:: Hikmah @ Ekhwan.Com :: » Education

The Book Shelter

Juzar Noorani — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:17:12 +0000

The year 2011 has been quite dull in terms of writing good blog posts and now as the year 2012 rises bright and shiny, I just look forward to punching up some material on my blog. Thoughts come and fly by but when reduced to writing are saved for a lifetime.

A few days back I stumbled on a twitter account thebookshelter and found that two young ladies in the Emirates have literally started and orphanage for BOOKS!! There are so many good things you could do one might wonder and better buy a new one rather then hording old stuff and also spending on the maintenance of the so called Book Shelter. Apart from that, since the flow of eBooks have begun people have just begun to forget the touch, feel and scent of paper. These are the first few thoughts that same up my mind.

Being a book lover with so many sitting on my bookshelf, personally I would not even think of parting with my books with any one. I love them. Just looking at the shelves filled with them makes me feel my hunger for learning. I took a breath and emailed thebookshelter.ae that I would like to donate. They replied promptly and had the few books that were ready with me, picked-up.

I started surfing their website and found a book that I had been wanting to have a glimpse at since some time but had not dared buy it for the simple reason that time would not permit to go through it.

People who love the written word would not part for it even though the digital world grows faster and feel of paper, its wonderful smell that one breathes in being engrossed in the book opens the doors of imagination, creativity and knowledge. Homes are growing smaller, and the price that once pays per square feet nowadays its much larger for someone to actually fall in love with having a library at home but then I would not dare speak the same having more then 150 books lying on my bookshelf and having known people who have collected newspapers and weeklys over years. The lust and hunger for knowledge in these people cannot be explain in words, for the written word would fall short of it.

For those who would like to know more about the work done by the two Emarati ladies or even have a book for yourself visit http://thebookshelter.ae

Hoping to write more blog posts then the past in 2012.

How to Get Up Early

Juzar Noorani — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:32:34 +0000

Getting up early in the morning takes discipline. But it’s an essential top performer skill that will take you and your business to the next level of excellence. Waking up early is a great gift. Give yourself a 60 minute personal leadership hour. Robin shares 5 essential keys to help you get up early in the morning.

5 Tips On How To Wake Up Early

1) Get Fit
2) Every Single Week Get A Massage
3) Eat Less Food – Don’t Eat After 8pm
4) In The Morning Write In A Journal
5) Learn to Find Ways To Love Your Current Job

How to Get up Early

My whole life is really about teaching people exceptionalism and one of the real strategies for high performance and leading without a title is getting up early.

You might say getting up early is not really relevant to you and yet if I look at the best of the best, whether it’s in business, in science, in the arts, in sports, these are people who have trained their brains to show up and discipline.

And getting up early is not only an incredible competitive advantage because most of your competitors are asleep, but getting up early is a great gift to give yourself. You get more life.

Ben Franklin said it really well; he said, “There will be plenty of time to sleep when you’re dead.” So getting up early and giving yourself that 60 minute personal leadership hour, you practice and prepare just like how Bekham practices to be world class as a footballer, or Hamilton Lewis practices on the track to be a world class car racer. Or Mozart practiced to be a world-class composer.

You give yourself one hour from 5-6 and you do your practice.

But here’s the thing I really want to focus on.

How do you get up earlier? A few quick practical ideas:

1) Get Super Fit:
When you’re in world class physical condition you just need less sleep. Your metabolic rate is higher; you have a lot more energy, a lot more stamina and a lot more passion. Get super fit and you’re just going to need less sleep.

2) Every Single Week Get A Massage:
Getting a massage is not a waste of time. Its not a cost. It’s an investment. Why? Because it will increase your circulation, it will help you get by on a lot less sleep. Its something that every peak performer should do every 7 days just to allow yourself to play at your absolute best

3) Your Diet, Eat Less Food:
You’ll have more energy. Don’t eat after 8:00 and eat every 4 hours. Little bit of protein, a little bit of carbs. Manage your diet but the key is to eat less food and you’ll need less sleep.

4) Get Up In The Morning and Take The Time To Write In A Journal:
In other words, dump the worries on your mind onto a crisp white piece of paper. When you worry you lose energy. I call it dissipation and the more things you worry about the less energy you will have and the more sleep you will need.

