THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IDOLS AND FANS OR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

Allah subhanahu wata'ala says :

ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ عَلَّمَهُ ٱلۡبَيَانَ

“Ar-Rahman, who taught the Quran, He created man, He taught him eloquence”(QS. Ar-Rahman : 1-4)

نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ

“Nun, by the arrangement and what they compose in a sentence".(QS. Al-Qalam: 1)

ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ

"Who teaches (humans) by means of a structure, "He teaches humans what they do not know." (QS. Al-Alaq: 4-5)

Allah declares in these three Surahs that He Himself is the One who teaches mankind. Yet, it should be understood that this teaching does not mean Allah personally descends to earth to instruct humans directly. Rather, through His Mercy (Rahman) and His Pen (Qalam), He teaches by means of intermediaries. So, who are these intermediaries? None other than human beings themselves. But then arises the next question: how do humans teach one another?

This can be explained through the concept of the time continuum. In this continuum, there is the present — the time we currently live in — the future — the time yet to come — and the past — the time we did not experience. Allah’s act of teaching mankind occurred in that segment of the past that we did not live through. Teaching began from the simplest forms: distinguishing between objects, forming letters, combining letters into words, and arranging words into sentences. This process continued over centuries until it developed into the body of knowledge we possess today.

Allah Almighty says:

قَالَ يَٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئۡهُم بِأَسۡمَآئِهِمۡۖ فَلَمَّآ أَنۢبَأَهُم بِأَسۡمَآئِهِمۡ قَالَ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ إِنِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ غَيۡبَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَأَعۡلَمُ مَا تُبۡدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡتُمُونَ

“He said: ‘O Adam, inform them of their names.’ And when he had informed them of their names, He said, ‘Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth and that I know what you reveal and what you have concealed?".(Surah Al-Baqarah: 33)

Likewise, the knowledge we acquire today will become lessons for humans in the future — and so the process continues endlessly until the Day of Judgment.

From this, a mechanism of teaching is formed — a chain of knowledge: humans from the past teach those living in the present; in other words, the old teach the young, the young teach those younger, and they in turn teach children. This cycle flows from time to time, from generation to generation. However, there are times when this process becomes distorted, and so Allah sends Messengers and Prophets — human beings who affirm whether the teachings mankind has developed are right or wrong.

Allah says:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ ءَامِنُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُواْ نُؤۡمِنُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡنَا وَيَكۡفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهُۥ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مُصَدِّقٗا لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡۗ قُلۡ فَلِمَ تَقۡتُلُونَ أَنۢبِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ مِن قَبۡلُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ

“And when it is said to them, ‘Believe in what Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘We believe in what was revealed to us,’ and they disbelieve in what came thereafter, though it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say, ‘Why then did you kill the prophets of Allah before, if you are truly believers?".(Surah Al-Baqarah: 91)

Teachers and Students

From this divine pattern arises the concept of Teacher and Student. A teacher may be anyone who possesses knowledge — even a parent. Allah says:

وَإِذۡ قَالَ لُقۡمَٰنُ لِٱبۡنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَيَّ لَا تُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمٞ

“And (remember) when Luqman said to his son while advising him, ‘O my son, do not associate anything with Allah. Indeed, associating others with Him is a great wrong".(Surah Luqman: 13)

If parents lack sufficient knowledge, others more knowledgeable may take their place. Allah says:

فَوَجَدَا عَبۡدٗا مِّنۡ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ رَحۡمَةٗ مِّنۡ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمۡنَٰهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلۡمٗا قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ هَلۡ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمۡتَ رُشۡدٗا

“Then they found one of Our servants on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Our presence. Moses said to him, ‘May I follow you so that you teach me something of the truth which you have been taught?".(Surah Al-Kahf: 65–66)

This teacher–student relationship continued from ancient times until it was gradually taken over by a new system called Capitalism — a system of education built upon economic principles, where education becomes a commodity for profit and a means to prepare individuals to compete in the labor market. This ideology promotes individualism, views education as merchandise, and focuses on profit and economic growth rather than humanity and liberation. Thus emerged what we now call formal education — kindergarten, elementary, junior high, senior high, and university systems.

The original spiritual and ethical bond between teacher and student — where the teacher guides with noble character and the student learns with humility and obedience — has gradually lost its sacred value.

Fans and Idols

Today, when knowledge is no longer accompanied by faith and divine messages — and as technology and the internet have spread widely — the role of teacher and student has been replaced once again, this time by social media. Now, teaching can be done easily through the device in one’s hand.

The relationship of teacher and student is shifting further away, and people can learn almost anything through their gadgets. The learning model has transformed — from Teacher and Student to Fan and Idol.

In this new form of learning, people no longer need a teacher–student relationship. On social media, many “teachers” share their knowledge through videos and posts that reach millions. With a single click, countless lessons can be accessed from hundreds or thousands of people.

In principle, using digital media to learn is not wrong — but something essential has been lost from the traditional concept of learning. For example:

“When asked who a student’s teacher is, the teacher can confirm the student — and vice versa.

But not with the concept of fans and idols, if a fan or idol asked about their students, the fand or idol will not be able to confirm their student — because they do not know them personally.”

For instance:

If I am asked, “Who my teacher is?” and I reply, “Fulan,” then Fulan can confirm me as his student.

But not with this concept of fans and idols, if they are asked, “Who is your teacher?” and they answer, “Fulan,” that person cannot acknowledge them as their student.

The reason is simple: a teacher and student interact, while a fan and idol do not.

For earlier generations, the teacher student bond was essential in shaping understanding of both vertical life (relationship with God) and horizontal life (relationship with fellow humans). Through living examples, they could see and emulate good character — just as the Companions followed the Prophet ﷺ.

But for the current generation, this sacred transmission of teaching may fade away. Perhaps today we still have teachers and students — but for our children, maybe not anymore.

يَوۡمَ نَدۡعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسِۢ بِإِمَٰمِهِمۡۖ فَمَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَقۡرَءُونَ كِتَٰبَهُمۡ وَلَا يُظۡلَمُونَ فَتِيلٗا

“On the Day We shall call every people with their imam. Then whoever is given his record in his right hand — those will read their records, and they will not be wronged a bit".(Surah Al-Isra: 71)

Wassalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

@Abu Musa, 2025

One who still has a Teacher and Student relationship today.