Abdulbary Yahya – 1st Seminary Of Knowledge 2012 Lecture 2 A 1 Of 2
AI: Summary ©
The speaker discusses the importance of learning and practicing manners, including being ahead of schedule, walking with proper clothing, and following proper protocols in school. They emphasize the need for students to be aware of their actions and words to avoid causing harm. The speaker also mentions the difficulty of teaching manners in schools where few people are involved.
AI: Summary ©
Okay, We'll now move on to the next talk,
which will be delivered by Mr. appleberry yahia. I'll introduce you to him first. mm appleberry yahia was born in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. And very soon after that he emigrated to the United States with his family. He grew up in Seattle, Washington state, where he went to primary and secondary school and after that, he went to the College of Sharia at the Islamic University of Medina.
He returned to Vietnam subsequent to that, and he also went to Cambodia and became a teacher and director of the revival of Islamic heritage society in Cambodia, and the omo karate charity organization in Vietnam. He lives in Seattle with his family. He's also an instructor at the Almagro Institute, which is an organization that offers double weekend seminars leading to a bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies. He is the Imam of the masjid jamir Muslim need in Seattle, and is also the president of the Chang refugee community and the Vice President of the Islamic center of Washington State, he will be giving a lecture on attributes of the seekers of knowledge
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I'm about
I know, you guys have been sitting for a while. And really, I don't like to continue a talk right away after another person has just finished, especially you've been here sitting for, for how long? over an hour already. Right. So you know, like,
there's only 30 minutes, right? And we're supposed to make this short, precise and concise. Get to the point. Because when people are tired, you talk, you talk, you talk and they just wait, you know, and people can't take it too much. Can't take too long, too much of that. Right. So maybe we should have a small break. But since we did put a small break here, I'm going to give you a break. That's what we're going to do. Okay, I want everyone to stand up right now. Just to get ready, inshallah. I want everyone to stand up. Okay.
We're gonna do a breathing exercise.
Just
sounds a little bit okay. So when other brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles everybody inshallah, and we're going to be the exercise, and they'll come to me afterwards saying this is a bit that, okay?
Okay.
First of all, we're gonna reserve their stomachs. Because what you want to do is you want to take advantage of the air, you want to take advantage of your lungs, because that's when you get the oxygen, right. And when you're looking at,
if you're looking at a baby, when it's breathing, what is it the news? Is it the test that goes in and out? No, it's the stomach, right? So I want you to breathe with your stomach, okay? And I want you to breathe in and out and they tell you breathe in and out. And
I want you to put your elbows out also, now, I'll tell you want to do.
What do you mean the elbows up? You know, if you see a marathon runner or a person after the race, what does he usually put his hands
on his head, right? Why? Because he puts his hands on his hands. I haven't had what happens. He's just actually opening up his chest.
Because he wants you know, after the race, he signed he lost a lot of oxygen in his blood. So he wants to get that back quickly. So he's gonna put his elbows outward. You know, it's the purpose of it. I don't want you to put your head on your head. Okay, because I know that you know, he hasn't seen it yet. You don't touch people's heads read. I learned that. You know, because I remember when I first came to like Southeast Asia when they came back. I used to sit in front of people, you know, elderly and I should sit cross legged.
And I didn't know this was. So every time I would go to somebody's house
what they're actually saying.
But I didn't even know until later on. Somebody told me no, you don't sit cross legged in front of it. I was like, 18 years old. That's very rude. So I know in America, we
lay straight against our uncles. nobody says anything, right? You don't mean culture, their culture? Anyways, you know, you don't put stuff on the head. That's one thing I learned also, right? I don't know if you don't have your hands on hands. Okay, right.
But anyway, because we're from Singapore, I heard it's a really fine city in this city. And it's cool.
So what I want you guys to do is, elbows out, and thumbs up. Okay, everybody right now almost up, thumbs up. And you're gonna breathe in and out when I tell you to do so. And at the end, 123. And when I tell you to breathe in and out, you breathe in, you breathe out. We're gonna do it three times. After the third time, I want you to say yeah.
I want to say as loud as you can. Yes, as loud as you can. And like I said, Don't say, don't come to me afterwards saying,
Okay, I got proof from the forum. Okay, so you can come to me.
All right, everybody goes out. Thumbs up.
This is
what I want you guys to okay. I want you to say You're so loud.
is a really loud, okay, I want to shake this place. Okay. So I want you to say as loud as you can, okay, everybody, let's do it again. Let's do it again. Okay, elbows out. Thumbs up, I want you to
breathe out through your mouth. Okay, very reason.
Within
reason,
this is
me doing it yourself a little bit so that we get started, I taught, like I said,
just need a little bit. That's a short break right there so we can continue.