5) Learn To Find Ways To Love Your Job:
Lead without a title. I have met room cleaners who have cleaned hotel rooms like Picasso painted. So find ways in your current job to be passionate about your job. Be the absolute best in your job. Why? Because few things create more energy than going to work everyday and feeling that your work is meaningful. Feeling that you can show leadership in your area of responsibility. Feeling that your work is a craft whether you flip hamburgers or work in human resources but one of the great secrets to passion is purpose in your work.

Getting up early would be one of the best moves you make for leadership, success and having a great life.

by Robin Sharma is the author of the #1 international bestseller “The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life,” a book that is causing transformation in many of the best businesses in the world.

Al IMTIHAAN AL SANAWI IN MUMBAI 1432H/2011A.D.

Juzar Noorani — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:17:16 +0000

The year 1432 H / 2011 A.D. is characterized by most remarkable epoch-making events of Fatemi, as well as world history.

It is the spectacular year of the twin celebrations, it is a hallmark of Melad Meawi and Masarrat al nas al mubarak.

Mumbai has been the epicenter for almost all of the celebrations and events of this year beginning from Ashara Mubarakah.

Currently it is the venue and miqaat for Imtihaan al Sanawi of Al Jamea tus Saifiyah.

This year we will be attaining another huge nemat and rehmat of Allah Subhanahu, the special barakaat of gathering ruhaani imtinaan of Our Maula TUS and His Mansus Aqeequl Yemen, Syedi wa maulaya Mufaddal Bhai Saheb Saifuddin TUS, who is also Amirul Jamea, may Allah grant both our Maula a long life of perpetual futuhaat and imamiyah shanaat.

In Al jamea tus Saifiyah, al imtihaan is synonymous to al imtinaan, as it is absolutely a hallmark of blessings and munificence of Duat Mutlaqeen AQ, especially of the 52nd Dai al Fatemi Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin TUS who has epitomized al imtihan as the prestigeous miqaat for expressing devotedly our muhabbat, tafaadi and khidmat, because these are the quintessential of ilm e Ala Mohammed AS.

Amirul muqddas Amirul Jamea, Syedi Yusufbhai saheb Najmuddin AQ once said;

للعبد اْية رقه ان يفدي الـ * مولى وحجة علمه ان يخدما

Al Imthaan allures thousands of mumineen every year to this institute. Its spirit forms the soul of Jamea. It draws a pattern for the academic and vocational activities and sets the bearings and dimensions for the teaching process and education which is adapted throughout the academic year. Imtihan is an experience where the gathering of mumineen imbibes and avail the values and deep philosophy and understanding of Islam and Fatemi tradition.

Maulana Taher Saifuddin AQ says:

وتفتح ابواب العلوم لهم اذا * بدت لهم في الامتحان المسائل

Imtihan is the embodiment of quality, and focuses in bringing out the best of the best from Anbnaul Jamea, in terms of learning, character building, and well accomplished personality.

وقد تولينا امر الامتحان على احسن الشاكلة

The best of the characteristics and systems by which jamea imtihaan is conducted is the qudsaani presence of Dai Fatemi in the imtihan which is an experience observed only in Jamea.

Therefore, it is certainly a surreal experience. Imtihan is a process in this hallowed and renowned Fatemi institute, in which everyone is sharing a common goal, that is, to demonstrate each ones ability to secure and attain the ridaa ( khushi) and pleasure of our spiritual and shafeeq Bawasaheb Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin TUS.

Abnaul jamea are beseeching the waseela of Awliyaullah and pray,

“May Allah endow our Maula Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin TUS a long long life enthroned on the arsh of sehat kameelah and aafiyaat daaemah for the continuation of this Imtihaan and for showering upon mumineen the Imtinaanat qudsaaniyah”.

On the opening ceremony of Jamea in Karachi, Aqa Maula TUS said quite presagingly about the paradigm and ideals of Al Jamea tus Saifiyah.

لافتح ابواب المعارف كلها * لمن كان دون القشر يرجو المعانيا

This inauguration of Jamea, is the opening of gates of all knowledge and absolute wisdom, for all those who desire the essence, rather than the kernel.

mfzakir

Kitab al-Alim wal Gulam & Modern Pedagogy

m.anjari — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 19:46:47 +0000

Introduction: Allah almighty states in Quran: “Allah brought you forth from your mother’s wombs knowing nothing, and gave you hearing and sight and hearts, might u do shukr”.

