2022 August 28 – MK Female 14
This is my 1st week in the Green stairs Leadership program. When my mother first showed me the program I honestly thought it was a type of boring Sunday school. However, there was one important thing about my first thoughts at the start of the program. As an honor roll student, my school teaches us more than just being in advanced curriculum. I have been taught that it is important to start any type of class with a positive attitude, as if I am hearing about it for the first time in my life.
So today at around 8:30am I got ready to see this program. Instantly when I arrived there, LG started with an introduction. He told me everyone’s names and the first thing he asked me was what everyone’s name. At first I was confused thinking “Why is this man making me memorize random people’s names? ”. LG then explained that during a type of police test, they assign a task for meeting a random stranger and then telling the stranger’s life story. If it was me that had to take that test, it would be guaranteed that I would fail.
LG also definitely made it clear that everyone should talk in the program. He asked us a lot of questions that required deep thinking. LG even gives us a whole life story about his own name being named after a washing machine brand. He also said that he is one because he repeatedly “goofs” his students so they can use more of their brains. About the brains, he tells us about Albert Einstein’s brain and that when he passed away they found his brain being abnormally big from a regular person’s brain. LG also told us that people usually use 6% of their brains and that in this program he wants us to use more of our brain. Instead of just using 6% of our brains we should use 7% so then at least we will be 1% smarter than most people. LG also told us that if the scientists did a scan for the brain of the prophet SAW, then they could know that he used probably way more than 15% of his brain.
Anyways, after our introduction, LG took us inside the masjid where we were tested on how we pray. We were assigned a mentor as well. When it was time for testing, I was the first person being tested with LG. I can’t even explain how nervous I was for reciting in front of LG. It was so nerverecking that I messed up a lot on it. Being tested without knowing can make people feel a lot of anxiety. However, we were able to test three times so even if we failed the first try, we could only get better from there. After the testing, LG had us memorize the english translation for surah Al-Fatiha.
He said that we should be understanding what we read, otherwise what would be the point of praying when you don’t even know what you’re saying to Allah SWT. We went into a classroom with our mentors and started memorizing. Before we start memorizing, we have to stand up and say the pledge of allegiance. After saying the pledge of allegiance, we need to say the pledge of faith while facing the Qiblah. Then we started memorizing and It took me a little while to memorize the english translations but I find it very easy to memorize something by writing it down. Writing things became a type of cheat sheet for me.
We learned a lot more than just memorizing translations of surahs. For example, we learned about the “b I r”. It stands for belief and ritual. The thing about belief and ritual is that people are born as a muslim and they don’t have that belief but they’re still doing a ritual or salah. Something important about it is that during salah you need to open your third eye, which is the eye of your soul. It is extremely important because once a person dies and in the grave, the third eye will answer the three questions. If the third eye was never open to seeing the right path then how can someone answer the three questions. Next thing we learned was “know I wis”, which means knowledge and wisdom.
LG told us something that I am seriously never going to forget. He asked us why throwing an islamic book on the floor was bad and we said that it had the words of Allah in it. Then he asked us if it is bad to drop a book of mathematics on the floor and most people said it was fine. However, LG then said that it is bad because both books give us knowledge. Main point is that we need to respect knowledge no matter what shape or form it comes in.
Now for wisdom, wisdom means to have a quality of knowledge and being wise. Having wisdom means being mature and something LG told us is that quality is better than quantity. For example, there is a person that is memorizing the entire Quran but they don’t know what it means. Then there is another person that only knows less meaning like “Allahu akbar” or “Bismillah”. It is better to know the meaning of something rather than just saying random words.
Another extremely important thing LG said today is that in this program there are three things that we will need to do: find your inner soul, find your potential, and find Allah. If a person can’t have any of the three things then they are doomed. Another lesson LG taught us today is “Goats I sheep”. LG told us about a time when he went to a slaughter house. He went in and saw a group of sheep following a goat. There was another man whistling at the goat and the goat went through this alley. That’s when the man kept making the goat go forward until it reached a door and the man quickly shut it after the goat walked out. He basically trapped the sheep so they could be slaughtered. The valuable lesson about this story is that the Goats are the leaders and the sheep are the followers. In our case we need to learn on how to be the leader and not just a follower.
Even being a leader has many responsibilities, to be a successful leader you need to be the best learner. This program is about leadership and applying religion into it. So to be successful in this program, we need to be the goats, just like LG said. Personally, his story about the goat and sheep really motivated me into being better and to strive to become a leader. Lastly, LG explained what the program meant just from the name. He said that Green meant good and the stairs meant going up and ahead. However, when we are going up and ahead, it is important to be at the same pace.
The lesson LG taught us today really impacted me. For example, now when I am going to pray I will know the meaning of surah Fatiha and I will be even more focused while praying. After the class, I went to pray zuhr and I have never been so focused on my prayer ever in my life.
Personally reflecting on this class today, it has made me realize so many mistakes I have been making in my life and I seriously do hope to continue to learn more from this program. So far in this class I think it is going to be a great experience for me.
LG teaches us about the importance of salah in our lives and the connection we need with Allah. LG also makes the parents participate in the things we did. For example, when we were memorizing the translation of surah Fatiha in class, LG made the parents as well memorize it.
I am happy that I get the opportunity to be in his class and hope to strive to learn more. Reflecting on what I have learned today, I have developed a strong interest in being in LG’s class.