Of course, this is, as you can see, up here, this first seminary of knowledge, which means
we're going to be speaking on knowledge. And one of the most important aspects of knowledge is how to be a student of knowledge. What are the characteristics? What are the attributes? What should a student of knowledge have? And how much should he do? What are his characteristics? First of all,
the first half we spoke,
shouldering you already spoke a little bit about the importance of knowledge. And the first first thing when we speak about knowledge, we have to know the the value and the blessing of knowledge and how great this great this blessing is. If you know how important something is, then you are more likely to remember it. If you don't realize how important something is, then you are more likely to forget it. So the first thing is to learn and to know the importance of knowledge.
Because you know our brains, our brains memorize things, and it categorizes information according to importance. If you do something important, then you are more likely to remember it. Because you think that something is not important, then you are more likely to forget it. So our brains when we get some information immediately we have like file cabinets in our heads. And we say okay, this is important. This is not important. And we put it and it's not important. We put in like you know, like on the container you put in the trash bin, right? You leave with the bigger and then if it's twofold, it just goes automatically just erases itself automatically because it's not important to
you. That's how you put it there. So you're our brains, it works the same way. That's why if you feel that
you can always get something back. Or you can always look it up. It's like the information is right at the tip of your finger. Then you're less likely to remember and memorize that.
And so that is why this is the information age. A lot of information but we don't have knowledge
Why? Because everyone depends on Google.
And then you have a style.
That's what we depend upon. So we don't memorize much. I remember, you know, when I was young, sorry, younger.
I used to remember every teller everybody's telephone number, everyone who was close to, I used to remember their telephone number, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, my friends, like I even remembered all their telephone numbers. Now, I have a hard time when I lose my phone. I'm thinking what's my wife's phone number.
But, you know, I'm like, ah, What's your phone number, I lose my phone. That's it. That's everything.
There's no way that I will forget, you know, my sister's phone number, for example. Now, because you know that you can always just press speed dial, just press one for a couple of seconds and you get them on speed dial, or their names are always on my phone when you lose it.
You don't know what to do. I remember I even got lost.
One of the brothers went to a restaurant. And I was in one car and I left my my items in another, another car. And so what ended up happening was, I left his car and he probably was parked behind the restaurant, the other brothers parked in front. So I went to get my things. And then I found out that he had already left. So when I went back, the brother who was supposed to take me thought that I wrote in the other car with the other brother. So Subhanallah what ended up happening was I got left.
You know, these were like, very close friends of mine.
But
I didn't know the phone numbers. Because my phone died.
When the battery ran out, that's that was it. I didn't know how to call them. I had to take a taxi $40 just to get just to get home because I didn't know their number. But these are like my best friends. people close to me. Why did I not know their numbers?
Why? Because I'm always it's always gonna be at my fingertip. I'm expecting that. So I don't remember, remember. So even though this is the information age, we have so much information. But we don't have knowledge. And this is like we have some of these time saving gadgets. The only thing they don't have is time.
There's so many things. And so, when you realize that something is important,
then you will remember it if you know you're gonna need it. You remember it? You just look at you remember, I'm gonna give you an example. Okay? Imagine
you need a brother after the after prayer after Juma prayers. He says Salaam Alaikum. Brother, how you doing? He says while he comes around. And so you introduce yourself. Tell me sir. My name is Ahmed. When
you introduce yourself to Him, you know a little bit about him. Two weeks later, you see him again? You see him again? And you're scratching your head? What was his name?
My
body? No, no, no.
Just two weeks you forgot his name. Why did you forgive me? Because you're
just a regular guy.
But let's just say you wanted Yo yo yo yos parents came to you. And they said, you know, we found a very, very good sister,
sister that
maybe will be very compatible with these. My show loss is beautiful. Okay, very pious,
and very rich also. So it's
like she's got everything. And you're like, oh, Mashallah, okay. And your parents, they say, Oh, she's the daughter of seven. So can you know that part, but you don't you don't really know them. And you know, you don't even know her name. But she signs up, but she's very good fastness. We know her very well. You know, the family knows them very well. We know them very well. And she's very good. So you don't know her name. And then you hear your sisters talking about her. And you find out her name is Fatima
Fatima your sisters weren't even talking to you. Okay, you overheard that name.
You will never forget for the rest of your life.
You will never forget for the rest of your life that I met.
only took two weeks for you to forget his name. Because
this
is important to
remember,
because that was important to a marriage is important to him. And that's what if you do something important, then you categorize it accordingly. And you're more likely to memorize it. And that's why the great scholars of the past, every single Hadith, every single verse, every single reading,
every single,
all those names, it was more important to them than
look at a page and we would have to cover the side notes and the footnotes, because if you looked at it, his mind is so used to remember and memorizing that.