Allah has bestowed men with Aql to acquire al Ilm. But he is not able to do that without a teacher or guide who helps him learning. For that Allah has sent his rusul as he states: “We have sent to you a messenger from among you, who recite upon you Our a’ya’t and (give taharat to you , and teaches you the book (Quran) and hikmah, and teaches you which you don’t know”. And he teach him with wahy , and his wasi said that “the al Ilm that Adam A.S was come with is in Mohammad S.A and his Progeny” This kalam of him enlightens that al Ilm came with Adam A.S . Allah has sent them for the purpose of education, and education is life long process, it should have a proper system, by which a student standard raise level by level.

The kitab Alim wal Ghulam is a replica of the above system.

Education is given equally due importance by the people of the world regardless of their faith and believes there has been developed a number of philosophies and pedagogies over the centuries. This thesis aims to emphasize the literary master piece Alim wal Ghulam as a complete pedagogy when confronts to the above systems.Along with this Kitab al A’alim al Gulam owes it own Sunnah Salehsa.

The following are some different concepts and philosophies about education:

Idealism[1] comes from the great Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato, according to this school ideas are the ultimate reality, there for the aim of education is to seek knowledge rather than creating it. Search for truth and character development of the learners are the main goals of it, Where as the teacher is to serve as a guide. Socrates use “Dialectical Method” a process where ideas are put into battle against each other, with the most significant idea winning the battle to sharpen and purify men’s thoughts. Plato followed the path of his teacher Socrates and defined ideas as the only knowledge of “Archetypes”[2] or the “forms” that leads to the virtue since these include ideas such as beauty, justice or goodness which are true realities. Idealist education involves depth of learning, a holistic approach that involves teaching the whole rather than its parts.

Realism: According to the Realists school reality “exists independent of the human mind”[3]. The definitive reality is the world of physical objects. The focal point is the objects where truth is objective-“what can be observed”³and it is independent of ideas. The aim of education to enable the learners to explore the world through inquiry hence scientific method is supported as the way to enlighten. Aristotle emphasized on understanding the ultimate and unchanged form before the object itself. For example, a rose exists whether or not a person is aware of it. A rose can exist in the mind without being physically present, but ultimately, the rose shares properties with all other roses and flowers, although one rose may be red and another peach coloured³.

Existentialism is the philosophy that places emphasis on individual existence, freedom, and choice. Existentialism stresses the individuality of existence, and the problems that arise with said existence. Because there is so much diversity in the philosophy of existentialism, a concrete definition is hard to put down. Certain themes are common to almost all existential writing, which helps mark the writing as such. The term itself suggests one major theme, the stress on concrete, individual existence, and on subjectivity, individual freedom and choice[4].

Pragmatism or progressivism: John Dewy is the proponent of Pragmatism or progressivism; he seeks inquiry and experiencing as the key to learning. According to Dewy experience is a mean to an end as well as an end in itself[5]. Human experience is the key element to learning, which aims to seek understanding, coordinating environment into whole, teaching through inquiry and promoting personal growth and democracy.

kitab al A’alim al Gulam: Syedna Taher Saifuddin R.A deliberates in this speech: “Abu Qasim R.A, the one sent to Yemen for of zuhur organized the system of spreading al Ilm there, and mentioned some principles of it in the kitab al A’alim al Gulam.”[6]

The Book al-Alim wal-Gulam (The Master and The Disciple) shows a practical aspect of the theoretical aspect of teacher-student educational relationship and communication. Enlightened by this perspective, the teachers and student can follow the fatemi principles of educational communication. As this starts with the question of how should an Alim be thanked that he must be obeyed.

The reflection of this can severally seemed in the book, especially when the A’alim described Gulam the way of spending money in sabil ul Allah, the Gulam immediately present this total possession in front of the A’alim on the other hand A’alim’s compassion can be easily understood by the addressing style of the Alim to Gulam. ‘يابني’ which means my beloved child, and the limit of it can be assumed, that the Gulam called him ‘father’.

