[POWERPOINT-SLIDES] IN-HOUSE TALK AT MASJID SULTAN, SINGAPORE (28th MARCH 2009)

Masjid Sultan 28 3 09[Slideshare]

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Good Word Like A Good Tree 97 2003

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“Towards becoming Muslims- and its challenges part II” – a lecture by Ustaz Zhulkeflee Ismail

A sharing of brief transcript-notes by Sister Filzah Amalia (may Allah s.w.t. reward her for her effort)

NB: This lecture was conducted on 28th March 2009, Saturday, at Sultan Mosque Auditorium.

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Ustaz first recapped on what he spoke about in his previous lecture. One of these reflections was that Muslims are warned against being disunited. He mentioned that the beginning of disunity is when key Islamic terms are purposely slanted, distorted, alien standards imposed, innovated into Islamic discourse.

An example is the attempt to explain Islam in categories such as:

Moderative VS Extreme

Conservative VS Radical .... etc.

He emphasized that there is only ONE Islam.

In his second lecture, the main topic dwelt upon was Islamic Education. The imperative questions he presented were:

How do we learn Islam?

From whom do we learn Islam?

Firstly, Islamic education is about changing the state of our soul. Not merely stuffing of information into our heads. We cannot study Islam as a subject. Rather we want to subject ourselves to Islam; to let Islam change us and bring us closer to Allah s.w.t.

Ustaz then asked rhetorically: Do we simply teach Islamic subjects? Or do we nurture Islamic values to our students? And what values?- to which he answered that it is not how much you know but how well you develop through Islam. And it is about instilling the right values e.g. what is right and wrong, what is true and false.

The next questions were: What is our concern in life? What are we expected to do in life?

Ustaz explained that Islam, from the beginning, has taught us that this world is temporary. The value of that we come from Allah and we return to Him. And our concern in life is explained in a verse in Surah Al-Qasas: 77:

“But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief."

Ustaz continued to explain that the value of Islam is to teach the reality of life. This world has many distractions however. But Allah encourages us to seek the opportunity to see the way to Him, during our lifetime here.

Next, how best have we entered Islam?

Allah has told us:

“O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy.”

(Al-Baqarah: 208)

Ustaz asked us, how often do you strive to go to Allah? He reminded that there is only ONE Islam. The Islam that Rasulullah s.a.w perfected, not those that people have constructed, especially after the 9-11 incident.

There is indeed ONE Islam, but all kinds of Muslims. Everyone begins as a Muslim (“Al-Fitrah”), and then we are nurtured positively or negatively. To be nurtured positively is to be amongst the learned, Mu’meen, etc. On the other hand to be negatively nurtured is to be ignorant, munafiq, musyrikeen, zalimun, etc.

In sum, the personal challenge for us is the path from being Muslims to the Muttaqeen. To worship Allah because one wants to, not forced to, and a person who truly believes will not want to do anything that will bring him near to the fire in the hereafter. And one has to accept that there would be tests in his way. Allah has explained this:

"Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested? We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. Do those who practise evil think that they will get the better of Us? Evil is their judgment! For those whose hopes are in the meeting with Allah (in the Hereafter, let them strive); for the term (appointed) by Allah is surely coming and He hears and knows (all things). And if any strive (with might and main), they do so for their own souls: for Allah is free of all needs from all creation.”

(Al-Ankabut: 2-6)

“The desert Arabs say, "We believe." Say, "Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, 'We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Only those are Believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of Allah. Such are the sincere ones.”

(Al-Hujurat: 14-15)

So how are we? While we may be Muslims, have we reached the level of being a muhseen, much less a muttaqee? Thus how have we learnt Islam? What has been our education? Have we learned how to learn?

Ustaz gave an analogy:

What many of us have been learning about Islam is like people picking pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Unfortunately, these people pick up pieces of the jigsaw and merely keep them in their pockets. They do not attempt to fix them together as one whole - into a single bigger picture. They think that by having a lot of these pieces, they are learned. So they have not learned what to make out of these pieces that they’ve picked. They think they know a lot because their pockets are full of these pieces - and others also compete in the same manner i.e. stuffing themselves with informations. What they need are teachers, because it is the role for traditional Islamic teachers who would give students only the pieces that they really needed but which they have not posessed, and more importantly to teach them to fix those pieces together with what they already have into a single coherent picture (i.e. coherent Tauhidic paradigm and meaning). Ustaz reiterate: "Traditional Islamic teachers will rather teach only what is needed for the student, and not necessarily what the student wanted". (Thus his point about not studying Islam merely as a subject, but to subject oneself to Islam - which these traditional Islamic teachers would strive to do i.e. nurturing them with Islam)

Ustaz went on to emphasize the difference between information (maklumat) and knowledge (‘ilm).

“The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (but understands them not). Evil is the similitude of people who falsify the Signs of Allah. and Allah guides not people who do wrong.”

(Al-Jum’ah: 5)

The donkey has the books, which are useful, but is not learned.

What then, is ‘ilm, knowledge?

