Keeping Faith Front and Center

Islamic tradition places the knowledge of God at the forefront in the pursuit of education. It further delineates a clear pathway to achieve this objective through the character and example of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. But what does this mean in the current North American context? Wouldn’t following this literally limit us in pursuing secular and other worldly knowledge? As a parent, guardian or care taker, how do I keep this intention and purpose alive and integral in the lives of children without compromising on their intellectual/academic pursuits? 

Primacy of Knowledge

In order to answer these questions, we have to first understand three things;

  1. The origin and source of all knowledge is God
  2. The science of adab teaches us how to interact with and use every type of knowledge
  3. Practicing that knowledge allows us to derive benefit from it, for ourselves and or others 

The answer to the first question is clear and simple- we are not commanded to limit our pursuit to revealed knowledge alone, in fact we are commanded to pursue various sources of knowledge, worldly and sacred, revealed and experienced as all knowledge is knowledge of God. Islamic history and tradition bears witness to this commitment as the birth of the Renaissance is directly inspired by the Golden Age of the Muslims. When we understand knowledge through this lens, we realize that prioritizing this purpose for our children’s education does not jeopardize their intellectual and worldly growth. In fact, it is when we ignore this purpose, that their growth (intellectual and spiritual) is endangered and their character development at risk.  Answering the second question requires some elaboration though. And it begins with understanding that the pursuit of education begins with the adab of education. Absent this, our children begin their journey that is inherently deficient and inadequate. 

In modern context, knowledge is organized under a wide umbrella of specialized sciences (i.e. a compilation of ideas, thoughts, concepts, experiences recorded over a period of time and categorized under a specific subject matter). Knowledge has multifurcated into an enormous tree whose branches have grown so far and wide that a connection to its roots and origin seem to have gotten lost over time. Restoring this connection is essential to this pursuit and must be integral to the choices we make every step along the way. Secondarily, teaching the appropriate method of how to interact with any given knowledge (adab) is key to character development, intellectual growth and fulfillment of human potential. Educational institutions don’t just teach our children knowledge, the type of knowledge they impart instills in them the value and importance of knowledge that matters and holds merit. So if sacred knowledge or knowledge of God is completely absent from this process, so is the value and importance of that type of knowledge.  

Human Faculties & Potential

The human being is inherently gifted with certain faculties that deserve preservation, development and growth. According to Imam Fakhr Al-din al Razi, a human being is born with two faculties, the theoretical and the practical. The theoretical faculty is comprised of two primary sources of knowledge, divine and sensory perception. While the practical faculty involves action through experience and development of human character. Al Razi considered the composition of human essence to be its soul and believed that the two faculties can be perfected only through the capacity of the soul. The Islamic tradition and worldview also places great emphasis on the preservation and refinement of the human soul. It further holds that all other faculties are interconnected and rely on this faculty to help the human being fully realize its gifts and capacities. The Quran is therefore a primary source that can be accessed for theoretical knowledge in addition to sensory perception. Concomitantly, Prophetic character is the epitome of practical knowledge that can help refine and perfect good character in a human being. Everything else flows from and comes after establishing this as a fundamental. 

Modern modes of education are devoid of these two fundamentals in the pursuit of education. Development of human character through active acknowledgment and refinement of the human soul is almost a non-existent concept in modern education, even in faith based schools. The focus of “modern” and secular education is and remains how to derive worldly benefit from the sensory perception knowledge available to us at hand. Precisely due to this, children do not naturally develop a holistic worldview which places God at the center of their life. The absence of this primal connection to divine knowledge is treated as an afterthought. Parents step in to fill the gap but face great challenges in reconciling between the two worldviews. A duality and conflict eventually emerges in our children’s mind because the worldview they are developing at school may not align with the moral, and ethical standards that are inspired by faith. In fact, many of those standards are at odds with each other and when presented with the choice, our kids gravitate towards the view they are more familiar with and have grown accustomed to on a day to day basis. It is natural for them to incline towards what sounds and looks familiar and not necessarily what is ethical, moral or correct. Their minds are never trained to discern between truth and falsehood. Rather, they simply become subjective recipients who must learn and specialize in knowledge of the worldly sciences so they can get “good jobs” and climb higher on the ladder of socio economic status. 

