The Muslim Student

By

Sheikh (Dr.) Bilal Philips – Edited Text from Lecture

EDUCATION
(MATERIALS)

THE EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTION (SCHOOL)

EDUCATOR EDUCATED
(TEACHER) (STUDENT)

All praises due to Allaah and May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on our beloved prophet

I would like to discuss, the responsibilities of the Muslim Student to understand about
the role of the Muslim Student. What is required of him or her? What are their goals?

We have to start from the basic command of the prophet - May Allaah Salaat and
Salaam be on him:

“Seeking knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim”

Every Muslim required to be Muslim Student, but in the educational institutions not
takes on a particular form or particular format in which it functions this idea of the
student.

We should display certain characteristics which are unique for them.

Who are the students from Muslim Prospective?

On one hand a student who happens to be a Muslim may be a Buddhist, atheist, etc.
that type of the student is not the type of the student that institution seeks to build. That
is the student who is not conscious of his or her Islam. Islam may only be cultural
traditions, cultural practices, customs, but there is nothing really coming from inside.
They don’t have a sense of Muslim identity. That type of the student is not what the

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Muslim institutions to build and dominance of this kind of student is definitely
destructive.

The type of the student who we really called Muslim Student is the one who is Muslim
who happens to be a Muslim. He could have been a teacher, a taxi driver, a dentist, an
engineer, etc. He or she is the Muslim first and foremost. This is the true Muslim
Student. This is what the Muslim Education Institutions seeks to create.

So it is essential for a student to realise that seeking knowledge being a student in of itself
is a form of worship. It is a form of Ibaadah in Islam. Why? It is because the prophet
May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him said,

“Seeking knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim”.

Whatever has been made obligatory by Allaah through His Messenger - May Allaah
Salaat and Salaam be on him – is a part of worship from one prospective and from
another prospective, the prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – also said,

“Whoever takes a path in which he or she seeks knowledge Allaah makes the path of
paradise for easy for them”

Whatever we make that path easy is a form of worship. It must be something which
pleasing Allaah. The Students should understand first and foremost that they are being a
student is an act of worship. It is an act of worshiping Allaah. They have been single out
by the prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – and put on a special
pedestal - One which is blessed by God.

The prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – said,

This world is cursed and whatever in it cursed expect for remembrance of Allaah and
what helps us to remember Allaah and the teacher and Student.

Being a student is being blessed by Allaah in a special way. So when we seek knowledge
in school we have to keep in mind this foundational principle that we are engage in an
act of worship.

Beyond that our goals for educations are goals which involve seeking knowledge for the
sake of benefit in ourselves and benefitting others. It is because the knowledge which is
gained from the Muslim Education Institution should produce an individual who is
beneficial to the society who plays an active positive role in its development. So seeking
knowledge for its benefit is something highly regarded in Islam.

The prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – said,

“The best of the people are those who are most beneficial to others”

The prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – also said,

“The best of you are those who learn the Quran as a student and teach to others”

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So you are benefiting others with that knowledge.

Also we have a statement from Sufyan ah Sauree – one of the great scholars from early
generation said,

“As a youth I began seek knowledge, my mother advises me, if you write down 10
words and your faith has not improved, check yourself.”

It means whatever knowledge we are gaining; it should ultimately increase our faith. If
our faith is not increased by it, it means that we are approaching knowledge in wrong
way. We are not aware and conscious of our position with regards to the knowledge and
how we should seek it.

We need to know that seeking knowledge for fame is something cursed. It is the
dangerous root for a student to seek knowledge so that he can be most learned that
people will be look after him, admire him, etc.

It is because the prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – had warned that
among first three group of people who would be thrown into Hellfire by end of this
world be a Muslim scholar.

Where Allaah would ask the scholar,

What did you do with the knowledge which I gave you?

He will say, O’ Allaah, I taught to the people. I informed them whatever knowledge you
gave me, I passed on them. They benefited from them. I disseminated the knowledge for
your sake.

Allaah will say, No, you didn’t do it for my sake. You did it, because you would be
known as a great scholar that people would admire you. The people would hold you in
high esteem. The people will clap, when you spoke. People would know you when they
saw or whenever they heard you, etc.

That is what you taught and you have receive what you taught in the world. There is
nothing for you in next world and he will be drag off his face and thrown into hell.