This divine method of teaching and seeking Al Ilm (knowledge) helps a learner to apply much of he/she has been taught as it becomes habitual to him/her, this theory is also known as simple non-associative learning.

So the aim of this methodology in Fatemi literature is to lead the learner toward the achievement of highest peak of al Ilm and it is impossible unless through proper channel as Allah almighty has created them, from level to level until he reaches his final destiny of being with the ‘insan e mutlaq’[7].

To conclude- the code of success in educational development is not the “text book” but is the relationship and communication between student and teacher. Hudaat Kiram S.A have set us such criteria which develops the holistic personality of a student not academically but socially and personally and religiously.

May Allah bless Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin a long and healthy life, till the Day of Judgment. Ameen

References:

1. al Quran al Karim

2. Kitab ul A’alim wal Gulam

3. al Khotobat al Munirah

4. Doll, C. R. (1986). Curriculum development (5^th ed.). Sydney: Prentice Hall

5. The Republic. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.idph.net/conteudos/ebooks/republic.pdf

6. Cohen, L. M. N. School of thought. Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html

7. Metallica. (1997). My little corner of existentialism. Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html

8. Dewey, J. (1938/1997). Experience and education. Macmillan

Footnotes:

[1] Doll, C. R. (1986). Curriculum development (5^th ed.). Sydney: Prentice Hall

[2] The Republic. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.idph.net/conteudos/ebooks/republic.pdf

[3] Cohen, L. M. N. School of thought. Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html

[4] Metallica. (1997). My little corner of existentialism. Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html

[5] Dewey, J. (1938/1997). Experience and education. Macmillan.

[6] Al Khotobat al Munirah, 1380, al Jamea tus Saifiyah

[7] The term has been driven from Ikhwan-us- Safa reflected as a complete human being which according to Fatemi perspective is Imam-uz- Zaman

Shun the Stick

Juzar Noorani — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:28:33 +0000

Recently, I came across a wonderful article titled “Shun the Stick” and would like both those who are on the parenting side of a child’s life as well as the educators to read. The writer has gone too deep into the causes and effects of corporal punishment which at times exceed the limits of human values and cause great harm. But the worst harm that is done is from the psychological impact that the behavior of the grown-ups have on a child. The parent seem over caring while the teacher lacks the principal role of being a role model, an ideal for the child or a hero, as the modern day super heroes of comics and science fictions take away that stand from them. Well, spiderman does have a message there when he says “With great power comes great responsibility”, but today teachers shed their responsibility while they are held responsible without the power that they should be holding.

The writer brought back a memory of a nice photo I had cut from the News Paper a few years back which clearly depicts that a child would never prefer to be a teacher nor take teaching as a profession. Someone did tell the truth when he said that teaching is the profession of losers, and that teaching is taken up by those who dare not earn in another profession. I also remember a lady who had completed Engineering and had applied for a teacher’s job. When asked the reason she replied that she did not find a job in engineering. A wonderful phrase is put forward by Bhaskaran in this article for today’s teacher, “economic untouchable“. The class or school is certainly not a place for biases for both the teacher or the parent who are responsible for the child, they like the fact or not. The school, however, today has become a commercial super mall where display pieces are held high for the prospective customers who walk in as window shoppers. Education has become a synonym for business and schools and universities just breading grounds for the hungry industries owned by capitalists who create career trends in the form of job opportunities. A concept well explained by John Taylor Gatto. Movie buffs would prefer the “3 Idiots” of Amir Khan.

The relation of the master and disciple or apprentice is truly a divine and heavenly one which has lost its true charm just like most of the things that have lost divinity and spiritual worth in today’s capitalistic world and mindset of the society. I met my teacher who had taught me Arabic and Quran during my early age a few months back. He was truly torn down my the society and I dare call him poor for he holds a very high stature in my heart. I could see the feeling of loosing on his face, as if he was ashamed from my presence. I reminded him about how he I had recited Surat al-Mutafifeen to him by heart and also reminded him of his caning. I could see his face fall as I asserted how tall he stood before me and how thankful I was to him for the discipline he had induced in me. I ever wish I could have done something that day to be a grateful student.

