Wednesday, June 6, 2012

A Muslim. A Student. A Muslim Student.





Students’ goal, no doubt, is always to succeed whatever there is to come in schools, or more suitable to our condition, university years. Give theory examinations, dissection of the book begins from cover to cover. Give practical examinations, endless visits to the skills centre start and continue until the last minute. Give sets of quizzes, lecture notes are screened through thoroughly with every little details taken into attention.

GREAT! TWO THUMBS UP, YOU ARE SERIOUS IN YOUR STUDIES! :)

Usually, these students are the apples of lecturers’ eyes. The ones seen as hardworking, determined, not afraid to ask and clarify, etc. These, my friends, are crucially essential for survival in university style of learning, especially the ones involving healthcare courses. But with this comes the curious question of how the success here will be able to sustain whatever there is to come in the post-student life. This may be in working life, or merely in daily life, as a normal human being with the white coats and medical tags off.

THEN, HOW?

Now, before exploring on the ‘how’, why not we look into the ‘why’ at a glance. Into the need of becoming successful. See, as all of us are constantly being reminded, Allah has sent us to His earth no other than to worship Him (Az-Zariyaat: 56), and to be a caliph (Al-baqarah: 30). So, having these in mind, we are all set to venture into our own determined fields and professions. With proper intentions (niat) of submitting whatever we do as ibadah, and with high determination to represent and bring the message of Islam, we need to instil in mind that we have to be successful. We need to portray a good image to everyone, that practicing Muslims are the ones who everyone wants to be. In spreading the message of Islam, this is one of the most powerful factor that must be worked on.

Therefore, now is the discussion on ‘how’. Coming to this, there are actually no specific guidelines which can pinpoint and direct anything or anyone towards success. It is a subjective journey really, and going to the dynasty of success requires continuous exploration of self-potential. However, there are some practical things which may help to boost our potential, and mind you, the points in the later discussions have nothing to do with formal studying. For that part, everyone is sure to have achieved ample motivation to keep the engine going. But the list and discussions below are more focused on how to create some add value within us, which will contribute to the build up of strong characters insyaAllah. Ready for the ride? Now, here we go.


Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Point 1
Get involved in community-oriented activities, give endlessly.
Apart from learning how to interact with people, it also opens up our views on many things. Being in other people’s settings will teach us to be humble and thankful at the same time, with all the nikmah Allah has given us, even without us asking for them. Through these realisations, it is indeed a wonderful feeling to note that there is this one silent but pleasant push factor for us to keep on contributing to the society. We will no longer find any burden at all in giving. In fact, it is quite appropriate to put the word ‘addiction’ to explain the feeling we will get after these kinds of activities. Amazingly, as we keep on giving, with Allah’s rahmah and rahim, we get a lot more in return. Not that we asked for it, but due to His endless love towards His servants, that is what has been promised to us. Allahuakbar!

Point 2
Play sports, get healthy.
Health, when presented together with sports, is almost always related to physical well being. True, it is one of the most prominent things incorporated in sports activities. However, it is actually much more than that. With smaller scale realisation, social health is another entity that follows very closely. By playing sports, we will be able to know how a team works, and how role-playing is important in ensuring success. It is undeniable that we can learn all these things by doing other things as well, but hey, why don’t we want to get two things (physical and social health) in one go. After all, combos never fail to grab our attentions right? ;)

Point 3
Travel and explore the world.
Doesn’t need to be far. Exploring the kampung next to ours can also be counted. Just, go out and explore whatever the world has in store for us. Learn people’s tradition and lifestyle in different settings. Learn what Allah has sent to other places, and how the local community react and cope with it. Learn how strong people can be in facing various challenges that come endlessly in their lives. Learn history of places and their people back then and now. Just, go out and learn.

‘Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and minds) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts.’ (Al-Hajj: 46)

Learn as much as possible, and tag it along with dua’ that whatever is seen and experienced will be able to open our hearts and soften them to fathom Allah’s lessons and greatness, insyaAllah.

Point 4
Be daring, receive challenges.
Opportunities are everywhere. It is just the matter of us opening our eyes widely to grab them. Sometimes they come to us, asking for their puzzles to be solved. Sometimes they are just hibernating quietly, waiting for anyone to come and trigger the golden lessons they have in store. They can be in any form, anything at all. Take group presentations as a simple example. Sometimes we can be pointed to be the presenter, and sometimes the post can be opened to anyone who is willing to commit. Whichever case it is, agree, volunteer, take the challenge and be ready to face whatever that comes together with it. We will never know our full potential until we break through our comfort zone. Dragonflies will be sprinting inside our tummies when it is time for the real deal, but hey, how do you think great speakers feel when they started off with their first speech? ;)

Point 5
Have quality dates with Him.
All in all, after long hours of working hard to achieve success, it is always a relaxing moment to spend some time with Him. Happiness, share with Him. Sadness, cry to Him. Problems, report to Him. He has allocated for us a rigid 5 times a day to listen to whatever we have to say. That, plus promises of rewards to those spending extra. Subhanallah, what more can we ask for from The Creator, who only asks us to worship Him and be His Caliph, but gives endless rewards to us in return. Indeed, in the remembrance of Allah does the heart find peace.

Plus, where else can we ask for strength, if not from The One who made us, and The One who knows every detailed physiology inside us? Strength to achieve whatever we have discussed earlier, in our pursue of becoming a great Muslim in the society. Strength to deny the beauty of this temporary world in order to seek for His blessings here and the hereafter. And strength to maintain our intentions in the right path in everything that we do. After all, prayers are the most powerful weapon for all mukmineen and mukminaat. :)
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Alhamdulillah, those are the 5 practical points which insyaAllah will help to dig the best quality out of us, to be further polished and shone. But these are nothing if our attitude is putting a huge barrier from the exciting exploration within ourselves. Yes, in the end, it is back to the ATTITUDE. Get that right, and insyaAllah other things follow with ease. How to get it right? Just, be excited to explore new things. Seek, seek and seek endlessly. We will be surprised with the journey, as well as the outcome of it. :) These, together with the basic knowledge we have been grilled with in the university, will insyaAllah boost our potential up, and help in our journey of becoming a great Muslim which will direct to fulfilling our purposes of life.


ALL THE BEST EVERYONE! :)


By:
DocDot
Msoc Comittee 2011/12

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