The vast sea of knowledge

Do you ever feel like there’s so much to learn and so little time? If you do then this post would most definitely resonate with you.

Learning has always been an integral part of my life. Since I can remember I have always relished learning new and different things. As a child I’d raid my father’s bookshelf looking for new books to read and I’d be willing to read anything, because I was taught from a young age that knowledge is power, and that we should always seek knowledge.

I suppose this is why I find it so difficult to deal with the fact that people have turned studying into a meagre economic thing, where choices of what to study are determined by the amount of money that goes with it, and not to mention that crazy amounts that students have to pay just to get knowledge. Even when I studied at university, it was never about the career that would go with the course I was doing. I wasn’t focused on the money I could make after graduation or the so-called prestige that would come with having a degree behind your name. I was interested in the knowledge I was getting and I have to admit that I would excitedly browse through the course options every time I needed to choose because the idea of learning new things appealed to me.

Earlier this year I was sent a link to a free online course and this opened up a whole new learning experience for me. I was surprised to see so many course offerings on so many different topics, and it can all be done online. It’s wonderfully structured, and there’s deadlines which forces you to complete the course. Once again I find myself grappling with learning choices, and it’s just so hard to choose because nowadays my time is more limited and really there is so much to learn in so many different subject areas. Now you understand why blogging has taken a back seat for me. Instead of blogging or reading other blogs I have devoted my time to studying online courses and while I do feel out of touch with some of my oldest blogging friends, I know that I will not always have the time or circumstances to learn and so I have been swimming in the huge ocean of knowledge, trying to find my way around.

Some of you might be wondering why I feel the need to learn more. There’s a misconception with some people that you should only learn what you need to. I would answer you by saying that any knowledge can be beneficial if it helps you to better yourself and by teaching and sharing it, others have the chance of bettering themselves as well. Also, since Allah created everything, I think an understanding of different things in this world will help us to get closer to Allah by appreciating and reflecting on just how amazing and perfect Allah Most glorious is. For example, I was studying a course on the human body and while listening to the lectures on the heart and how it functions I couldn’t help but marvel at the complete masterpiece which is the human body, and hence I couldn’t deny that Allah is the most amazing creator. Besides all this though, learning new things helps to develop the mind and in turn we begin to see the world in many different ways.

I could go on about the benefits of learning, but I won’t. I decided to share my learning experience with you so that you too could benefit. So below you will find the link to the site I have been studying on and if you do learn anything, please feel free to share your experiences with us.

https://www.coursera.org/

Here's another link to a great site I've been learning from for some time now. May Allah reward everyone involved with this for sharing such beneficial Islamic knowledge.

http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com/diploma/

Besides this there are many other ways to learn and I think that each person should decide in which way they learn best. 

May Almighty Allah bless us all with knowledge that will be beneficial to ourselves and others and may Allah help us to practice what we learn, and may we not be like donkeys carrying books but never benefiting from it, and may Allah Most Glorious save us from believing that the little knowledge we have is something to be proud of, because the knowledge we have been granted through Allah’s mercy only is but a drop in the ocean and since it means so little it does not make sense for us to be arrogant over it.

Image 1 from here 

Image 2 and 3 from here 

Learn while you can!

The other night my grandmother asked me to explain something to her, and the more I tried, the more difficult and confusing it seemed to become for her. I even tried explaining it in the simplest of ways, but she still struggled. This drove home a very important point for me. That we should learn while we can, as much as we can, when we have the chance, because someday (and believe me that day will come sooner than we all think), we too are going to be old, and then it will be very difficult to learn new things.

See the things that you've learnt in your youth stay with you and it sets the scene for what you will know when you are older. If you've spent your youth reading fashion magazines, or watching TV shows for instance, then that’s what you’ll know when you are older. Likewise, if you've spent your youth learning different things, reading a variety of books, understanding how to do different things, then these things will be easy for you in your old age.

So, what are we waiting for? Time is short and there’s still so much that we need to learn. Besides, one day we will be answerable to Allah (Exalted is He) for what we have done with our time. I don’t know about you, but this thought always scares me. Will I really be able to say I used my time in a good way and made the most of it? The way things stand, I don’t think so. My list of what I end up doing and what I want to do does not match up, and this is a problem, especially because things are so easy nowadays.

We don’t even need to leave our homes if we want to learn something. We have learning material at our fingertips. From books, to online courses, lectures and even webinars. There’s like a multitude of valuable information, just waiting for people to make use of it. The problem is that most of us put it off, because we believe we still have a lot of time.

I’m sure if my grandmother could go back and learn the things she always wanted to she would do that, but she can’t, and neither will we one day when we are old. So, I guess I should be asking you why are you still here reading this. You should be making a schedule of what to learn, or pulling that book off the shelf that you've been meaning to read for ages. You should be planning what course you can do and how you can go about gaining beneficial knowledge. After all, there’s a reason that they say knowledge is power!  

