Recently Hadhrat called all the parents of those students in the ‘Alim classes to generally discuss the decision taken by the parents to enrol their children into the ‘Alim course.
He highlighted the importance of Islamic education and its importance for the children as well as the parents.He gave an emotional and touching talk explaining the value of Islamic knowledge and the difference of children who are educated with Islamic knowledge in comparison to those who are ignorant of Islamic understanding.Many examples were giving from Hadhrat’sexperiences; some of which are paraphrased below:
  1. I was once in a car during my journey to Syria where the driver went past a small snake (palm size). The driver stopped the car and killed the snake. I asked him, why go through so much trouble to kill the small snake. He said, today the snake is small but a time will come when it will grow and start biting all the people.
  2. Once whilst in Azadville I was returning home from the Masjid when I was told by my companions that there was a ill man and we should visit him. Upon visiting him he thanked us by saying he was awaiting someone who could give him water. The man was in his last days and we assumed he had no children. But whilst getting the water we saw all his young children sitting and watching television.
  3. On one occasion I enquired about a man on his death bed who was being punched by a young lad. I was told that the young person was the son of the dying old man who was thumping the old man to retrieve from him the location and amount of his wealth that he was leaving behind.
  4. In one of the newspapers there was a printed letter from a young girl who wrote to her father from the confines of her prison cell. She wrote to inform her father that he was liable and to blame for her current situation as he had not taught her the religious obligations and had not guided her. She added that she would be punished in this world but he would be punished in the Hereafter as well.
All these incidents show us how our children will become without religious guidance and knowledge. They will become like that small snake who might seem harmless today but in the future will yearn to bite us.
This is just an indication of the benefits of Deen and Islamic knowledge. If the true benefits were known then people would send their children to Madrassah without question and there would be no place in the Darul Ulooms to accommodate these people. Like it is mentioned regarding the Salaah; people would come crawling even if they had no legs.
These are indications which I am sure you can understand and comprehend the entire depths of. Time is short and I don’t want to go into too much details. But I would like to congratulate you on sending your children to the Madrassah for this knowledge. Don’t question as to where their livelihood will come from.
Will a man in a hut with sufficient funds and livelihood ever swap places with a wealthy man who has a mansion yet has an illness which keeps him distressed? There are many incidents of such people; some people have invited me to dinner at their houses and have asked me to make Du’aa for them; despite their apparent comfort and luxury they are suffering.
On one occasion, I was visited by a man who had come in a brand-new Mercedes, he came he to seek advice about family issues and problems. Tell me of what use is this luxury and Mercedes? I am not saying that it is not permissible to have luxuries and Mercedes; may Allah give Barakah (blessing) in the wealth of the believers. What I am saying is that apparent wealth is of no value if it is does not come with peace and contentment; and this can only be found in the remembrance of Allah and educating our children in matters of Deen.
Only when they come to the Darul Ulooms and Madaaris will they be drilled with the value and importance of one’s parents; only then will they know of the punishments of mistreating their elders and parents. I teach they Sahih Bukhari here and daily we come across Ahadeeth were at times it is mentioned that Jannah lies under the feet of the mother and at times it states that your parents are your Jannah or your Jahannam.
May Allah give us all the understanding of Deen and give us the inclination to send our children to the Darul Ulooms to teach them their religion and importance of parents so that they can be the coolness of their parents’ eyes. Aameen.