By - Alimah Nadia Sadiq Thursday, March 10, 2016
Alhamdulillah (All praise be to Allah ta'ala), Allah ta'ala has blessed Nur ul Ilm Academy with beautiful gems; these students are the life of the academy. One of the things which is instilled into the students of this academy is to combine character with sacred knowledge. As character is the only thing which can make us acceptable in the eyes of Allah ta'ala. The academy focuses on building the character of students through training and advices. When students carry out these advices, they are able to achieve the three dimensions of our deen (religion). Academic excellence combined with the spiritual uplifting enables a person to become a true slave of Allah ta'ala.
A pure heart is the only thing which will benefit us on that day when nothing will benefit. It is said, “Hearts are strongest when they beat with response to noble ideas.
The Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam also mentioned in a hadith (prophetic narration) that:
“I was sent to perfect the noble character of people.” (Musnad Ahmad)
The perfect character of a human being is in reality the perfect slave of Allah ta'ala. That can be achieved through a pure heart, which makes him a person who not only fulfills the rights of his Creator by worshiping Him, but also fulfills His right by serving His creation. That is the motto of this academy. I sincerely believe that if the students work hard on both of these aspects, they can achieve the closeness to their Lord and also be able to live a noble life.
In order to excel in this, I advise the students to connect with their teachers not just for academic help, but also for training. They should sit in the company of their teachers in order to learn wisdom. They should be sharing their behavioral issues with their teachers, so that they can be corrected and improved. Especially since this academy is supported by a shaykh (spiritual guide), who is qualified in spiritual training and purification. It is very important that we all benefit from his knowledge and insight.
We must not lose focus of our goal, which is to attain perfection in everything we do for the sake of Allah ta'ala alone. We must strive to achieve this state.
There are numerous places from where you can obtain an Islamic education, but rare are those places which enable one to embrace wisdom and noble deeds. There are numerous places with big halls and auditoriums for classes and lectures, but rare are those places where hearts are made big with generosity and sacrifices. There are numerous places with qualified teachers, but rare are those teachers who inspire you towards good character.
Selflessness, truthfulness and humility are marks of nobleness. I truly hope and pray that the students are able to acquire these qualities in this academy and that they become the beacons of light for others as well. As to do well is noble, and to tell others to do good as well is even more noble.
Be Her!
A woman of honor, a woman of insight
Standing firmly against every fear and fright
With the undoubted love of God in her heart
She treads on this journey right from the start
With the sufferings of others her heart is moved
By honoring others her humbleness is proved
The shyness in her eyes which adorns her a lot
The truthfulness in her speech and dignity in her thought
Helping those who are in affliction and pain
Giving to others her heart feels the gain
No virtue no honor she might ever claim
She feels unworthy to be known by her name
She is not selfish, jealous, rude or unkind
Rather forgiving, not calling faults to mind
She leads with courage for others to follow
In love of her Lord she feels the grief and sorrow
I come with that hope I come with that dream
I wish to be that woman on the siratul mustaqeem (straight path)