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Among
the different wifaaq of the Deeni Madaris, only under Wifaaqul
Madaris, 1, 37,177 students appeared this year. Thousands
of them gave the Aalmiya and were finally qualified. After
qualification a great challenge for the students is "What
now?" because there have been a string of articles guiding
the fuzla' kiraam, the lady leaders have filed a complaint
of why the guidance of faazillat have not been entertained.
We have a plan of action for the fuzla where they can use
their God-gifted talents; we will outline that in the next
issue, InshaAllah. Right now we will address the complaint
of the fazilaat.
The truth is that whenever in the past we were asked this
question, according to our limited thinking we answered that
they should take care of their homes. The knowledge of the
Book and Sunnah that Allah has bestowed on them, should first
be practiced by them, for knowledge without implementation
is a setback. The knowledge of Deen is not acquired to impress
others or to debate with the ignorant, or to make it a means
of earning. If years of endeavour were for any of these reasons,
then rest assured, your hard work was for naught; the nights
and days without sleep, poring over books were useless…..such
unlawful and childish thoughts can deprive one of even the
fragrance of Jannah.
The other task that they should undertake is to divert their
attention to the reformation of the women of their family
and neighbourhood. They should start a lobby for women to
recognize and wipe out the widespread heedlessness and ignorance
in matters of Deen that result in the practicing of bid'ah.
Do these students not know that today, every home has become
a cinema, the hideous sounds of song and music emanate from
houses that are allegedly homes of respectable people. Instances
of running away, rebelling against Islamic values, and going
against respectable family traditions, are occurring increasingly
in families famous for their honour and chastity.
Mixing of the sexes has become very common; usury and interest
has become rampant in the whole society; bid'ah and grave
worship has been made a part of religion; women, more than
men are leading this front. In melas, at tombs, at tawiz sellers
and fake aamils are mobbed by women. It becomes quite clear
why Allah Ta'ala specially said to ask refuge from "women
who blow on knots…" the cause is quite clear: it
is mostly women who are mostly concerned in magic and spells.
Their feat is to win over intelligent and wise men to the
idea that the only solution to their financial, familial,
and marital problems and the only way to degrade their enemies
is to be found only through this aamil and that tomb. So these
wife-followers do anything their wives tell them to. Believe
me, if the beliefs of women are straightened out and they
repent from unlawful practices, 90% of astanaas, dargahs,
and centres spells would be deserted; and countless babas,
aamils, and magicians would be jobless.
The students that have been given the light of knowledge,
can work on ignorant females, straighten out their beliefs,
try to inculcate in them the importance of tawheed (Oneness
of God), and the love of Allah and His Rasul sallallahu 'alaihi
wasallam. They should try to condemn unveiling, mixing of
the sexes, extravagance, show-off, hypocrisy, song and music,
usury, backbiting, slander, wastage of time, and unlawful
spells, in such a way that they repent from these sins for
ever. If each student would work on and succeed with only
her own family, this would be a feat that would, InshaAllah,
win them the favour of Allah Ta'ala.
These days a very wrong trend has cropped up; people are concerned
more with the reformation of the whole city and the whole
world while ignoring their own families and themselves. Countless
such examples can be seen. In the Qur'an we have been ordered
to take care of ourselves and our families first of all. Our
Prophet sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam too had been enjoined
to spread the message to his immediate relatives first of
all.
The third thing for the female students to do is convert their
homes or at least one room into a madrasah, where they can
teach the correct way to pray salah, the Tajweed of the Qur'an,
teach the meaning and explanation of the Qur'an, teach some
necessary masail: start schooling everyone something according
to their aptitude. A very regretful thing has come to light
is the current trend among the fazilaat of going out to find
jobs like men; the ones who fail to get a position consider
themselves unfortunate and useless. Incidents have also been
related where would-be in-laws have expressed the desire for
their daughter-in-laws to be employed. To put the burden of
providing for the family on the woman's shoulders is against
Islamic teachings and nature.
