Muslim Student Handbook - Can you maintain the balance?

[Kakorot]

MAINTAINING THE BALANCE!

Shaykh Abdur-Rahman Ibn Yusuf
ZamZam Academy
www.zamzamacademy.com


In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

A friend of mine after memorizing Qur'an took up studying medicine. After completing his medical degree he went on to specialize in tropical medicine purely for the sake of helping out the needy Muslims in less privileged areas of the world.

There are two important requirements for achieving true success: one is to choose the right field and the other is to have the correct intention in pursuing it. Careers should not be selected just for financial prospects. Choose that which is going to be of greater benefit to Muslims, humanity in general, and also what you are interested in.

As is the Prophetic recommendation seek devine guidance (through istikhara) and consult (shura) with scholars and others to make the right choice.

Secondly, since "Actions are according to intentions" (Bukhari), purify your intention. If you select an area of study with pious intentions and some sense of altruism; meaning that you pursue it to bring happiness to others, treat them, cure them, remove their grief and sorrow, and by this you hope to attain the pleasure of Allah, then you will gain His assistance in your studies. Allah will bless your time, your efforts and your achievements. You will attain inner satisfaction and contentment during the course of your study and thereafter.

So as you embark on this path, reflect over your choice and your motivations. May Allah bless your studies and grant you success.

 

[Kakorot]

INTRODUCTION

Assalaamualaykum wa rahmatullahi wabarakatuh
[email protected]

All Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful,
and blessings and salutations on the beloved of Allah,
Muhammad, and his Companions until the Day
of Reckoning.

This handbook presented to you has been written and compiled by scholars and students, with the intention of assisting students in maintaining the balance between their students and their Deen. In essence, one's studies and one's religion are not disconnected; rather they can complement each other when done with the correct intentions and etiquettes. This is the very point we hope to emphasise through this compilation.

Parallel to providing guidance and advice to students, the team has decided to donate all profits generated from sales of this handbook to Islamic charitable organisations and projects.

We pray that you are able to reap benefits from the guidance and advice and that Allah accepts the efforts of those involved in the compilation of this handbook, as well as yourselves. May Allah grant us all the ability to act upon the advice contained in this handbook, bless us with the ability to maintain a balance in all walks of life, and make it a means for us to help propagate His Deen.

We request you to sincerely remember us in your supplications.
Wassalaamu alaykum

Muslim Student Handbook Team 2010

 

[Kakorot]

IN PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE

Ustadha Bint Ahmad
Madrassah al-Zahra, London

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
said: Whosoever pursues a path seeking
knowledge therein, Allah thereby facilities a
path to paradise for him. [Muslim]

In life, everyone has an ultimate goal and destination they strive to attain. In the pursuit of such goals certain strategies and tactics are vital as is understanding the responsibilities you will have to bear. There are often many hurdles along the way, so you have to prepare to endure the burdens and difficulties that you may encounter.

For example, to obtain the benefits of becoming a successful doctor, high levels of determination and hard work are required. Having qualified and attained this status, there is now a binding and professional responsibility on that individual to maintain and supplement their knowledge to ensure the safety of those they treat. To achieve this, the doctor has to adopts a certain lifestyle which will enable him to produce the desired results.

- As a Muslim student, several questions now arise: What is my ultimate goal?
- How will I achieve this?
- What will be my responsibilitiwa along the way?
- How do I go about seeking knowledge whilst at University?

In order to be successful in all aspects of your life, it is of paramount importance that you are constantly aware of your primary goal and you do not let secondary goals gain dominance. As a Muslim, the greatest goal to strive for and attain is the pleasure of Allah. Along with this comes the responsibility to convert the information you gain into knowledge by acting upon it or by providing a service which is of benefit to others.

The means of seeking knowledge is appreciating it and using it as a means of recognising the magnificence of Allah. Not only will it increase the value of what you are studying, but it will also assist you in remaining focused.

Your intention is the key to your identitiy as a Muslim student, thus your University study will also become part of your Islamic lifestyle. You will no longer have to draw a distinction between your Islamic and secular way of life, but rather they will become synonymous with each other.

Once you have made your Islamic and Secular life one by means of your intention, maintaining the balance in all quarters of your life to ensure you tend to your own personal needs, is the only thing that remains. By the will of Allah, once you adopt the art of maintaining equilibrium, it will be a means of Allah facilitating your path to paradise, and paradise is the abode for those that seek Allah!

 

[Kakorot]

AIM HIGHER, WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL?

Ustadha Bint Ahmad
Madrasah al-Zahra, London

In whatever you study, you will have aims that you wish to achieve. However, the level at which you set these aims needs to be high but realistic. Educational institutes across the country encourage students to aim high and place greater emphasis on those at the top end of the achievement spectrum to aim even higher. There is a well-known saying that says 'the World is you oyster'. This means that in this world you will have many opportunities, which when taken and combined with the many qualities blessed to you by Allah, places a responsibilty upon you to maximise your potential, work hard and achieve something great in the sight of Allah.