So seeking knowledge with wrong intention is destructive. It will break the very goal or
all the value that we seek from the knowledge will be lost in the life to come. We may get
the things in this life but from the next life we will not get anything.

How to be a successful student?

1. First and foremost we must have sincere intention.

Tagwah has to be there. We must have consciousness of Allaah. It is because, if it is

an act of worship we know basic principle, in acts of worship is that one has to be

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 conscious of Allaah for that act has to be truly considered to be worship. If one is not
conscious of Allaah, then the act is not worship any more. It becomes blind rituals.
So the first step is one has to be conscious of Allaah. It must be aware that we are
doing it for the sake of Allaah. We are worshiping through this act.

Ibn Mas'ud – (radiyallaahu 'anhu) – would advise his students, "If your intention is
one of these three, do not seek knowledge: To shame the ignorant, or to argue
with the Fuqahaa' (scholars), or to cause people to turn their faces in your
direction. Intend with your actions and words that which is with Allaah, for
indeed that which is with Allaah shall remain and everything else shall perish."

2. Secondly, we have to be prepared to do hard work. We have to be

hard working. We have to give the best effort we can.

As The prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – said,

“Indeed, Allaah loves each and every one of you, whenever you do anything, you
do it best of your ability”.

So the idea of doing best or excellent is something within into seeking knowledge
from Islamic prospective. It means that as a student one should do one’s assignments
whenever they are giving, study what needs to be studied, prepare oneself for the
classes, prepare for the examinations, etc. sufficient time to be able to sit the exam
successfully. You shouldn’t be a student, who waits until the last minute, then you
run around to find out Sheikh who will give you a Dua by which you will pass your
exam. This is quite common.

Often times when the exams are comes around, I found the students coming up to
me in my lectures, asking me, Sir, can you give me Dua to pass?

I asked them, well, did you prepare yourself? Did you study?

No, but the exam is tomorrow.

What Dua is going to save you? Dua is not wok like that. Dua or supplications to the
Allaah is where you ask for Allaah’s help where you deserve it. Not ask for help,
when you have no effort by yourself.

So, hard work is requirement for seeking knowledge.

3. Keeping an open mind.

One should not be blind follower in seeking knowledge. One’s mind should be open.
Of cause in one hand there is respect of the teacher is going to come that but the
other hand, you have to be aware of blindly following. It is very important that we
don’t follow teachers blindly follow our teachers. We keep an open mind. Teacher
teaches something, another teacher teaches something else. We have to be prepared

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 to investigate which one is in fact correct? The books that we read information that is
in it? You don’t blindly accept it. We have to look at the evidences and approach
knowledge with the critical prospective. Of cause there are some sources of
knowledge like statements of Allaah, the statements of prophet (May Allaah’s Salaat
and Salaam be on him) which are absolute. We don’t have to doubt about it. But
even a verse from the Quran or statements of Allaah, the statements of prophet (May
Allaah’s Salaat and Salaam be on him) which is authentic, can be used outside of its
context. Taken out of this context which we are said, and put it in another context it
could change the meaning altogether. That’s why even we are presented with facts
which are undoubtable still we have to have open mind to be able to understand the
context of these facts which are passed on to us.

4. Honesty

We have to seek knowledge honestly. Honesty and truthfulness is which Islam

demands. The prophet (May Allaah’s Salaat and Salaam be on him) said,

A person will continue to be truthful until Allaah writes him among truthful and that
truthfulness will be a means for him or her to enter paradise.

Truthfulness is something praise worthy. Prophet (May Allaah’s Salaat and Salaam
be on him) was known as Al-Ameen (the trust worthy one). He (May Allaah’s Salaat
and Salaam be on him) was truthful whatever He said. That is what trust worthy
means. You give a trust – means I am going to do so and so. You are going to do it.
Somebody give you something to look after, you do. Keep your promise. This trust
worthiness is an important characteristic of the Muslim Student. So as a Muslim
Student you don’t cheat. In exams, your home works, etc. this is common in a
student who happens to be a Muslim or students in general. It is because the goals of
educations are no longer holistic goals of the past. There are goals which are link
with industry and the functioning of the society in the sense that each person is be
geared to fill up the particular niche in the society. You fit in that niche and you serve
the society accordingly. So it is materialistic. It earns you certain amount of money
which allows you to buy a house, have a car, get a wife or husband, have a kids, etc.
these are there are goals. You goals are not beyond this. In educational system focus
on such goals then it produces, students who are willing to do anything to achieve
these goals by any means necessary. You need “A” to get into college to be able to
get my degree to earn and get my home, car, etc. then if it means I need to cheat
together, I am going to cheat. But the

The prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – said,

“Whoever deceives us is not a true follow of mine.”

