Undertaking a Quran and Islam course

I'm turning 28 this October. I'm a bachelor in Software Engineering and a Masters in Information Technology. I am also a Muslim who has yet to properly study the Quran and Islam. I am not alone in this.

Sure, Ive studied Islamic Studies from year 1 to year 10 like most Muslims have. And yeah, we used to recite the Quran whenever our Kali-Sahab (or Maulwi Sahab) would come to our house as well as in school from year 1 to year 10.

I am lucky that my parents HAVE studied the Quran and sometimes used to teach us when we were growing up. Also, having grown up in Saudi Arabia, a country where people discussed religion amongst themselves quite often, I thank God that my exposure was a little above .....well a little above no exposure.

In fact, when I saw or heard some people who were educated and held degrees talk about religion, what they used to say didn't hold much weight. It was like someone who we never saw practicing Islam, or whom we rarely saw talking about Islam before, suddenly felt the urge to say something about it. I would normally lower my head or nod my head and just let the moment pass.

When I would go to the mosque to pray, once again, it felt like I'm doing something more as a ritual or a series of actions rather than something that was part of my daily life. After saying my prayers, I would just go BACK to doing the daily things one does in their lives (which at that time for me was playing some video games, and studying ).

At the time, this was just a feeling that I couldn't really put a name to or explain. It was just a feeling. Now, I understand what that feeling really was.

You see, I lived a life where religion and the worldly life were kept separate. Throughout the day, most of what I heard was to do with school assignments, the current gossip and happenings at school among friends and class mates, career, cricket, soccer, video games, etc etc. When the Azaan would sound, we would get ready for prayers, say our prayers and then get BACK to the worldly life until the next call to prayer.

The issue was that I was spending more time with this worldly life than I was with my Din. Notice that I used the word "BACK" in capital letters previously. This was to emphasize this point. I will be honest, Islam to me was this...

1- There is no God but Allah (S.A) (more of a belief than actually practicing something at the time)
2- Muhammad is the messenger of Allah (S.A) (more of a belief than actually practicing something at the time)
3- Say my Prayers.
4- Fast in the month of Ramadan
5- I have performed Hajj (Thank God)

So, in a nut shell, Islam meant going about my daily business until its Prayer time, after which I would return to going about my daily business. Of course, add fasting to this during the month of Ramadan.

I was not alone in this kind of life style. Many of us would say our prayers and then wait out side the mosque for our friends and then indulge ourselves in whats happening with each others lives, or entertain ourselves by playing some cricket or soccer or meet up at a friends place.

I have come to realize that such a way of life is not the answer to living an Islamic life. I believe that such a life is giving preference to this world over our religion, over Allah (S.A), and over his Messenger's teachings (S.A.W).

When I was in Saudi Arabia, I was consistent in saying my prayers. The only reason for this was because the society was such a society that they would call each other to Prayers. The shops would close 5 times each day during the time for Prayers. This was a great thing, however, for me, thats as far as it went. Once my prayers were said, it was back to the world for me. Like going to a 10 minute appointment (in other words, a short appointment) and whens its done, "okay, gotta go, will meet again in a couple or few hours".

When I came to Pakistan, I was initially consistent with my Prayers....but not for long. You see in Pakistan, It was much the same as in Saudi Arabia. People were busy with their lives until it was time to pray and once they said their prayers, it would be back to work. The key difference was, that this was a society that did not call others to the Prayers! Here the shops remained open during the time for Prayers!

So you can see how I went from "busy with life when not saying my prayers" to "busy with life and occasionally saying my prayers" (May Allah forgive me!)

But, there was a short period of time in my stay in Pakistan where I did become consistent with my Prayers for a few months. This is when I came into contact with those who are called the "Tableeghi Jamaat" or what they like to call themselves "Tehreek al Imaan". They were a group of people who would visit peoples houses and hostels and invite them to the mosque to hear their talks about Islam and further invite people to come with them and stay in the mosque for a few days, weeks or months.

Initially, I ignored these people. I was of the mind set that I am educated, I can read the translation of the Quran and say my Prayers my self. Besides, most maulwis in Pakistan are just uneducated "Jahil" people anyway right? It was this thinking that made me lend a deaf ear to these people.

But one day, I did decide to go with them. A friend of mine (Nauman Khan) would also invite me occasionally and this one particular day, I was in the mood for it so I said yeah why not?

I went with them to a nearby mosque where we stayed for 3 days I believe (a weekend). There was a speaker there who spoke and said some very moving and beautiful words and, hey!, I said all my 5 prayers for the three days!

Being around a bunch of people who said their prayers had an effect on me. It is true what they say, the society around you does effect you.

However, this was short lived. It was not long afterward that I was informed about the book that this group followed (Fazaile Amaal) had a history of controversy - and I used to ask my self, why don't they recite from a more authentic book? I did some research on this book and what I found was not good. Infact what I found made me feel like I had been duped. Duped by beautiful speech and eloquent use of words. I instinctively believe that to rely soo much on a book that was written not so long ago and a book which is absolutely nothing, when put beside the Quran and sahih Hadith books, was wrong. Plane wrong - No. To this day I see this book being opened and a passage or story being read from this book instead of a passage being recited from the Quran.

I would also like to mention that from what I have seen, what they follow is hardly different from what I felt (and was later able to understand) in Saudi Arabia. They lived their lives like any normal person - engaged and busy with the life of this world - except when saying their prayers or going on a "saroza" (spending a number of days, weeks, or months in a mosque).

I also noticed that many of these people were incapable of making a decision on their own on many matters. They would do what the Maulvi has said or what a more higher member in the group would say. Coming from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, I have never seen more people correcting other people in the most trivial of things (like wearing a cap on your head, or raising your shalwaar or pants above your ankels, or when reading the Quran - be in the front row) - like a pack of hounds, they attack you on these trivial matters until you either tell them to stop or you start doing things exactly like they do.

I would like to mention one more thing before I move on. It is the concept of Sawaab (good deeds). I believe that it is good to obey Allah (S.A) and his Messenger (S.A.W) and help the people around you and around the world - these are good deeds. But when I see people doing good deeds so that their own good deeds may increase - I cannot help but feel a little selfishness in such behavior. One example comes to mind...

A member from this Jamaat came to our house once and started talking about the Din and how we should come to the mosque and listen to their talks here in Sydney. Near the end of the talk, he told one of our brothers to say Subhan-Allah (Praise be to Allah). He said it, then he told the brother sitting next to him to say it, and the brother next to him and so on and so forth. Once we all had said it, he went on and said that each of us has earned a tree in Heaven (and that this tree is a massive tree whose Shade extends for miles) - and then he pointed at him self and said that because I told you all to say it, I have earned my tree and all of your trees as well! after which he laughed a clever laugh (you know the laugh of a person who has devised a clever scheme).

I often wonder, why don't they just sit in the mosque for hours and just tell each other to say Subhan-Allah? Maybe there is something else they can do which will give them more sawab in less time? more efficient sawab generation? It becomes an economical way of thinking about Sawaab.

I have nothing against such people. Allah (S.A) knows best and Allah (S.A) rewards those who worship him and obey him - I just believe that one should live his life and do deeds for the sake of Allah (S.A) and not for himself. Living your life for the sake of Allah and doing good deeds for Allahs (S.A) sake will in turn benefit us - note that there is a difference in these two sentences.

In the last year, I have been listening to a number of sheikhs who teach Islam by relying on the Quran and Sunnah and relate it to the world that we live in. They have linked the wordly life with Islam and shown how not following Islam (which is in itself a way of life) can lead to disorder and chaos in our lives and society. I have found no better method that has guided me closer to Allah and I pray to Allah (S.A) that he guides me to the straight path.

Anyway, I plan to undertake a study of the Quran and Islam while I am here in Sydney. Starting on Monday I plan to enroll into a Quran and Islamic course. I have recently once again (Subhan-Allah) become consistent in saying my Prayers - I pray to Allah that he keeps me on the straight path for only Allah and Allah alone (S.A) can guide each and every one of us. Allah (S.A) guides whom he wills and sets astray whom he wills - and those whom Allah (S.A) sets astray can never be guided unless Allah (S.A) guides them.