A Holistic Worldview

The dominant worldview our kids are exposed to at most schools is not a holistic view but rather that of an ever evolving and precarious social environment. Even in Islamic schools where faith should be front and center, it is instead an addendum that’s added to a child’s day via an Islamic studies class. It’s a place that looks and feels “Muslim” but does not embody nor reflect ideals of high moral/ethical character. That’s how our children’s frame of reference is being developed and over time, it only solidifies its foothold on the mind and heart. As the children mature into adulthood, they may cast doubt on the “old”, and dated version of faith. Their default is not to connect back to their roots or critically think about their precepts but rather, adopt the easier of the two worldviews to retain a “normal” American identity. Instead of engaging with and trying to understand the Islamic worldview, they may stand in front of it, blocking the very light that can help guide their way. Instead, what they experience and witness is a shadow that looks familiar but appears dark and shapeless, lacking any color, life, vibrancy, beauty and rigor. That’s why where our kids “stand” with their faith matters- physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. When they are young, this is our responsibility. As their “standing” may determine whether they are obstructing the light of faith or can build the capacity to reflect it. 

A Sacred Trust & Responsibility

Something I have observed in all children(as a parent and an educator of over a decade), even those not born into Muslim households is the desire and gravitation towards their fitra (primordial nature to know and understand God through discovering the natural world). Children are not just naturally curious about exploring their environments but also seem interested in understanding the “why”, the purpose for why things are the way they are. They gravitate towards finding meaning and purpose for things. They heavily rely on the environment and the people within those environments to help make sense of their curiosity and questions. The answers they find and receive begin to shape their ideas about right and wrong/ good or bad. They also express (even if in limited capacity) things they are naturally interested in and want to be around. We as parents don’t always do a good job “listening” to their cues. Our hearing is oftentimes biased or coloured by our own expectations for them. This is not easy for any parent to do (Muslim or not) but it is something we cannot and should not ignore. It is one of the keys to helping our children find their true potential in life. It is a part of our sacred trust and responsibility as parents and in the truest sense of the word “guardians”. 

The bare minimum we must do as parents is to ensure that we are not obstructing the light of faith from reaching our children. So when we choose the “elite” private school over an Islamic school or homeschooling, or blended education models like that of Sanad Prep, we may be standing in the way of faith reaching our children. And although we feel good about sending them to the occasional Sunday school or after-school program, it will not meet the bar to help develop a sound, strong and holistic identity in our children. Blunt and outright, it is our responsibility to bring the light of faith into their lives through an active and living force on a daily basis. Are we doing that for our children? Are we doing that for ourselves? Are we ignoring the institutions that are right in front of us because of our personal biases, lifestyle choices, class status and entertainment priorities? Are we accepting the invitation to prioritize faith and preserve the best of what our children have the capacity to develop; i.e knowledge of God. 

If we ignore the first two fundamentals (the source of all knowledge and the method of how to interact with it, i.e adab), practice alone bereft knowledge of its essence and its meaning. The choice is not simply between academic/worldly success and faith, but rather a life devoid of meaning, or one with meaning. So, how do we help keep faith front and center in our children’s lives? The answer is not as complicated as we make it sometimes. It is by putting faith front and center in our lives and in the lives of our children. It is by accepting the invitation to do good, when the opportunity presents itself. It is to remove our biases and choose for the reasons that are worthy and truly matter. It is by asking ourselves what our choices reflect about our views and our priorities. The choice is in our hands, not our children. May God give us the capacity to choose wisely and prioritize that which is everlasting and true over that which is temporary and fleeting. Aameen. 

More than a billion people across the world unite in intention and spirit to observe a single act of worship for an entire month – Fasting in the blessed month of Ramadan. Similar in many ways to the other pillars of Islam, its performance transcends boundaries of race, color, age, gender, language, ethnicity, and even geography. And different in other ways as Allah singles out this act of worship just for Himself and informs us that its reward is reserved with Allah alone. It is a very special time of the year! 

Every year, before Ramadan begins, I reflect on my life and think about the state of my heart and where I think it may stand with God. I think about my family and those closest to me, and where I may stand in their life. I also think about my personal and professional purposes and where I stand in relation to their function and their fruition. It’s a weighty exercise that I don’t take lightly but I must admit, it leaves me feeling lighter than I felt the entire year prior to that moment. In all of the hustle and bustle of life, it’s a moment of stillness that somehow renews me from the inside out. And what moves in after this stillness is a state where my heart finds rest.  Strangely, I kept running into the following ayah of the Quran after my reflection so  I took it as a sign to let it be my inspiration for this month and setting the tone of my heart.  

“ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ”

(Quran 13:28)

“Such are the ones who believe (in the message of the Prophet) and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in Allah’s remembrance do hearts find rest.” 

— Tafheem-ul-Quran – Abul Ala Maududi

As I read further and reflected more on this ayah, I wondered why my heart didn’t always find this rest, despite the presence of remembrance on the tongue. I wondered why a reflection about my life and those within it led to my heart finding rest although the act itself didn’t look like “worship”.  I wondered about my disconnect in my ritual acts of worship and what I needed to do to find the same peace within my ritual acts of worship as well. I wondered about my inconsistent connection with the Prophet peace be upon him, as he is mentioned in this verse as the vessel for God’s message. And I also wondered if I was alone in feeling the way I was. As I shared some of this with my friends, I realized I was not alone. I’m sharing below some of the lessons I learned through this process of reflection, reading, and contemplation. 

