WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:02.399 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:05.400 "Were it not for the mentor, I would not have known my Lord." 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:07.459 This is a proverb often repeated by the Arabs. 00:00:07.459 --> 00:00:11.460 It highlights the importance of upbringing and the role of the mentor 00:00:11.460 --> 00:00:15.460 in guiding children toward the path of goodness and knowledge. 00:00:15.460 --> 00:00:18.460 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, says: 00:00:18.460 --> 00:00:21.460 "Whoever has a daughter or two daughters, 00:00:21.460 --> 00:00:24.460 and raises them well, providing them with a good upbringing, 00:00:24.460 --> 00:00:27.460 and marries them off, ensuring they are well-wed, 00:00:27.460 --> 00:00:29.460 shall enter Paradise with them." 00:00:29.460 --> 00:00:32.500 Indeed, upbringing must precede formal education. 00:00:32.500 --> 00:00:37.500 The process of upbringing is not as simple as some might think. 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:44.530 Upbringing has foundations rooted in human values such as freedom and responsibility, 00:00:44.530 --> 00:00:47.530 a sense of self-accountability, 00:00:47.530 --> 00:00:49.530 the development of the mind and the soul, 00:00:49.530 --> 00:00:52.530 the cultivation of sound character and nature, 00:00:52.530 --> 00:00:55.530 the eradication of corrupt traits, 00:00:56.530 --> 00:00:58.530 and the development of intellect, 00:00:58.530 --> 00:01:04.530 so that a person may be complete in their personality, thought, character, and faith. 00:01:04.530 --> 00:01:07.530 The best approach to noble upbringing 00:01:07.530 --> 00:01:09.530 is the path of moderation. 00:01:09.530 --> 00:01:11.530 For the best of affairs are the middle ones. 00:01:11.530 --> 00:01:16.530 A mentor should be generous without reaching the point of extravagance, 00:01:16.530 --> 00:01:19.530 courageous without reaching the point of recklessness, 00:01:19.530 --> 00:01:22.530 forbearing without reaching the point of weakness, 00:01:22.530 --> 00:01:25.530 victorious without reaching the point of tyranny, 00:01:25.530 --> 00:01:29.530 and humble without reaching the point of arrogance or pride. 00:01:29.530 --> 00:01:34.530 One must look at their own flaws first before attempting to mentor others. 00:01:34.530 --> 00:01:39.530 One must reform oneself first, then begin the process of upbringing. 00:01:39.530 --> 00:01:42.530 For the eyes of the student are fixed upon the mentor. 00:01:42.530 --> 00:01:46.530 'Umar ibn Shu'bah once said to his son’s teacher: 00:01:46.530 --> 00:01:49.530 "Let your reform begin with yourself first, 00:01:49.530 --> 00:01:52.530 for the eyes of the students are fixed upon you. 00:01:52.530 --> 00:01:55.590 What you do, they consider good, 00:01:55.590 --> 00:01:57.590 and what you abandon, they consider ugly." 00:01:57.590 --> 00:02:00.620 "Teach them the Book of Allah, 00:02:00.620 --> 00:02:02.620 increase them in the noblest of hadiths, 00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:04.620 and the most virtuous of poetry. 00:02:04.620 --> 00:02:09.620 Do not move them from one science to another until they have mastered the first, 00:02:09.620 --> 00:02:13.620 for a clutter of words in the heart hinders understanding." 00:02:13.620 --> 00:02:19.849 Upbringing is a process that requires attention and knowledge of its methods. 00:02:19.849 --> 00:02:22.849 We must connect upbringing in the modern era 00:02:22.849 --> 00:02:26.849 with advanced and civilized methods. 00:02:26.849 --> 00:02:31.849 This does not mean abandoning our distinctiveness and authenticity, 00:02:31.849 --> 00:02:35.849 but rather, we strive to build a society whose members are based 00:02:35.849 --> 00:02:39.849 on civilized intellectual and physical training, 00:02:39.849 --> 00:02:44.849 and the mastery of their work in a way that achieves human dignity and high status, 00:02:44.849 --> 00:02:47.849 serving both their faith and their community. 00:02:47.849 --> 00:02:50.849 Upbringing has various methods and types. 00:02:50.849 --> 00:02:54.849 It has been said that upbringing comes in two forms: 00:02:54.849 --> 00:02:57.849 upbringing that comes from others, 00:02:57.849 --> 00:03:00.849 and upbringing that comes from within the self. 00:03:00.849 --> 00:03:03.849 When Ibn al-Muqaffa' was asked, 00:03:03.849 --> 00:03:06.849 "Who taught you all this refinement?" 00:03:06.849 --> 00:03:08.849 He replied, "My own self." 00:03:08.849 --> 00:03:10.849 It was said to him, 00:03:10.849 --> 00:03:13.849 "Can a person refine themselves without a teacher?" 00:03:13.849 --> 00:03:15.849 He said, "Yes. 00:03:15.849 --> 00:03:19.849 Whenever I saw something good in others, I adopted it, 00:03:19.849 --> 00:03:22.849 and whenever I saw something ugly, I avoided it. 00:03:22.849 --> 00:03:25.849 Through this, I refined myself." 00:03:25.849 --> 00:03:28.849 I would like to whisper into the ears of mentors 00:03:28.849 --> 00:03:32.849 regarding the gravity and importance of the educational process, 00:03:32.849 --> 00:03:36.849 and that it is among the highest goals and most sacred of tasks. 00:03:36.849 --> 00:03:39.849 They will be questioned about it on the Day of Reckoning. 00:03:39.849 --> 00:03:41.849 "Every one of you is a shepherd, 00:03:41.849 --> 00:03:44.849 and every one of you is responsible for his flock." 00:03:44.849 --> 00:03:47.849 Furthermore, upbringing comes before education. 00:03:47.849 --> 00:03:50.849 For what is the value of knowledge to a person 00:03:50.849 --> 00:03:53.849 who is misguided in their thought and creed? 00:03:53.849 --> 00:03:56.849 Perhaps the makers of events and decisions today 00:03:56.849 --> 00:03:59.849 are the best evidence of the corruption of humanity 00:03:59.849 --> 00:04:02.849 in this age of progress and civilization.