He or she is not a true Muslim. As a student one must be honest and truthful. That is
an essential component of the Muslim Student.

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5. There are should be respect for one’s teacher.

The prophet - May Allaah Salaat and Salaam be on him – said,

“Whoever does respect our elders and have mercy on our children and recognize
the rights of the scholars is not from us.”

Old people in society must be respected: Our parents, uncles, grandfathers, etc. that
is necessary to keep the society together. The elder generation that look after us that
we are unable to look after ourselves, when we grew up we don’t respect them, and
then this is the breakup of the society. So respect the elders is essential principle.

Mercy to the children: The elders should be merciful to the children when dealing
with them and raising them, etc. it should be shown and love should be shown.

We must recognise the rights of our scholars over us: Those who are teaching us,
those who are knowledgeable will be held with respect. So students must respect their
teachers. If they don’t respect their teachers, they will not learn from them. For
adults, may be children easier for them to look at the teacher in all. We know that the
students will respect the teachers even more than their parents. Parents said
something and teacher said something else, they come back say teacher said. You
know teacher says then to have greater impact on them then their parents. It is
because to live that degree students spend more time with the teachers then they do
with the parents. It is not surprising that sense.

Also they are reinforced by our students hearing and agreeing so they have certain
appear group which respects that same individual as supposed to you and that child,
only child alone respecting you.

In general it is important for students to be taught respect for elders. For elder
students, their tendency to judge the teachers like I don’t like the teachers the way he
presents the topic, I don’t like the way talks, I don’t like the way he is ascent, hmm
whatever. I don’t like the way she dress. Students say she doesn’t dress properly,
other considerations, they don’t like about teachers. As a result they don’t give them
the respect which due to them.

And how do it effects? It effects they are not giving full attention to the teachers. So
they don’t be able to take what the teacher has to give. They have negative attitude
towards the teacher. Not realising that the teacher has their role and their
responsibilities to convey this body of knowledge. If we don’t respect them, we can’t
get that knowledge. So respecting teachers is extremely important.

6. The last point is to remember the mission of the Muslim Student.

It may be put in four points.

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 a) Using the knowledge in a way to pleasing Allaah – seeking the knowledge is for
the knowledge of benefit. Not just for seeking. Take it because it is useful we try
to apply it. So using the knowledge by applying it in a way that is pleasing Allaah.
That is the way we can sure that the knowledge gained is worship. It is something
counted on a scale of good deeds on the day of Judgement.

b) Secondly, Seeking knowledge is to benefit oneself legitimate business that one

use it for their own livelihood, to look after oneself, to get the basic necessities
of life, etc. this is the one of the goals. I am saying we shouldn’t lose sight of that.
We turn so much into worship that the need to look after own families etc. is
missing.

c) Thirdly, we will have to look at it in prospective of benefiting the society. So

there should be some voluntary aspect that we are gaining that we give it back to
the society in voluntary way. We are not paid for it. So doctor, who would take
certain time out of each to treat those who are needy who cannot afford it.
Teacher same thing. Teacher should teach the society some people who can’t
afford it. So we get away from pure materialistic approach, any time we give up
of any knowledge that we use or whatever we have to get some return in this
world for it. Is it money? No! We have to have that sense of generosity, sharing,
concern, recognising whatever we have is ultimately from God (Allaah).
Whatever people don’t have is form God (Allaah) too. It is test for us whether we
share or without this.

d) Fourthly, to share the knowledge with others. We learn we pass on. So student
is ultimately from the way being a teacher. In the whole process of learning he
should be involved in passing in it on.

As the scholars of the past said,

“The life of knowledge is teaching.”

The life of knowledge is teaching. It keeps the knowledge alive.

May Allaah – the Most Merciful and the Most Beneficent - guide us the best of His
guidance and protect us His mighty preservations! Aameen!

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