by Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed Dalmar
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Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed Dalmar
The Principal of Ottawa Islamic School
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It was clear in the minds of the 19 new graduate pilgrims of the Ottawa Islamic School that what they just discovered was a synonym of the words of their school’s mission statement. Going to the Umra trip has been a complementary gift to the grade 12 grads since 2004. This year’s trip took from Aug 2nd, 2007 to Aug 20, 2007. For me as the head of the group, it was the chance of lifetime.
As they came close to the “Yamani Corner” of the Al Ka’aba Al Musharrafah in each round of the Tawwaf, students and other pilgrims from the school had, like other pilgrims, to recite a supplication whose transliteration in Arabic would read: “Rabbanaa Aatinaa Fidunyaa hasanah wa fil aakhirati hasanah wa qinaa adaban-naar wa adkhilnal jannata ma’al abrar.” It’s rough translation into English would also read: “Oh Allah bring us blessings in this world, and blessings in the hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the hell fire and enter us paradise along with Al Abrar (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism).” This supplication is taken directly from verse 201 of chapter 2 (Al Baqara) of the Al Qura’an Al Karim.
The school’s mission emphasizes two goals that it strives to reach — a) strengthen students’ Islamic knowledge and practice and b) empower students to realize their academic potential to the best possible level. In fact every step taken or word of worship uttered by members of the school Umra group translated to these two goals which basically go back to the meanings of the verses of Al Qura’an Al Karim like this verse in chapter 28 (Al qasas), verse 77,whose transliteration would read: “Wabtaqhi Fimaa aatakallahu addar al aakhirah walaa tansa nasiibaka mina dunya wa ahsin kamaa ahsanallahu ileik, wala tabqhil fasada fil ard”. These verses would be generally translated to English: “But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the hereafter, and forget not your portion of lawful enjoyment in this world; and do good as Allah has been good to you, and seek not mischief in the land. Verily, Allah likes not the Mufsidin (those who commit great crimes and sins, oppressors, tyrants, mischief-makers, and corrupters.”
The true manifestation of the essence of these tributes of Islamic teachings about working for the best of both worlds was clear in the actions of the young pilgrims from the Ottawa Islamic School. As they learned about the honours of each pillar or rukn of the Umra and the sites thereof, no effort was spared to realize the ultimate reward promised by the Qura’an and the Sunnah. One would see students wake up for night prayers and continue until Fajr prayers, contiue Dikr and Qura,an recitation until sunrise prayers (or salat Al Duha). The reward for this act of worship as stated by the Hadith of the prophet PBUH is the equivalent of Hajj and Umra both completed and perfected. Once understood, this became the rule for each member of the group rather than the exception throughout the 11 days in Makkah Al Mukarramah. It was that same manifestation that prompted students to think about applying to Al Jamia Al Islamia in Al Madinah; On the second day of the group’s stay in Al Madinah, 9 students went to inquire about the chances of getting accepted to AL Jamia Al Islamiah and left with the necessary information to apply, direct from their institutions, once back home.
The school has already built a reputation with Ontario universities as an institution that produces candidates with high chances of success at the post-secondary level and beyond. The first group to ever graduate from the school in June 2004 will start the last year of their bachelor programs. The majority of students who started with scholarship offers maintained their status year after year, and this past June’s grads, 83% of whom were Ontario scholars (with overall grades of 80% and over) will start first year in September 2007 and the trend of academic excellence coupled with Islamic knowledge and ethics is expected to continue.
Not only is the Ottawa Islamic School popular within the Muslim communities, but staff of the faculties of education of Ottawa University and Queen’s University applauded and commended efforts of teachers at the school as teacher trainees from these faculties did their practicum at the school. Partnership between the two universities and the school is only expected to grow stronger as the number of teacher trainees who will complete their training at the school is expected to increase this year. As a completion of a cycle of success, inshallah, the school staff and parents plan to hold a different graduation ceremony in June 2008, as the first grads to ever leave the walls of this tiny school will have graduated with university degrees. The ceremony will cover their graduation in a steamed sense of reunion with their first home. As their younger brothers and sisters were reminded as they circled the ka’aba, university graduates will inshallah rejoice in June 2008 realizing they had just met a life-long goal: working for the best of both worlds; this one and the hereafter.
The School Administration would like to extend a heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the teachers who are the backbone of the success achieved. They proved against
all odds that goals and objectives could be attained with tenacity and determination. The meager pay-cheques they receive never swayed them from the noble cause and the human investment they are involved in. Their mantra has always been “ let’s do more with less and lead by example.” To them we say: “ may Allah make your good deeds intercede on your behalf long after you left this world and may Allah expiate from all of us our evil deeds.” The prophet PBUH said in the hadith that the dead will indeed get rewarded by Allah from one of three after their activities in this world ended with their life: knowledge given to others while in this world; a pious son or daughter supplicating to Allah on their behalf and; an on-going charity that they established which keeps benefiting generations through the ages.
As their younger brothers and sisters were reminded as they circled the ka’aba, university graduates will inshallah rejoice in the June 2008 reunion, realizing they had just met a life-long goal: working for the best of both worlds; this one and the hereafter.
Mr. Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed Dalmar is the principal of Ottawa Islamic School and can be reached at :
E-mail: [email protected]