Khutbah: Advice to New Students
[revised]
[Our
Lifelong Search for Knowledge]
Arshad Gamiet/Royal
Holloway University of London /UK.
28th
September 2007.
“As-salámu 'alaikum
wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”
“A-úthu
billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.
Al hamdu
lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu
Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu
fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu
an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan
‘abduhoo warasooluh”
All Praise
is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness
from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our
own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone
who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that
there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness
that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.
Bismillahir
Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee
wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”
O You who
believe, - Fear Allah, as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.
Ya
Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum
a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad
faaza fawzan atheemaa.”
O You who
believe, - Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive
your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His prophet as a
guide, has already achieved a mighty victory…
My respected
Brothers and Sisters,
Our Holy
Prophet Muhammad sws, laid great emphasis on the quest for knowledge, and he
urged Muslims to ‘seek knowledge, from the cradle to the grave, and to seek
knowledge, even unto
China’.
There are
some new faces here today. I would therefore like to welcome all the new
students, and the non-students who have come to our Jum’ah for the first time.
You will find in the coming days and weeks, as we enjoy the blessings of
Ramadan, that we have a very special community at
Royal
Holloway University. Our community is a wide cross-section of the Muslim world,
it’s an Ummah in miniature. All our families have a close and caring
relationship towards each other, and towards our students.
Someone
described our community as the ‘Ansar’ or ‘helpers’ and the students as the
‘Muhajireen’ or ‘those who migrated.’ Just like those Ansar of Madina who helped
the Muhajireen of Makka during that momentous journey the
Hegira
of Prophet Muhammad sws. This marked the beginning of the Islamic Calendar.
In a way,
every student is also making a kind of
Hegira,
a migration, by travelling far from their homes and loved ones, in search of
knowledge. And at a much deeper level, those who go forth in search of knowledge
are making the
Hegira
or migration from ignorance towards Knowledge, towards Understanding and Wisdom.
This is a noble ambition that is very strongly encouraged in Islám. It was the
quest for knowledge, activated by The Holy Qur'án and the Prophetic Sunnah, that
transformed those desert nomads, our noble and illustrious ancestors, into the
leaders of a great civilization when most of
Europe
was gripped in superstition and darkness.
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, as you commence this great adventure of learning at
University, you must always be critically aware of any cultural bias in your
study material. The Euro-centric view is often found in subjects like History.
In its crudest form, it portrays the entire history of mankind is simply an
enlarged history of
Europe and
its Greek and Roman origins. Other civilisations are only considered in the way
they impinged on the history of West. For example, you may read that Christopher
Columbus ‘discovered’ America. It’s as if the red Indians, or ‘first nations,’
were there, just waiting to be ‘discovered’ by the Europeans! But really, the
truth is that Columbus was looking for India and he lost his way. The Native
Americans discovered him, and after they told him where he was, they
gave him some potatoes and tobacco and he returned home!
Be aware of
any subliminal messages and hidden agendas in your study material. Sometimes
unproven theories are presented as hard truths. If you are studying the natural
sciences, be mindful of the pervasive influence of Darwinism. There is today, a
lively debate between Creationists and Darwinists. You know, scientific theories
and assumptions are there to be questioned and challenged. Don’t take anything
at face value. Do engage with your tutors and fellow students in a healthy
intellectual discourse. This is what Universities are all about. Discussion and
debate, searching for Truth.
The Islamic
view is not anti-scientific. Islam encourages science and puts its work into
perspective. For example, the accepted modern scientific view of Creation is
that the whole universe, matter, energy, space and time began with a ‘big bang’
some 14 billion years ago. The theory is that everything began purely by a
chance, and it flatly denies the possibility of a Creator having brought things
to life as part of a deliberate plan.
If indeed
everything began with a ‘big bang’ then we Muslims know that this bang occurred
precisely between the Arabic letters,
Kaaf
and
Nuun:
“Kun!”
“Be!”
“fayakuun!”
and it “IS!” Alláh the Glorified and Exalted, tells us in The Holy Qur'án, in
the last 3 verses of Sura Yasin:
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem! “Awalaysal lathee khalaqas
sama wati wal arda biqaa dirin ‘alaa ay-yakh luka mith lahum. Balaa, wahuwal
khal-laaqul aleem!
