Yes, I go to an Islamic university. No, I don’t converse in Arabic, spend all day reciting the Quran, or only study religious subjects in class.
Not that there’s anything wrong with doing those things, of course! But many, many people that I have come in contact with over the past few years have had wild misconceptions about what us kids in Islamic universities usually get up to.
Sorry to disappoint, but not all of us are angelic beings bestowed to the earth to spread goodness and morality. Actually, most of us are just normal people, living normal lives, just like any other person our age. Here are some revelations about Islamic university students for you:
1. Not all of us are Muslims
Yep, you read that right. Even though we’re enrolled in an Islamic university, not everybody is a Muslim! Though admittedly, only a very small percentage of the student populace are non-Muslims, there are both local and international students who come from non-Islamic backgrounds.
They learn the same things we do, participate in the same activities, and hang out in the same places. They abide by the university dress code and rules and live peacefully alongside Muslim students. It’s a great way to expose people to Islamic culture and customs when they’re right in the thick of it, and can break down common misunderstandings people have about Islam and Muslims in general.
2. Most of us can’t speak Arabic all that well
Even though having basic knowledge of Arabic is compulsory in most Islamic universities, the fraction of the Quranic language we learn in our studies isn’t really enough to carry us through actual conversations.
Sure, we can understand little bits and pieces, but unless someone is majoring in Arabic subjects, most of us are just as clueless as anybody when someone greets or talks to us in Arabic. So don’t feel too stupid if you don’t get it, because chances are most of us don’t either!
3. We aren’t religious scholars
For some reason, lots of people assume that just because we’re Islamic university students, we have all somehow become ulama’ (Muslim scholars) and are the be-all-end-all when it comes to determining the right and wrong in life.
I’m flattered you think I’m that knowledgeable in Islamic rulings that you come to me for religious advice, but the truth is I probably have no idea how to answer your questions! Don’t get me wrong, most of us would welcome questions and counsel regarding religion, but don’t expect well-informed answers in some cases.
If there’s anything I’m educated in and I’m able to help you out with, I definitely would, but you’re most likely better off asking actual ustaz about whether or not it’s haram to pet dogs or to eat in public during Ramadhan.
4. We don’t just learn about Islam
Yes, Islamic Studies is a compulsory subject in most Islamic universities in Malaysia, and there are quite a few courses based on Islamic teachings too like Islamic law, Islamic finance, and Quranic analysis.
That doesn’t mean we’re all only studying religion though! Most of us are studying subjects from all kinds of fields like literature, architecture, medicine, engineering, and IT.
People seem to have the misconception that Islamic university = Islamic subjects only, and I can tell you that that isn’t true. This might be a concern for non-Muslims looking to further their studies in Islamic institutions, but worry not, for most universities have a healthy balance between religious and non-religious subjects.
5. Not all of us are uptight religious fanatics
I totally understand why some people stay away from so-called ‘religious’ people. Their incessant judging of other people’s mistakes, never-ending complaints about the state of Islam today, and ceaseless blaming of everything on less-pious Muslims and non-Muslims can sure turn people off.
But please know that not everyone is like that! Sure, we all hold our faith dearly and want to spread the message of Islam to others, but a lot of students choose the wrong ways to do so, and end up pushing people away even further.
This does not represent a large percentage of the university population, who will be cool with you regardless of the way you dress, how you act, or even what religion you abide by. Most people I know aren’t like that at all, so don’t stay away thinking that you’re going to get lynched by an angry, torch-bearing mob. We don’t bite!
6. You aren’t ‘too haram’ to be here
Getting accepted into an Islamic university doesn’t mean you’ll automatically have to throw out your wardrobe and only wear black jubah (traditional Islamic dress) and a full-on burqa everyday (but if you want to, then go right ahead).
Many think that stepping into religious learning institutions means they have to call everyone ‘sis’ and they can’t be within 10 feet of someone from the opposite gender. Sure, people joke about the meekness of local Islamic students and our inability to put a toe out of line without incurring the wrath of God (or our fellow students), but I hope that people don’t actually think it’s true!
Being especially pious and religious is not a prerequisite for entering an Islamic university, as there’s always room to learn. Don’t feel like you are ‘too haram’ to be there, because there’s no such thing.
7. We’re normal people, just like you
People might think that Islamic university students are 24/7 in constant worship, never straying from the right path and never doing anything fun. Boy are you wrong.
We do have our religious responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t loosen up and (figuratively) let our hair down! We go out with friends, hang out till the wee hours of the morning, go on spontaneous road trips, some of us sneak off to go on dates, and we enjoy university life just as much as the next person.
Granted, our ideas of fun might be different than others (most of us would much rather stay in and watch movies with friends than going out on the town to party), but nonetheless, we’re all just a bunch of young people thrown into a university together, and we need a break from studies and responsibilities just like anybody else.
8. Nobody’s perfect, especially us
A few people think that we are constant representatives of our respective universities, and along with that, our religion. The moment we make mistakes, they will call us out for it on the basis of us being enrolled in religious learning institutions, saying ‘that’s not how students from there should behave’.
Like I’ve previously mentioned, regardless of which university we attend, we’re all normal human beings. Some of us are more religious than others, while some of us do not consider ourselves devout Muslims at all. Being a student of an Islamic university does not mean that we are perfect, and that we are not allowed to make mistakes, in both religion and in life. This is an opportunity for us to learn from our mistakes and improve ourselves, and it can also be a chance for others to learn from us too!
So what do you think? Do you agree or disagree with these points? Share your thoughts with us down below!
Feature Image Credit: http://islam-science.net
