1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,399 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:02,399 --> 00:00:05,400 "Were it not for the mentor, I would not have known my Lord." 3 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:07,459 This is a proverb often repeated by the Arabs. 4 00:00:07,459 --> 00:00:11,460 It highlights the importance of upbringing and the role of the mentor 5 00:00:11,460 --> 00:00:15,460 in guiding children toward the path of goodness and knowledge. 6 00:00:15,460 --> 00:00:18,460 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, says: 7 00:00:18,460 --> 00:00:21,460 "Whoever has a daughter or two daughters, 8 00:00:21,460 --> 00:00:24,460 and raises them well, providing them with a good upbringing, 9 00:00:24,460 --> 00:00:27,460 and marries them off, ensuring they are well-wed, 10 00:00:27,460 --> 00:00:29,460 shall enter Paradise with them." 11 00:00:29,460 --> 00:00:32,500 Indeed, upbringing must precede formal education. 12 00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:37,500 The process of upbringing is not as simple as some might think. 13 00:00:37,500 --> 00:00:44,530 Upbringing has foundations rooted in human values such as freedom and responsibility, 14 00:00:44,530 --> 00:00:47,530 a sense of self-accountability, 15 00:00:47,530 --> 00:00:49,530 the development of the mind and the soul, 16 00:00:49,530 --> 00:00:52,530 the cultivation of sound character and nature, 17 00:00:52,530 --> 00:00:55,530 the eradication of corrupt traits, 18 00:00:56,530 --> 00:00:58,530 and the development of intellect, 19 00:00:58,530 --> 00:01:04,530 so that a person may be complete in their personality, thought, character, and faith. 20 00:01:04,530 --> 00:01:07,530 The best approach to noble upbringing 21 00:01:07,530 --> 00:01:09,530 is the path of moderation. 22 00:01:09,530 --> 00:01:11,530 For the best of affairs are the middle ones. 23 00:01:11,530 --> 00:01:16,530 A mentor should be generous without reaching the point of extravagance, 24 00:01:16,530 --> 00:01:19,530 courageous without reaching the point of recklessness, 25 00:01:19,530 --> 00:01:22,530 forbearing without reaching the point of weakness, 26 00:01:22,530 --> 00:01:25,530 victorious without reaching the point of tyranny, 27 00:01:25,530 --> 00:01:29,530 and humble without reaching the point of arrogance or pride. 28 00:01:29,530 --> 00:01:34,530 One must look at their own flaws first before attempting to mentor others. 29 00:01:34,530 --> 00:01:39,530 One must reform oneself first, then begin the process of upbringing. 30 00:01:39,530 --> 00:01:42,530 For the eyes of the student are fixed upon the mentor. 31 00:01:42,530 --> 00:01:46,530 'Umar ibn Shu'bah once said to his son’s teacher: 32 00:01:46,530 --> 00:01:49,530 "Let your reform begin with yourself first, 33 00:01:49,530 --> 00:01:52,530 for the eyes of the students are fixed upon you. 34 00:01:52,530 --> 00:01:55,590 What you do, they consider good, 35 00:01:55,590 --> 00:01:57,590 and what you abandon, they consider ugly." 36 00:01:57,590 --> 00:02:00,620 "Teach them the Book of Allah, 37 00:02:00,620 --> 00:02:02,620 increase them in the noblest of hadiths, 38 00:02:02,620 --> 00:02:04,620 and the most virtuous of poetry. 39 00:02:04,620 --> 00:02:09,620 Do not move them from one science to another until they have mastered the first, 40 00:02:09,620 --> 00:02:13,620 for a clutter of words in the heart hinders understanding." 41 00:02:13,620 --> 00:02:19,849 Upbringing is a process that requires attention and knowledge of its methods. 42 00:02:19,849 --> 00:02:22,849 We must connect upbringing in the modern era 43 00:02:22,849 --> 00:02:26,849 with advanced and civilized methods. 44 00:02:26,849 --> 00:02:31,849 This does not mean abandoning our distinctiveness and authenticity, 45 00:02:31,849 --> 00:02:35,849 but rather, we strive to build a society whose members are based 46 00:02:35,849 --> 00:02:39,849 on civilized intellectual and physical training, 47 00:02:39,849 --> 00:02:44,849 and the mastery of their work in a way that achieves human dignity and high status, 48 00:02:44,849 --> 00:02:47,849 serving both their faith and their community. 49 00:02:47,849 --> 00:02:50,849 Upbringing has various methods and types. 50 00:02:50,849 --> 00:02:54,849 It has been said that upbringing comes in two forms: 51 00:02:54,849 --> 00:02:57,849 upbringing that comes from others, 52 00:02:57,849 --> 00:03:00,849 and upbringing that comes from within the self. 53 00:03:00,849 --> 00:03:03,849 When Ibn al-Muqaffa' was asked, 54 00:03:03,849 --> 00:03:06,849 "Who taught you all this refinement?" 55 00:03:06,849 --> 00:03:08,849 He replied, "My own self." 56 00:03:08,849 --> 00:03:10,849 It was said to him, 57 00:03:10,849 --> 00:03:13,849 "Can a person refine themselves without a teacher?" 58 00:03:13,849 --> 00:03:15,849 He said, "Yes. 59 00:03:15,849 --> 00:03:19,849 Whenever I saw something good in others, I adopted it, 60 00:03:19,849 --> 00:03:22,849 and whenever I saw something ugly, I avoided it. 61 00:03:22,849 --> 00:03:25,849 Through this, I refined myself." 62 00:03:25,849 --> 00:03:28,849 I would like to whisper into the ears of mentors 63 00:03:28,849 --> 00:03:32,849 regarding the gravity and importance of the educational process, 64 00:03:32,849 --> 00:03:36,849 and that it is among the highest goals and most sacred of tasks. 65 00:03:36,849 --> 00:03:39,849 They will be questioned about it on the Day of Reckoning. 66 00:03:39,849 --> 00:03:41,849 "Every one of you is a shepherd, 67 00:03:41,849 --> 00:03:44,849 and every one of you is responsible for his flock." 68 00:03:44,849 --> 00:03:47,849 Furthermore, upbringing comes before education. 69 00:03:47,849 --> 00:03:50,849 For what is the value of knowledge to a person 70 00:03:50,849 --> 00:03:53,849 who is misguided in their thought and creed? 71 00:03:53,849 --> 00:03:56,849 Perhaps the makers of events and decisions today 72 00:03:56,849 --> 00:03:59,849 are the best evidence of the corruption of humanity 73 00:03:59,849 --> 00:04:02,849 in this age of progress and civilization.