New Level, New Challenges

Akhirat is no. 1, but academic is not no. 2!

Assalamualikum (peace be upon you) ^_^

Since for a few weeks, I have been very busy with document management and that MAS (Minggu Aluan Siswa) stuff in my new university, so Alhamdulillah (All praises to Allah) until this moment, I still can be stay connected to this blog to be updated. Oh, you want know what MAS is? Well, MAS is just same as the school orientation, filled with many activity slots handled by the facilitators (which consists of the very well-rounded university seniors). Most of you must have been experienced it before so a long explanation won't be needed for now. Actually after the first post, I've been busy making preparations before entering the university of my choice, and since I'm from Tawau, Sabah, so it's got to be a long-distance journey (flight and land transportations) to get to the university in Tronoh, Perak. ("What places are those? Just how far is it from his university of choice? What country do he live in actually?" I will answer those questions for another posts, so be patient ^_^...)

Arriving there on 10th of May, I'm somehow realized that I have been moving one step forward into a new level of ages which will be filled with new kinds of situations and challenges ahead of me. Furthermore, it looks like I have to leave my family and stay apart from them (again) throughout the years in university so the challenges are looking very obvious now. However in Islam, for teenagers like me and you (if you are really teenagers), challenges should be good things for us and to be taken as catalysts to improve ourselves to be more matured, well-rounded and well-behaved teenagers who will contribute strength as the new generation for Islam and our ummah (nation). 

Universti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) (Petonas Technology University), The university of my choice, is the university that is owned by the PETRONAS company (I suppose you know that company) in which the university has the motto of 'engineering futures'. Suit with the motto, the UTP has many futuristic-designed buildings and facilities where all of them become very crucial in nowadays' world of technology.

Chancellor Complex

Path to the Chancellor Hall & Information Resource Center

Plan from above (Chancellor Complex)

Inside the Chancellor Hall

Talk about technology and materialistic futures, there is a question that appears to be questionable here: Is today's world developing to advancement, or to the other way around? When we look upon most of the updates of the world, either thorough the media or in front of us, economic and technological industries keep developing, while social problems regarding the societies keep happening and increasing from time to time. So it is obvious that there must be some falsehoods and injustices happen behind the scenes of societies. And some of us as a teenage students are never expected to be lucky to pursue our study in universities or colleges, but do you think you get the luck to be put in a position to strive upon an advanced life in your next career and only you who can deserve the joy alone? No! Don't ever be a selfish person, because in the end we won't get anything beneficial when we take everything but not contributing to others. The Prophet Rasulullah s.a.w. (peace be upon him) said:

"Whoever being asked about knowledge then he hide it his mouth will be tied up (with a bridle being put at his mouth like a horse) by a bridle from the hellfire on The Judgement Day."

[Narrated by Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi]

Islam highly appreciates knowledges and Muslim scholars, that the position of knowledge and scholars are very high and noble within the parameters of Islam. Because of such a high position of knowledge, Islam obliges Muslims to study knowledge so it is expected they work based on their knowledge, not just by following someone without a goal.

Jihad in knowledge means struggling to build community in terms of knowledge and civilization that are beneficial and present the right description about them without any sense of jealousy or greed because those who provide knowledge in the form of guidance will be blessed with reward and goodness that are same as those who practice the knowledge.

Therefore, we get the knowledge and we all deserve the knowledge to be contributed to others and to be harnessed in the good way. Now Alhamdulillah as healthy teenagers, despite not all of us have the physical perfection, we are blessed with great mind, great energy, great passion and great time, so we have to use them well as the next successor to defeat the falsehoods and injustices, then to uphold the truth and justice in order to restore the world. Nevertheless, all of our doings and goals must be referred back to Allah as our relationship with Him is the main priority, and the real priority for us as humans is stated clearly in the Quran. Allah said:

"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."

[Adh-Dhariyat (51:56)]

Worshipping Allah is our real priority for living throughout our life. That means whatever we do or whatever we say, all must be put in the name of Allah and in the way He orders and allows. Akhirat is our main target for our goodness, but don't ever forget our responsibility that is given to us as students to seek knowledge. Remember akhirat (hereafter) is not about forget the dunya (worldly affairs) at all, but it is also our responsibility to remember dunya in the way of Allah to bring it up to akhirat.

AKHIRAT IS NUMBER 1, BUT ACADEMIC IS NOT NUMBER 2!

Hope this post is beneficial to you ^_^

Peace...
Wassalamualaikum.