Roots Of Knowledge ROK 😊

Why Students Must Be Allowed to Think Students have the right to think in class. They should not be expected to just nod their heads and agree. Their minds must be active, searching for the reasoning behind what is being taught. They may not always be right, but the process of questioning is what strengthens their understanding. If something doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t mean the teacher is wrong, it means the student needs help to understand, and the teacher’s job is to guide them through it. A student should be able to disagree respectfully, and a teacher should not take offence. No one owns knowledge, not one scholar, not one group. Each science has its principles, and those principles must be respected, but within them students must be free to ask, to challenge, and to think. A teacher is not the final authority. A teacher is a guide, someone with more experience who can help the student navigate the layers of texts and discussions. Students should never feel they have to shut off their minds to be “respectful.” If we don’t nurture their questions and intellect, then we make Islam look closed, irrational, and disconnected from real life, and that is what drives people away from the traditional sciences. If institutes neglect this, they will end up producing nothing more than carbon copies of themselves, students who look the part but lack the depth. Outwardly, they may resemble their teachers, but inside there will be no substance, no independence of thought, and no ability to carry the tradition forward with strength.

*📜 History Course – This Weekend – Register Now!* It’s only one weekend, these few hours will open your eyes InshaAllah. 📅 Sat 27 & Sun 28 Sep 2025 🕙 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM 💷 Course Price: £25 👥 Open to All 💡If the course fee is a difficulty, simply mention it when completing the form, we will make arrangements confidentially, insha’Allah. 🔗 Register now: https://tinyurl.com/nimourhistory Nusrat ul Islam Masjid & Education Centre - Oldham

I'm trialling this for those who want to ask questions but feel shy on the livestreams. : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf555FMgL2QBE5lA1sU8MVgGO8gs4CKHlCH0e9gWIL0OTxffA/viewform?usp=header

The Hidden Struggles of Students of Knowledge When we talk about students of knowledge, people often picture respect, honour, and barakah. What we don’t often talk about are the struggles they go through the part that nobody sees. Students are human beings. They have worries, pressures, and weaknesses like everyone else. The difference is that they’re trying to carry the deen at the same time. The journey isn’t easy. To learn Arabic properly and to understand Qur’an and Hadith takes years of effort. Students sacrifice their time, energy, and sometimes even their health just to reach a stage where they can benefit others. But after all of that, many of them graduate into a life that isn’t glamorous at all. In fact, it can be very tough. I still remember one of my teachers. He used to earn what would be the equivalent of about £100 a month. That was it. Out of that, he had to feed his family, cover his bus fare to the madrasa, and handle every other expense. There was no such thing as holidays or taking time out. His life was service. And if you had seen him, you’d never have guessed the weight he was carrying quietly. This is the reality. Students have family problems, they face financial struggles, and they go through personal challenges. But while they’re dealing with all of that, they’re also expected to stand up and teach, to be role models, to guide the community. And most of the time, nobody sees what it costs them to do that. In the past, things were different. Scholars were supported, often by governments or wealthy individuals, so they could give their full time to the deen. That’s one reason why we saw so much barakah in their work. Today, that level of support is rare. Too many students are left to carry the load by themselves. If we really value the preservation of Islam, then we need to start seeing beyond the surface. When we hear a dars or attend a class, we’re not just receiving knowledge, we’re benefitting from someone’s sacrifice. And if we want that sacrifice to continue, then we need to step up and support our students and teachers so they can focus on what benefits the ummah.

Learn to Research and Appreciate the Work of the Scholars When someone studies properly and puts in the effort to research a topic thoroughly, they will often find themselves arriving at the same conclusions that earlier scholars reached. This is not surprising. If you go through the same sources and follow the right steps, you are bound to see why certain positions were taken and why certain books were written. This is why it is so important for students to follow a proper research process. Go through the relevant books, read around the subject, compare opinions, and ask the right questions. It is only then that you begin to appreciate the journey the scholars went through and the depth of what they wrote. Take any set of masaail in fiqh or any topic in aqidah. If a student approaches it seriously using the correct method, they will often end up with similar conclusions to the past. That is because the path itself guides you. The principles are sound, the sources are there, and the process works if you are honest with it. But if someone does not do this and just repeats what they were taught without any investigation, they miss out on something essential. They might know the opinion, but they will not understand where it came from or why it matters. They will not see the bigger picture of how that field developed or why certain books were even written in the first place. Real study means thinking, comparing, and engaging with the material properly. The more effort a person puts into understanding a subject, the more they will realise that the scholars of the past were not just stating opinions. They were responding to real questions, solving problems, and building a framework for us to benefit from. That is something you only truly grasp when you walk the path yourself.

