Friday, May 20, 2011

Just Updating

Bi ismi Allah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim

Second week of short-sem and we have to cover 4 topics. To my amazement, I don't know whether it's me or my students for this sem are so good. After an hour and a half, I gave them a 20-minute breather...but they would rather stay in class and do their assignments...

My students for this sem are from diverse background...from the Arab countries, Northen Africa, to Mauritius, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore, Kyrgyzstan, Dark Continent of Africa, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and a girl who I don't know where she comes from...she just registered for my class and I haven't got time to chat with her yet...but she looks Caucasian; and of course Malaysians...and we are all Muslims...a true blend of various cultures...

Students of IIUM comes from more than 100 countries...when you are in IIUM, you feel that you are in a different zone...and when you are in the Mosque, you'll find out people praying to the same God but with subtle differences which sometimes become subject of gossips among those who like to criticize.

My students do not realize how I learn from them more compare to what they learn from me. Thank you my students. To my surprise, almost 100% of my students were, I don't know whether they were shocked or surprised or just amazed, gasping when they discovered that I don't watch TV...I own a TV set but we use it to watch selected movies, I haven't watch any movie for the past 1 year...we don't have an antennae or ASTRO...so no access to TV channels.

They started to ask questions on living without TV...It's like a very strange thing... and some of them wanted to interview and explore in-depth of living free of TV... ADUHAI... They think that I'm a strange person...a nice strange person... and it feels nice when they line-up to kiss my hand right after class...young women kissed the hand of their teacher after each sharing session...

Thank you for the experiences that I learn from you...I could conclude the changing culture and how it affects human behavior and styles of living... How I Love My students, my beautiful young ladies and gentlemen who are very eager to learn and very enthusiastic to promote true Islam which sometimes make them too rash...

The first Question they asked me this semester...

WE don't understand how can you teach us about Islam and you have no formal education in Islamic studies? Good question... it is really liberating when they respect you for being able to explain and make them understand in-depth the meaning of Qur'anic verses but without going through formal education in Islamic studies...

I said to them, learning is a religious obligation for every Muslim man and woman... meaning that if we don't learn, we will be punished... learning is from the cradle to the grave... and we can learn from different sources, formal or informal... the important thing is we understood....and understanding is a gift from Allah...and Allah gives it to those HE pleases...


Thank you Allah for giving me understanding...I pray that this will trickle down to my beloved children and my students...Amin, Ya Allah Ya Rahman Ya Alim...

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