According to the commentary of this ayah by Sahl at-Tustari, the remembrance (dhikr) of God can only come to a person through having access to knowledge of God, and one of the ways the hearts find rest (sukoon) is through the intellect, i.e reflecting upon the meaning of this remembrance (knowledge of God). When Al Tustari was asked how is this so? He replied “If a servant is maintaining [true] obedience to God, he will be in a state of remembrance (dhākir), but when something occurs to his mind, he will be in a state of severance (qāṭiʿ) [from God]. If he is involved in an act [motivated by] his lower self, and something comes to his heart that guides him to remembrance and obedience, this is the role played by the intellect (mawḍiʿ al-ʿaql).”  So a person who believes will be inclined to this remembrance of God but a distraction can sever this connection and break up its continuity. This is natural. But what brings him/her back is the intellect that can reflect and ultimately return to remembrance. This explanation made it clear that remembrance and reflection are not the same things. The intellect plays a pivotal role in keeping the self obedient in the ritual acts of worship. When remembrance is pursued with deliberation and reflection, it results in what the Quran calls “itminaan” a complete sense of serenity and peace. It’s as if to say, word and act (intention and action) become the same. So if one becomes heedless of this reflection, the heart may not find its way back to this state of rest and instead may become agitated and anxious. 

The antidote then is not to distract and busy oneself further by simply “doing” things but rather stop and return to this reflection so we can find our way back to God. This exercise allows our intentions and actions to once again find unison with the pleasure of God. Without it, our actions alone may not amount to anything except repetitive motions of exercise and our intentions alone may cause more harm than benefit to ourselves and others. So when we ask ourselves why the heart is not finding rest, the answer is no longer a complex mystery but rather an indication to reflect on what is connected to our remembrance. Is it Allah? And the way of his messenger peace be upon him or something else? 

This ayah also reminded me of a very famous hadith Qudsi that states 

“ Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah Almighty said: O son of Adam, if you remember Me in solitude, I will remember you in solitude. If you remember Me in a gathering, I will remember you in a gathering greater than the one in which you remembered Me.” – Recorded in Al-Suyuti

This hadith adds a whole new dimension to understanding the remembrance of God. Not only are we promised peace but told that when we remember Allah, He remembers us in a gathering that is better. Even if we put aside the deeper interpretation of this hadith Qudsi, the mere fact that our remembrance is reciprocated in some shape and form is an incredible idea. It reminds us that we are not passive participants in a ritual of worship but rather receive God’s active attention when we turn to Him. This hadith and ayah perfectly tie together the meaning of remembering God. My heart finds rest because, at that moment, it finds God and acknowledges His presence in the movement of my life. It is not just my heart that leads me back to Him, but also my intellect that thinks actively about itself and its relation to everything else that exists around it. The intellect (knowledge of God) locates the door, the heart (sincere intention) has the key to opening it and the remembrance of God (which manifests through obedience in action) is walking through it. All must be present to “feel” the presence of God. So that hearts can find rest.  

Instead of getting disheartened by our disconnect and getting more anxious through it, we can return to the state of rest by simply returning to His remembrance that flows from an active acknowledgment of God. We can reflect on His attributes and the role God’s blessings play every day and in every moment, even in the very act of breathing. We can find solace in the thought that in every moment, we have the opportunity to return to God through remembrance while knowing that the very thought is the return back to God.  


Our deliberate acts of reflection are our pathways to finding meaning and value in life. They help turn our passive acts into active ones, where we are no longer worshiping just for its sake but become worthy of God’s active attention. They are conduits whose ebb and flow reaffirm our faith and belief in our creator. And the more one can connect the path of remembrance to reflection, the clearer it becomes that those paths are the same and one. The duality of the path is as present as the duality in our presence of heart. And even if we cannot attain a continuous unity, we ask God to help us return to a state of rest, after every distraction. Aameen.

A few weeks ago, we featured an article that introduced the concept of Adab as a science and we received positive feedback as well as interest in further exploration of this topic. So in this issue, we discuss why we believe that Adab is in fact a science and a very significant one in the dialogue of education. But in order to arrive at that point, we have to share some background that clarifies the need for this revived model first. Hence, we will briefly discuss the break of primary educational systems from religion (in North America), and explore some of the symptoms and underlying causes facing these educational institutions post-religious separation. We will also discuss why the religious and parochial schools may be falling short despite the name and presence of faith attached to them. And finally, propose how the science of adab can be one possible solution to addressing many of the current issues in the primary educational arena.   

