quran -- the day that commemorates the passing down of the Quran 1,399 years ago.

And Tuesday is International Literacy Day.

So, in the spirit of "Iqraa!", I will be reading the Federal Constitution. Hopefully, all of it.

What will you be learning?

anizad@nst.com.my