Baseerath

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was a perfect teacher and instructor. He used a variety of educational methodologies and enjoyed brilliant teaching methods. In bringing up his companions, Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) adopted various educational methods. Following are some of them: 1. Being Joyful in advice so that his companions would not get bored: In this context, we recall the incident when a man came to the prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Give me a mount.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “We shall give you a she-camel’s child to ride on.” He said, “What shall I do with a she-camel’s child?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “Do any others than she-camels give birth to camels?” )Reported Abu Dawud). 2. Considering the state of the addressee: Abu Wai’l reported that ‘Abdurrahman used to give a religious talk to the people on every Thursday. Once a man said, “O Abdur-Rahman! (By Allah) I wish if you you could preach us da...

Nice article by Ismail Kamdar Many times young Muslims decide they want to become scholars and embark on the path of knowledge with little knowledge of what to expect. I was such a youngster who signed up for an “‘alim” course with no idea what an ‘alim is or where it would lead me. In order to help my fellow Muslims prepare themselves psychologically and not repeat the mistakes I made, I present to you ten things I feel every student of knowledge must know (in no particular order): 1. A few years of study does not make one a scholar: Too often, young Muslims study a few books or for a few years and then develop a “scholar” complex. They begin to force their opinions on others as if they can’t be wrong. They become intolerant to other views, and they write anybody off who disagrees with them as deviant. We need to realize, before we even begin our journey of knowledge, that the sciences of Islam are many and deep; the variety of opinions in fiqh are multiple, and the chances of always...

How difficult is it to practice patience when being provoked? At the same time, how many times have we responded much too sensitively, although we were not the clear target of anyone’s malice? How many hearts have been lost in an effort to win arguments? And yet, as human beings it is natural and even our right to disagree, and to think critically. One of the most difficult challenges of character for Muslims of every background is being able to practice hilm (forbearance) during times of anger and disagreement—that is to be able to disagree with a dignified and generous spirit, and to think critically without being argumentative, stubborn, and condescending. It is because we as a community fall into this so much, and on so many levels, that I found this issue to be a relevant reminder to myself and others. The activist argues about strategy, the student argues about fiqh and other branches of knowledge, the community leader argues in the board room, and the Imam with those who disagr...