AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL MUSLIM STUDENTS BY OJETOLA RIDWAN OLAWALE

My heart always bleeds whenever i think of the acts of negligence on the part of our Muslim brothers and sisters in Islam towards learning and acquiring knowledge when Allah (SWT) has dutifully charged every Muslim and Muslimat to be seeking knowledge.

 It is of no reasonable doubt that the claim that knowledge is a compulsion on us is firmly supported and rooted in some verses of the Quran as well as Hadiths of our Noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW) where the importance of knowledge, how knowledge should be used and the rewards for those who seek knowledge are widely examined and expatiated;

– “seeking knowledge is compulsory on every Muslim and Muslimot”. “knowledge is the apex”. ” Seek knowledge from craddle to the grave”. “Seek knowledge about your Lord before you worship Him.”

Of all the branches of knowledge in life, the apex is the knowledge of Islam as well as its several branches because it is the only way through which our Hibadah or worship can be completely accepted and we can also beat our chest and claim we are good worshippers of Allah.

But it is very unfortunate and pathetic today that the only way to achieving our primary assignments in life has been seriously neglected and We have thrown away our divinely given precious gold and running Helter skelter chasing Sliver. It is a great shameful stain on the Flag of Islam today that our youths are no more showing interest in seeking knowledge again. What always occupies their minds is how they will complete the race of 20 years in a month (chasing worldly materials, getting involved in illegal business, doing more than their capability etc).

My heart was broken on the day I saw a Muslim brother corrected for making mistake on Salat and he was telling the man who corrected him that he was unable to seek knowledge of Fiqiu because he is a busy man and he is too engaged. Is this the same excuse  he will give to Allah?   No matter how genuine the excuse may be before man, it will never be accepted by Allah on the day of Judgement because he has already said; ” seek knowledge before u worship Me.”

Our  universities, polytechnics and other higher institutions of learning are now  full of Hijab and Nikob sisters whose knowledge about their dressing is too low and most of them are going around seeing themselves as the best and discriminating against the other muslim sisters who are using cape. They would not have engaged in all these if only they have had a complete Knowledge and training behind the dressing. Our Hijab sisters are now being given different names by the enemies of Islam such as “abori mo bo iwa” (ones who are physically beautiful but morally ugly). Most of them are even neat outside but seriously dirty inside why? Lack of knowledge and manners associating with how knowledge should be applied.

I don’t see the reason why we shall not be encouraged to seek knowledge when Allah (SWT) has already described Al- Qur’an as an encyclopedia of knowledge which implies that no branches of human knowledge are left undiscussed or unexamined in d Quran.  Qur’an of course contains all the principles of science, it is a book of law , agriculture and many others.

This is enough to prove to us that our knowledge shouldn’t be limited to how Allah should be worshipped alone instead  we should strive and seek knowledge in every angle so that we shall not be mocked by the enemies of Islam who will be using their knowledge against our religion.

It is a fact that procastination, greed, laziness and illegal ways of being rich are the major obstacles facing our  Muslims students  from seeking knowledge and they have forgotten a saying that “Al- Qur’an is geenah la fakeera badau” meaning ” Qur’an is the source of wealth and whoever studies it and places his life in it will never be poor”.

This is enough to encourage our Muslim youth to keep on striving, working day in day out on how their knowledge will be increased. Allah cherises knowledge a lot and there are a lot of benefits and rewards which Allah promised to bestow on those who seek knowledge, acquire  knowledge and use the knowledge on the path of Allah and Sunnah of our Noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Muslims are hereby encouraged to distance themselves from everything that will be reducing their interest and willingness towards acquiring knowledge some of which include: Procrastination, greed, imitation, too much desire for wealth, keeping bad company and many others.

Another major attribute of every Muslim is using his or her knowledge for  the benefit of Islam. One of the problems we are facing in Islam today is that those who are even considered to be knowledgeable are the one causing problems in Islam because they are using the knowledge acquired combatively towards one another and all these acts of antagonism are not supported in Islam.

Our religion is a religion of peace and we should always work on how peace will govern in our Islamic society. Let us try as much as possible to accommodate one another irrespective of different ideologies possessed by any of us and let us also stop discriminating against one another. We are all one big family in Islam and our first priority should always be how unity and love will be established among ourselves.

Thanks!
Jazakumullahu Khairan!