I firmly believe in the necessity of strengthening our bond with Allah (swt) by revisiting the foundational principles of Islam. This entails immersing ourselves in the Holy Quran, the divine word of Allah (swt), and adhering to the Sunnah, the exemplary actions of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw). As a parent committed to home education, I have endeavored to infuse these teachings into my children’s lessons. This website serves as my humble endeavor to share the insights gleaned from our journey with a wider audience, making the content freely accessible to all.
Contemplating the initial revelations to Prophet Muhammad (saw) as detailed in Surah Al Alaq, verses 1-5, I’ve come to recognize these passages as the cornerstone, ethos, and blueprint for the Islamic Education System I aspire to integrate and promote, God willing.
| Iqra biismi rabbika allathee khalaq Khalaqa alinsana min AAalaq Iqra warabbuka alakram Allathee AAallama bialqalam AAallama alinsana ma lam yaAAlam | ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ | Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clinging substance. Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not. |
SURAH AL ALAQ: THE FOUNDATION
The diagram below explains how the various elements of these verses guide the design of this unique educational model, which can be used to teach everything a Muslim child needs to learn to have a good chance at the ultimate success of the Hereafter.
GUIDING PHILOSOPHY
According to the above mind map which has been derived from the first five verses of Surah Al Alaq, the philosophy for the educational model is as follows:
Knowledge with the Intention of Pleasing Allah: Instill in students the understanding that all knowledge-seeking should be pursued with the sincere intention of pleasing Allah alone, rather than for worldly gains such as degrees, careers or wealth.
Continuous Learning and Reflection: Emphasize the importance of perpetual learning, encompassing reading, recitation, research, and reflection. Encourage students to seek knowledge from various sources, starting from the Quran and incorporating other beneficial subjects, fostering a lifelong commitment to learning.
Understanding of Divine Concepts and History: Prioritize the study of divine concepts such as the Lordship, Divinity, and Names and Attributes of Allah, and all the aspects of worshipping Him, alongside an exploration of historical narratives spanning from the creation of the world to current world affairs and signs of the Day of Judgment.
Humility and Awareness of Weaknesses: Cultivate humility in students by reminding them of their inherent weaknesses as human beings, traced back to their creation from a clot of blood. Incorporate skill-building to overcome weaknesses. Encourage research and introspection about all of living things and the balance in nature.
Appreciation of Divine Blessings: Instill gratitude and appreciation for the blessings bestowed by Allah, including natural phenomena mentioned in the Quran, such as rain, plants, mountains, and the sun, as signs of His existence and generosity. Also, teach students to recognize the mathematical order and precision inherent in the natural world, as a manifestation of Allah’s wisdom and design.
Preservation and Spread of Knowledge: Promote the preservation and dissemination of knowledge as a sacred duty. Recognize the role of Allah as the ultimate teacher and guide, and emphasize the obligation to use the Pen as a tool for transmitting knowledge across generations, while maintaining a stance of humility regardless of one’s level of knowledge attainment.
ALAQ ACADEMY
From a desire to teach children with the above philosophy, I came up with the idea of setting up an online platform where I would share content, ideas and activities that can benefit our Ummah and prepare our next generation. Given my obsession with Surah Al Alaq, the name of this platform just had to be Alaq Academy.
I used the symbol of a drop of water to encourage myself to keep making small efforts and that eventually I may be able to have some impact in the ocean of knowledge. Allah swt created everything from water and this gives me hope that, Bithinillah I can fashion something worthwhile as well. The drop also represents the ‘Alaq’ or the Clot mentioned in the Surah which symbolizes our humble beginnings.
The letter A inside the drop of water, the first letter of the alphabet, also signifies a beginning – the start of a journey towards getting closer to our Lord. I chose the color green as it signifies balance, nature, growth and freshness. I chose purple due to its association with wisdom, enlightenment, nobility and creativity.
Alaq Academy 