- London Hifdh students shatter stereotypes, thriving in both secular education and religious pursuits.
- Excelling in unique fields, as well as becoming Hafidah- how will this impact the ummah in generations to come?
Alright, jilly on point, trainers looking fresh, BA in the bag, post-Fajr planks perfected, weekly Zoom Hifdh classes, Hifdh summer and winter camps in the masjid.
This could easily be the life of many hifdh students in London right about now.
Contrary to the stereotype, London Hifdh students are not isolated and living in an unhealthy bubble; they thrive in secular education. Furthermore, many of them possess a wealth of worldly wisdom.
I recently attended a gathering to celebrate those who had become Hafiza – they hailed from varying shades of life, ages ethnicities and social standing.
One sister I met was reading History at LSE. She told me how her dream was to become a housewife and write books on Islamic history from the comfort of her own home…because “not enough Muslims have written books on Islamic history”. She continued to tell me about how intellectually dishonest, non-Muslim historians teach Islamic history and distort our truth.
Another sister- an orthopaedic surgeon, so politically astute!, forget the muppets on Talk TV, she would’ve been a strong candidate to absolutely clatter any lying media correspondent. This sister clearly had a propensity to quickly identify those who are well versed in the art of political spin.
I also met a powerhouse of a housewife. She had completed the final stages of her hifdh whilst 8 months pregnant. Whilst gently caressing her bump, she told me how she was memorising the Qur’an for herself of course but “I love this baby in my womb too much to pass up the opportunity to teach him from my own hands”, she said. This sister was a true inspiration!
A sister who caught my attention was niqab’d up and had some serious swag! A half Afghan and half Korean sister. Adorned with complete modesty, she wore a jilbab with the Korean proverb elegantly inscribed across the back of her flowing garment: 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 – translation: “even monkeys fall from trees”, she said, enlightening me. This sister shared how she once suffered from severe body dysmorphia due to consistent comparisons with social media influencers. Her sole healer was the book of Allah azza wa Jal, and connecting with it holistically, feeling each letter literally healing her soul. She expressed the transformative difference she felt in reciting from the mushaf compared to reciting from memory, as the words of Allah were now becoming an integral part of her identity.
Although what each of our sisters have to offer the world is vastly distinct (regarding their secular studies, attributes, life experience and skills), one thing they all have in common is being gifted with becoming Hafiza.
It’s interesting to note, as Muslims, we were never meant to be monks. Furthermore, the marrying of secular knowledge with Islamic knowledge is truly dynamic for the dawah. Those armed with both for the sake of Allah, are a force to be reckoned with. Consequently, I believe what lies on the horizon is truly exciting. Moreover, irrespective of wether these sisters excel in writing books, becoming leading historians, heading halaqa’s for sisters, engaging in the dawah scene, shutting down Fox News presenters…or become Qur’an teachers (the options are endless…)…..irrespective of all of this….many of them are or will be future mothers in shaa Allah, and this wealth of knowledge can only be good for our ummah.
The memorisation of Allah’s perfect speech is an unparalleled penetration of the soul, an imprint of tranquility and peace for the Kalb- a superman cape if you will. This cape can be used at one’s peril, to tackle evil, to escape the struggles of modernity, and to overthrow the culture of vanity metrics that we live in today.
“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?”
Qur’an 47:24
While not everyone can attain the title of Hafiz/Hafiza, it’s crucial that the portion of the Qur’an that we have memorised before Allah takes our souls away, is not just a rote recitation but is deeply understood and embraced to the best of our ability. Unfortunately, some individuals have committed the Quran to memory without grasping its meaning, leading them astray from the righteous path (May Allah guide us all).
For 14,00 years the Qur’an has remained impeccably preserved. Whether in the meticulous recitation of a 8-year-old boy in a madrasa in India or the beautiful recital of a 45-year-old taxi driver in Indonesia, each sacred word endures, transcending the fragility of written manuscripts.
The lethal coalescing of secular and Islamic studies, particularly for individuals with intriguing characters, has proven to be the catalyst for impactful duat. Examples such as Ahmad Deedat and Mohammed Hijab highlight the need and effectiveness of this approach, acknowledging that people are not robots. This could have been a plausible direction of traffic for the aforementioned sisters.
Dr Zakir Naik discusses the establishment of Islamic International School
On the contrary, while these factors may unfold intricately, the most influential advocate for Islam, isn’t necessarily the one adorned with qualifications from esteemed Islamic institutions or possessing the greatest knowledge. Allah, in His divine wisdom, appoints individuals as soldiers for His religion as He sees fit.
As Islam continues to grow exponentially in the west, with it, grows rampant Islamophobia. In confronting this challenge, the timeless proverb resonates- knowledge is power!
