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Muslim schools should be seen as service to mankind not business

By Shakirah Adunola
06 July 2018   |   3:00 am
The Chancellor of leading Islamic online University, IOU, Sheikh Dr. Bilal Philips has charged Muslim School owners to see schools as a form of worship rather than business. This he said would ensure that pupils and students get proper Islamic education and become good citizens. Philips stated this while delivering a lecture during one-day seminar…

Dr. Bilal Philips, (right) with Muslim School Owners and Teachers during a One-Day seminar on making Muslim school more Islamic organised by Penckers International School, Isolo , Lagos in conjunction with Islamic Online University held in Lagos recently.

The Chancellor of leading Islamic online University, IOU, Sheikh Dr. Bilal Philips has charged Muslim School owners to see schools as a form of worship rather than business.

This he said would ensure that pupils and students get proper Islamic education and become good citizens.

Philips stated this while delivering a lecture during one-day seminar for Muslim school owners and Teachers organized by Penckers International School in conjunction with Islamic Online University, held in Isolo, Lagos recently.

“We can not achieve an Islamic School when the founder of Muslim Schools keep targeting gain or intend it as business.

But if they see their schools as an act of ibadah rather than business, we will achieve real Islamic school.

The intention for setting up the school must be right from the beginning and if at a point the owner realizes he had to make it ibadah, it is better. But it must be sustainable.”

He charged participants to Islamise their lesson plans with the view to inculcating moral values, knowledge of the deen and clearing all doubts and misconceptions about Islam, adding that this would produce the desired change for a better society.

Bilal identified five principles toward achieving Islamisation of the Lesson plans in all Muslim schools as taking control of the classroom environment; making use of Islamic historical relevant issues to drive home points; using Quran verses to explain a point in any subject; following the practice of the Prophet, (s.a.w) as well as giving moral messages as enshrined in the Quran and Hadiths.

He blamed lack of understanding the message of the Quran on system of “Parroting the Quran in Ramadan.”

“Most Muslims want to finish reading the Quran in the month of Ramadan cover to cover without grasping the real message.

That is parroting the Quran, it is only what you say to a parrot that it says back to you.”

“We have to make a change if we are going to raise children with good character and high moral values that will change the world. This can be done through education,” he stated.

Bilal Philips was born a Christian in Jamaica. He accepted Islam, Studied in Madinah and became a Scholar teaching Muslims Islam all over the world.

He founded Islamic Online University, Tuition free, with over 400,000 students spread across the world learning Islam.

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