Inna maa
amruhoo ithaa araada shay-an Ay-yaqoola lahum, Kun! Fayakuun! Fasoob’ haanal
lathee biyadihee malakootu kulli shay-in wa ilayhi tur-ja’oon.”
“Is not
He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like thereof? Yes,
indeed! For He is the Creator Supreme, of infinite skill and knowledge! Truly,
when He intends a thing, His Command is: “BE” and it IS! So Glory to Him in
Whose hands is the dominion of all things, and to Him will you all be brought
back.”
Here in
these beautiful and eloquent verses from the heart of the Holy Qur'án, we
discover the simple truth about the beginning and the end of everything. I
promise you, if you take all the scientific theories and lay them side by side
with the Quranic view of Creation. You will not find a simpler, more logical and
rational explanation. The idea that the infinite, marvelous complexity of the
universe, all began by chance, by a random collision of matter, is very
difficult to accept. All the complex laws of phyics, of motion and gravity, of
chemistry and genetics, they are so finely balanced. Living cells have such an
intricate design, that they simply cannot have come into existence by chance.
After many years of study, research and reflection, the famous British
astronomer and mathematician, Fred Hoyle, came to this conclusion. He said that
if you can believe that everything began by chance, without a Creator,
then it’s like saying that a tornado can rip its way through a junk-yard, and it
assembles a complete Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, as it moves away. If you can believe
that, then you can believe anything!
[Pause]
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, I do hope you will enjoy your learning adventure.
Remember, as Muslims and Believers, you will have a great advantage over others.
You have a spiritual dimension, which informs your search for knowledge,
and gives it a context and meaning. Whether you are studying Petroleum Geology
or Mathematics, Computer encryption or Medieval History, Astronomy or
Management, you are really exploring Alláh’s wonderful world, in order to make a
positive contribution to humankind. Remember always, that with every step you
take on this exciting journey, with every new idea that swims into your mental
horizon, you should say,
Sub-haanalah, Alhamdu lillah, Allahu Akbar!
Glory to Alláh, Praise Alláh, Alláh is the Greatest! When your
colleagues say, Wow! It’s only their way of saying,
Allahu Akbar!
Allah is Great! But they don’t know it yet. All beneficial knowledge
comes from Alláh, because we live in a purposive universe. Alláh has
created everything for a purpose. Remember that every time you learn something
new and useful, Alláh has lifted a veil, and uncovered another sign or
Ayaat
for you, from his wonderful unwritten Qur'án, which is the world of Nature.
Verse 190 of
Sura Al-‘Imraan
makes this very clear:
“Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem! Inna fee khalqis samaa waati wal ardi, Wakhtila
fil layli wan-hah-haari, la-aayaatil li-oolil albaab. Al-latheena
yath-kuroonal-laaha qiyaamaw waqu-oodaw wa ‘alaa junoobi him wayata fak-karoona
fee khalqis samaa waati wal ard, Rabbanaa maa khalaqta haa-thaa baatilan,
Soob’haanaka, faqinaa athaaban naar.”
“Behold! In
the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and
day, there are indeed signs, for men of understanding. Men who celebrate the
praises of Alláh, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and
contemplate the wonders of creation in the heavens and the earth, with the
thought: Our Lord! Not for nothing have you created all this! Glory to You! Save
us from the penalty of the fire!
. “Alhamdu
lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen.
Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-yee, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een.
Ammaa ba’ad:
Innalláha wa
malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli
mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta
ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, wa alaa áli
Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka
hameedun majeed.”
Part Two:
Sub'
hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual
theem.
"All
glory is for Allah, and all praise is for Allah; There is no power and no
strength except with Allah."
Dear
Brothers and Sisters,
There are 2
kinds of university. Royal Holloway belongs to the first kind, where you
formally enrol to study and your hard work is rewarded by a Degree or a
Doctorate. This kind of university is something you can choose to enter or not.