It has been reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“Acquire the knowledge of revelation.

It enableth its possessor to distinguish right from wrong;

It lighteth the way to heaven;

It is our friend in the desert,

Our society in solitude,

And our companion when friendless;

It guideth us to happiness;

It sustaineth us in misery;

It is an ornament amongst friends,

And an armour against enemies.”

Look out for my next post on the Superiority of Knowledge over Wealth according to Ali (May Allah be pleased with him), In-sha-Allah! 

Image 1 from here

Image 2 from here

The right to education

Last week a very sad thing happened in Johannesburg. A mother died in a stampede outside a University as she waited with her son to see if he could gain admission to study further after completing secondary school. What happened was that many students who completed Grade 12 last year didn’t expect to pass with university admission. So after getting their results they realised that they were eligible to study at tertiary level, thus there were thousands of students queued up outside the university waiting to see if they could get last minute admission. When the university finally opened up its doors, people began to push and shove (which is natural in any huge crowd where people have been waiting for hours). The result was that a mother who was with her son passed away and some other people got injured. This is a tragic thing to happen, but it highlights some very important issues within South African society, one of these being that although many people are still in need of good education, access seems to be rather limited.

The fact that thousands of prospective students were queued up outside the university clearly shows that people believe education is the key to a better future, yet so many people don’t have proper access to education at all levels. The other thing that stands out for me is that education has become this thing that is way too formalised and theoretical. There are so many skills that can be acquired in life and the truth is that many things cannot be learnt at university. Also, even when people do gain admission to university, there are many obstacles that they have to deal with. High student fees, expensive textbooks, difficulty coping or adjusting to working independently, large workloads etc. I know that all this is part and parcel of life but it just seems to me that a basic right such as education is so difficult to come by, and I really don’t think it should be this way.

Seeking knowledge is also a fundamental part of Islam. Muslims have been encouraged to seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave so our quest for knowledge should in fact never cease, it should be ongoing and continuous. In these times when gaining education is so difficult and expensive, it may be worth noting that knowledge can be found in many ways and forms. “Education” is not and should not be restricted to an institute, whether it’s a school, a university or even a workplace. Education is far too broad and multi-dimensional to be restricted. Knowledge can be acquired in many ways and people should not be afraid to learn whatever they can, even if they think it’s irrelevant to what they want to do in life.

My mother always tells us that she had an aunt who always told her to “steal with the eye”. What this aunt meant was that through watching someone do something, you can learn how to do that yourself. This is of course the oldest form of education. Anything you learn in life will benefit you in some way (of course if it’s something positive otherwise learning negative things will only cause you harm). I have an uncle who studied to be a teacher and his father used to do glasswork-making glass frames for people and so on. So this uncle always used to help his father out and he learnt how to do things himself. Today he does not work as a teacher but does glass work himself and he has done much better in this field. So you see, education is not limited to what we learn at university or at school. Education is limitless; it goes beyond the walls of an institution. It can be gained in many different places and through different means and you never know what part of your education will benefit you.

I’m not saying that people should not go to university. I think my life would be very different if I didn’t go to university. University has taught me many things, but there are lessons outside the classroom as well and sometimes these lessons are much more valuable than the one’s you learn inside the classroom.

I still find it unfortunate that so many people who are longing to study to have a better life have not gained access to university this year, but if I could give those young people advice, I would tell them not to fret, because education can be gained in many ways. There will be time to go to university and perhaps next year they’ll be more fortunate to get in, but in the meantime, they should keep their minds open, learn whatever they can learn and strive to continue learning. Every skill you have is an asset and no one can take away from you what you have learnt. For instance, there are women who have spent their lives making money through cooking and baking. There are people who make a living through doing and making many things. This is education as well, the knowledge of how to do things like cook and bake, fix a car, make a frame or furniture, etc...should not be undermined. It may not have the prestige that comes with careers such as law, medicine or economics, but it is education and takes a huge amount of intelligence as well.  

So in short, what I am saying is that every single person has a right to education. Knowledge should be an ongoing quest. BUT...

Education should not be restricted to the walls of a university. There are many people who never go to university but their knowledge is astounding (the example of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat comes to mind here. This amazing man had no formal education, and yet his knowledge and achievements are amazing-

May Allah give Him Peace and allow him to rest in the highest stages of Jannah Inshaa-Allah).

We should not wait for others to fulfil our rights and we should not hold others responsible for our destinies. We have the ability to learn what we can, and like I said, every bit of knowledge can benefit you in some way. So let us all seek knowledge and increase our education in whatever way we can, even if that means doing tasks that others may regard as menial.   

Image 1 from here
Image 2 from here

What are you reading?

