I’m currently enrolled in the Bayyinah Institute class Meaningful Prayer. And while the class itself is really amazing because it is already helping me focus in my salaah, I think it’s the random things that the teacher, Abdulnasir Jangda is mentioning in class that is a little bit better. A few things:
1) Algebra comes from the root ja-ba-ra, which means to correct or straighten with force–When asked what the connection was, he said it was because in Algebra you focus on correcting and balancing an equation until both sides are equal. I will definitely be telling my students this in the fall, insha’Allah.
2) With great struggle comes great reward–obviously something we could have all figured out, but it was worded very nicely. It has a ring to it, y’know? One we can all relate to or maybe have heard something similar before in different words (ie–Uncle Ben Parker from Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility”)
3) Knowledge is worth the struggle and time– another something I want to tell my students in the fall when they’re feeling frustrated and unmotivated. The confines of what we can and cannot learn, when we can or cannot learn, or who can or cannot learn are built by people and are completely unnecessary.
4) We are all slaves of Allah–there is no “nice” way to say it. We are literally His property and nothing else.
5) Rizq is often mentioned in the Qur’an with rain (weather). This is a comparison because no one can ever control the rain (weather) and similarly no one can ever control their rizq. It’s all about tawakkul in that case.
6) Abu Bakr (AS) was not in town at the time of the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalaam’s death, and so when he came back to find his Rasul and best friend dead, and his daughter a widow, he went to their house. When he saw the Prophet’s body covered with a white cloth, he lifted it off his face, kissed his forehead and said that he was beautiful in life and beautiful in death. This story made me cry.
7) The prescription of what should be done when you’re upset fall into line with doing salaah. For example, when you’re upset, make wudu–which is done before prayer. If that doesn’t work say the isti’aadah–which is done after the opening supplication of prayer. If that doesn’t work, sit down–which is done during prayer. Long story short–if you’re mad… go pray!
And that’s just from today! Expect more later, insha’Allah… or take the class coming soon to a town near you!
http://www.bayyinah.com/
Lot’s of interesting info, good post.
BTW, Al-jabra is really a slightly changed form of the Urdu word, al-jhagraa, meaning something that can cause a lot of turmoil