The other
kind of university is the University of life. This is where we all acquire our
informal, or non-formal education, which can be as important as any
formal degree or doctorate. We all have to pass through this one, we have
no choice in the matter, and the main section is the Faculty Hard Knocks, which
you can also call the Department of Distress and Endurance. All of the most
distinguished human beings, the Prophets, the Sages, the Friends of Alláh and
great leaders of history have graduated from this department.
How well we
do depends on our preparation. Are we equipped, physically, emotionally and
spiritually, for the
University
of Life?
Studying
Islam through the Holy Quran and Prophetic Sunnah, reading widely and even
listening to this khutbah is part of our course material. The
University
of Life offers a long course, it’s literally life-long learning.
These 2
kinds of university are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they compliment and
reinforce each other.... Your formal university should be an extension of your
university of life, and vice versa. When our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws urged
his followers to seek knowledge he was not just talking of formal education, as
we know it today. In Islám, there is no artificial barrier between formal and
informal learning, just as there is no artificial barrier between secular and
sacred learning. All useful knowledge is from Allah. If you pursue knowledge
that leads to a better understanding of God’s wonderful creation, and you use
that knowledge for the benefit of humankind, you are given a very high status.
Listen to what the Holy Prophet Muhammad sws had to say about those who seek
knowledge:
[ Mu'ath
bin Jabal narrated that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: ]
“Acquire
knowledge, for surely it leads to awareness of Alláh. Seeking it is an act of
worship; studying it is praising Allah; seeking it is jihad; teaching it to
whomever doesn't known it is an act of charity and giving it to its people draws
one closer to them. Knowledge points to what is permissible and the forbidden;
and it is a shining light pointing the way to
Paradise. It
comforts the lonely, it befriends the stranger, and it talks to you in
seclusion. It is a guide through prosperity and adversity; it is a weapon
against enemies; and it is the best of friends. With knowledge, Alláh raises
people to high stations, making them leaders in goodness, whose steps are
followed. Their example is emulated, their opinion valued. The angels like to
sit with the people of knowledge, surrounding their wings; and everything dry or
wet, -fish of the sea and animals on land, - will ask Allah to forgive them. [I
really like this part, so I’ll repeat it] The angels like to sit with the people
of knowledge, surrounding their wings; and everything dry or wet, -fish of the
sea and animals on land, - will ask Allah to forgive them!
Knowledge
gives life to the heart in the midst of ignorance, and illuminates vision in the
darkness. With knowledge, God's servants become the elite and reach the highest
degrees in this life and in the life to come. Contemplation with knowledge is
equivalent to fasting; spending time to study it is equivalent to standing at
night in prayer; duties to relatives are fulfilled by it; and through it
permissible and forbidden things are known. Knowledge precedes action and action
always follows it. The fortunate ones attain it and the miserable ones are
deprived of it.”
These
beautiful words concerning Knowledge came from the unlettered Prophet Muhammad,
may Allah’s peace and blessings be on him. What a beautiful and inspiring
speech! My dear brothers and sisters, I sincerely hope that you will pursue your
lifelong quest for knowledge, in the true Islamic spirit of seeking to please
Alláh, glorifying His name, and serving all His creatures with love and
compassion. Make it your main goal, to seek and find Alláh’s good pleasure, and
consider your work, your career, and even your leisure time as simply the
practical way in which you have chosen to do this. Whatever you do, make sure
that the material things and creature comforts do not become your main concern.
If by Alláh’s grace, you will earn a high salary, you enjoy a comfortable home
and drive a nice car, make sure you keep them all at arm's length. Do not hold
them close to your heart. Let these material things, all those gadgets and
gizmos, take them as the by-products of serving Alláh. It should never become
your main agenda. Remember that Allah is the Landlord, and we are his tenants.
All he wants for rent is for us to acknowledge Him and say to, Thank You. That’s
all. And yet, for some of us, saying thank you to Allah seems to be the most
difficult thing……
Let us try
to be like those wonderful human beings, our noble and illustrious predecessors,
who pursued knowledge with energy and passion, who became the intellectual
giants of their age, but they never lost sight of their Faith.
To mention a
few examples, people like
