Algamdoelielah, I am so Grateful and even more Thankful for the Blessings and being guided towards this journey of being a Student of Al-Quran.
In the Ramadaan of 2012, my friend (Fairuz, whom I lovingly call âmy other halfâ), attended a course and during one of the modules our facilitator, made this statement:
âDid we know that Arabic is compulsory?â. [ed: Arabic being personally obligatory on everybody is a minority opinion among scholars] This question touched me in a way that left me in tears. I was filled with so much shock and sadness because no-one has ever told me this, and that my parents or grandparents were never told. The more the Facilitator quoted from the Quran and played the video of âNouman Ali Khanâ, explaining that the English language is limited and therefore the English Translation is not correct, the more I cried. I kept thinking that if only my parents had known this, they would have ensured that we learned the Arabic of the Quran like they made us learn Surah Fatigah or our âKoelsâ. I had mixed emotions â sad over the time lost but Thankful for hearing this before it was too late.
I turned to my friend, and she too was sobbing, Soebagaanallah, we were both experiencing the same feelings and emotions. Right there, I made my Nieyah that I would go and study Arabic the following year. Our lecturer then went further to explain how we need to know the language of our Rabb and the language of Jannah. She then ended this lecture talking about our Beloved Nabie Muhammad saw and his âInheritance that he left usâ via the Sunnah and the Quran. This Living Quran which is a Miracle and how we are depriving ourselves from experiencing the miracle of the Quran by not knowing the Arabic of the Quran. We are unable to understand or know the conversation the Quran has with us, we cannot access Our Beloved Prophetâs Inheritance and we fail to experience the Miracle of the Quran.
At this stage I was so overwhelmed by emotion that I never realised that my friend also had the same experience and that she had also made her nieyah. After the class, we were both sitting in the car crying and we told each other, that our Nieyah has been made , Algamdoelielah.
I then went and researched different courses as well as the topic. I looked at many different courses on offer and found that Darun Naimâs course [now called Mizan Institute] content and the fact that it is offered on a Sunday morning satisfied my needs. My friend and I registered along with almost 140 people.
Little did I know how sacrificing a Sunday morning would impact my life. As you know most of our family responsibilities and events that are on Sundays and I had to learn to re-organise my life because I found that most of my weekend I just spent at home with my homework. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn and the more my love for the Quran grew Algamdoelielah. Giving up a social life and exchanging it for the Quran was a challenging journey but today 3yrs later, it has become an accepted part of my life. I find myself wishing I could find more time, my friend and I often say we wish we could âbe foreign exchange studentsâ and take a few months out of our lives and go to an Islamic Country to study Arabic.
My very first lesson from Ml Khalil, made me realise that I had made Nieyah to do what I thought at that stage was a âcourseâ for 4years and then I would have achieved my goal.
How wrong I was, when I heard Ml Khalil explain that this is a course like no other course and that it is a Lifetime journey, again I was completely overwhelmed with emotions. Right there I knew, my study of the Arabic; of the Quran will stop when I die. Today when people ask me when is your course finishing I respond âThere is no end, once on this journey you remain a Student of the Quran until you die.â
Every lesson, every word, every phrase, every naseegah, was a transformation happening. My passion and love for the Quran continued to grow. I started researching and studying topics and buying different books to help me understand. I was committed and dedicated, I found myself spending over 20hrs a weekend just trying to understand my lessons. (yes, you guessed it, I hardly slept on a Saturday night) This has been the most challenging course I have ever been on, despite all my efforts, I keep feeling âI am not on track with the rest of the class, I am just not understanding, I just donât get itâ. So when Ramadaan came during my 1st year, we had begun with the Translation of Quran and had received our âspecial Quranâ, imagine hearing the Quran being recited and you realise you have learnt so much. During Taraweeg Solaah, I started understanding Arabic words, and even during the Duahs and Lectures. Needless to say, I couldnât stop sobbing, even now whilst writing this letter the tears are streaming down my face. Soebagaanallah to start experience the âMiracle of the Quranâ is one of the biggest gifts we can ever receive.
Algamdoelielah I am now finishing up my 3rd year with Darun Naim but I donât think of it in that manner or as a course that I have to pass and complete but rather as a Lifelong Journey of study. I am a student who perseveres and is committed but am really struggling to understand the Grammar, often leaving me feeling like I am âlagging behindâ. In spite of this, I never feel like quitting instead it keeps me motivated to keep trying because I am learning all the time, even if it was 1 word. From Day 1, I decided not to have any expectations but instead to be Grateful for even 1 letter or word I have learnt and understood. Words can never describe how one feels when you hear an Arabic word or phrase or Sentence/s of the Quran and you understand. Your Qalb (Spiritual Heart) is touched and quivers and all I do is cry and cry out of Gratitude and Thanks to my Rabb.
Every lesson, every learning of the Quran, every word I understand, I feel the Transformation within my heart, in my feelings, my words, my action, my life, to the extent that it has and is impacting the people whom I come in contact with. The Quran is really the Best Friend we could ever have, Allah Hoe Akbar and it brings a Contentment and Peace in once Life that you have never imagined possible.
Lastly, I would like to say that this journey is nothing like you will expect and there will be times when âyou lose momentumâ or when you feel frustrated because you are not understanding or you donât have any free time or youâre not seeing your family or friends, or canât write fast enough ; or canât memorise your homework or due to unforeseen circumstances canât attend a lesson but knowing that the Quran is a Miracle we want to experience, makes this journey worth every sacrifice.
Our class of 140 has shrunk to less than 40 but my friend and I are still continuing our journey In-Shaa-Allah. This journey of learning is not an âArabic Courseâ but a learning and understanding of who we are and how we must live our lives and what our purpose is. In-Shaa-Allah make Duah that these few words will inspire and encourage you to make your Nieyah and that you too become a âStudent of Al-Quranâ.
In-Shaa-Allah ,I make Duah that these few words will inspire and encourage you to make your Nieyah and that you too become a âStudent of Al-Quranâ.
Fairuz Zaindeen (Isaac)
Finance Business Partner
3rd Year DNSI Student