He just looks at it one time, he remembers.
Because just like you will have the man you know if we get out.
But why? Because knowledge to them was important. So the first attributes, the first thing you have to realize, before you seek knowledge is to realize this is something that's very important. your life and your success in this life and they are after is dependent upon it.
And so when you realize something is important, then you're more likely to memorize it, you're more likely to remember it. And so that's why
the scholars of the past because it was important to them.
They traveled for days and weeks and months for just one.
And they are also another thing that a student of knowledge, one of the characteristics of a student of knowledge is his European and his belief in a man. So there are two things that raises a person's status more than anything else.
Two things if you play him on the job, nobody mentioned there are two things. Those two things are aemon faith and knowledge. That's why Allah Subhana Allah says,
Allah Subhana Allah Allah says
in the Quran
Yes, I love the lady, the the M and o minco. Alarm raises the status of those who have faith and belief amongst you.
Your
income will let you know
and those who have been given knowledge, high status, great status. So if you want to, you want
Allah subhana wa to love you. Raise your your vegs be sincere to him
and have faith in Allah subhanho wa Taala Have you learned in the loss of a hammer, strengthen your email and seek knowledge there's nothing like it. And so
the scholars before
they also had that face that believe that you have to have that certainty that whatever they're doing, they will inshallah Devi worded via this sincere and that's why Allah raises them
very, very high status. Like for example, Allah made them immersed in mom's you know, we use that word nowadays, very casually. That you know, when you say when somebody has reached the status of Alabama, you say
Alabama,
Alabama,
Alabama, Malik ohare Muslim men.
It's not even
proper doesn't even sound right when you say
do you see? You don't say Shan Shan. Mr. Mustapha. How do you man who has reached a status? These people have reached a status that nobody on the face of this earth who prays five times a day except they know.
You pray you know who it is anywhere in the world whether you're living in Australia, or in Europe, or in Asia in Africa.
Muslim
hours
Raise your status Why?
Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us tells us about that he mums. And the scholars and leaders have been insulated, he says
do not be Amrita Masada What can you be? Tina yukito.
When they, when did you make them a mom's? Yeah, do wanna be a marina guided by us learn more about what they were patient regarding the ayah, Tina.
And then that was our verses they had up. And they also had certainty that whatever they did, even if a loss of the infinite, the people did not know
that, but the reward that they are going to get, is so much greater if Allah is pleased with them and accepts the deeds. That's why they take
even low long trips for just one ad.
It's like, let's say, for example, let's say that I told someone I said,
I forgot.
I forgot my book, in Kuala Lumpur, okay.
And they tell some tell, whenever you hear they say, anyone, anyone who goes to this such and such place in Kuala Lumpur, and gets it from me, for every step you take, I will give you $10
I'll give you $10 count your steps, every single step you take, you will get $10. Who would not go?
Who would not go? I think all of us here, if we knew that we first certainty, we knew for sure, we're gonna get $10 we would go. And we probably take small steps to
you don't need to take small steps. Because in the end, you will never have to work again for the rest of your life.
Because you will be getting so much money, every step. Even if I told you to walk, don't ride, don't do anything walking the walk, you'll get ready, wear proper clothing, nice shoes, buy the best shoes, and you'll start walking, no matter how hard it is, you're gonna go and get that watch or whatever it is, I tell you,
you know why? For just for $10, you will do so. But you know what you know what
you're going to get when you start when you seek knowledge. When you take the path when you tread the path for knowledge, the sky's
the limit, know for sure that it will be greater than the $10 that we're thinking right now. And that's why even if it takes a whole month,
they will go because they are seeking the pleasure of a loss
is great, it's greater than $10.
And if you would go for $10. How about something that's greater than that. So you can't even compare? Because Jana is eternal, forever.
And that's what you're working for. You want the pleasure of Allah so that you can earn Jenna. And so part of seeking knowledge as a student of knowledge, you have to realize the importance of this Deen, you have to realize the importance of this knowledge, you have been realized the importance of the Scottish and you have to realize the importance of you realize the importance of something, then you are more likely to remember you're more likely to memorize. And so the next
thing that a person who wants to seek knowledge, the next thing that he has to have is manners.
The manners of seeking knowledge, once you realize it's important, you have to do it correctly. You have to have manners when we speak about manners. When we speak about manners.
The company when you look at the companions, the example of the companions of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, they had manners.
And that's why they were able to learn so much from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam you know, I, after I graduated, after I graduated, I went to Cambodia and I was teaching in Cambodia.