Give Teaching its Due Right The purpose of having a teacher is to help a student access knowledge they would not be able to fully grasp on their own. If a student could master a book independently without error, the role of a teacher would be unnecessary. A teacher who merely delivers the material in a way the student could have understood alone does not truly serve the student. For this reason, it is essential for the teacher to understand both the purpose of the book and the kind of guidance students need to benefit from it. At the same time, students should engage with the text to the best of their ability so that they recognize their own limitations and can make full use of the teacher’s guidance. Unfortunately, in many islamic institutions today, teaching has been reduced to passing on information rather than cultivating genuine understanding. Effective teaching requires going beyond what is obvious, highlighting subtleties, and opening doors that students cannot access alone.

*Why Should We Study Islamic History?* Today, we can travel the world, to Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Morocco, and India, and see the breathtaking masajid, madrasahs, and Islamic heritage that still stand tall. But how much do we know about the struggles of the Sahabah, the Khulafa, and generations of Muslims who carried Islam across the world so that today we can benefit from their legacy? Studying Islamic history is not just about the past. It’s about rediscovering our story, and reawakening our duty as Muslims in today’s world. *🗓️ Sat 27 & Sun 28 Sep 2025* 🕙 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM 💷 Course Price: £25 (Early Bird £20 before 15th September) 🔗 *Register now*: https://tinyurl.com/nimourhistory Nusrat ul Islam Masjid & Education Centre, Oldham, OL4 1AL

Do We Need New Madrasas / Institutes of Learning? The answer is not opening more madrasas and institutes; it is improving the standards of the ones we already have. As the new academic year begins, we will see many advertisements for institutes of learning. Yet the average person has no way to know whether an institute’s standards are strong enough to prepare students for real khidmah of deen. Anyone can set up an Islamic institute, give it a noble name, and replicate the classes and books they once studied. But running an institute requires more than replication. Every part of the programme must be reviewed and improved, curriculum, assessment, teacher development, mentoring, administration, and student welfare. Without this, we end up with many places to study but a shortage of professionalism and a lack of graduates who are truly robust. Sincerity, adab, and love for Islam are essential. But calling something an Alim course while compromising academic rigor is misleading and unfair to students and to the Ummah.