Knowledge is a fundamental part of Islam and indeed of humanity as a whole, but the reason that I say it's particularly a fundamental part of Islam is because Islam basically began with knowledge. Most of us know that the first words uttered by the angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) to our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was "Read!". And the Prophet (PBUH) urged all Muslims, both male and female to seek beneficial knowledge "from the cradle to the grave".

I find it strange that so many people readily admit that they do not read! Maybe this is because I grew up loving reading, my father has always loved books and has always read a variety of different books, so I grew up reading all sorts of things, and having books in our home was a norm. Till now, even though you can read so many different things on the Internet, I still have to admit that I love books in the old fashioned way, with its shiny new covers and interesting pictures. I love to see how the cover represents what's inside the book, basically I prefer having an actual book in front of me and its very sad that reading books is something that people are doing less and less.

The latest book that I am reading is a beautiful and different one. I somehow came across the write-up about it (on the Internet, as you'd all agree Internet reading is simply unavoidable, especially when you're a blogger so I say its best to have both). Anyway, this book sounded interesting. The first thing I read about it was that it tells the story of the life of the Prophet (PBUH) completely in poetry. That was enough to get me intrigued.

So Alhamdullillah I managed to get a copy of the book and I have to tell you that it lives up to its reviews. It's simply heartfelt, honest and true but told in a way that almost forces you to love the amazing Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). I love the cover of this book also, it takes me back to earlier times, and it's just eloquent, and in this case, the cover truly depicts what's inside the book, so yeah, this is a book you can judge by the cover!

So here's a link to the book for any of you who might be interested, and if you do get to read it or already have, please share your thoughts.

But the other thing I'd like to hear about is what books are other people reading. So please feel free to share, tell us what's the last book you've read and whether its worth reading, or share any thoughts on the topic. A friend of mine used to run a book club and I think this idea is so great and a while back I considered having a cyber book club, but that never happened, I do still think it's a nice idea though, its always good to discuss important topics and people all come with their own perspectives.

Anyway, I'm off to read some more of "Noble Brother" now, I know I'm going to enjoy it and I hope that you all enjoy your reading too!

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS THOUGH, I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THAT TOO!

Very important lessons- Part 2- On Knowledge

So as I promised, I will now tell you about the other important lesson I learnt from our meeting with the Moulana I mentioned in my previous post.

This lesson is about knowledge. The Moulana related a story to us. He said that Imam Shafi (rahmatullah) went to Imam Malik (rahmatullah) for some advice. Imam Malik told Imam Shafi that knowledge (ilm) should be like salt and Practise (‘Amal) should be like the dough. What this means is that there’s no point of having tons of knowledge if you’re not going to put any of it into practice.

I really agreed with what the Moulana was saying. He went on to say that these days it seems that people have bags and bags of salt but no dough. He explained this to us further to make a point (you know Moulana’s like using analogies) so he said, imagine you’re having a wedding, and the first thing you go out and do is buy ten packets of salt. Before you even get the rice to cook the food, you go and buy the salt. What if you don’t find rice when you want to cook the food? What will you do with the salt then? Would there be any point in having the salt? He then asked us to consider how much salt is needed when making dough. When looking at the proportion between 'dough' and 'salt', it was clear how much more we should be focused on putting things into practise.

Shoo, these questions were so simple, yet so thought provoking, so profound, and so, so relevant. I thought about all the books I have and whether I’ve managed to actually put into practise the things that I’ve read from these books. I couldn’t help but wonder if my quest to gain knowledge would lead to me practising what I have learnt or if it would be of little use. It also made me think about something else...

It’s true that people in today’s times have a lot of knowledge, about many different things. It’s never being so easy to acquire knowledge, and yet I had to agree with the Moulana that not much of this knowledge is being put into practise. When I thought about this more deeply I realised that this is because knowledge in today’s times is very closely connected to ego. Many people feel good about themselves when they have knowledge. It’s become a status symbol to have knowledge. If you have the Masters degree or PhD then suddenly you’re respected and your word means something because after all you are “knowledgeable” and the Degree behind your name testifies to this. So yes, most definitely there is an abundance of knowledge, but how much of this knowledge is beneficial is another story.

I have always being someone who values knowledge. I just like learning new things, and I’ve always enjoyed reading and researching different things. My only wish is that this does not become a form of pride and egotism. I know now that if I have ten packets of salt, but no dough, then the salt I have becomes totally useless. I pray that I can be someone who can put what I have learnt into practise. Insha’Allah!

I’m sure that this has made you think about knowledge in a different light, I know that I, for one, have begun to think about it differently, and since I’ve heard Moulana speak about this, I just can’t help noticing how many bags of salt there is and how little dough.

Would't be great if we all (myself included here) began to use the salt we have to make some more dough!

