Faisal Hassan

The reality about students, graduates, and learning institutes

Whenever I tell students to take responsibility for their learning, some may assume I have no criticisms of their learning institutes... So let me address this and say something about institutes and students that everyone needs to hear.

As a student, the shortcomings of your institute are not in your control. You're not in a position of authority to enforce any change, and trying to do so just gives you a bad look.

Any concerns you do have should be acknowledged, and addressed after you graduate... at a time you do have some influence and don't appear like a rebel undermining the institute.

The reality, however, is that even with the shortcomings of an institute, students still have the ability to excel in their studies. And it only takes one student in your institute to demonstrate this.

If one student from your institute can excel, then you have no excuse as it demonstrates it is possible.

The problem is that most students are lazy.

In most Islamic institutes, the students that graduate and actually have a passion for what they study probably make up 10% (and I'm being generous with the figure).

And this really is no different to a university setting:

In a university class of, say, fifty students, there are some who pass with a 50% grade across all their assignments; others 60%; others 70% or even 80% or 90%.

Not all students in the same class are at the same level, even if they all "graduate" from the same institute.

Some have a passion for what they study, and others simply don't. Some are lazy, and others are hardworking.

Some won't even pick up a book again after they graduate.

Now you tell me. Does that sound like a student, let alone an aspiring scholar??

No, it clear doesn't. Most graduates of Islamic institutes are not aspiring scholars, and anyone in an active state of learning will tell you the same.

Does that mean they wasted their time in the institute? Absolutely not.

Nobody who spent time studying Islamic knowledge has wasted their time. They've rather spent their time well, gained clarity on issues, and are more knowledgeable than the state they started in. May Allah reward them.

But there's a difference between learning and aspiring to be a scholar. Merely graduating from an institute alone doesn't make you a scholar, especially if you have no passion for what you're studying and never continue to seek knowledge thereafter.

And a title you receive doesn't change that.

I say this all from a place of both love and transparency.

But I sincerely believe that if students just studied properly and recognised they're the only ones who can control their learning, they'll be smashing it and take their learning more seriously. ❤️🙏

As a student, if you have a choice between blaming your institute or yourself, blame yourself.

Exceptional students are exceptional irrespective of their environment and circumstance. They simply put in the graft and get the job done.

- They don't need to look to others for motivation.

- They don't need to be forced to pick up a book and read independently.

By blaming yourself for your learning, you assign all responsibility to yourself. Your learning is now in your hands.

And if you really view your learning that way, you'll strive to do your best regardless of the shortcomings of others or even your institute. You can't scapegoat anyone. It's all you, my man! 💪

One of the ways to properly conceptualise God is through His Divine names.

As we find in the report of Abu Hurayrah: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "God has ninety-nine names; one short of one hundred. Whoever encompasses them shall enter Paradise." (Bukhari and Muslim)

What is interesting here is that there exists no authentic report from the Prophet (peace be upon him) listing what those ninety-nine names of God are - (which also explains why classical scholars differ on some of them). *

In other words, the goal in the prophetic hadith is to search for the ninety-nine names. Look for the ninety nine in the Quran and in how the Prophet (peace be upon him) described God in various reports, and you will find them.

This search is part of 'encompassing' the names.

'Encompassing' is not simply memorising them, but to truly understand and internalise the meanings. It is to recognise them and link them back to God in every single event in the universe.

Someone who is able to do that... Well, you can expect him to be a man of God who he is deserving of his station in Paradise. This man has a God-centered outlook on life, and that is a goal to which we all aspire. 🙏

__
* The popular list of ninety-night names is actually taken from a report in which the names are inserted by one of the narrators (i.e. idraj), and not from the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is based on the narrator's assessment for which he is rewarded, though classical scholars differ on some of the names listed.

What is the actual point of identifying purposes in Divine Law?

There are at least eight benefits in identifying purposes behind legislation.

Here, I present a summary from the scholar Sh. Ayman Saleh:

(1) It encourages the believer to practice what they are instructed -

either as a direct result of actually understanding the legislative purpose, or identifying the benefit it will have on them in this life and the next.

Humans are naturally inclined to practice what they understand (even though this is not a condition for following God's instructions as He is in a position of authority and is the absolute King).

(2) It allows the believer to implement the instruction exactly as it is intended.

E.g. the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited two people from speaking privately in a group of three. The reason for prohibition is not only to prevent the third from feeling left out, but to also prevent the suspicion that they are speaking ill of him, and to observe general etiquette.

Accordingly, this prohibition can also be extended to two people speaking in a language the third does not understand, as this carries the same consequence.

(3) Identifying the purpose leads to greater reward.

This increased reward can come from both (i) the acquisition of knowledge, and also (ii) seeking the intended purpose when performing the action, rather than just the action itself.
___

While the three benefits above apply to all believers, the following five are more relevant to the jurist:

(4) Knowing when to extend or restrict a ruling to other cases.

E.g. wine is prohibited due to intoxication, and this prohibition is extended to all intoxicating substances as they all share the quality of intoxication. On the other hand, if wine turns to vinegar, the quality of intoxication no longer exists and therefore does not share the same ruling.

(5) Revoking the ruling when the legal cause ceases to exist.

E.g. sewage water is impure and filthy, but once it is recycled (and returns to its original state), it becomes pure as the qualities of impurity are removed.

(6) Determining the exact meaning of a text - as legal causes and purposes can influence textual interpretation.

E.g. 'illness' is a concession allowing one to not fast in Ramadan. The reason for this concession is the difficulty this imposes on the fast, and therefore the 'illness', while unqualified in the text, refers to that which actually affects the fast in some way.

(7) Understanding the priority and hierarchy of laws.

This can be a result of how consistent the legal cause is found in law, and whether the ruling is intended intrinsically or serves another purpose (which is relevant when assessing the lesser of two harms, and determining the greater of two benefits).

(8) Understanding and appreciating both the overarching and particular goals (maqasid) of law.

This is relevant to understanding the broad philosophy of law, and is also applicable to non-textual issues (and what is known as Maslahah Mursalah).
_

While there is much more to say on each point (something I expanded on in my Usul course), I believe the above should suffice in highlighting the importance of legislative purposes (what jurists call 'ta'lil').

And of course, Allah knows best.