Sunday, December 04, 2005
Quoting a friend's blog:
To give one example, look at our institutions of 'higher learning', setup with complete disregard to family, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. It's about you doing well, not you caring for parents if need be. How often do we tell them, "I have exams..." or "I cant help. I have an assignment due."?
Our institutions disregard 'fitrah'- need for companionship. It's difficult to establish a relationship during university, married or unmarried, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, or Atheist.... again, there are exceptions, and I am not categorizing or generalizing.
I am talking about the way societal setup is pushing us, myself included ... some are budging while others aren't.
Never really thought about it that way but do find it very true. The biggest obstacle in devoting enough time to my family or friends has not been work or dawa'h but rather school. Not only does it force you to mould your life according to their needs but most people don't really 'learn,' myself included.
How many courses have gone by that according to my transcript were very well understood by me. Yet, if you ask me now, I wouldn't be able to recall a single concept off the top of my head. This goes for the majority of the students barring the exceptionally brilliant ones.
When there are 3 assignments due the next day with a lab report and a midterm the day after, there is no time to truly understand the concepts. The only thought that crosses your mind is to finish it.......somehow......whatever it takes.
Atleast engineering allows some flexibility in terms of spreading out your courses but from what I've heard and seen, medical school literally asks you to become a slave. I've seen many people disappear of the Islamic work scene because they were taking 'time off' to get into med school.
But then again, I can't blame them either. I only rant off because I'm in the comforts of a professional faculty with the promise of $55,000/year after just four years of study while getting paid enough money in co-op to look after a small family.
Would I be just as relaxed if I was fighting tooth and nail to get into med school, business, law school, pharmacy, dentistry, etc not knowing what the future is going to hold and fully aware of the stigma that the society attaches with being 'just' a science or art graduate?
This goes back to my post a few dayz back where as a society, especially the Muslim one, do we not only look down upon the religious sciences but unless you have a king-sized office with a secretary and a clerk who brings a glass of water like a trained monkey upon the ring of a bell, you have somehow 'failed' in life.
To give one example, look at our institutions of 'higher learning', setup with complete disregard to family, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. It's about you doing well, not you caring for parents if need be. How often do we tell them, "I have exams..." or "I cant help. I have an assignment due."?
Our institutions disregard 'fitrah'- need for companionship. It's difficult to establish a relationship during university, married or unmarried, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, or Atheist.... again, there are exceptions, and I am not categorizing or generalizing.
I am talking about the way societal setup is pushing us, myself included ... some are budging while others aren't.
Never really thought about it that way but do find it very true. The biggest obstacle in devoting enough time to my family or friends has not been work or dawa'h but rather school. Not only does it force you to mould your life according to their needs but most people don't really 'learn,' myself included.
How many courses have gone by that according to my transcript were very well understood by me. Yet, if you ask me now, I wouldn't be able to recall a single concept off the top of my head. This goes for the majority of the students barring the exceptionally brilliant ones.
When there are 3 assignments due the next day with a lab report and a midterm the day after, there is no time to truly understand the concepts. The only thought that crosses your mind is to finish it.......somehow......whatever it takes.
Atleast engineering allows some flexibility in terms of spreading out your courses but from what I've heard and seen, medical school literally asks you to become a slave. I've seen many people disappear of the Islamic work scene because they were taking 'time off' to get into med school.
But then again, I can't blame them either. I only rant off because I'm in the comforts of a professional faculty with the promise of $55,000/year after just four years of study while getting paid enough money in co-op to look after a small family.
Would I be just as relaxed if I was fighting tooth and nail to get into med school, business, law school, pharmacy, dentistry, etc not knowing what the future is going to hold and fully aware of the stigma that the society attaches with being 'just' a science or art graduate?
This goes back to my post a few dayz back where as a society, especially the Muslim one, do we not only look down upon the religious sciences but unless you have a king-sized office with a secretary and a clerk who brings a glass of water like a trained monkey upon the ring of a bell, you have somehow 'failed' in life.
Faraz Ahmed 2:35 p.m.