Asma Maryam Ali

This is the first post I ever wrote, but never posted it because I was unsure of myself. I think I will now and its to my own teacher:

‘Teach’ is one of the words I’m uncomfortable with because I feel its misused.

By ‘teach’ we generally mean to convey a thought or method from one being to another. Teaching is really a two-way street. For it to work there must be a message that is conveyed in such a way that it can be understood, and a mind and heart that can receive the message with clarity and locate it in a wider understanding of the world.

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Our house is up for sale and so we’re making every effort to get it sold at a good price. One of the small tips people in the business share is that homeowners should leave lamps on to give off a warm ambiance. I sat on our couch and thought about that, and realized that we often leave lights on, be it in or outside of our homes, in our businesses, and throughout our cities, to send the message that people are welcome and to give them a sense of direction. Light is often associated with direction, as in the expression ‘a light at the end of the tunnel’. Allah SWT uses light to describe Himself, azza wa jal, and uses light to describe guidance and other good things. I thought about the sun, which is a blazing lamp that Allah SWT has placed so perfectly for us in the sky. I thought that the sun is Allah ’s way of telling us, ‘you are welcome here’.  

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As a teacher I have the difficult task of reaching some students whose personal lives, including their educational and family history, keep them from learning new things at a healthy pace. I often feel as though I’ve been left completely in the dark about very important information that would affect my students’ learning, and I am still expected to help them succeed.

Sometimes I get very frustrated and I want to hold a child in contempt for ignoring or defying me, but I force myself to hold it in for his or her sake. I remind myself that I have no idea of what’s going on in his/her life or what’s caused the problem. I go home at the end of the day and shake my head (or flinch) as I put myself in the shoes of one of these kids. Their situation, and my reactions to them, aren’t always easy for them to handle.  I truly do not understand them. I’m just an outsider trying very hard to look in, never quite seeing the whole picture. Most likely it’ll always be that way.

Its human nature to want to understand things and people. Its also human nature to willfully misunderstand and prejudge people, or fear them. It’s our way of taking control of a situation. Yet a student ought not be misjudged; a teacher must continue her quest to understand her student.

We know that this does not apply to teachers and students only. How often do we willfully misunderstand a thing? Have we asked the necessary questions? Do we have the whole picture?

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In shaa Allah , I will never forget a reminder that my father gave me a few years ago. He was quoting a scholar and leader of the islamic movement, whose name I cannot remember. (Imam Abul ‘Ala Maududi, rahimahullah, comes to mind) The message from this leader was that there are several spheres of life one must look after before one can claim to be a true worker in the path of Allah SWT. These include one’s self, one’s family, and the earth that we live on. I thought it was very peculiar that he would bring the earth to our attention. I had never considered ‘environmentalism’ one of our priorities as workers, and I had always considered ‘tree-huggers’ a bit far-out. But his message struck a chord in me. Environmentalism has since become a part of my life. I now have a great deal of respect for those who are fighting to save this planet from destruction.  

Check out what Greenpeace is up to here.  

 You may find some pointers on how to save our planet here.

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“If democracy is about responsible freedom, it depends on a citizenry which sees the world clearly, which is respectful of past ideas but never their prisoner—a citizenry not easily gulled by specious arguments, which can imagine something new in the familiar, which has the courage always to ask the questions why and what if.” – Ted Sizer, Educational Reformer

 

This is a nice quote to think about.

I wish Sizer success in his work. Its very reassuring that this is the end goal of many educational reformers today. This intelligent, imaginative and courageous citizenry is exactly what we’re after, too. I hope we never lose sight of it, and that it shapes all of our educational endeavors.

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Tae Kwon Do literally means ‘the way of the hand and foot’.

Martial arts are really a beautiful sight to behold, yet as one observes this art she wonders which ‘way’ these hands and feet are really moving, and if she can make it her own, eh?

(Note: the music may take away from the performance) 

Check out ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Muslim’ for interesting information on Muslims and Martial Arts.

 Jazakum Allah khair for reading and observing :) I would love to read your thoughts on ’sisters’ and jazaki Allah khair Sawitri for sending yours, too. I have just added a reflection of my own to it.

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I wanted to shout out to my sisters who have been reading this: khals, asmaa, aaida, haj, humairah. Already living dreams ;) Do you remember that poem? May Allah SWT reward you. I’ve been reading your poetry and checking out your blogs (including safspace) these past couple ’snow days’ and I am very impressed. You are so…rich! And you give us a lot of hope for an amazing future here in shaa Allah .

All of you (that I know of) are people who have worked on the MSA and have some understanding of what leadership is. In my work with the MSA and MAC, and now in our school, I’ve learned a lot about it myself. I’m very interested in hearing from you about what leadership means to you. And isA I’ll share my thoughts along with you. I’m particularly interested in hearing how your ‘gender’ has shaped your role as a leader. Has it? Are there things a woman can do in such a role that a man can’t, or vice versa? Are there particular things that a woman ought to do, or particular qualities that she has to have as a leader that a man doesn’t have to? How do you feel to be a woman in a position of leadership? Please do share your thoughts on these questions or anything related (or unrelated :) ). And may Allah SWT reward you.

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Often times our performance or productivity is significantly impacted by others’ perceptions of us. We expect from ourselves what we think they expect from us–no more, no less. And that–or less than that–is all we achieve.

In highschool I tutored a student with hearing and vision impairments. His parents always believed that he would go to university and eventually become an independent, contributing member of society. His teacher and I had our doubts. I mean, we were fully aware of his academic performance, and what was required to get into university, and we thought it was virtually impossible for him. He also wanted to give up from time to time and would suffer from depression. We thought his parents were in denial. I met him the other day at his university. He is in his second year and he seems fine. I am so proud of him, yet I feel as though I had nothing to do with it. His parents’ encouragement and support is what carried him that far. 

That we believe in one another, and believe in ourselves, is essential to our success in this existence. There is a rainforest of beauty to be discovered in each of us. If I know its there and you are looking for it, too, it will flourish. But regardless of what I can do or become, as soon as I feel hemmed in by your perceptions of me, I will stop growing.

My greatest teachers are people who always made/ke me feel as though I can conquer anything. There are people with wisdom and knowledge out there, but how many of them are confident enough to believe that me and my shortcomings are only a great contribution to this world? In other words, how many of them believe that every little good, no matter how much not-so-good, really counts, and WILL make a difference?

 Can we believe it?

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