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Welcome to AlBina AlManhaji Batch 7: The Launch of the Amdad Cohort
Peace, Mercy, and Blessings of ALLAH be upon you. We welcome you all with a warm, broad, and grand welcome. We specifically welcome the students of AlBina AlManhaji program, the 7th Batch [Click Here to Read More About the Curriculum], which we have named “The Batch of Amdad” (The Reinforcements/Supply Batch). We ask Almighty ALLAH to make this batch a source of spiritual supply and strength for this Ummah.
We also extend our welcome to all current students of AlBina AlManhaji, students of knowledge, those desiring good, those approaching goodness, and those concerned with the affairs of this Ummah. We ask Almighty ALLAH to bless everyone who approaches the learning of goodness with sincerity, desiring this virtue and caring for the cause of Islam and Muslims. Welcome to you all.
The Structure of the 7th Batch: Evolution and Development
As you may have seen in the announcement, this specific batch is divided into two distinct sections: The Main Track (AlMasar Al’Asasi) and The Facilitated Construction (AlBina AlMuyassar). Regarding the Main Track, it is what you are accustomed to—AlBina AlManhaji program in its standard format. By the grace of ALLAH, this is the seventh year of the program, and it continues not only to exist but to evolve. Every batch is an improvement over the one preceding it.
Part of this evolution—or let us call it the development that has occurred—relates specifically to the Preliminary Phase (At-Tamhidi). Traditionally, the Preliminary Phase at the beginning of our program is the stage where we receive students and they take a set of quick, non-detailed materials. These materials are central and important, designed to qualify them for entry into the full program.
However, for this batch, we have selected a group of very critical materials that encompass four pillars:
- Faith and Purification (Imaan wa Tazkiyah): Matters returning to the heart and belief.
- Knowledge (cilm): Matters returning to academic foundations.
- Awareness (Wacy): Matters returning to understanding reality.
- The Reformist Method: Matters returning to how we improve society.
These four pillars are embedded within the materials found in this Preliminary Phase. This phase is not long; its duration is approximately less than two months. It is a short but very important stage, and we hope it will be a blessed opening for the program. After this, ALLAH willing, we will approach the last ten days of Ramadan—may ALLAH allow us and you to reach this noble month in health and goodness. Then, we will resume studies after Ramadan, beginning Level One of the AlBina AlManhaji program as it is known.
The Nobility and Philosophy of Knowledge
We do not need to redraw the basic features of the program, but we always emphasize at the beginning of every batch that this knowledge is noble. This knowledge has objectives found in the Book of ALLAH and the Sunnah of HIS Messenger (Peace and Blessings be upon Him). We must acknowledge that knowledge may be degraded, cheapened, and lowered in status when it takes on a rigid nature, or merely the nature of collecting certificates, seeking jobs, and the like.
In reality, true knowledge is a noble matter that leads a human being toward Servitude (‘Ubudiyyah) to Almighty ALLAH. It purifies his heart, purifies his self, and rectifies his state. Furthermore, knowledge increases a person’s awareness of their reality, awareness of their Ummah, and awareness of their society. It makes them carry the concern (Ham) and the responsibility, guiding them by light, ALLAH willing, to the correct path that leads to Almighty ALLAH and to success in the Hereafter.
Almighty ALLAH praised knowledge in HIS Book and compared those who know with those who do not know, making this comparison linked to worship. HE said:
“…Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his LORD, [like one who does not]? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?”“1 (Az-Zumar – 39:9)
Likewise, HE said:
“…Only those fear ALLAH, from among HIS servants, who have knowledge.“2 (Faatir – 35:28)
There are many other verses and Prophetic Hadiths that indicate the honor of knowledge, its value, and the effects that should be realized through it.
Reviving the Spirit of Knowledge and Methodology
In truth, when the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon Him) built His Companions, raised them, and taught them, the subjects He raised them upon were connected to their reality. They made them deeply aware of their enemies. They were people of insight (Basira), certain in the religion they held, and aware of the dangers surrounding them. The Quran was being revealed containing these very topics.
However, after a long march through history, a degree of stagnation occurred in this knowledge. Therefore, today we are in need of re-breathing the spirit into knowledge. We need knowledge to be a reviver of hearts and souls. We need knowledge to be a cause for awareness of reality. At the same time, this knowledge must be linked to the person actually increasing in correct information, possessing methodological tools to deal with books, information, and heritage—specifically Islamic heritage. The student must take the keys to knowledge and inquiry and acquire scientific grounding (Ta’sil).
AlBina AlManhaji program includes this grounding and includes the stage of construction. There is a review of the basic Shari’ah sciences more than once; some sciences are studied in AlBina AlManhaji two or three times. The program includes Fiqh (Jurisprudence) according to the four schools of thought (Madhabs), where the student chooses the Madhab they wish to study. At the same time, it includes many matters of purification and thought linked to awareness.
