The Point

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful

The Point of Coming to Class

What is the point of waking up early every morning to go to 8 am classes?

What is the point of sitting in a classroom when there are other things you'd rather be doing?

What is the point of fighting the urge to doze off during lectures?

Hmm...exactly...what is the point in doing all this?

It is the very essence which drives Muslim scholars of the past to walk the distance, literally, for just one hadith.

It is the very reason why some had to drink their own pee in order to escape death by dehydration.

It is what pushes them to go on even though they might not achieve their goals, at the beginning.

The point, is to learn.

To gain something in life using that knowledge.

I really think it is a pity that Malaysian muslims fail to understand this point.

Dear brothers and sisters,

We were great once. But only because we listened to what Allah had said,

"لقد خلقنا اٌلإنسان في أحسن تقويم"

Indeed We have created man in the best of forms.

Or perhaps we did listen. Only we forgot what came next,

"ثمّ رددناه أسفل سافلين"

Then We returned them to the very lowest of forms.

Indeed, Allah Taala gave us the brains so that we may tower over the animals and plants on earth. But when His vicegerents forgot about Him, then our brains mean nothing. Our so-called intelligence mean nothing, to Allah.

I only say, or rather, write, what is in my heart.

And what is in my heart, may not necessarily be right, but...it may not be directly wrong either.

Truthfully...I was saddened. 

Because, I saw...that today's Muslim generation are at a loss. 

I didn't have to look far. 

What I saw in class, was enough.

I don't know whether my standard is too high. Or that I am expecting too much. Well, those two phrases meant pretty much the same thing.

The purpose of a quiz...a tutorial...a lecture, is to teach students something.

It is good to have the competitive spirit. To some, it is the how they keep on studying, at primary, secondary, up till the university level. They compete with one another, trying to beat the other in grades.

But I wished, oh how I wished, that they would see, there is MORE TO LEARNING, THAN GRADES.

I wish young muslims would see, what a BEAUTIFUL thing learning is. That facts are not just facts, but they can be FUN FACTS. 

That lectures are not boring, they are entertaining.

That pathology tickles you, immunology intrigues you, that cardiovascular system riddles your mind!

I wish they would realize that one day, for sure, they will regret not taking the chance to learn, when God has given them the chance.

My friends,

Does our creation not intrigue you? Doesn't the way your immune system defends your body not puzzle you? Does it not cause you to smile every time a NEW KNOWLEDGE DAWNS UPON YOU?

I think Allah has given me many things to ponder about. He is right. Even just by looking and learning about man's creation is a riddle so amazing, it can cause you to smile in wonder!

Subhanallah!, you would think. I would never have thought to create an immune system as brilliant as that. Allah is amazing! 

Those are some of my thoughts, anyway.

I love to learn. Truly I do.

Subhanallah, I trust Allah. He has put me in this path, as a student, for a purpose. He made us university students for a purpose! You must believe in Him! 

Not just believe in that He is the One and Only God, but believe in his Qada' and Qadar. Isn't that what being a muslim is all about?

The syahadah was just the beginning. But LIVING it, LIVING THE SYAHADAH, is our story, is OUR STORY my friends. And all of us, are the WRITERS OF OUR OWN STORY.

Yes, Allah has dictated our lives, but we can still change some parts with dua'. 

Belajar dengan ikhlas, is one way of living the syahadah.

So, the point of waking up, going to and sitting in lectures every day, is to breathe life into the syahadah.

Don't take it so hard if we lose some points in quizzes. Or don't purposely give hard questions with the intention of not making the other team not being able to answer it. 

What is the point in that, my dear friends?

What is the point in that?

Where do we go from there?

Personally, I would have loved if I could learn something new, even if I made mistakes, or maybe looked a little stupid in front of the lecturer. 

Because I know, God loves me, even when others think I'm stupid.

Because I know, God loves His servants who are honest, sincere and down-to-earth, even when he/she is not brilliant.

Because I know, that is WHAT REALLY MATTERS.

The point, is what matters.