Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explains that the education of children

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explains that the education of children is important in terms of character development. However, Medical science claims that genes are effective in an individual’s behaviors. Are the genes that come from parents or education important in character formation of an individual? Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explains that the education of children is important in terms of character development. However, Medical science claims that genes are effective in an individual’s behaviors. Are the genes that come from parents or education important in character formation of an individual?

Dear Brother / Sister,

It is neither religiously nor scientifically proper to think that genetic codes have an impact on life that nullifies the importance of education. It is an indicator of the truth that education systems that exist all over the world regards certain knowledge criteria without considering a student’s genetic codes. So many children of low-income families become scientists whereas so many children of scientists remain uneducated; so, this shows that the effect of genes is limited.

It is contrary to Allah’s infinite justice, wisdom and compassion to test humans perfunctorily by limiting them to their genetic codes. This is also contrary for such a creature that can go either to an uppermost level or a lowermost level by working and that is different from angels.

Medical science gives information about the genetic factors in humans; however, it does not, cannot and shall not say that genes bind human beings and make them like robots.

As the realities of life prove that such a hindrance by genes cannot be true and there are also many explanations in the Qur’an and Sunnah that it is not possible. Emphasis of some hadiths on “the role of parents, and environment on children” indicates the effect of improper education rather than genetic factors.

Let us know whether there is a medicine student that graduates as an engineer, a vet student becoming a qualified dentist or a student studying civil engineering becoming a judge or a lawyer after graduation. That is to say, genetic codes do not have much effect on humans. A person who works in a specific area with great effort has a proper profession related to his work later on.

How can we accept the existence of genetic compulsion since the following verse is present in the Qur’an; “There is no compulsion in religion” (Surah al-Baqara 2/256) and since the freedom is clearly stated in another verse; “let him who will, believe, and let him who will, reject” (Surah al-Kahf 18/29), who can limit the freedom of man?

Questions on Islam