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.
