Beruflich Dokumente
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Editorial
As you may know, some of Jamiatul Ilm wal Hudas Mishkat class of 2016 have been participating in a pilot of the Ilm 2
Amal Scholars Enrichment Programme over the past 7 months. It has been a hard slog, with many topics covered, such
as analysing what Deen means in its entirety, exploring how to live as a Muslim in British society, how to respond to the
challenges which face us as Muslims In Britain, understanding how to fulfil social responsibilities, and how one can
engage effectively with media and politics.
As well as that, we have covered topics such as preparing to start social enterprises which benefit our communities and
how a Muslim student of knowledge should plan to act in the world after they graduate as a scholar. Along the way,
students have gained valuable skills which have enabled them to improve their public speaking, understand the means to
diffuse conflicts and deal with contentious issues, how to counsel those with troubles and how to pro-actively engage with
the Muslim and wider society in general.
It is our pleasure to introduce to you this brief newsletter surrounding the themes of stewardship and responsibility two
topics which were covered during the programme, which contains a short message on the importance of being a shepherd
for those embarking upon the pathway to knowledge, as well as an article submitted by students of the Mishkat class, who
have worked tirelessly on examining what it means to be a steward of the earth (which only required some minor editing
in our office!)
Included also with the newsletter is an article which was printed in the Asian Image and Lancashire Telegraph newspapers
showing the unprecedented Community Tidy Up campaign which was facilitated by Mishkat students and was hugely
beneficial for both the Blackburn community and the participants.
We hope that you can take some benefit from the words and ideas contained within this newsletter and that it acts as
inspiration for you to take your knowledge and put it into action!
The Ilm2Amal Team
Yunus Monahan
(Ilm 2 Amal Education and Training Development Officer for Darul Ulooms)
In the (post) post-modern world we live in, to find a truly pious person
a teacher of goodness, obedient to Allah and His messenger, is a rare
thing. Despite the huge numbers of professed Muslims on the planet2,
one could say that our communities are like lost sheep - meek, powerless
and without direction. We have two choices: we could lament this, and
begin to point the finger of blame, or indeed complain about it (but to
whom?), leaving ourselves depressed, forlorn and dejected. On the
other hand, if we accept things as they are and admit that we need
guidance, but began to take positive, pro-active steps towards changing
the situation, we could usher in a far better time, of peace, happiness and
true community.
Today, we live in a global village where human cultures are being
gradually dissolved and homogenised into one McDonaldised vision
of how humanity should live, and it is a sad fact that many people exist
simply as consumers of natures resources, of fast-food, of fast-products
that become obsolete after a few months usage, and of multi-media on a
scale never before seen in the history of humanity. It is no surprise then,
that many people are docile and duped, and live in a world of ease and
comfort, where any desire or need can be quenched immediately.
Our heroes are football players, music and film stars paid obscene
salaries to keep the masses entertained. These, and comic-book
characters brought to life on the big screen and designed to fuel a multimillion dollar merchandising industry, are the role models and guides for
our children. On top of this, the education system is failing us almost
50% of teachers in Britain are considering leaving the profession3, partly
due to pressures put on them by regulatory bodies which prevent them
from being the educator they first entered the profession to become.
The world today seems to have become a breeding-ground for zombified
sheep, blinded by the dazzling neon lights and ultra-HD screens of the
consumerist, capitalist fantasy. Truly, the love of this worldly life has
entered the hearts of human beings.
To whom can a Muslim turn for guidance in these troubling times? Who
can be their role model, when everyone is susceptible to these trials, when
Islam itself is being called into question and increasingly seems to belong
to a world of bygone days?
In the past, Allah (SWT) sent prophets and messengers to act as shepherds
for humanity to guide the lost sheep back to the way of righteousness.
These guiding lights were perfectly balanced human beings, completely
connected to Allah and capable of leading by example, in touch with their
environment and of their time. Each prophet, it is narrated in a famous
hadith, worked for a time as a shepherd of sheep. If we reflect upon this,
we realise how the experience of shepherding prepares someone to lead
humans a shepherd is alone; they have to be able to relate to each
animal in the flock according to its needs. A shepherd must be aware
of the dangers surrounding their sheep, equipped to keep their flock in
check, and above all they must be full of mercy for those under their care.
However, today there are no more prophets the Prophet Muhammad
being the last messenger sent, so to whom can we turn to act as our
shepherd? In an authentic hadith we have our answer: the Prophet
said, Scholars are the inheritors of the prophets (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud).
It is the scholars of Islam who are the guiding lights for humanity, the
shepherds of a lost flock wandering in darkness. Like in the story of
Muadh quoted above, the Muslim scholar must take upon themselves
the mantle of being an Ummah i.e. one who teaches goodness and
obeys Allah and His messenger. This means that necessarily the scholar
will have to take on elements of what it means to be a shepherd
experiencing solitude, maintaining distance from the troubles affecting
society, avoiding danger and guiding the flock to safety. Scholars, like the
prophets before them, need to be people of their time yet of God they
cannot be out of touch with their followers, and must understand the
needs of their time.
Essentially, in order to be an effective shepherd for their community, a
scholar must encompass the conditions of being an Ummah as well as
teaching what is good, they must act upon what is good. Our argument
today centres upon this issue oftentimes the scholar suffers from an
imbalance in that regard. On one hand, there are those who attempt to
be teachers of Islam but fail to act fully on that which they have learned
thus falling into the error of hypocrisy. On the other, there are those who
rightly try to save themselves from falling into trials and temptation, but
in distancing themselves from trials they come across as stern and aloof
from their community and its concerns, thus failing to show how one acts
upon good by showing mercy to those who do not.
This article is not designed to insult the honourable scholars of Islam,
but simply to act as a reminder to each of us in a role of responsibility,
that we must find the correct balance in our roles, and lead by
example - embodying prophetic qualities, such as mercy, wisdom and
approachableness. Each one of us should earnestly search their soul and
ask themselves if they are living up to the responsibility they have been
entrusted with. We should repent for our wrongs, hope in Allahs mercy
and shepherd those in our flocks with sincerity and be the embodiment
of godly and prophetic qualities and attributes.
May Allah accept us and forgive us our shortcomings. What is true in
these words is from Allah and what is false is from myself.
[1]
http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/the-future-of-the-global-muslim-population/
[2]
http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/Whatsnew/NASUWTNews/PressReleases/ComResPoll
[3]
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/14478093.Pupils_from_Islamic_schools_take_part_in__Big_Community_Tidy_Up_/