Newfields Madressa . The Importance of Belief.

Dear Reader
Assalamu alaykum waragmat-Allahi wa barakatuh.

We welcome you once again with the Universal Greeting of Peace and Blessings and we trust that you are enjoying the best of health through the Power and Grace of our ALMIGHTY ALLAH . Insha ALLAH.

We send Peace and Salutations to our Beloved Nabi Muhammad(S.A.W)and, we pray that ALLAH ALMIGHTY guide us all so that we may only do what pleases HIM.

Previously we have dealt with the aspect of Spirituality, and, we have asked the question: Can we live our lives away from ALLAH? Can we exist in this world without recognizing ALLAH ALMIGHTY?

Dear Reader, we would like to tell you the story about *Marwan (not his real name)and, why Spirituality is so important in all our lives.

Marwan was a seventeen year old boy who lived with his parents and two sisters in Plumstead, one of the more affluent areas of Cape Town, and, where each family kept to themselves.

Marwan attended a well-known high school, where emphasis was placed on A-Grade passes. Students who did not excell, or showed a propensity to complacency and laziness were not tolerated for very long. Either you towed the line or you were dealt with in a no-nonsense fashion. The parents would be called in; the student disciplined there and then and if the behaviour or attitude did not change in a given time, the child would be expelled. No one questioned the school's motives in turning out leadership material. The Parents paid too exhorbitant a fee for that.

Marwan was A-Grade material. His ambition was to become a nuclear physicist and his parents spared no expense in getting him all the extra curricula tuition they could get. Marwan did not disappoint them.

When he turned nineteen, he was already doing his honours in physics and the speculation was rife that he was going to complete his training at NASA in America, because his understanding of atomic structures and quantum physics was of a very high level.

He kept mostly to himself. He never attended Madressa or any institution where Islamic learning was offered. His parents allowed him his freedom to busy himself with his own devices. He was a good child.

His one sister, Galima, was his confidante. He loved her and she loved him. If he shared anything with any body it would be her. She was two years younger than him, but she acted as if she was older. You could not say anything bad about Marwan in front of her. She protected him from anything and everything.

Then Galima met Yusuf, the son of an Imam(Muslim Preacher), and the two fell madly in love.

At first Marwan did not pay much attention, because he knew Yusuf from his childhood. But as the affair became more serious, Marwan showed his animosity. He did not want to listen to reason. No matter how hard the parents tried to convince him that Galima had her own life, and, that it was wrong of him to hold onto her the way he did. Marwan refused to listen.Infact, the more they argued with him the more unreasonable he became.

Then one Sunday morning after they had attended a wedding ceremony the previous evening, they found Marwan hanging from a rope behind the bathroom door. His tongue was sticking out , and the sight was something the father would never forget for the rest of his life. On the floor, below the lifeless body lay a note addressed to the Parent. "Dear Dad." It read. Please do not judge me for what I've done. I know it is not what you expect from me. But I do not want to continue any longer." The old man was so shocked that he sank to his knees, clutching the suicide note in his trembling hand.

"I know that this is going to be extremely painful to you and to Mommy, and, to Galima and to Feroza, and, to everyone who knew me, but I cannot live a lie anymore.

The Father could hardly see the words through his tears, but something compelled him to read further.

"You see, Dad, you've always told me to believe in myself, and to persevere even if the odds were against me. And that is what I've done. I have achieved the A Passes that you and Mommy were so obsessed with. I have accumulated many distinctions that you forced me to obtain. I have endured many late nights that you and Mommy were so proud of. I have even sacrificed my leisure hours to please you, doing extra mural work. And for what dad? For what? My life feels so empty, because you and Mommy have set standards for me that makes me feel like a robot. I cannot do what I want to do, because you are forever breathing down my neck, making sure that I excell. Well, now you'll have to find another showpiece to parade to the family. I'm sick of it! Please tell Galima that I'm sorry that I've given her such a hard time, but this is not about her. It never was. I love her too much (as a sister) for that. I wish her and Yusuf all of the best.

Goodbye, Dad. I love you and Mom, and everyone. Please forgive me.

The whole family was cut to pieces, even his classmates at school were severely traumatised and many councilling sessions were needed to get them to accept what had happened. The mother and the Father were completely devastated.

Dear Reader, once again we urge you to support our cause of teaching our Youth about ALLAH ALMIGHTY and HIS Divine Commands.We can blame the Parents; we can blame
the school for putting too much pressure on the student. But in the final analysis,everything happens only with the WILL OF ALLAH.

You see, dear Reader, Galima remembered that Marwan once told her that he wondered what it would be like to be a madressa teacher, and what would happen if he should change his career plans. She had laughed and had told him that their parents would have a fit, and he would be a poor person for the rest of his life.

But Marwan must have had some inclination towards understanding the DEEN OF ISLAM. We would never know would we?

Our Banking details once again:
Newfields Madressa
Standard Bank
Parow Branch. Cape Town.
SOUTH AFRICA
Account No 072704764
Branch Code 051001