As-salamu alaykum,

As educators, we are dedicated to the well-being and growth of our young pupils at MIU and within our community. We acknowledge that teaching is a multifaceted and demanding experience, driven by a range of motives such as fostering spiritual development in students, contributing to our community’s religious goals, and achieving personal growth. However, when our intentions are not in harmony, it can have detrimental effects on the academic performance and overall productivity of our students and community, regardless of our original motivations.

I would like to address separate issues via separate emails and have an open and honest conversation about our motivations and goals as educators. However, in this email, a primary question we need to ask ourselves is “Why am I here?” As one teacher said “I am here because it makes me feel good that I am doing something for the mosque,” another said “I want a great Jannah,” and another said “I have children and want the best for future generations.” Imagine if we gave any of these reasons to our employer at the time of our interview, neither of us would be hired. We do not work to do it for Jannah or to avoid Jahannam, we do it because Allah expects it of us and we do it because of our love for Allah! Doing anything worthy does not entitle us to paradise or a better future for our children.

So why are we here?
First things first: As Muslims and citizens of this country and the world, it is essential that we come together and take a unified approach towards our goals. The ultimate goal of achieving Jannah and reward can only be achieved through a dedicated effort towards personal transformation to ensure the development of the next generation. Although highly appreciated, teaching a few hours a week is not enough, we need to put in the hard work of truly transforming ourselves, only then will our youth change. This is how Islamic knowledge was traditionally passed down, through a deep commitment to personal spiritual growth. Doing it differently results in self-deception. In today’s society, where individual motivations are often prioritized over collective goals, we must be mindful of the impact this can have on our youth, parents, teachers, and society as a whole. As you continue to volunteer, it is important that we do not lower our standards, but rather strive to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of those around us.

Accomplishing the outcome of personal transformation and the development of the next generation can be achieved through various methods. Each of these methods requires greater exploration, however, it is something we can start to think about. Some of these ways include:

1) Prioritizing education: Encourage young people to pursue educational opportunities and provide them with the resources they need to succeed with an immediate goal in mind coupled with long-term goals. Have a system in place to hold yourself and your loved students accountable. They must be held accountable just as teachers must be held accountable. A detailed syllabus must be in place with a measurable goal in mind within a specific time period. Anything short of this makes the students think you are merely winking at it. This will affect learning outcomes.

2) Community involvement: Encourage young people to get involved in their communities and take on roles. This will help them develop important skills and gain a sense of responsibility. One cannot lead if one does not know, and we can only get to know if we are taught, and we can only be taught if we are willing to take out the time! Students must be taught this.

3) Modeling the behavior you want to see in others: Lead by example and demonstrate the values and behaviors you wish to see in the next generation. If you come late to school, do not expect them to come early. If you are unprepared, never expect them to be prepared. Research has made it very clear, children know when we are not prepared and we try to push our weight on them as a defense to our lack of preparation.

4) Creating opportunities for youth to practice and apply the knowledge they learn: Providing opportunities for youth to take on leadership roles, volunteer, and participate in community service projects will help them develop important skills and gain real-world experience.

It is important for us as educators to reflect on our motivations and goals, and ensure they align with our ultimate goal of personal transformation and the development of the next generation. We should prioritize education, community involvement, lead by example, and create opportunities for our youth to practice and apply their knowledge in order to make a meaningful and lasting impact on their lives. I welcome your comments to help in making MIU amazing, InshaAllah.