I was teaching high school, middle school and high school students Alhamdulillah Mashallah. The school that we had, it was wonderful. A lot of the students must show when they This is my first time teaching in Asia, you know, like in America, I know how it is in America, right? So I come back. I'm teaching Mashallah the students are very well mannered. Okay, that's one thing.
People are very well mannered, right?
In some places, most places,
but I come in and the first thing they do is they stand up. So Oh, I come in, I'm surprised why is everyone standing up like that again, so you don't have to stand up. You don't have to stand up. anytime they come in, you're not to stand up. And every time before they speak, they raise their hand and was quiet.
And Hamdulillah, we were able to do a lot because they're very, very, very well mannered. In six months, I remember six months because I was teaching, I was teaching Arabic and in fifth and things like that, but everything that we taught was in Arabic, I didn't speak any other language, except for Arabic to them. Only from the very beginning, we just spoke Arabic, after six months, Mashallah they were able to pretty much you know, communicate and speak in Arabic and some of them were so good, Mashallah one was able to even translate when the scholar came, we let him translate, he was able to translate what the chef said. But because whenever we gave him 4050 words that masala would
memorize, so much all of the students verbal manner, we went very quickly, we finished actually about just the first few months, we finished the whole curriculum that we studied in, in the first first year in Arabic studies when I was in Medina. So it's very easy. hamdulillah they went back to the United States.
And I was teaching the same group of students, same me, same age group, the exact same age group.
In two weeks, we got two pages done.
You know, in in Cambodia, I remember we finished six chapters in two weeks. And now I can't even get past two pages for two weeks. You know why? Every time I turn around, somebody says
pencil loving somebody hit me with a spit rod,
trying to tell him
listen,
what's wrong with him? What's the difference?
Why are they
chose me, but I can't.
I said, you know, the difference is,
those guys have managed these guys don't have any manners. Not because they learned their manners from Bart Simpson.
Simpson Samson.
In the back of the room, read write writing sentences.
Of course, we're gonna behave like that. And the thing is, in Islamic school, it's even tougher Islamic schools. In the United States, you have two groups of people are, you know, you have the really good parents who are very concerned about their children. And so these people, these students are raised, you know, by very, very concerned parents. So they make sure that their students are well behaved. And so you have very good people. And then you have another group of people
that the public schools have rejected him.
They understand the public schools, they can't even handle these guys. And so their parents have nowhere to put them except Islamic schools. So these are criminals.
Criminals.
So even the good guys are learning how to be criminals. That's a problem. So you have these two groups of people and you know, it doesn't work sometimes. It's very difficult. And then I said, You know what, forget about this.
I cannot continue. But the thing is, Hi, I'm How am I going to teach them manners? You know, I notice I know that the people in Cambodian they didn't they didn't learn manners, but what did they learn?
They learn manners from the village from the teacher if they were not well behaved they get they get to meet Miss mystic.
Right the problem in America if you introduce Mr. Stick to those students, you get to see Mr. bars.
Now, you can't introduce Mr. Stick, you get to see Mr. bars, right. So that's, that's not an option. I can't introduce them to Mr. Stick. What am I supposed to do? To get them to listen me, Bobby
says I didn't want all of them. They like stories. So I stopped eating Arabic. All they did was started to give them stars. stories about what stories about the scholars, stories about manners, and how to be with the teacher how to be with because once you let me tell you some people, they asked me, What should I teach my what's the first thing that you teach my children? Right? What I say is, first of all, teach them to be conscious of a lot. I've talked a lot and teach them manners. Because as soon as you teach them manners, they can teach them anything after that. They don't have manners. You can teach them anything else. Teach them the
The importance of knowledge. And so after that, all I did was give them stories. I collected some stories from a book very likely by members, there have been many lives.
And I just took the Scarlet stories of the scholars, stories of the companions, and everyday was storytime and so they loved it. They said,
Tell me how much that other buddy class has a story time. Yeah, story time, you know, like stories. But what they didn't realize that every story had morals and manners. I was trying to give them so after after two months, then I continued, I went back to Arabic.
And I didn't have to tell them to be quiet anymore. All I had to do was this. When
when a student goes like this, no, sometimes they open the books and
you hear that noise? I look at him and I say
what do you
do that in front of his chef, or his mom, his teacher? What do you do that?
Then he would say no, you know, Imam Shafi, and that was one cool dude.
Man, he was cool, because we talked about two weeks we spent speaking about.
So they loved him. But they remembered us. I remember how he used to open the pages, said, Yeah, I remember you telling us that. He said I was so careful to open the pages in front of my teacher. I didn't want to make any noise because I didn't want to disturb him. So I opened up very carefully. And so I didn't have to tell him to open the property. He had an example.