Understanding the Problem

Education plays a pivotal role in the healthy development and well-being of communities. In fact, it can be argued that the very purpose of education is to produce human beings who can positively contribute to the wellbeing and betterment of society as a whole. So the question then becomes, are educational institutions set up to meet this objective? Produce human beings who can positively contribute to the wellbeing and betterment of society as a whole. 

In an ideal world, where all things were equal and there was no discrepancy between access to high-quality curriculum, good schools, and plenty of resources, would the educational institutions produce such a human being? We do not live in an ideal world where all children have access to this type of education but many do. In fact, millions of children in the US do have access to such standards yet the institutions that educate them do not always meet this objective. Why? Many of our educational institutions (including the ones in wealthy and “safe” neighborhoods) are getting crippled by gun violence, mental health crisis, drug abuse, identity crisis, virtual bullying, addiction to gaming, unhealthy usage and attachment to social media, anxiety, depression, and suicide just to name a few. Despite having access to rigorous educational institutions, accessibility to state-of-the-art furnishings, and plenty of resources at their disposal, why are our institutions still failing? Perhaps a more appropriate question could be, why are WE (who design, run, and operate those very institutions) falling short? What is plaguing our youth and claiming their lives and well-being even more adversely than an actual global pandemic?(*Note: The entire blame of failure certainly can’t be shouldered by educational institutions alone. Socio-economic, political, cultural, and familial paradigms play an important role contributing to the overall negative impact. The purpose of this article is to focus on educational institutions and by extension their role in improving and inhibiting positive prospects.) 

Looking at the Underlying Cause

It behooves us as a society to deliberate and think about this question deeply. It is even a greater responsibility to not ignore the symptoms, which are the underlying cause of these very problems. Having worked with children from KG to 12th grade over the past decade, I can confidently tell you that it’s not all about the resources and furnishings. It’s certainly not all about the wealth and accessibility to elite education, either. There is so much more happening in the hearts and minds of our children than just interaction with an advanced curriculum or high academic standards of learning. What if I said that the solution is not in more but in less. It takes less than fancy science and technology labs. It takes less than bright open windows, large classrooms, and top-notch STEM, Arts, Music, Debate, and Drama clubs. Just to be clear, by stating this, I’m not advocating the removal of these privileges from our children. No, absolutely not. All of these things are very important in the process of education. But once they are in place, they actually become secondary to the process of education. They can provide the tools that can create a catalyst in the process of education but they are not the primary driver and function of education. So what does it take then, if not all of these things? Let me tell you about a dinner party I attended a few days ago that impacted me deeply. 

My husband and I drove (he did the driving:) for an hour to Parkland, Florida to attend a party organized by some esteemed community members on behalf of TCF (The Citizens Foundation). Their mission is to provide access to high-quality education to impoverished children in Pakistan. The cause is noble, TCF’s reputation impeccable and their impact significant. In full disclosure, I am a supporter of their work. As I sat through the deeply moving stories shared by board members and previous executives, I could not help but think about our own mission at Sanad Trust Foundation. And I felt that there were a lot of similarities between their work and ours. Allow me to explain why. TCF is providing access to children whose barrier to education is primarily poverty (not enough money and resources to pay for a good education) among others. TCF addresses that by giving free access to high-quality education to these children. And most of the children thrive, as we saw and heard story after story describing their successes. The rest of the evening is spent eating, networking, and socializing with the wonderful and generous individuals at the dinner but my heart is captivated by the connection between TCF and the work of STF, which is different but shared nevertheless. I realized what is shared through thinking about a very famous model in psychology, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.     

Now attributed to the western scholar Maslow but originally discussed and explained by a 10th-century scholar Ibn Sina (also called Avicenna in the western spheres) the hierarchy of needs.1 The model is well known and is a timeless representation that can shed light on uncovering this mystery. At the bottom of the triangle sits the physiological needs (food, clothing, shelter, safety, and security). When these needs are unmet, they become the focus and attention of our lives. There is just not enough time or space to address the higher needs on the hierarchy. For the children being served by TCF in Pakistan, these children sit at the bottom of the pyramid and they use education as a way to climb out of the bottom pit. They are almost instantaneously transformed by the possibility and hope of having a better life, which actually becomes their driving force and purpose. Not only that, they do not struggle to understand the urgency of making an effort on their part to make this work. But what happens when these needs are met for children? Do the children automatically move up the ladder to self-actualization? Do the children at the middle of the pyramid automatically find purpose, motivation, and meaning through their education? What are the needs of OUR CHILDREN who are already living a life of privilege at the second stage of the hierarchy? How are their social, emotional, spiritual, and psychological needs being met? Are they getting fulfilled by a source that may be in conflict with our own value and belief system? Are we and our existing institutions designed to help meet those needs adequately?  

