CAMPUS LIFE AND MUSLIM LIFE

As-salamu Alaykum wa RahmatuLlah

We praise Allah, we thank Him... We send unending salutations into the best of creation Muhammad(pbuh).

 

We ask for the mercy and forgiveness of Allah for ourselves as we spend some of His gift(time) in His cause. May He put baraka in this session amd grant us the maximum benefit of this discussion.

It's an honour to be here once again..

 

Today we're taking a look at the topic "CAMPUS LIFE AND MUSLIM LIFE". or "THE LIFE OF THE MUSLIM ON CAMPUS"

It has become the common aspiration of every person to climb up the ladder of formal education to the highest level. Today, in Ghana to be specific,  there is increasing enrolment into tertiary institutions across the country(between 280,000 and 350,000 are admitted yearly).

Apart from the academic duties of the school, it is also a community on it's own, with leadership, structures and sub systems. It creates an atmosphere of coexistence among people from diverse backgrounds, both from within and outside the country.

We could take much more from the school than we normally do if we will consciously view it as an opportunity to grow as people and to improve upon our lives in the various dimensions.

To the Muslims, our religious life on campus is a subject of concern due to the fact that the average Ghanaian educational institution has more unislamic attributes than Islamic ones. One major question that arises is "how can one successfully go through tertiary education and still have his deen intact?"

In this sessions I'll briefly mention a few points that can aid every tertiary Muslim student or prospective tertiary Muslim student if they wish to gain the best out of campus life.

First of all we wish to break down the Muslim's life on campus into academic, social and spiritual dimensions to simplify our discussion inn shaa Allah...

Your academic life*... deals with the main purpose of your being in the school, ie studies, attaining good grades and graduating with a praiseworthy CWA or GPA.

 

It also includes how well you understand your program of study and how best you could put your knowledge to use after school.

Your *social life has to do with how you interact with colleagues, both Muslim and non Muslim, lecturers, school authorities etc.

 

Social intelligence is one of the most critical success factors today. Your ability to properly communicate your ideas and take good advice from people will go a long way to enhance your employability and success in general in whatever you do.

 

The better you get along with, the better your chances of getting favours that could catapult you to the top.

Your spiritual life* is your connection with your Creator.

 

Your religious life in general. How well you practice as a Muslim.

 

It must be emphasized that, your success in each one of these three dimensions in one way or the other contributes to your progress in the other dimensions.

 

In essence your spiritual growth should be your number one priority as a Muslim.

 

And there is no way you can grow spiritually if you distance yourself from the ummah. Every Muslim should make it a point to find *GMSA* in their school and be part of it.

We need to be able to properly balance all these three in order to build a more complete Muslim personality.

How do we create that balance?

 

 There are several ways we can achieve a balanced personality on campus and in life in general but I will just highlight my top 5 inn shaa Allah...

1. Purify your intentions

You should establish ikhlas towards Allah(swt) from day one and continue to renew it from time to time....

As the Prophet Muhammad(saw) said:

“The seeking of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim”[Tirmidhi] .

 

Keeping this in mind will remind you why you actually go to school. If you have the right intentions for your academic, social and religious activities, Allah will attach baraka to whatever you do.

Regular goal setting

 

Develop the habit of setting clear written goals on a regular basis... ie daily, weekly, monthly etc in line with the 3 dimensions of your campus life.

 

You should also set priorities and going to work immediately on the most important among your goals.

 

Brian Tracy said

"There's never enough time to do everything, and the people have the tendency to procrastinate on the things that do not really but and focus immediately on their key success factors"

3. Pray regularly on your goals

 

Allaah loves to be asked, and He encourages that in all things. He is angry with the one who does not ask of Him and He encourages His slaves to ask of Him.

 

“And your Lord said: “Invoke Me  and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation)” (Ghaafir 40:60)

 

As we pray, we kill two birds with one stone. One, you enhance your connection with Allah(swt) and second, you get what you ask for if it is good for you.

4. Join associations and clubs

 

Apart from GMSA, there are so many clubs and associations within every institution, that you are likely to find something that suits your interests.

 

This will help you in socializing and getting more familiar with your school and it's environment; and, the fuller your days are, the less time you have to feel lonely or to slow down. It enhances your social life and also helps build your capacity for the future.

5. Practice self discipline*

 

Most of us are clearly aware of all the things that have been mentioned thus far, but the only thing that's stopping them from putting what they know into practice is indiscipline..

 

Brian Tracy defines self discipline as...

 

*the ability to do what you have to do, when you have to do it whether you feel like it or not.*

 

And this is one critical factor that can practically guarantee success in every endeavor

Alhamdulillah this is the little we have to share concerning the topic.. *The Muslim life on campus*

May Allah srreghten us in deen, forgive the dead believes and kill us when we are most emaneous..Wassalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu_