2021 Challenges and Solutions #08

villamagna Rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala Shara filmbay well mousseline Muhammad Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi, wa aalihi wa sahbihi wa seldom at the Sleeman, kathira and kathira.

From ababu. My dear brothers and sisters, I want to begin with a quote of Alvin Toffler.

You in his book learning for tomorrow.

He says all education springs from images of the future and all education creates images of the future. Thus, all education, whether or so intended or not, is a preparation for the future. Unless we understand the future for which we are preparing, we do tragic damage to those we teach.

This is a court which is really worth reflecting on.

Let me say do you think agriculture

What does a farmer do? You may answer he grows crops wrong. He doesn't do anything because to grow is not in his control. Allah subhanaw taala challenge those who can think and he said all Willa Jimenez shaytani r rajim. Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim I thought I don't matter heroes. Oh don't

don't desert Oh, now who knows our hero? No. nyjah

Whoa, Tom and fossil Tom FACA. hone in

on burner Han Omar hydromorphone. Allah surrounded that is that is one of the rock out tell me the seed that you saw in the ground? Is it you that make it grow? Are we are We the Grower worried our will we could crumble it to dry pieces. And you will be regretful or left in wonderment, saying we are indeed more Ramon ruined or lost? No, but we are deprived. A good farmer is one who recognizes his constraints and focuses on his strengths and does his best to leverage them. Incidentally, that's a good definition for anyone in any field not only for farmers

focus on strength and do your best to leverage them. So what does a farmer do? He or she creates the best possible conditions for a plant to grow. He ensures that the soil is even free from rocks and thorns has the correct pH value, which is acidity and alkalinity is free from pathogens has the required organic matter content and is suitable for planting. He ensures that it is irrigated and protected against anything that is likely to harm the crop when it starts growing. So internal and external protection and suitability and preparation. That is all that he or she can do. That's all that the farmer can do create the best possible conditions. He cannot force the seed to germinate or

the chute to grow. But he can influence and change the environment such that when he plants the seed, it finds the most conducive environment for growth. Why am I talking about farming when we should be talking about education because a good teacher is like a good farmer. He or she recognizes that you can never teach anyone anything. What you can do is to create conditions where those who want to learn will be facilitated to learn and will and will not have to waste time and energy in coping with avoidable adverse conditions. The problem with our present system of schooling is not that it has failed, but that it is hugely successful.

It has been phenomenally successful since the Industrial Revolution, which is 1760 to 80 in 20 1840. in producing what it was designed to produce mindless followers without the tools to challenge the status quo. And it does that amazingly well. Nothing can work outside it's designed, a car will never fly no matter how fast it goes. That's why we must redesign and reconstruct our education. If we want to regain leadership. Focus determines outcome. As rosov told us in Navarra malo been yet the reward and the outcome of the deed is based on its intention. You can only achieve what you aim for. Let me just

Some historical facts with you, for you to compare. In 1440 King Henry the sixth of England established Eton College, which is called the Chief Nurse of England's statesman. In 1572. Roughly 100 years later, Queen Elizabeth the first issued a royal charter for the establishment of Harrow public school.

Between these two schools, they have produced 27 British Prime Ministers till date. Add to that heads of state of other countries, heads of corporations, generals, Nobel laureates and princes of the church, as the Catholic and Anglican bishops and cardinals are called, and you are likely to find an eternal Harrow graduate in almost any field of endeavor. Meanwhile, what was happening in the Muslim world? In 1933, use of the first the Sultan of Granada, converted Alhambra into a royal palace, used to be a fort.

It became a royal palace in 1933. In 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella, at the end of the Christian, Riga kista, made Alhambra their royal court and granted the infamous Christopher Columbus royal endorsement for his expedition to India, I can imagine Isabella flicking her wrist and saying to him Get lost. He did, quite literally, tragically for the Americans. In India in the 16th century, the Mughal Empire was at its peak, accounting for over 25% of global GDP, and Emperor Shah was on the throne of Delhi.