The middle of the pyramid outlines the psychological needs of a person, those of belongingness, love, and esteem. These needs are met through the environment, the influence of the social construct surrounding our children, the relationships (especially those with friends) they build, the emotional attachments they develop, the things they place value and meaning in, and the people and sources they trust. This part of the pyramid gets heavy and gets complicated. There is an implicit expectation by parents that since we are the source of helping fulfill the basic (physiological) needs of our children, their psychological needs for belongingness, love, and esteem are also being fulfilled automatically by us as parents. This is not always the case and certainly not true for helping our children define their purpose, meaning, and value in life. Moreover, as the hierarchy points out at this stage, a sense of esteem, love, belongingness, and companionship are top of mind and top of priority for an individual. This is when priorities are rearranged, values challenged and faith tested. I believe that without the science of adab (and highly trained Coaches of this science that can help students acquire, apply and transmit that knowledge 2), our children will not gain access to the tools they need to navigate the unexpected and often emotionally and spiritually precarious terrain they will tread at this stage.  This is where the forgotten science of Adab comes in.    

The Unpropitious Consequence

Most educational institutions in the current US system are not set up to address the faculties of the heart and soul ( emotional, spiritual, and psychological well being of a child). This was one direct impact of the deliberate decision to separate Church from State but one without thinking through the adverse consequences of such a drastic change on the children. Religion began to be labeled as a hindrance, limitation, roadblock, personal matter and choice, a threat to innovation and progress, and a lot more… It became the scapegoat which could be blamed for the problems and challenges that were facing the society at that moment in time so removing it altogether from the public arena seemed like the most obvious solution. I know I’m generalizing here as it was much more complex. Nevertheless, this was a part of the overall historical context. Slowly but surely, faith was stripped away from all spheres of primary education and was replaced by the ideals of secularization, capitalism, consumerism, democracy, and modernity. If you are thinking that the change instituted went from a rigid prescription of one dominant interpretation of faith to absolutely no faith, you would be wrong. Faith was still palpable and real, it was just replaced and redirected towards concepts mentioned above, secularization, capitalism, consumerisms, democracy, and modernity. When faith is hijacked by political ambitions, bad things result. When faith is altogether removed from the public discourse, nothing good can result. Both represented in some form a polarity of extremes. The cost of this negligence is just starting to surface in the forms of many of the challenges listed above.  

Are Religious and Parochial Schools Meeting The Objective Of Education?

A fair question at this point can be raised: Aren’t religious and parochial schools meeting this objective already? Although religious schools emerged with the intention to keep faith front and center for the children, they ended by duplicating the public and private school models and adding a religious class to fill the gap for “faith”. This duplication is problematic at many levels, which cannot be explored here but the primary reason is what I call “sectarianism of sciences”. Instead of creating a holistic model that met the noble objective of education, a model was simply duplicated with an addendum for faith-based instruction. What resulted was many similar issues and challenges emerging in the religious schools just like public and private schools, except the students, were now surrounded by each other sharing the same faith, or lack thereof. 

A Possible Solution

The advent of secularization and divorce of religion from state in the western world has led to many unintended adverse consequences, especially in the field of education. One such unpropitious result has been the negligence of addressing the human heart, soul, and spirit which works in conjunction with the intellect and the mind. The Islamic worldview does not divorce the mind and the heart, nor the intellect from the soul as separate faculties. It views them as congruent, interconnected, and inter-relational. Each faculty actively interacts together to form a complete reality of the human being and the human experience. Islamic worldview addresses mankind as a whole, speaking to all of its faculties; rationale (of reason), intellectual (of cognition and mind), emotional (of the heart), spiritual (of the soul), and psychological (of the psyche or conscientiousness). Inclusive and comprehensive to all of these faculties is the concept of Adab. Adab as I was taught and am still learning to this day is so much more than just respect, manners or “obedience”. Adab is a science that helps us see the place of things (of the material and non-material in their essence and true form of reality). My thoughts have been deeply influenced by many traditional and contemporary scholars and poets but the foremost on this subject has been the contemporary scholar Naqib Al Attas who explains the concept of Adab similarly. In particular, the framework for the Science of Adab below is directly influenced by his work “The concept of education in Islam”3. Al Attas discusses adab, and many other concepts extensively in his dialogue, while explaining the purpose and goal of education. What I have extrapolated here is 3 primary points of discussion from his writing and have proposed a framework around those key ideas.  