For Love of the Written Word

Juzar Noorani — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 20:33:39 +0000

The Sharjah Book Fair is one massive event “for the love of the written word”, just as the slogan expresses. Visit the event and you would be astonished to the amount of ink mankind has spread of tons of paper full of expression and thoughts.

Since the dawn of civilization man has always been obsessed of communicating his thoughts, the knowledge that he acquire through a long learning process of understanding, experimenting and experiencing. The hunger and thirst for knowledge is what differentiates us humans from all other species that dwell this planet and probably make us feel superior.

The revolutionary age of information has digitized these thoughts and turned the ink into bits and bytes nevertheless the urge for holding a book in ones hand and swallowing the vast knowledge implanted in ink never lessens. The scent of the books its lustful binding and bright pages with shinny ink is what attracts readers to love the hard copies. Mind well that ink is called “rosh’naee” in Urdu because it radiates the light of knowledge and enlightens the soul. Love of books has grown and deepened within my heart and I could hardly resist a wonderful title except when the dept of my pocket is shallower. The Sharjah Book Fair is a place where I find relaxation skimming through pages and titles over the bookshelves and in stalls, and at times the clock stops as I just swallow a finer piece of work rather then just window shopping. The love and passion is never ending.

Though I am a book lover and like spending on a good title but the purse is not quick to open up. Though we are growing in terms of knowledge, education and information which is readily available everyday our lives are becoming shorter and homes smaller, with no spare time nor enough space to store the thought provoking work of authors. Even today books are a luxury for those who could afford to maintain its high costs.

During my recent visit to the Sharjah Book Fair, a thought popped up my mind as I looked up on the large banners that declared “Love for the written word”. The thought of being fortunate to own some of the worlds lovely titles published and happy to have read through the minds of some of the worlds brilliant men time has known was the most prominent. While another thought did sneak in to declare that since the authorities of Sharjah and its leadership are braving such a huge and massive event why not arrange some sort of a pre-owned books fair as well. The reason this thought popped up was seeing the tons and tons of paper displayed at the fair. The rate at which we are producing paper and coping up with demand is growing at such a high pace that I dare to say we might be out of paper in a very near future.

A book fair where people could dispose their pre-owned collection, share, sell, exchange or even give away for recycling would be another such massive event of equivalent impact to the community and our culture as well as our environment. Maybe such a stand alone book fair would not be possible but a well organized section in the International Book Far event could make a huge difference.

To be very much frank and truthful I even do not have an idea of how such an event or a part-event could even be organized but such an initiative would surely be a step forward for the intellectual beings that we humans belong to.

The positive student-teacher relationship

m.anjari — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 08:59:42 +0000

An important aspect dealt in contemporary era – is how interactive and positive is the relationship between a Teacher and a Student. Many cognitive theorists argue that learning is a social event, and that both teachers and students will pay the price if teachers neglect to form emotionally warm, supportive relationships with and among their students. (Foorming Positive Student-Teacher Relationships n.d.) According to the observations and surveys – a student spends his/her 5 to 7 hours in school/college around 9 to 10 months annually, and is affected by a group of teachers interacting with them daily. And more troubles outside of school that can easily distract mind of a student. As a result, they need more effective relationship with their teachers. These students feel that caring teachers “legitimize their personal concerns and also help them refocus energy on there goals (Speaking up: Student’s perspectives on school 1992).

This relationship when groomed – elevates the intellectual abilities of a student, and when neglected by a teacher – freezes the growth of capabilities and skills which resulting a waste of talent and carelessness of a teacher.

Where as a good and healthy relationship is defined through policies and principles of teaching and studying portrayed by Awlia-ullah Kiram S.A and Duat Kiram R.A in their ways of teaching and guidance. The Book Al-Alim wal-Gulam (The Master and The Disciple) is a master piece of projecting a way of learning, studying, educating and teaching with full application of the Ilm (knowledge) practically which needs to be full filled for conceiving the knowledge as a whole.

But there haven’t been any discussion about it done till now.

So this paper aims to take part in that discussion through a new aspect, that is in a Fatemi perspective in the light of kitab Al-Alim wal Gulam.