In 1632, he commissioned the Taj Mahal, which was completed in 1653, a World Heritage building

a wonder of the world, a marvel of architecture, and a tribute to its architect who starred Mr. lahori. However, in 1636, across the world from Agra, right here next door to us, in the state of Massachusetts, john Howard, a clergyman founded what became the Harvard University

1632

to 1653, the Taj Mahal was built. In 1636, Howard University was established today, Harvard has an endowment fund of $40.9 billion.

I mentioned the unburned fund to emphasize the fact that it indicates not the wish of a gift of anything, but the focus of the people and their willingness to put their money where their mouth is.

Needless to say, Howard gave this country, the highest number of presidents, and there is a Harvard Graduate also in almost any field of human endeavor. That's why I say they have the world and we have the tombs. as Muslims, we are fond of talking about God global leadership, and about how this is a sacred duty, and a task that Allah subhanaw taala sent us to accomplish. The question is, are we willing to put our effort and money where our mouth is, or are we going to remain among those who talk about global leadership, but spend our money to build palaces and malls and hotels and towers, and to buy expensive toys, but not to invest in legacy projects that can change our destiny, we need

to remember that no matter what we decide to do, Allah Jalla Jalla, who will hold us accountable for what he sent us to accomplish. We can either be honored for a job well done, or be punished for neglecting our duty. Let's remember that the only thing that happens merely by waiting for it is death. For everything else, we need to make effort and investment.

I believe that today we are standing at a fork in history, forks of history

are times which are characterized by increased turmoil, insecurity, fear and cataclysmic changes. But it is because of this,

that for a short time, the foundations of the structures of society are shaken, and it is given into the hands of ordinary people to change the path of destiny. Once this window of opportunity shuts, the fate of future generations will be sealed until the next fork in history, perhaps centuries later. I believe that we are standing at a fork in history today, and that it has been given to our hands to leave a legacy of honor, if we wish. It is our call to take and by our actions

We will be judged by our children and their children. Global Leadership is not an accident. It is a result of investing thought, time and resources consistently. That's the word consistently, not just once consistently, in pursuit of a vision that spans generations. People who are serious about clear creating global influence, have long understood this, I gave you the examples, and I've invested unstintingly in something that they've always considered worthwhile. I believe that to achieve greatness, it is necessary to first dream of great things and this we must not be afraid to do.

Like most thinking people of our time,

over the last decade, I have also been thinking about the sad state, that ordinary people like us find ourselves in, like lost sheep. We are many in number but distracted, disconnected and dispersed prey to every passing wolf. All the power, authority, wealth and influence seem to be in the hands of those who are arrayed against us, leaving us with little choice, if any, even with respect to the wealth, which is apparently in our hands, others dispose of it at will. Even though on the face of it, we are its owners, like most people, I to complaint, defined our problem and redefined it, discussed it, debated it and agonized over it until I came to the conclusion that none of that was

getting me any closer to a solution. Frankly, problems need solutions, not complaints. The truth is that we must totally transform what we teach how we do it, and who does it. Because as Erasmus said, the main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of youth.

Most important thing to understand is that the world has changed and continues to change at such a rapid pace, that our own experience has lost all relevance.

Our stories, and all stories of the past are simply that stories, nothing more. Unless we can teach the lessons from those stories. The data is at best interesting. The lessons, however, are invaluable. But that is only if we can teach them by extracting the lesson, conceptualizing it, and communicating it in language that makes sense in today's context. Our education today, both religious and worldly consists of teaching discrete bits of information without showing either the link between them, or how they can be applied in a modern context.

Did anyone for example, ever tell you how physics is related to chemistry or biology?

Or how history and botany are related to geography, or education is like giving me the latest box of DeWalt, or Milwaukee or Black and Decker power tools. The tools are good, but I have no clue how to use them. At best, I will keep them safely.