“...knowledge is the arrival (husul) of the meaning (ma’na) of a thing or object of knowledge in the soul of the subject; and simultanerously... knowledge is the soul’s arrival (wusul) at the meaning of that thing or object of knowledge.” (Sorry, couldn’t get the quote source, please refer to powerpoint slide above)

“Meaning” (ma’na) is: “The recognition of the proper place of anything in a system…”

For example, a cat knows a door but not things like door locks, etc. Men on the other hand are capable of knowing more, like what the door lock is and what it’s for, etc.

Thus the perspective of Education of Islam in Islam can be defined as:

“…Recognition and acknowledgement, progressively instilled into man, of the proper places of things in order of creation, such that it leads to the recognition and acknowledgement of the proper place of God, in the order of being andexistence.”

(Muhd Naquib Al-Attas in “The Educational Philosophy and Practice)

Lastly, Ustaz gave the parable of the tree

(please read also notes "PARABLE: 'A good word is like a good tree' " attached above for fuller elaboration of this analogy).

The seed: Contains all the potential of the tree. For the Muslim, it is the kalimah offered to him.

The sprout: Is the seed’s declaration that “I am alive”, not lifeless. It is the person who accepts the kalimah and who grows, and who declares his belief.

The roots: Is the part of the tree which is always not known or seen by people because it is underground, but important for the tree to have or it will topple. For a Muslim, after the Shahadah, he has to believe in the articles of faith, and someone who believes in the unseen.

The trunk: A tree is diiferentiated from a grass because of its trunk. It grows in a class of its own. For a Muslim, the solat is the pillar of the religion. (It differentiates you as a believer from the unbeliever)

The leaves: The tree’s own food and nourishment. For the Muslim, he has to earn his living, to acquire wealth but to give out a portion to others, that is zakat. Zakat is also a form of purification- Allah purifies the heart from the effects of the wealth you acquire.

The Bark: The tree’s protection from harmful elements. The Muslim must develop and renew his shield. That shield is fasting. And the month of Ramadan renews him.

Growth towards sunlight and the power to break rocks: A tree grows unnoticed but it is growing, in a very slow manner. For a Muslims this is the Hajj. The journey, which requires a lot of patience.

Fruits: Something you will be able to share with others. The fruits of a tree contain seeds for others to grow. For a Muslim, this is da’wah.

Quality of a tree is dependent upon quality of how it is nurtured at every stage of its growth - i.e. to strive towards perfection at each stage. Thus for Muslims, we are told of al-Ihsan - "that you worship or serve Allah as thought you see Him, if not, certainly He (Allah) sees you". The emphasis here is striving to do every good deeds sincerely for Allah's sake. For "every action there is intention, and the merit of your action is dependent upon your intention for doing it."

Garderners: These are the ulama’. They are there at every stage to get rid of pests, in order to ensure the good growth of the tree.

So the challenge is…what kind of tree have we become?

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Question & Answer:

[1]On choosing teachers:

The point is not about choosing which teacher, but about what kind of student you are. A good student, is one who has adab. It is the teacher who chooses student, not student who can actually judge and choose teacher.

Also, what kind of student? Mustami' (mere listener of lecture); mureed (a determine seeker - also called 'tolib') - or a saleek (a traveller upon the path) - for which such student comes to a teacher as a seeker of knowledge. More importantly to ask: "Am I worthy or deserving to be regarded a student?"

[2] On whether to learn from one or many teachers:

A student has one mentor, but can learn from many teachers. It is similar to learning from many teachers, but you have only one form teacher. Or a main physician, but you can go to various others as well. The main mentor is the one to whom your problems are channeled to. First, it is the parents who should do that. When they cannot do that anymore, they will send their children to the one who is more competent to do so.

Ustaz emphasized a lot on adab. Education is all about adab. It is not about asking whether that person is a good teacher but am I a good student?

[3] What is Adab?

The knowledge of putting the right thing at the right place. That is, first, to put Allah swt in His proper place, that there is no other God but Allah. Secondly, Nabi Muhammad s.a.w is the seal of the prophets. Thirdly, to obey parents.

The problem today is that: There is confusion.

Confusion leads to the breakdown of adab, then the rise of false teachers & leaders. This then perpetuates more confusion.

The solution is: To restore the adab first.



[4] On structured education of Islam (e.g diplomas, etc):

They are okay, but these are information, not knowledge. There is a lot of information available. But knowledge, is about transforming the soul. Not just about knowing. We need to know our place first – to be humble. Are the meanings arriving at our souls correctly?

[4] On Da’wah to others, e.g. like towards our family who are still not a Muslim:

Be good to them as a witness. Show the beauty of Islam to others through leading your life as a good Muslim. For example, by being a better child to them after becoming Muslim.

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Author’s note & disclaimer:

These are from the notes that I copied. I have tried my best to copy down Ustaz’s exact words, but there may have been few lines that may have been paraphrased or contain mistakes. If there are I sincerely apologise for that.

Wallaahua'lam.

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