According to Pianta, positive student-teacher relationships are characterized by open communication, as well as emotional and academic support that exist between students and teachers (Pianta 1999). A positive relationship starts with a comforting reception from a teacher to a student from day one. The teacher needs to acknowledge the activities performed by students of any level and encourage them which then bond a positive relationship. The student needs to approach with full respect and honor for the teacher and consult in any queries occurring in academic activities and the communication between the student and the teacher serves as a connection between the two, which provides a better atmosphere for a classroom environment (www.csun.edu n.d.). The environment develops the growth of a student gradually in developing a personality, characteristics and manners. The student adapts the style of communication transmitted by the Teacher.

Ikhwan al Safa elaborates the pattern of the positive teacher-student relationship and communication that the teacher should use mercy, leniency, forgiveness, pity, compassion and kindness with the student, while student must also show respect for him (Iman Ahmed al Mastur n.d.).

Syedna Taher Saifuddin R.A and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin T.U.S have strictly prohibited beating students on their mistakes, but to build a Father-Son like relationship that the student does not respond rebelliously. As we know that the knowledge cannot be forced upon, therefore the bondage between the teacher and student plays a vital role in educational development.

The emphasize has always been upon the communication and relationship between teacher and student socially, academically and personally.

The Book Al-Alim wal-Gulam (The Master and The Disciple) shows a practical aspect of the theoretical aspect of teacher-student communication in the perspective, that how teachers and student can follow these fatemi principles of educational communication. As the start with the question of how should an Alim be thanked that he must be obeyed.

The reflection of this can be seen in the book several times, especially when the Alim described the Gulam (Youthful) the way of spending money in sabil ul Allah, the Gulam immediately presented his total possession to the Alim, on the other hand Alim’s compassion can be easily understood by the addressing style of the Alim to Gulam. By ‘يابني’ which means my beloved child, and the limit of it can be assumed, that the Gulam called him ‘father’ (Alim wal Gulam n.d.).

To conclude, the code of success in educational development is not the “text book” rather the relationship and communication between the student and the teacher. Hudaat Kiram S.A have set such criteria which develop the holistic personality of a student not academically but socially, personally and religiously.

May Allah bless Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin with a healthy and prosperous life for many many long years to come. Ameen.

Bibliography

Alim wal Gulam.

Foorming Positive Student-Teacher Relationships. http//www.cedu.niu.edu/`shumow/itt/studentTchrrelationship.pdf.

Iman Ahmed al Mastur. Ikhwan al safa.

Phelan, Patrica, Ann Davidson, Hanh Locke, and Cao Thanh . “Speaking up:student’s perspectives on school.” Phi Delta Kappan 73.9, 1992: 695-704.

Pianta, Robert C. “Enhancing Relationships Between Children and Teachers.” American Psycological Assn, 1999.

“www.csun.edu.” http//www.csun.edu/~acc50786/education.html.

–

The Author is a Student of Al Jamea Tus Saifiyah, Karachi.

A Profession worth living

Juzar Noorani — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:36:25 +0000

At a very young age of about 15 years or so we had to write an essay about the best of all professions and which we in ourselves thought was an ideal one which made a real difference. I chose the teacher as the person who made the biggest difference in our lives, in shaping the individual, the society, culture and many other aspects of human life. The argument presented by a teenager was that if it were not for the teachers we would not have any doctors to save lives or engineers to shape our way of living. Everything depended on the teacher. There was also a quotation in the essay that “If you want to plan for 10 years plan trees but if you want to plan for a century educate women….or maybe it was children”. It does not matter as long as it was knowldge that was imparted.

It has been many years since then and recently I had to visit one of the very nice Schools in Sharjah where getting an admission is as difficult as a dream and reality. However, the principal of the School who is the owner himself and admired by many people for his devotion towards education, happened to be in touch with me for some reason. A School teacher asked me to accompany him to visit the Principal for the admission of his daughter. I willingly agreed and introduced him to the principal as a teacher. The principal exclaimed I have seen the papers written by your child. When asked what she would do with a million Dirhams, she has written that she would help her parents first and then others who are under privileged. The principal then exclaimed that “the children on teachers are the children of God”.

The school admitted the girl with priority and she was in one of the best schools with a low fee that the teacher could afford.