Many students have had to aim high and work hard to achieve these aims in order to be offered University places. Once you start your course, you will find that you aim to get the highest grades possible, but as the months pass, you may find that your efforts dwindle and you are no longer achieving your aims. It is at this point that you must remember that you are no ordinary student; you are a Muslim student! You are a student who is part of an excellent heritage, of renowned scholars and intellectuals, and whom it is a responsibility to ensure this heritage continues. Never be satisfied with just passing when you know you can do better.

Sometimes you may feel a lack of inspiration, an absence of a role model, as well as a need for motivation. It is at these moments that you need to delve into the books of Islamic history. You will be astounded, lost for words and will realise that there is not a single field to which Muslims have not contributed. The following book is an excellent starting place in your journey into Islamic Historical Contributions of the Muslims: 1001 Inventions Book: Muslim Heritage in Our World, 2nd Edition.

A great role model for all is the youngest wife of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him, A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her). She mastered many sciences at a young age and was known for her sharp memory and intelligence. A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) is remembered till today for many of her remarkable achievements. She was one of the four companions who narrated more than two thousand prophetic sayings, she was a politician, a counsellor, a lecturer, a scholar with insight, an authority with regards to legal verdicts and much more!

The next time you walk into University, think about how well you can present this effort of yours to Allah to whom you only wish to present the best of things. May Allah grant you the ability to recognise and follow in the footsteps of the great Islamic role models of the past, to aim high, and may He grant you acceptance in all that you do. Ameen.

 

[Kakorot]

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING HALAL

Ustadha Bint Ahmad
Madrassah al-Zahra, London

The eyes through which you see, the ears through which you hear and the hands through which you touch are just some of the things that are determined by what we eat. Therefore, you must acknowledge the importance of eating halal, as the consumption of unlawful (haram) foods becomes a barrier to supplications being accepted.

This very point is highlighted in the following prophetic narration: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Verily Allah is pure and He accepts only what is pure, and indeed Allah has given those orders to the believers, which He has given to the Messengers.” He has said, “Oh Messenger, eat from the pure foods and work righteous.” He also has said: “Oh you who have believed eat from the pure things which we have provided you.” Then (the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) made mention of a man who undergoes a lengthy journey in a state that he is dishevelled and dusty. He spreads his hands towards the sky (calling), “Oh my Lord, Oh my Lord”, however his food is haram, his drink is haram, his clothes are haram and he has been nourished with haram! So how will his call be answered?” (Muslim)

The word halal is the most abused word in the food industry. So, as a student, how can you ensure what you are eating is halal, when the halal sign is no longer sufficient? It is your duty to ensure that what you eat is halal, to ensure your supplications are accepted, as supplications are the greatest weapons a Muslim student has to help him achieve success. It is also important to obtain guidance from reliable sources that are operated under the advice of scholars, and to ensure that you regularly refer to these sources.

Two such services are:

- Halal Monitoring Committee

http://www.halalmc.net/

Use this website to locate your halal local butcher, takeaways and restaurants.

- Halal food guide service

http://www.gmwa.org.uk/foodguide2/

Use this website to keep up to date with the ingredients of the food products of various companies. This service contracts major companies and verifies whether or not certain food products can be consumed by Muslims.

May Allah give you the ability to always eat pure halal food. May the blessings of the halal food you consume become a part of your body through which you worship. May Allah accept your worship and grant you the ability to excel. Ameen.

 

[Kakorot]

YOUR ISOC
HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Umm Safwan
Dental Student, London

University no doubt can be a daunting place, especially if this is your first year. Your Isoc (Islamic Society) is there to help you settle in and help facilitate your journey through university. Your uni Isoc is the key to meeting new people and making friends from different courses and backgrounds. You will find many experienced students who are more than willing to gove advice, share ideas and point you in the right direction.

There are so many ways to get involved, but here are three top tips:

1 Locate the prayer room. This is the foundation of all Isocs. Prayer rooms are packed with activities at lunch and during the evenings. They are great places to make use of your free time and to meet other Muslim students.

2 Highlight the key events organised by your Isoc and make the effort to attend. Isocs are very active in arranging events, so whether it is charity week, circles and talks, or the annual Discover Islam Week, be sure not to miss out.

3 Subscribe to your Isocs mailing list or get to know the Isoc family and committee. They will keep you updateds with all upcoming events and help you settle into the life of university. They are there to help you maintain that balance between your deen and your studies insha Allah. Rather than living half the day as a Muslim and half the day as a student, they will help you to live your 24 hour day as a Muslim student.