Dr. Pasha
(Bringing Islam to the World One Concept at a Time!
Taking the Qur'an to Every Home and Heart that Needs It --
And which One Does Not?)
World of Day of Education
June 1, 2012: World Day of Education
Everyone is graduating from everywhere. It is that season again.
All over the world, it is graduation season. And what a blessed, happy season it is.
In this happy graduation season, we call on the world, all people all over the world, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, and whether they are male or female, to celebrate the 1st of June every year as WORLD DAY OF EDUCATION.
Along with everything else that they celebrate.
Let us start out with June 1, 2012 as our first WORLD DAY OF GRADUATION.
Who Would Do It, If Not the Muslims?
Who would do it if not the Muslims? Who else in this world is more entitled to set the ball of education rolling in the world?
Who else has a better right to that honor?
And who should be more aware of that duty?
I mean to translate this call for WORLD DAY OF EDUCATION into a reality of global celebration for all.
Not because Muslims are the most educated people in the world. For, sadly, they are not.
But because it was Islam that gave the world the command to go and educate itself.
The cry of “Iqra!” (Read!) that the Qur’an gave out in a cave in Makkah, Arabia, 1400 years ago, has now spread like wild fire all over the world.
It is winning ever more converts everywhere every day.
An Illiterate Teacher to Educate the World
The illiterate Rasul of Arabia, Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, did, after all, manage to educate the whole world – and continues to do so as time passes.
His great legacy of education has become everyone’s passport to success and everyone’s ticket to happiness.
It has become the Master Key that opens all doors in this world.
It is this illiterate teacher, Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, that God sent into the world to teach humanity the theory (Kitaab) as well as the practice (Hikmah) of all the things that humanity needs to know in order to live a better life in this world.
The Noble and Glorious Qur’an puts it this way:
Wa yu’allimuhumul kitaaba wal hikmah.
Congratulations, Graduates Everywhere!
So, to all graduates everywhere: Congratulations!
And may God Almighty shower his choicest blessings upon you! For, the angels spread out their wings for you.
What a day! You dreamed about it; you worked for it; and now it is here.
You made it happen. Your Most Knowing and Wise God did.
I am happy for you. And I am proud of you.
Whether I know you or not; whether I have seen you or not; and whether any of you has been my student or not.
A World Full of Challenges
But just before you go, one more lesson – to all of you.
The world is full of challenges. Go prepared to meet them.
And meet them like the men and women you are: wanting and tirelessly working to be the best.
And settling for nothing but the best.
It is not a jungle out there, as some people might have told you. The world is a fairly civilized place.
And it is your home, away from home, that God Almighty made for you. So, how can it be a bad place?
And that world is waiting to see how much more civilized you will make it in your turn.
Make It a Better World: Pursue Excellence!
Play your best role in society – wherever you are – and the world will become a much more civilized place than you found it.
Here are some ways to achieve that goal:
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Pursue Excellence.
Work to be the best you can be – whatever you touch. For, nothing else is really worth working for.
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Keep Heart and Mind Clean.
All the time, and with regard to everything, keep your heart and mind – and your motives and intentions – as clean and pure as you can possibly make them.
Your impact will be vast – and perceptible. If nothing else, it will at least light up your own internal world with joy, contentment and bliss.
Do the Right Thing
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Do the Right Thing.
In most cases, you will know what is right and, also, what is wrong. Because that is God’s promise to human beings: that he has made right and wrong, good and bad, clear and manifest.
Qad tabayyanar rushd minal ghayyi, is how the Noble Qur’an puts it.
So, to the extent you can, always try and do the right thing. The rest of the pieces of the puzzle of life will fall in place.
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Tell the Truth.
Education is all about the pursuit of truth – Reality, the way it is.
So, continue to pursue truth – Reality – for the rest of your life.
And speak it as best you can; whenever you can; wherever you can; and in whatever way you can.
Make Life Good and Fun – for All
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Life Is Good.
Make it so, not just for yourself, but also for all others.
For, no matter who says what, and no matter how you may feel at times, God Almighty has made life good.
Our job is to work to make sure life is good for everyone everywhere.
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Life Is Fun.
Part of life is pursuit of happiness. That is how God Almighty made us.
God kneaded happiness and its pursuit in the clay out of which he shaped us – in our genetic makeup.
So, work to make life fun – good, clean, healthy, noble, decent fun.
And not just for yourself. But also for all others in all parts of the world.
Write Me a Note
Just do these things, and then, some day when we run into each other, tell me you haven’t made this world a tad bit better than you found it.
Or just drop me a note saying you did – especially when you get rich and famous.
Wishing you the best and telling you how proud I am of every one of you, whether I know you personally or not; and whether I have seen and met you or not; and whether you are my students or not!
Those who did great in my own classes or in whatever classes you were!
Those who acted up in various ways in my or any other class!
And those who silently sat and wished you were elsewhere!
END