2019 Nov Class notes by MF 27 year old M for 11/10/19
Class notes by MF 27 year old M for 11/10/19
The teacher presented a well rounded talk that was themed around verse 9 of Surah Al Rahman. Saying that we should be fair and not cheat in our daily aspects. It is an admirable state to be in and aspire to in a world where it is easy to cross the line for our own personal gain. However we are taught that there is always good in being fair and just in our words and actions.
I can see why the tests of prayer that are held in the class require to have almost no mistakes in order to pass to the next stage. It provides an unshakable foundation for prayer, and as a result, a great sense of achievement when completed correctly.
The class doesn’t only focus on religious aspects, but it links it to our day to day struggles. It contextualizes the lessons into the environment we live in, which makes us as students more aware to how we implement these lessons of faithfulness in our daily lives. I liked how our teacher asked about 5 things that happened in the week.
At first I thought he meant something personal. To my surprise, he meant it in a wider sense of what new things are happening in the world. It reinforces the idea that we need to be aware of the world events and not be isolated to just learn about religion. I liked that way of thinking. It is important to take part and understand what is happening around us in our community and our country.
Furthermore, our teacher showed the importance to be savvy politically. Not only in governmental endeavors, but also in the immediate sense. He gave an example of the muslim girl that was winning in running competitions, but was disqualified at a later stage after she won in a race while wearing the hijab. It is an example to show that whenever we go into an arena in sports, politics or the work place, we need to be aware of the rules and regulations to stand on solid grounds and not be in a situation of disadvantage. In short, knowledge is power. It shows that we need to be prepared and diligent to the best of our abilities to move forward.
We also talked about leadership skills and how to achieve them. Even though I’m the eldest of the students, these talks are good reminders of the things that I need to be aware of. Being a leader is a position of responsibility and accountability. Being in such a position is an ordeal when looking at it from the muslim perspective, since there will come a time that we will be judged by God Himself about how we used that leadership position. It is not an easy ordeal, but having leadership attributes are necessary to protect yourself from following someone corrupt. I feel that anyone with leadership attributes is prepared to follow a real leader, but will find it difficult to follow someone that would take advantage of the leadership position for their own personal gain.
One of the phrases that stood out to me in class was to always put your right foot forward. We should not be sitting and not bettering ourselves in some way. The world is progressing quickly and we need to be in the best state, academically and personally, in order to contribute in building a better, and safer world for everyone. It will be very regretful to miss this opportunity that we have while living in a stable country, and having access to facilities many people do not have. It would be a disservice to ourselves, family, and community if we do not have a hand in making the future better for everyone.
I really appreciated the segment of the class where the teacher was talking about how the girls should particularly should not neglect herself for the sake of a future spouse. It is in many of our cultures that the man is the breadwinner, leaving the woman in the state of dependency and in a very vulnerable situation if the marriage relationship isn’t going smoothly. It gives them power to take control of their destiny. Something that I wish was more prevalent in the muslim world.
All in all the classes our an opportunity to learn and grow. I always look forward to the next class.