I certainly do not have all of the answers or solutions to these difficult questions. But I have witnessed and experienced a positive and transformational change in the lives of many children and families through a solution over the past decade. The solution, however, requires time, hard work, patience, deliberation, and commitment from the beneficiary as well as the service provider. What is being proposed here is not simply a theory. It is an actual effort that has worked for a decade and is supported by data exhibiting the model’s effectiveness, reliability, and credibility. It takes adab to give our children the best chance to be inspired, to be motivated, and to work towards their full human potential. Applying the science of adab as an integral framework of an educational model can help us achieve the noble objective of education, to produce human beings who can positively contribute to the wellbeing and betterment of society as a whole. Below, I am sharing a very basic framework, which outlines the skeleton for the science of Adab. In a future issue, the framework will be explored in more detail, including the explanation and implications of each section and its inner workings with concrete examples and potential case studies.  

I have divided the framework of the Science of Adab into three main sections as inspired by Al Attas’s writings on the concept of education in Islam. The demarcation of these points as a consideration to define the science of adab is mine, thus any limitations in this initial stage are attributed to me alone as well and not to Al Attas. The trivium I’m proposing that encapsulates the science of adab includes 1. Qudra (Faculty), 2. Ma’na (Meaning), and 3. Tahqiq (Actualization).What is being shared here in the form of a 3 point model is after a lot of deliberation, thought and conglomeration of a myriad of concepts through the academic, religious and experiential knowledge and training of a decade. Each section is organized the same way by posing a question, stating a response and finding a direct connection of the two to an Islamic principle or explanation.  

  1. What faculty gives us the ability and capacity to understand, recognize and acknowledge something? The faculties of reason, intellect, mind, heart, and soul
    1. Souls took a covenant with God: “Allastu bi rabbikum” & “bala”
  2. What formulates the shape and form of reality as we experience it as human beings?  Knowledge is made manifest and taught by virtue of its relative place and meaning 
    1. Adam learned the name of things: “And He taught Adam the names – all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, “Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful.” (Quran 2:31)
  3. What makes it possible to achieve the objective of education? Adab actualized is Education realized
    1. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said: “My Lord educated me and made my education most excellent”. اَدﱠﺑَﻧِﻲ رَﺑِّﻲ ﻓَﺎَﺣْﺳَنَ ﺗَﺎْدِﯾﺑِﻲ
References
  1. Yaqeen Institute & Stanford Muslim Mental Health Lab. “Therapy a Millennia Before Modern Psychology | Holistic Healing Series.” yaqeeninstitute.org. 15 December, 2020, https://yaqeeninstitute.org/rania-awaad/therapy-a-millennia-before-modern-psychology-holistic-healing-series.
  2. Rehan Mirza’s conception for implementing Habib Omar’s trivium of Ilm, tazkiya and dawah.
  3. Al Attas, Muhammad Naquib Syed. The Concept of Education in Islam: A framework for an Islamic philosophy of Education. Kuala Lumpur, Ta’dib international, 2018 (first published in 1980).
EndNotes:
  1. For a more detailed study and exploration, see further Dr. Rania Awad’s research on Islamic psychology and the Muslim scholars and their contributions to the field of psychology pre-western era available through Stanford Muslim Mental Health Lab.  
  2. Rehan Mirza’s conception for a model of Education at Sanad Prep is inspired by Habib Omar Bin Hafizdh’s trivium of ilm, tazkiyah, and dawah. Rehan Mirza developed the Sanad Prep model informed by the understanding of the trivium as the acquisition of knowledge, application of knowledge, and transmission of knowledge. He is the Founding Executive director of Sanad Trust Foundation and regularly publishes articles through the Sanad Trust blog at www.sanadtrust.org. 
  3. Amongst the foremost traditional scholars behind the inspiration of my thoughts and ideas include the works of Imam Ghazali, Imam Abdullah bin Alawi Al Haddaad, Imam Nawawi, and Ibn Arab amongst many others. Some poets whose work has inspired me deeply include Maulana Rumi, Allama Iqbal, and Khalil Gibran. Contemporary scholars whose writing, works and contributions have helped me understand the place of my own thoughts include Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad, Imam Zaid Shakir, Habib Omar bin Hafidh, Habib Kadhim, Shayk Ibrahim Osi efa, Shaykh Hamza Yousef, Dr. Rania Awad and others.   
Interview and introductions by Attiqa Syeda | Interviewee: Amarah Ali