Teachers are not looser, they beget winners and champions. They are roots of our society. Yet in every part of the world they are the most under paid work force looking at the scope and importance of work. A few years back someone told me about a few teachers that they were a bunch of losers. I kept thinking why was that so. The reason was the person like him. He did not care for the person who cared for his child and nurtured him with knowledge. The teacher was not a loser rather the parent was.

Just because the teacher was under paid and sought other means to meets his ends does not make him so. Rather the parent was a loser who did not teach his child to respect his second parent just for a petty reason of not making enough money.

We are the losers when we pay low wages to teachers. The reason of the underpay is us, not being able to afford the high standard of the person who shapes are society and dump them into low grade work force category. It is we who are bent down by the weight of their generosity.

I have read in history several times that our culture has the highest stature for Gurus and the Kings and Emperors would bow to them in respect. Have we forgotten our culture and heritage.

A teacher is not a teacher, he is an actor who entertains, a farmer who sows and reaps, an engineer who builds character, a doctor who cures doubts and questions, a consultant who shows profitable ways of living and growing, an artist who draws and shapes the mind and thought, a couch and guide.

As I write this article I applaud all the teachers today on the 5th of October, being ‘The World Teachers Day“. A profession which is worth living, even for a day. My stand as a teenager seems fair enough even today. For the love and respect to all teachers in the world a single sentence would suffice, “You are not in the wrong profession, never were and never will be and the perspective of other people does not matter”.

Teachers Appreciation week is from May 2nd – May 6th, with teacher’s appreciation day being on Tuesday May 3rd, show your affection to your teachers and teach your children to do the same.

Education Vs Military might

Juzar Noorani — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:28:58 +0000

Education in any form has tremendous effect on any society, country or state at any time. It is well said that you educate a person and you plan for an entire generation. Any form of education has drastic effects on an entire community to a massive extent. A friend of mine pointed ma to an article in NY times on the budget of the US Army in Afghanistan which provoked me to write some on my thoughts. The article read 1 Soldier or 20 Schools in Afghanistan? – NYTimes.com

It was first the US who seeded and fed the Taliban against the Russians and now they reign in the territory. If we look at the picture closely we might see that education has a very deep impact on the whole situation. The word Taliban literally means “Students”. These student were brainwashed and emotionally aroused in the name of religion. One might even call it emotional attyachar. Its very easy to get hold of the human mind when you can create sentiments that ping the deep rooted faith of people. Islam was the key to the door here. Islam does not preach violence. There are several mentions of Jihad in the Quran but those are in self protection. Where not only the existence of the faith is in threat but also the faithful himself and that too under extreme circumstances of physical torture itself. Apart from that rules are in place that make is a Jihad. A simple example is the difference between cross border firing by troops and declaration of war by a country which can only be done by the highest authority which is not self proclaimed.

Back to the topic, the Taliban induced negative thoughts into young minds and created illusions through the logic called little knowledge is a dangerous thing. They provoked religious sentiments and declared an unlawful war on what they thought to be their enemy. Islam became a tool to create intolerance. I would like to point out that in Mahabharat, Krishana preaches Arjun the righteousness of pulling the weapon against the unjust and tyranny. But it was in a lawful war situation. If someone just pickup a gun today and shoots an X person for his wrong doings following the instructions of Gita he would be held a criminal. Islam similarly does not approve the wrong doings of certain people against the faith but neither does it approve the such an unlawful self proclaimed war which by no means can be translated to Jihad. Rather terrorism.

Education was used to induce misconceptions into young minds and an army of a generation was created called Taliban. Everywhere, even in India and places like Kashmir where India flexes its military muscles to protect innocent people, why does the government not invest even a minute percentage of that money to educate people there.

If the Taliban were created out of education in the wrong way why not treat that problem with a similar cause. Educate and induce tolerance. If they used Islam in the wrong direction, use its actual values to create the path of light.

The army may be needed to protect the lives of people but the might of education is far reaching and having deep impacts in creating harmony, developing clearer minds, spreading tolerance and a growing nation.

Muraa’t ul hudud (respect of limitations)

m.anjari — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:09:57 +0000

Today a lot of is discussion is going in the world about educational awareness. Like what to teach, how to teach, when to teach and finally what is the impact of teaching? But after all that discussions ‘the research on education is full of disappointing about what graduates can’t do, don’t understand, or misunderstand. Many college graduates are unable to apply much of what they have been taught’¹.