May Allah (SWT) give us all beneficial knowledge, which will be a means for us to gain His Pleasure, and may Allah Almighty give us all the ability to share and practise the knowledge that we have.

Let us remember that the best way to share is through our example!

Image taken from: http://imechanica.org/node/2319

A Muslim woman’s path to knowledge

“I’m studying for my Science exam”, my 30-something friend unashamedly and boldly replied to me when I asked her what she was busy doing. A few days prior to this she told me that the Department of Education had decided that they might bring the final exam forward for students currently completing their Grade 12 exams through correspondence. It was quite late at night and I was feeling the tiredness overtake me, I could not imagine how she was feeling. What with having to juggle a husband, 2 children, a full-time job and studies! I honestly have so much admiration for this woman. I wonder if I would have had the courage to do what she is doing, and I really don’t think I would have.

This woman left school when she was about 16 years old and changed her entire life. From being a rebellious teenager she began to wear niqaab (face veil), and got married shortly after, and the remarkable thing is that this was all her choice!

After she got married, she studied an aalima course, to completion (which is about 5 years of intense study). Now, in her 30s she made the decision to complete her high school studies.

Some of you might be wondering what’s so inspiring or remarkable about this. You might even argue that it’s no big deal, and that studying and education is not that important anyway. Some of you might think that this woman is wasting her time, that she has what every woman needs already. But, before you think further, let us consider the implications of all this a little more.

“I want my children, especially my daughter to know that there are possibilities out there, that they can do more, and that they can reach amazing heights and still stick to the Allah’s laws. I want them to understand that as Muslims we are encouraged to do this”. This is one of my friend’s major reasons for going back to study, to show her children that Islam does not restrict women; that both men and women are encouraged to seek knowledge, and to emphasize that as a Muslim she is encouraged to use her potential, learn more and excel at whatever it is that she is doing. She has understood that if she is more informed and the more knowledge she has, she will be able to use this to assist her children and to understand the world that they live in. Moreover, she has understood something that many people are still unable to fathom; that receiving education does not equate having a high powered corporate job. There are so many positive things that women are able to do with education, but they are restricted because of the fear that once they receive education they will want to dedicate their lives to a career instead of a family, and admittedly this fear is very real. However, a lack of knowledge and education can also bring about negative consequences, so where does one draw the line, and can a woman have a balance between family, education and work, all the while adhering to her religious duties?

For my friend there are certainly times, especially closer to exams, when the pressure mounts, and everything feels too much to handle and her time with her husband and children gets cut short and she thinks to herself; “Why am I doing this!” But she has the support and encouragement of her husband and family and she knows what her priorities are and she tries to take things in its stride, and at the end her results are always excellent. It seems to me that this balance is achievable with a correct understanding between people, and with the right intentions.

One major misunderstanding of most women is that your life’s ambition is over when you get married. It’s like before you get married you can study, work or do whatever it is, but once you get married, there’s no need for anything else because now you have fulfilled your ambition. Now, I am definitely not saying here that marriage is not an important ambition, I’m also not saying that women should all go and work and study, despite being married. What I am saying though is that our purpose goes beyond just being married, our purpose is to worship Allah and in my opinion, in order to do this in the best way, we have to use the abilities that has been given to us to enhance our own lives, the lives of our children, the lives of our family members and the lives of people in our community.

At this point I have to emphasize that the quest for Islamic knowledge should take precedence! It does not help if a woman or anyone else for that matter has knowledge in many different fields and areas but lacks Islamic knowledge. Only with the correct Islamic knowledge, can all other forms of knowledge and education be put into good practice. My friend’s example is once again testimony to this. She first acquired in-depth Islamic knowledge and now she is able to use the other knowledge that she is gaining in a positive way and in a way that does not go against the rules of Islam. With her understanding of Islam and her strong emphasis on Deen she can integrate her current studies into her life in a meaningful way.

Alhamdulila, everything happens with the will of Allah and I am thankful that I have had the chance of witnessing the path that my friend has taken because it has taught me so much. No one is too old to learn new things and the quest for knowledge should not be deprived to anyone, male or female. The most important thing I have learnt from her though is that as a Muslim woman, you can do many things while still upholding your Islamic duties and following the rules of Islam. When my friend sits down to write her final exams, she will be wearing her niqaab, she will be dressed in her long cloak, she will have her husband and children eagerly waiting to hear how it went, and I know that she will excel, because she has not chosen a path at the expense of her Islam and before she begins her exam, I know she will be talking to Allah. For me, this is a female Muslim role model, and so, when she gets her final results and passes, as I know she will, this will be for all her Muslim sisters!

May Allah (SWT) give her success and help us all to uphold the true religion of Islam, no matter what we are involved with (obviously as long as it is in accordance with the rules of Islam).

Image from: www.contented.com/.../2009/11/diploma.jpg