If 1.2 billion people gathered on a mountain and repeated in unison “La ilaha illallah Muhammadur RasoolAllah ”… the echo would travel for miles and shake everything in its path. Although this is a powerful thought, it is unlikely to happen in reality. The essence of this witnessing, however, is real. Billions of people around the globe testify to this truth, and choose Islam as their faith and the example of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him as a way of life. Amongst the 1.2 billion people, two of us were sitting in a virtual meeting taking in this grandiose idea and trying to wrap our heads around its magnanimity. The conversation had become deeply philosophical in nature and I was surprised and pleased  at the same time while listening to this 11th grade student of Sanad Prep. I was meeting with Amarah to discuss the life and legacy of the Prophet Muhammad and provide some guidance for her blog that would be featured on The Link– Rabi ul Awwal edition. I didn’t anticipate our conversation to take the turn it did but here I was, interviewing my student as she shared her perspective on the life and legacy of the Prophet. She measured her words as she spoke and took frequent pauses between my questions and her answers. During the end of our conversation, Amarah said to me “if more people followed the example of the Prophet Muhammad, then I believe that the world would be a better place”. I  paused for a moment and then followed up by asking, “Amarah, if 1.2 billion claim to follow the Prophet Muhamad as their example already, shouldn’t the world already be a better place?” 

Amarah’s response to this question surprised us while making us appreciate the depth and breadth of our youth’s worldview. We hope you enjoy all of the answers as much as we did!

The perspectives of young people, especially young girls, are seldom highlighted and heard. We believe this insight offers so much to all of us, especially for all the times  we complain and struggle to comprehend their views:) As I continue to learn through my engagement with youth, simply observing these youngsters doesn’t even give a glimpse of who they actually are or hope to become. Giving them the space and opportunity to speak honestly and without judgment is probably the first step towards  understanding them more deeply. We hope you enjoy the interview!

Can you think of a moment in your life (something personal or  meaningful to you) that is connected to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, perhaps begin by sharing that?

My first memory of the Prophet is when I was 6 or 7 years old, and hearing his name and stories at my school. I was lucky enough to go to a school where I could hear stories about the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and they would intrigue my interest in him and his life. The part of his life that I found most interesting was that he was an orphan. As a young child, I imagined him to be a sad and lonely boy but when you hear stories about him, he is actually portrayed as a strong, happy and confident child, that interested me a lot. I thought an orphan would be more in grief but he seemed resilient and strong.  

Can you share a story or a lesson inspired by his life that taught you an important life lesson?

One story that really resonated with me was about a bedouin man who brought the Prophet Muhamad some grapes. A man came to the Prophet  with some grapes, and the Prophet ate all of the grapes without sharing or offering them to anyone else. This was strange and unlike the Prophet so after the bedouin man left, the companions asked why he hadn’t shared or offered any of the grapes to them. The Prophet explained that the grapes were sour and he didn’t want to share an unpleasant thing with his companions and neither did he want to hurt the feelings of the old man who had brought the grapes. 

What do the moments and stories you heard about the Prophet’s life mean to you?

The moments I have had since my childhood hearing about the Prophet, his life and his stories are really important and meaningful to me. If I didn’t know about those stories, or about him, I don’t think I would be the same person I am today . 

Why were those moments/experiences important to you?

His stories really shaped me. As a child, I actually remember being very aggressive and impatient. But the Prophet was very patient. Whenever I would hear stories about his patience, it would make me think about my behaviour. I feel like if I didn’t hear those stories of patience and resilience, I would not be as patient myself today. I was really drawn by his character and his qualities. 

How has the Prophet changed/impacted you as the person that you are today?

One thing I remember when I was young, 3 or 4, if someone would not listen to me, or pay attention to me, I would block the TV or do all kinds of things just to get their attention, I could not wait for things.  But now,  if I need something from someone and they are not ready to tend to my needs right away, I don’t act out or get upset or angry. I try to remain patient with them. If I didn’t  know that being impatient can be harmful to your personality and your character, I would not be so motivated to be more deliberate with my choices. I learned that because of the Prophet Muhammad. 

What would you like others to know about the Prophet Muhammad and why?

I feel like a lot of people think that Muslims respect and honor  the Prophet just because he was a Prophet, that he was given authority by God but that’s not all of the truth. People should really think and learn about his life and his stories. If he was not a good person himself, it didn’t matter if he claimed to be a Prophet. People would not respect nor listen to a person who was not worthy of being heard and listened to. We are learning so much about his life in our leadership class with Ustadh Rehan. Things that I wish other people knew about the Prophet. Before and after revelation, he was the same person, his personality, his character didn’t change much. He was always honest, trustworthy, resilient, and patient. He was such a complete human being. And for that reason, people should know about him. 

What would you say to the Prophet if he came to visit you today? 