حُسن إلقاء الدرس حسب مستوى الطلاب وإتقانه كتبه لياقت زمان غفر له ولوالديه العلم يُنقل من حامله إلى غيره بقوة التعبير والبيان، وهذه القدرة قدّرها الله تعالى لبني آدم، كما ميّز بها أباهم آدم عليه السلام حين علّمه الأسماء كلها على مشهد من الملائكة، فاعترفوا بفضله وسلّموا بعجزهم. فقبول الإنسان للعلم أمر فطري، وهو مَلَكة مغروسة في ذاته، ولولا هذه النعمة، لكان الإنسان كغيره من المخلوقات، يعيش صراعًا بدائيًا مع السباع والحيوانات المفترسة. ولكن الله عز وجل أراد للإنسان أن يكون خليفته في الأرض، فوهبه هذه النعمة الجليلة، نعمة العلم والتلقي والفهم. إذا عرفنا أن الإنسان تميز عن غيره بقدرته على تلقي المعلومات من الخارج، فإن العقل السليم يأبى أن تُنقل هذه المعلومات بشكل عشوائي أو مبهم. بل لا بد من الترتيب، والتقسيم، والتفصيل، حتى تتكوّن في ذهن المتعلّم خريطة معرفية مترابطة، يسهل بها الفهم والحفظ والتطبيق. وقد رأينا أن الناس، منذ نشأتهم الأولى، كانوا يجمعون ما حولهم من معلومات، ثم ينقلونها جيلًا بعد جيل، ولم نشهد أي كائن من عالم الحيوان يقوم بهذا العمل الحضاري المعقّد. الناس في العلم على مراتب: منهم السابق المجتهد، ومنهم الزاهد القانع، ومنهم من اتخذ بين ذلك سبيلاً. ولكن طبيعة العلم تجعل العالم مسؤولًا عن تعليم الجاهل، فإن قصّر في ذلك لامه الناس. وهذا التعليم لا يكون نافعًا إلا إذا كان منظّمًا، متقنًا، ومتناسبًا مع حال المتعلم، لا عشوائيًا ولا متسرّعًا. المتعلم كمثل الطفل: يبدأ بالزحف، ثم يخطو خطوات، ثم يمشي، ثم يجري. ولو أُمر الطفل بالجري أولًا، لتعذّر عليه ذلك. وهكذا في طلب العلم: من لم يتدرّج، لم يثبت، ولم ينتفع. يبقى السؤال: كيف يتصوّر التعليم المتقَن؟ الجواب عنه سهل في القول، صعب في التطبيق. فالمصنّفون في كل فن من الفنون قد دوّنوا، وألفوا، وقسّموا، وسهّلوا، وجعلوا الكتب في متناول من أراد التدرج في طلب العلم. لكن المشكلة ليست في التنظير، بل في التطبيق العملي. ليس هناك برنامج واحد يسير عليه كل معلم بنفس الطريقة، والسبب يعود أحيانًا إلى شخصية المعلم، وأحيانًا إلى مستوى الطالب. فمثلًا، الطالب الذكي الفطن قد يفهم بالإشارة، ولا يحتاج إلى كثير شرح. أما الطالب الضعيف، فيحتاج إلى تبسيط، وشرح وافٍ، وتكرار، ومساعدة خارجية، حتى يرسخ عنده الفهم. من خلال تجربتي، أرى أن أسلوب المعلم في عرض الدرس سواء من حيث نبرة صوته، أو استخدامه للسبورة وألوان الأقلام، أو تكراره للشرح مرة أو أكثر، أو تقديم أمثلة تطبيقية تقرب المسألة لأذهان الطلاب، أو طرح أسئلة متنوعة لاختبار الفهم كل هذا يختلف اختلافًا كبيرًا بين المعلمين. وقد علم هذا من علمه، وجهله من جهله. الخلاصة: ما الذي نفتقده اليوم؟ لو سألني أحد: ماذا فقدت مدارسنا وجامعاتنا اليوم؟ لقلت: حُسن إلقاء الدرس حسب مستوى الطلاب وإتقانه. فأسلوب التدريس، وإن بدا أمرًا بسيطًا، إلا أنه الأساس الذي تبنى عليه العملية التعليمية، ولا ينبغي الغفلة عن أهميته أبدًا.

Ever wondered how Muftis develop the depth and precision behind their fatwas? Now you can take that same journey - join As-Suffa 's Iftaa Course a comprehensive 4-year programme covering Uqood Rasm Al-Mufti, selected Fatawa, and key classical Fiqh texts. Taught by Mufti Liaquat Zaman & guest scholars. As-Suffa Institute, Birmingham 🗓 Starts Wednesday 3rd September 🕣 7:30 PM Available online 💻 • Structured Learning: Dive deep into classical texts like Radd al-Muhtar year by year.. Interactive Components: Weekly Q&A sessions with detailed feedback. Regular Assignments: Sharpen your skills and track your progress throughout the year. Register now: https://as-suffa.org/education/iftaa-course/ Limited Spaces #AsSuffaEducation #IftaaCourse #HanafiFiqh #IslamicStudies #AdvancedFiqh

Good books for practicing Arabic https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HHTImU2EIA0R9fXkr9Z2ADaiUmvjUD2m

🎥 Meet Abdullah, our first-year Full Time Alimiyyah student! Watch as he speaks fluent Arabic after just one year on the course — a glimpse into what’s possible with dedication and the right guidance! 🌟 Interested in the Alimiyyah journey? Join us for our Full Time Alimiyyah Open Day 📅 Date: 23rd August 🕙 Time: 10AM 🔗 Register now: as-suffa.org/education/alimiyyah

For Karachi ppl! From the glory of just leadership to the pitfalls of greed and factionalism, Muslim history offers more than tales - it offers lessons. Perfection was never the goal; growth, repentance, and justice were. Join us as we cut through romanticised images and misconceptions to uncover the real stories, challenges, and triumphs of our past - and what they mean for us today. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫: Mufti Liaquat Zaman (Birmingham, UK) 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: Saturday, 16th August 2025 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐰: tlc.org.pk/rise-fall