There will be unpalatable results when and where this will
be exercised. The worst thing that will occur will be that
peace and tranquillity will fly away from the home and the
children will be left without the love and training of the
mother. If the fazilaat are fired with the divine wish of
propagating Deen, they should remember that the only way to
achieve their goal is not only working in an establishment;
they can also fulfil their goal while sitting at home.
Look at our spiritual mother, Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqua radhiyallahu
ta'ala 'anha, who was on such a high position of learning
that Imam Zahri rahimuhullah gives verification, "If
the knowledge of all men and Ummahatul Mo'mineen is collected
on one side, even then the knowledge of Ayesha radhiyallahu
ta'ala 'anha would be greater."
Hazrat "Urwah bin Zubayr (radhiallahu `anhu) says that,
" I have never seen anyone greater in knowledge of Qur'an,
inheritance, halaal and haraam, jurisprudence, poetry, medicine,
history and genealogy of Arabia, than Ayesha radhiyallahu
ta'ala 'anha."
Her insight and experience in matters of fiqh were so great
that she used to give verdicts in the times of Hazrat Abu
Bakr, Hazrat 'Umar , and Hazrat Uthman radhiyallahu ta'ala
'anhum.
Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (radhiallahu `anhu) relates that,
"We were never faced with a difficult matter about which
we asked Ayesha and she did not have information about it."
Hazrat Ayesha radhiyallahu ta'ala 'anha was among the Companions
who have related an abundance of Prophetic traditions. She
has 2210 traditions to her credit, but did she go to a madasah
to slake the thirst of knowledge seekers? No, it was her small
house which was the madrasah and the Jami'ah from where learning
and spirituality were distributed; Women, face to face, and
men from behind a curtain.
Follow the footsteps of your spiritual mother and make your
home a madrasah and discounting age, start spreading your
knowledge among mothers, sisters, and daughters. Keep your
schedule around your household duties so that your home life
is not affected and marital life left undisturbed.
In the end there a couple of added things I would like to
say; the first thing is, don't get conceited or under any
illusion about your knowledge. This is an ocean without limits,
if you spend even your whole life swimming in it you will
never reach its banks, let aside thinking oneself a jurisprudent
and Muhadditha after a few years study. This can be nothing
but self-delusion, and many a student are under this fantasy.
If you have developed the skill of understanding books, then
increase your knowledge by reading deeni books whenever you
have the time. If you cannot, God forbid, understand books,
then continue reading those you have already studied. Give
special attention to reciting the Qur'an and probing its meaning,
for to be engaged in Qur'an is the best of tasks. Commonly
there is room for improvement in this, so use most of your
time in the study of Qur'an.
The second thing I wanted to say was that the girls who have
been granted, by His benevolence, some part of Deen, should
spend their lives in a manner that is discernable from the
lives of girls from schools and colleges. What is happening
is that some students are going with the flow of customs and
fashions, attending weddings, going to markets, going out
for entertainment; you can hardly believe that they can be
haafizaat or 'alimahs.
Another complaint coming from many quarters is that the fazilaat
have started thinking themselves above serving others. They
wish to be served upon and not serve themselves. If they had
gained the essence of learning they would have known that
honour and respect are in service and not being served. What
woman can exceed the sahabiyaat in knowledge and practice?
But when we read about them, we see that they worked for others.
Just take a look at he Lady of Jannah, Hazrat Fatimah radhiyallahu
ta'ala 'anha: cleaning her earthen floors would leave her
clothes grimy; milling flour would develop calluses on her
hands; heaving heavy water-skins would bend her back; but
when Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alaihe wasallam) distributed
slaves and hand-maidens among the needy, he did not give one
to his deserving daughter but enjoined her to recite the tasbihaat.
If you live your life in light of these guiding principles,
it is hoped that 'aalimaat will prove to be beacons that are
not seen but other lights are lit by them one after the other.
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