Last weekend, I went to yet another Alkauthar course that changed me a little bit. It was taught by sheikh Yahya Ibrahim - one of the most amazing people I have ever come across. His ability to balance himself perfectly in every aspect, ability to prioritise things that matter, people that matter is truly admirable. It is very easy to tilt that balance as one's roles expand in the external world. His commitments are quite a few, as it can be seen in this excerpts from a short biography - "Since arriving in Australia, he was a religious adviser, and later a Deputy Principal of the largest Islamic school in Australia. Presently, Yahya is attached to Curtin University as an Islamic Chaplain. He is also a director of a retail company that has grown to 13 Halal food outlets based in shopping centres around Pert and soon, inshaallah, expanding nationally and internationally."
I know how busy chaplaincy can get because I have seen MJ, the chaplain at our uni, work for the past two years. He is either signing papers, or arranging finance for an event, or calling up important people, or fixing up the light in the udhu area, or arranging a musallah clean up, or solving people's problems when he isn't lecturing or tutoring his students. He is a happy fellow, but I have always wondered how he keeps his cool. It should be a full-time job alone to be a chaplain. On top of that, being a DIRECTOR of a company - which is most definitely a full-time job alone too - is incredible. In his lectures, he often mentions that he also conducts youth and marriage counselling. He flies to different continents to inspire others. And, as he keeps telling us, the most important people in his life will always be the most important people.
At this stage, I can only aspire and make dua to be like him one day. Compared to him, my commitments are very little, yet, I find it very hard to keep my home life balanced as my external world grows. (And, what's worse is that by 'home life' - I mean 'life of the youngest child', not 'married with two kids'.) However, what I found is, the best, most balanced days come when I feel close to Allah and simply make dua. Dua to keep my parents happy, dua to make my teaching sessions productive, dua to make a wonderful meal, dua to get the best out of a lecture. Its amazing, how, to others, 'dua' would seem like just some spoken words. But its so much more than that to a believer! Its truly a 'weapon' to us.
I know how busy chaplaincy can get because I have seen MJ, the chaplain at our uni, work for the past two years. He is either signing papers, or arranging finance for an event, or calling up important people, or fixing up the light in the udhu area, or arranging a musallah clean up, or solving people's problems when he isn't lecturing or tutoring his students. He is a happy fellow, but I have always wondered how he keeps his cool. It should be a full-time job alone to be a chaplain. On top of that, being a DIRECTOR of a company - which is most definitely a full-time job alone too - is incredible. In his lectures, he often mentions that he also conducts youth and marriage counselling. He flies to different continents to inspire others. And, as he keeps telling us, the most important people in his life will always be the most important people.
At this stage, I can only aspire and make dua to be like him one day. Compared to him, my commitments are very little, yet, I find it very hard to keep my home life balanced as my external world grows. (And, what's worse is that by 'home life' - I mean 'life of the youngest child', not 'married with two kids'.) However, what I found is, the best, most balanced days come when I feel close to Allah and simply make dua. Dua to keep my parents happy, dua to make my teaching sessions productive, dua to make a wonderful meal, dua to get the best out of a lecture. Its amazing, how, to others, 'dua' would seem like just some spoken words. But its so much more than that to a believer! Its truly a 'weapon' to us.
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