The program is not “complete” in the sense that it gives you absolutely everything, but it offers you a beginning and steps on the path, ALLAH willing—guided steps. People vary in how much they benefit from the program based first on their sincerity, then on their reliance on ALLAH, and then on their diligence, review, verification, and the true attention they give to what they study. It also depends on their engagement with the auxiliary tools the program offers. The program no longer offers just schedules of knowledge; there are now live support broadcasts where materials are reviewed, explained, simplified, and brought closer. This is now a fixed and permanent feature, by the grace of ALLAH.
The Facilitated Track (AlBina AlMuyassar)
As for the Facilitated Construction (AlBina AlMuyassar), the reason for establishing this program—and this is naturally the second time and second batch to feature a “lightened” version, formerly called the Light Track—is practical. Many people perhaps do not want the long journey of AlBina AlManhaji, which is four years and may extend a few months longer. Instead, they want something lighter than that, for a duration of one year or thereabouts.
This track features a review of the headers of fundamental topics. It forms a degree of Islamic culture, an understanding of the map of Islamic sciences, a review of the clear fundamentals (Muhkamat) of the religion, reflection on ALLAH’s Book, and the study of some verses and Hadiths. It also fosters a realization of awareness and the reformist vision that a Muslim should carry.
It is a collection of materials that are not filled with excessive details, yet at the same time, they possess a large degree of diversity and good methodology. The student does not take steps equal to the steps taken in the Main Track of AlBina AlManhaji, naturally, but it is a facilitated, light, and gentle building program that does not burden the person, ALLAH willing. Its Preliminary Phase is also beautiful, important, fundamental, and a pillar, but it differs from the Preliminary Phase in the Main Program.
Steadfastness and Warning Against Apathy
As usual, this program begins with large numbers. Then, naturally, these numbers decrease according to the level of determination, resolve, interest, and diligence a person has, and their knowledge of what they have entered into. All of this is surrounded by the decree of Almighty ALLAH, HIS success, and HIS aid to the human being. The one who is granted success and aid by ALLAH will complete the path to a degree where they benefit, and it bears fruit in their life.
A person might get busy, or obstacles may arise, or they may not have prepared well for the program. Or perhaps they got excited due to the program’s reputation, the advertisement, or seeing friends registering, so they entered with enthusiasm but then slackened. This happens in every batch and every program.
Do not be one of them. Do not be of those who exit. Do not be of those who do not complete. Do not be of those who do not give the program its due attention. Give the program its right. Give the program its focus. Concentrate. Seek help from ALLAH. Rely on HIM. And by the permission of ALLAH, you will find abundant and great goodness.
Graduation, Future Horizons, and Gratitude
Esteemed ones, and all praise is due to ALLAH, LORD of the Worlds. In the conclusion of this welcoming speech, I would like to give you glad tidings that AlBina AlManhaji has graduated more than one batch; we have graduated two batches so far, by the grace of ALLAH. These two batches completed four years—each one completed four years of study in this program. They graduated, and part of their graduation was the submission of a Graduation Project. A large portion of these submitted projects were reformist projects; meaning, the student, before graduating, presents their reformist vision or a project that they can offer to society. Praise be to ALLAH, we have seen good fruits.
What I also want to announce as good news is that even these graduates, we did not leave them. We created Graduate Programs for them. The Graduate Program, specifically the one that started a few months ago, is, by the grace of ALLAH, a very good and excellent program with fine follow-up for the students. So, AlBina AlManhaji, ALLAH willing, is continuous and takes into account the student’s journey and their elevation in knowledge.
Beyond that, there are other programs of a higher rank regarding the content of Shari’ah knowledge, headed by the “calim” (Scholar) Program, where the study duration is eleven years. This study is not exclusive only to Shari’ah sciences but also includes various reformist and intellectual aspects that the student of knowledge needs, ALLAH willing.
We praise Almighty ALLAH, we extol HIM, and we thank HIM for HIS success. Any good, any benefit, and any fruit you see in AlBina AlManhaji from the beginning of the journey until today is greater than our effort; it is a bounty from ALLAH and success from HIM alone. HE guided us to this idea, facilitated its execution, and granted it this acceptance among people. Most importantly, ALLAH made the fruit upon souls, hearts, behavior, and perceptions very large, by HIS grace.
The credit belongs to HIM, first and last, outwardly and inwardly, so to HIM is all praise. We seek refuge in ALLAH from being entrusted to ourselves for even the blink of an eye. We seek refuge in ALLAH from being entrusted to ourselves for even the blink of an eye. We ask HIS forgiveness for our sins and repent to HIM. We ask ALLAH to increase us from HIS bounty, to have mercy on us with HIS mercy, and we ask HIM to grant us victory over those who oppress us. We ask Almighty ALLAH for success and correctness. And finally, we ask HIM to send Peace, Blessings, and Benedictions upon HIS Servant and Messenger, Muhammad.
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