If I met him today I would be fascinated because he is my role model. Because I have a lot of honor and reverence for him as a teacher, I would be nervous. I would tell him how much I admire him. I would ask him to tell me stories about himself and his life and his experiences. For example, what was he thinking before revelation came and what was he thinking after. Ustadh Rehan taught us this and I agree with him. I also wonder about his thoughts. We hear from the companions’ perspectives, but we really don’t know his internal thoughts and what he was actually going through and thinking about. I would like to ask him about that. I would also ask him for advice about things that do not make sense to me, or things I am struggling with. 

Why should his legacy matter/continue in this world? 

His legacy matters because its important for people to know about him and about Islam, billions of people were inspired by him and his message. His characteristics are so unique and special. Nowadays, there is a lot of harm, war, killing, betrayal and if we followed the prophet’s way, things would be different, things would be better. 

The difference between his legacy being preserved now and still the world not being better is because people are not following his character and his example. It’s true that 1.2 billion believe in Islam but how many of us are really following his example? If his way was being followed as an example, like implementing his advice and what he was calling us to, I believe the world would be a better place. 

I’ll give you an example. I’m a girl so some people may think it’s hard for a girl to follow the example of the Prophet because they don’t have anything in common. But I feel  it’s actually very easy for me to follow his example. He had to take many roles in his life, a son, husband, father, leader, prophet, etc and we can learn something new and different from each role he had. For example, the Prophet had to take the role of a military chief in battle. I may never have to take that role but his skills of negotiation and conflict resolution is something I can learn from. In fact, all of us can take inspiration from that. And we should.

I thanked Amarah for spending an hour of her time with me and let her know that it was my pleasure to share her company. I had a big smile on my face and made a prayer in my heart for this beautiful young girl. That may her future be as bright as her thoughts and dreams. I learned the power of sincere listening and it reminded me of a very famous hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him recorded by Muslim, “Adeenu Nasheeha…” ‘Religion is sincere concern/counsel”. May our intentions and actions reflect the Prophetic hope that this world only gets better with each of us doing our part.

About Amarah Ali:

Amarah is a bright 16-year-old, currently doing 11th grade at Sanad Prep. She is a soft-spoken individual with a gentle demeanor. She carries herself with firm confidence in her identity and is very passionate about her faith and her cultural/ethnic roots. She enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. She is deeply inspired by the life and example of the Prophet Muhammad peace be him and hopes that others around her can be as well.

How do you teach adab? A simple yet essential question that’s easy to ask but quite difficult to answer and even harder to follow through in action. That’s because  most of us do not look at adab as a science when in fact we should. Teaching Adab is a comprehensive and nuanced science that requires knowledge, training and a complex skill set. It is not something that can simply be picked up by an educator or learnt inherently through one’s experience. To teach adab, one must know the science of adab, it’s apparent and hidden realities and how it relates to character development. Our prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is described in the Quran as “the best in character” and the science of adab is closely tied to his character. As an educator,  it is a great and weighty responsibility because it not only demands that you learn the science of adab but also reflect its beauty and light through your own character. In the form of a rhythmic poem, one of our learning coaches captured an eye account of adab coming to life at Sanad Prep. We hope this gives you a glimpse of what makes Sanad Prep’s environment loving, nurturing and transformational for our students. 

The Realization

By Ameena Nasir
I learnt something that day and it was really profound
It happened the day the beaker fell to the ground
Laughter, tension and chaos abound
But it was only met with curiosity that left me spellbound

Gently and slowly she guided his way
No anger or consequence was shown on that day
Smiling, the message she did convey
Was that we all make mistakes and it’s okay

Such a beautiful example for us all
Of how to respond to children in matters big or small
The glass was broken when the beaker did fall
But the child’s dignity and heart was preserved for the long haul

On the day, a realization was found
That in order for a child to swim and not drown
He needs no judgment but only sincere concern around
I learnt adab that day, it was really profound. 

It is true that teaching adab begins at home and parents/guardians are the very first teachers of this science. However, their role and influence lessons or sometimes diminishes as children enter schools and places of learning where they are not seeing any active examples of adab or at worst, are constantly witnessing examples of bad adab. Because of this, a correct understanding of adab not only fades in our children, it is threatened because no effort is being made to cultivate it within their heart and soul. Adab cannot be drilled in the mind. It is slowly fostered and developed as it gently takes root in the heart and the soul. An educator that is not trained to impart this lesson cannot impart this lesson. And a system that does not value adab as a core science cannot disseminate it to its pupils. 

Our mission at Sanad Trust Foundation is to provide a place of learning for you and your child that honors, represents and upholds adab.  Our approach, ethos and our model are all predicated on this essential concept. It is what we strive to preserve, cultivate and propagate through our education, wellness and community programs. Adab is and will always remain front and center of our efforts. We believe it is our best chance of getting close to the one whose example portrays the best adab for humanity. 

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