In Islam, "adab" is grounded in Islamic ethics and is understood generally to refer to Islamic etiquette of displaying commendable character and manners.
Good personality involves many traits such as trustworthiness, integrity, responsibility, being considerate of others and being respectful.
In Islam, the best exemplary character is that of Prophet Muhammad SAW. The Quran in Surah al-Aḥzab, verse 21, clearly mentions: "There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah often."
"Adab", being an essential element in the education system and having become part of the National Education Philosophy, has to be taught and nurtured as it is integral to the education process.
Its inclusion in the religious and moral syllabus or incorporation into other academic subjects and activities is in fact a practical approach to nurturing it.
Such an approach is consistent with al-Ghazzali's emphasis in Mizan al-'Amal that knowledge is beneficial when transformed into action.
The author recalls his experience as a foundation student at the Centre for Foundation Studies in Science, Universiti Malaya, in 2010 and realises the value of chemistry practical laboratory protocols in cultivating "adab".
On the first day of the practical chemistry laboratory, the instructor assigned each student to his or her workstation to experiment. There was a locker containing apparatuses such as a retort stand, beakers, conical flasks, test tubes and burette at each station.
Each student would use the same workstation and apparatuses provided for the whole semester to conduct chemical experiments.
To ensure that the entire semester went smoothly, each student had to take care of his or her workstation and apparatuses, especially regarding cleanliness, organised storage and safekeeping.
Indeed, all the aforementioned have effects on the experiment process and outcomes. From the perspective of someone who has been through this experience, this laboratory protocol is related to not merely laboratory work results but also a continuous process of instilling elements of "adab", including trustworthiness, responsibility and tidiness.
Through this experience, it is evident that education, in general, does not only aim for intellectual excellence but also personality excellence. Many other subjects and activities also have roles to play in strengthening "adab".
For instance, in language studies, students are not just taught about speaking and writing with the correct grammar, but also the best choice of words and sentence construction that reflect politeness, modesty and respect.
Another subject that can develop good character and manners is physical education in school. Although the educational focus or aim of this subject is physical health, exercise and sports, "adab" is still inherent in them.
For, it requires students to learn organising, tidying up and properly storing the sports equipment. Learning to do all that not only ensures responsibility but also helps guaranteeing accessibility and preserving the longevity of the equipment. This will benefit other users and reduce maintenance costs.
In addition, the general setting of school and university is conducive to inculcating "adab". The classroom setting instils a sense of belonging among students, encouraging them to be responsible.
This includes taking turns to clean up the classroom daily. While some students are responsible for cleaning, others take charge of the whole classroom, including the alignment of desks, chairs and learning equipment.
The same sense of responsibility should be extended when students further their studies, especially when living in a residential college.
Indeed, formal educational setting provides an excellent opportunity to teach "adab". However, parents also play a significant role in continuing the momentum of instilling "adab", especially at home.
Unfortunately, there have been cases where some parents go the extra mile to clean and decorate classrooms on behalf of their children or provide cleaners to ensure that their children have enough time to focus on their studies. This, however, is an unhealthy approach to educating children.
Exempting children from doing classroom chores means reducing their time interacting with friends and taking away their opportunities to learn about cooperation, tolerance and organisation of tasks. Moreover, if this situation continues throughout the educational process, part of "adab" is left out of the students' learning process.
Undoubtedly, students' academic excellence is essential for them to contribute to the physical development of the country. However, personality excellence is equally necessary to ensure that the country entrusts the whole development process to those who possess trustworthiness, integrity, responsibility, considerate and respectful qualities.
In summary, the entire educational process is replete with good values which encapsulate "adab". We cannot forsake such values while overly focusing on academic excellence.
'Abd al-'Aziz bin Muḥammad Sadḥan, in his book Min Waṣayaal-'Ulama' li Ṭalabah al-'Ilm, quoted Abu Zakariya al-Anbari as saying: "Having knowledge without good manners is like having a fire without fuel, and that having manners without knowledge is like having a body without a soul."
Therefore, each party, including parents, teachers and lecturers, must work together in nurturing good values to produce a well-balanced student, one who excels not only intellectually but also in attitude and behaviour.
The writer is a researcher at the Centre for Science and Environment Studies, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM)
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times