The major role in it is may be played by the current educational system and curriculum designing. It is hard to specify its clauses and to invent a perfect way for it, but one thing is surely needed in both educational system and curriculum designing, that is based on applications and mainly limitations that his/her cognitive skills can develop. so ‘What is really important to learn are the numerous skills that enable us to conceptually address the world and solve our problems .how ever acquiring cognitive skills in isolation lacks meaning to the learners make hence the academic discipline form the content base for the cognitive processes conception in that some framework or structure is required to make sense out of the content taught acquiring cognitive skills’ (Print 1993, p.49)².

As it can be observed commonly in the natural nurturing system of a child; that a child starts his or her diet with the mother’s milk and with lots of care and day by day he/her becomes stronger to taker diet which he/her can now digest. Similarly the knowledge ilm is, as ‘It is no reflection upon the nutritive quality of beef steak that is not fed to infants. It is not an invidious reflection upon trigonometry that we do not teach in the first or fifth grade of school. It is not the subject perse that is educative or that is conducive to growth. There is no subject that is in or of itself or without regard to the stage of growth attained by the learner, such that inherent educational value can be attributed to it. Failure to take in to account adaptation to the needs and capacities of individual was the source of the idea that certain subjects and certain methods are interracially cultural or interracially good for mental discipline. There is no such thing as educational value in the abstract the notion that some subjects and methods and that acquaintance with certain facts and truths pauses educational value in and of themselves in the reason why traditional education reduced the material of education so largely to a diet of pre-digested materials. According to this notion it was enough to regulate the quantity and difficult of the material provided, in a scheme of quantitative grading, from month to month and from year to year.³’

If one will try to rebel this system will surely have to pay for it. Like a child eats meats before his digestive system can accept it that will without any doubt disturb his/her digestive system. But he should be given the best diet he can digest, which contains all the nutrition. Similarly a seeker of education is in his/her starting period, regardless of his/her physical age is like a child in the mother’s womb. Therefore it is necessary that he/she should be taught step by step according to his ability to perceive. The Fatemi theory has been descried briefly by syedna Qadi Noman (q.r) in his books of tawil ud da’aim and assas u tawil .

According to the Fatemi daw at it is necessary that the learner is given as his istehqaq , nor more, neither less, which is meant by muraa’t ul hudud. As Allah almighty states in Quran: و يؤت ذي كل فضل فضله(al insheqaq ;verse:19)

As it is an Arabic saying that الحصة بقدر الجثة that is the Fatemi perspective for muraa’t ul hudud which enriches Fatemi literature.

This book kitab ul aa’lim wal gulam is a great example of it, which describes the way of bayan in Fatemi literature, as the aa’lim states: al ’ilm can not accomplish its dept but by an introduction of ilm which is before al ilm which is nearer to mind and easy to understnsd so that it can be remember by once mind and it becomes easy to apply and becomes east 4 uqul to achieve the peak of that ilm (pg 14). And for that put some hudud on the gulam that ‘First is of all is that you will stand upon the zahir of kitab (Quran) and Shariah and upon what you have been taught…and will not revile or waste what I tell you, and if I ask you anything you will not hide it from me, and you will not seek me before I teach you and you will not question me before I begin (pg 22-25)’

By this, the a’alim cleared to the gulam that if he want to learn then he will have to do mura,at hudud.

This divine method of teaching and seeking Al Ilm (knowledge) helps a learner to apply much of they have been taught as it becomes habitual to him/her , this theory is also known as simple non-associative learning.

So the aim of this in Fatemi literature is to lead toward the highest peak of ilm and this is not possible but through proper channel as Allah almighty has created them. As he states in Quran: طبقا عن طبق, until he reaches his final destiny of being with the ‘insane e mutlaq’ called by ikhwan us safa, the book on which Fatemi literature and believes based on, as that destiny is stated by Allah as فانشأناه خلقا اخر فتبارك الله احسن الخالقين (al nor; verse: 3).

May Allah bless syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin a long and healthy life till the day of judgement.

—-
Published in the Rabiul Akhar 1431 Issue of Badre Muneer. The Author is a Student of Al Jamea Tus Saifiyah, Karachi.

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