On the Occasion of Teacher’s Day
O Teacher!
*Mohammad Fanaei Eshkevari*
The first Teacher is God Almighty—the absolute Teacher, the first and the last—who, in His boundless mercy, created humanity and endowed us with the gift of expression. As stated in the Holy Quran: *“The Most Merciful, taught the Quran, created man, and taught him eloquence”* (55:1-4), *“He taught Adam all the names”* (2:31), and *“Read! For your Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the pen, taught man what he knew not”* (96:3-5). Thus, before the grandeur of this primordial Teacher, we bow our heads in humility and submission to the ground.
Among human teachers, the foremost and greatest are the prophets and divine saints—the true guides of humanity who, through their words and deeds, led people toward happiness and perfection. They became the luminous beacons of humanity’s path.
Next, parents are the first teachers of every individual, laying the foundations of upbringing and knowledge in their children with kindness and sacrifice. Before their exalted status, we bow in reverence and gratitude.
Then come all other teachers: not only those whose profession is teaching, but everyone who has taught us something.
My teacher is anyone from whom I have learned a lesson—through their words, writings, or actions. Whether I heard a truth from them, read their book, learned in their presence or absence. My teacher could be a young child whose innocence taught me simplicity, or an elderly villager who instructed me in life’s wisdom and the virtues of sincerity and simplicity.
I am endlessly grateful to my dear students, who, with their pure pursuit of knowledge, welcomed this humble soul into their intimate circle. Through their probing questions, they compelled me to study, reflect, and contemplate—thereby becoming my teachers.
Before all these teachers, I bow my head in humility and pray for their happiness, prosperity, and blessed destiny from the court of the First Teacher.
We can all be teachers. To be a teacher, one need not hold the title of “teacher.”
I hope to always remain both a student—learning ceaselessly—and a teacher—imparting knowledge—so that through learning and teaching, we may walk the path of perfection and service to humanity.
*O God, grant us the grace to transcend mere knowledge and attain the Known.*
Mohammad Fanaei Eshkevari