Desire for Knowledge and Respecting the Teacher by Shiza Kulsum

 بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اَلسَّــلَامُ عَلَيْـــكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُاللّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

Reason for the topic: Knowledge is essential to lead a successful life and also to prepare our-self for akhirat. We must respect teachers without which we cannot gain knowledge. We should also highlight the importance of Murshideen in our community. 

“O Allah! Open my breast for me and ease my task for me, and loosen the knot from my tongue so that they may understand my speech.”

IQRA i.e; READ

ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ

[Iqra Biismi Rabbika Allatzee Khalaqa]

We can see that having knowledge is so important in Islam that Quran commands every muslim to seek knowledge. Hence, it is the duty of every Muslim to try to learn. Besides many ulama-e-din and Murshideen advise Muslims to strive for achieving Knowledge. There is a famous hadees of Prophet Muhammad PBUH ‘Utlub-Al-Ilm Wala Fissin’, that means seek knowledge even if it is in China, this shows the emphasis on the importance of learning in Islam.

Further, there is a hadees in which Prophet  Muhammad PBUH advise us, by saying  “Seek Knowledge From The Cradle To The Grave’’ it is a must for every muslim regardless of the age, race or gender to seek knowledge. All the people must have the ability and the liberty to learn, teach, exchange and share the knowledge. Allah SWT has made us with the ability to learn and be curious by the nature, and accordingly we must show at most interest in using the gift of our brain as well as the desire for learning.

The knowledge is something that increases - the more you share it. It never decreases on use and only increases with time. Humans used their knowledge to create things that we can’t imagine a few centuries back. It helps us to convert our ideas into reality and also it helps us to reach to the success that we desire in our life.

Knowledge helps us to differentiate between;

• Right and Wrong
• Good and Bad
• Halal and Haram
• Danger and Safety

It helps us to overcome our faults, weaknesses, and dangerous situation in life. A knowledgeable person is more mentally and morally strong than the people with more money and less knowledge. The knowledgeable person is the richest person on earth because no one can steal his/her knowledge, whereas money and power can easily steal from by anyone any time.

Knowledge is a very important tool to get positive changes in society or a community; it gives us a vision for our future and helps us archive our goals. True knowledge help person to flourish and it keeps people away from negativity and corruption. In addition to this knowledge can bring happiness and success not only to himself but to his family, community and the whole nation also. Hence, knowledge opens the door of success for its seekers.

May Allah provide us the best of the knowledge which is useful to succeed in both the worlds – Deen and Dunya. And make us give utmost respect to our teachers, parents and murshideen, and make them proud.

Now where all can we seek knowledge? We can gain knowledge from many sources. Allah has bestowed us teachers in different ways and sources. A teacher is a person who not only shapes us but also teaches us to face the challenges of both Deen and Duniya.

Family: Our families are our first & longest institutions of learning. Mother is the considered as the first teacher in this world – she imparts basics of life, good manners, behaviour. We can learn many things from our father – he is always there to teach fascinating things and teaches us important life skills. Both the parents and other elders in the family shape us to be a good human being. We can learn many things from our brothers and sisters too, whether they are elder to us or younger –there is always something to learn from them. Alhamdulilallah many of us have both educated parents and a good family, who hold and teach us right from the day one. 

Schools / Teachers: Teachers, by profession and by choice teach us the school syllabus and many important lessons to lead a successful life. Teaching is one of the most respectful and valuable profession in the world. Many of our teachers are the most influential people in society and they have great importance in modern society.

Murshideen: Spiritual teachers are considered as the most honored person in every religion. Likewise, in our community, we are blessed with one more source of knowledge, our Murshideen. We are lucky that in qaum-e-mehdavia we have many Murshideen-e-Ikram who guides us in many aspects of our life, we learn about our faith and life after death from them. Murshideen are like our spiritual fathers, hence they must be given the same respect as we give to our parents, as they shape our life by imparting knowledge and help us in good morals, by guiding us for developing our behavior and mentalities to be a good human being and servant of Allah. Due to the important role of the teacher in Islam in general and in our qaum-e-mehdavia in particular has granted high status and rights to teacher, I mean our Murshideen they play a great role in structuring and developing our communities.

We can understand the high position of a teacher from the quote of Hazrat Ali RZ in which he said that “If a person teaches me a one single word he has made me his servant for a life time”.

Dear friends Islam teaches us to respect our teacher’s, murshideen and elders, we must listen to them and be dutiful as they help us learn. They care and love us like parents, sometimes they will be a little harsh so that we stay away from the wrong doings and mold us into a better person. Teachers love teaching their students and they become happy when their students succeed in life.

Before I conclude, I would like to put some very powerful verses of holy Quran, in which there are dua to gain knowledge

 “O Allah! I seek refuge with you from asking you that of which I have no knowledge, and unless you forgive me and have mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the losers.”“O Allah! Grant us the understanding of deen.”

“O Allah! I ask you for knowledge which is beneficial, and sustenance which is pure and deeds which is pure and deeds which are accepted.”

“O Allah! Benefit us by that which you have thought us and teach us that which will benefit us and increase us in knowledge.”

“O Allah! I seek refuge in you from a knowledge which does not benefit from a heart which does not tremble, from an ego which is not stated, and from a dua which is not accepted.”

“O Allah! Benefit me through what you teach me and teach me what is beneficial for me and increase me in knowledge.”

“Our Allah! And accept the prayer.”

 Aameen. Summa Aameen.

Reference:

·         Quran,

·         Ahadees,

·         Discussions with Elders and Parents

Certificate of Recognition

 About the Essay and the writer: Shiza Kulsum Saheba d/o Janab Inayath Ulla Khan Saheb, a native of Mandya and resident of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. She is a Student of Class Seven. She wants to study and explore various religious and other books and spends her free time doing paintings and discussing various topics with her parents. She want to be an alima to serve our community and choose the right career in the future to be a successful & useful person in the future. We Wish her all the Best for all her future endeavors, May Allah Bless her with success in both the worlds. Aameen. We pray for her success in her studies as well, may Allah give her excellence in the field she chooses to pursue in future and make her the most Successful and Useful Person for not only our community but to the entire mankind and our nation. 

This Essay is a part of the Second International Essay Writing Competition conducted by Mehdavia Times Welfare Trust during the Ramazan of 1442 hijri / 2021 taking the opportunity of the Pandemic Lock-down.  Shiza Kulsum secured the Second Prize in the Junior English Category of this Competition. 

The results of the competition can be seen here =>>> https://mehdaviatimes.blogspot.com/2021/05/announcement-of-results-of-second.html

Note: We will be publishing daily one selected essay in this Ramazan for you to read. We take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all the participants, winners and evaluators and those who were directly or indirectly involved to make this initiative a grand success. Fresh Write-ups/Articles/Essays are always solicited you may send them to MehdaviaTimes@gmail.com . 

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