Human Intelligence has been conceptualized and measured by many psychologists in different ways: the ability to think, to learn from experience, to solve problems, and to adapt to new situations.. etc. Furthermore, intelligence has been possitively correlated to successful educational, occupational, economic, and social outcomes.


While Western culture makes intelligence the most important characteristic for determining the success of an individual, this is not true in Islam. Success is not a mere product of academic achievement, but a result of submission to Allah (Islam).


In the Qur’an, Allah describes those that are successful as those that accept and are upon His guidance:
“…Those are upon the right [guidance] from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful.” (Baqarah: 5)

He also describes as successful those whose scales are heavy on the day of Judgement: “And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] – it is they who are the successful.” (Al-Mu’minoon: 102]

He also describes it ultimately as admittance into Jannah and savior from the fire: “…Only he who is saved from the Fire and admitted to the Garden, will have indeed been successful. (Aal-Imran: 3:185)

…and many other examples in the Qur’an.

Furthermore, The Prophet (PBUH) has given us a definition that Muslims should adopt. He (SAW) said:
“The most intelligent person is the one who remembers death often.” (Sunan Ibn Majah: 4259)

This type of intelligence, which ultimately is fear of Allah, is the one that Muslim parents and educators should strive to cultivate in children, before anything else.
However, one should not get the idea that the type of intelligence commonly referred to in the West is unuseful and unimportant; ofcourse it is! Allah gives special talents to each of us, and intelligence is one of them.

To put things into perspective, the low importance of intelligence compared to belief is evident in this hadith:
Allah's Messenger (PBUH) narrated to us: “… It will be said that in such-and-such a tribe there is such-and-such person who is honest, and a man will be admired for his intelligence, good manners and strength, though indeed he will not have belief equal to a mustard seed in his heart." (Bukhari 6497)

If all these narrations are taken together, they can give parents and educators tranquility. While many non-Muslim parents are obsessed with academic achievement to the point of pushing their children to suicide, Muslim parents are encouraged to look at their children’s intelligence as one of the many gifts that Allah bestows in different quantities, like physical strength, beauty and so on. Muslim parents should direct their children to make good use of the gifts given by Allah, but at the same time keep in mind that piety is what is crucial to attain ultimate success. We should therefore not blame our children too much for being short in regards to their worldly achievements, but rather push them gently to do better, and ultimately seek success in this world and the next by following Allah and His Messenger.

May Allah make us truly intelligent people both in this world and the next. Allahumma Aameen