At worst, I may try to use them and injure myself or damage my property. This is the crisis of our education. We teach random facts, and we examine random recall in a specific timeframe called exams. The future of our children depends on their ability to vomit successfully vomit and digested information on call. What else will you call it? This is what needs to change. That is why tweaking and adjusting won't work. We need to change totally and completely starting with admitting that we had been doing it wrong for not for now 400 years, then seeking the forgiveness of Allah subhanaw taala. For this crime of playing with the lives of our children, and owning our responsibility to

create change. As they say, if you broke it, you can fix it. There are three critical things that we must do. The first of them focus on the core purpose of teaching. What do we want the student to be able to do?

This is a profoundly serious question that is almost never asked. Most curricula are taught by default, just because they've always been taught that way. We do not realize that often. This in itself is a good reason to take a second look at the curriculum to see if it still remains relevant in a world that is vastly different. I can give specific examples of this, both in terms of our modalities as well as secular schools. But instead we'll ask you to meet those running the institution that you are associated with and ask them what their curriculum is designed to produce. Then see if it is doing that. And if that is what you want. If that person cannot answer that

question to your satisfaction, take your child out of that school. Your child does not deserve a school where they don't know what they are producing especially

When you are paying for it with money, and your child with his or her future.

Number two,

there must be practical classes for every subject we teach. I agree that this may pose a challenge in some subjects more than in others. But I strongly suggest that we keep this rule and hold ourselves to it, we may well be surprised at the creativity that comes forth as a result, the main and single biggest benefit of this methodology will be to bring alive every subject for the student, so that they can see the power of what they have learned. Also, as time passes, new issues and problems will emerge in society. And when we have this rule of practically applying everything, we will be forced to evolve new solutions, which will bring much needed change. Number three, is to

teach them tools. As I told you, facts, what happened has no meaning. What can you do with what happened is what has meaning. We must teach how not what for what there is Wikipedia. But for how we need teachers. Technology has made the traditional role of the teacher redundant. If a child is literate and numerate, he or she can educate themselves. That is why homeschooling has become so popular. Sites like Udemy, and higher Academy teach you almost anything at all.

Children today have access to more information in one day than we had in our entire lifetimes. What they do not have is the tools to assess that information and decide what is useful and beneficial and what is useless and potentially harmful. The role of parenting and teaching must therefore change. Children need values, ethics, morals, more than the neat toys and smartphones. Or check what we spend more money on providing values cannot be legislated. They must be inculcated. So ask what values are we inculcating in our children? If you cannot answer that question instantly, and back it up with specific ways in which you are doing this, then it means that you're fooling yourself.

Children need positive inspiring role models. Are you that role model as the child and ask them to tell you in what way you inspire them.

Parents like to talk about the duties of children towards them. I want you parents to ask yourself

what your duty is towards your children? are you raising pets or children if you are only feeding and clothing and giving them a home, that their pets, not your legacy to the world.

Allah Subhana Allah didn't give you your exalted status to respects. That is why it also knows that Arsenal never ran a crush. On Sunday school. He taught adults who went home and taught their children. There is a world of difference between a father who is an ATM machine and a mother who is the card and a father who teaches his child the Koran and a mother who introduces the child to Allah subhanho wa Taala and also relies on a son. It is your choice, how you want to define yourself. After all, it is your future

which depends on it.

Your children are your sadaqa jariya ask me ask me let me ask you this question. How many of you may die and died today for your parents and grandparents? That's just one generation one generation ago

did you make dog for them and daddy story.

You are their investment? Are you a good investment? Or did they waste their time?

Now ask yourself another question. What kind of investment Do you want your child to be for you

when you can decide that?

It's your call.

Robert has London persona Willem de fill on avatar handle and

Robin I filled on a globe and I woke up feeling NASA Yeah.

Well Sal, Allahu Allah, Karim Allah Allah He was always made with

me. salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.