Why Is There Still Ignorance Despite So Many Efforts For Popularizing Knowledge?

By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Shaykh Nasir Makarim Shirazi
& Ayatullah Ja'far Subhani
Question: Though the Holy Prophet (S) has invited people towards knowledge and wisdom and encouraged them to fight against ignorance and obtain knowledge, in spite of these we find that today the majority of the people are ignorant?
Answer: Till the time the Muslims had not become aloof from Islamic teachings knowledge and science were progressing among them very fast. Our assertion is proved by the presence of great Islamic universities and libraries that are mentioned in history.
At the time when paper was not manufactured so widely and there were no printing presses, there were four hundred thousand books in the library of Muragha and four million books in the library of Baitul Hikmah of Baghdad.
In the same way the libraries of other countries were also overflowing with books. Till the time the Muslims were subjugated by dictators and western powers, there were a large number of intellectuals and educated people among them. For example, before France occupied Algeria, the majority of the people there were literate. However, after French occupation the government went into foreign hands, the situation changed.
In the near past when some leaders of Islamic countries began to fight among themselves and outsiders also fanned the flames of hypocrisy, the Muslims started experiencing a period of ignorance and decline. Their culture stopped developing and progressing and a majority of the Muslims remained illiterate. A great part of who were also unable to read and write.
We hope that Muslims would once again derive the benefits of Islamic principles and resume their intellectual mission as nowadays we can see the signs of revival among them.

Should The Good People Also Pray?
Question: We know that Prayer stops us from evil deeds. However, if without saying prayers we able to refrain from bad acts do we still need to say the prayers?
Answer: Prayer is an absolute and obligatory command for all the people. And even if we presume that one can avoid evil deeds even without praying, then too he shall not be exempted from this law. He must offer the obligatory prayers, because if this is allowed many people will get an excuse to avoid it altogether.
Apart from this there is no guarantee that one would be able to save himself from sins without prayers because prayer is the greatest medium of being attentive to the Almighty. Experience shows that people who do not pray, cannot be safe from any type of sinful acts. At least they are not particular about personal hygiene.
In addition to this prayer and attention towards the Almighty play a very important role in the perfection of faith and in the gradual development of spirituality. Abstaining from sins also contribute to the spiritual upliftment of man.
In any case, it is obligatory upon all able Muslim men and women, without any exception that they must perform the duty of prayers.