Fwd: Shafahi - The Test of a Lifetime
huzaifa shakir
From: Adnan Abidali <adnan....@gmail.com>
Date: 28 May 2014 02:39
Subject: Shafahi - The Test of a Lifetime
To:
Shafahi – The Test of a Lifetime
All of us remember the trepidation of sitting exams, the sense of impending doom as the dawn of a three hour test breaks, the fluttering of butterflies in the stomach making you go green with dread and the ever looming uncertainty of how well you performed outlasting the actual exam itself. Every generation of students across the world face this with every passing year.
It is no less the case for the students of Jamea. With ‘Imtihan’ marking the end of the Jamea academic year, students are galvanized into diving head first into their books, scrupulously making notes and regretting every time they dozed off in class. The highlight of Imtihan is the oral exams known as ‘Shafahi’ in which students are summoned in front of Moula and the rectors of Jamea, with no less than a few thousand spectators, to read set texts and answer a range of questions. Nerve racking no doubt, but these exams are no ordinary exams; they are not just a formal procedure to evaluate the academic progress of students; they have a far greater significance and impact and are unlike any other test or exam they or anyone else will ever sit. To understand Shafahi, we need to understand Jamea first.
On the face of it Jamea is an educational institute, like the many other academic establishments across the world. Agreed, it is smaller in terms of its student population than most other colleges and offers both secular and seminary courses of study, not unlike many faith schools in different parts of the globe. However, there is something about Jamea which sets it apart. It is difficult to contain in words exactly what Jamea encompasses. It’s a tradition of learning which goes beyond the campus walls and extends further into history than the two centuries since its formal establishment. It is the powerhouse from which the legions of tomorrow’s leaders graduate. It is the repository in which the wisdom of the ancients has been contained, sacredly safeguarded in its walls. Above all, it represents the ‘Zaat’ – the self – of Moula. It embodies what and who Moula is and exists by virtue of his existence. The entity of Jamea is intrinsically and forever linked with the Dai of the time. The two are intertwined and to separate the two would render Jamea a hollow shell without substance or soul. Jamea’s identity stems from the very person of the Dai.
The routine of Jamea is sometimes likened to the rigorous demands of boot-camp and the analogy is more appropriate than one would imagine. After all, this is the breeding ground to train and equip the ‘lashkar’ of tomorrow. It is no easy ride, yet thousands of parents and young hopefuls yearn for a chance to set foot in the hallowed halls and courtly corridors of Jamea and be enlightened by an education which can never be otherwise earned. The sheer demand for a place in Jamea has given both Moulas cause to establish two new campuses in the last few years.
So what is it about the Shafahi Imtihan which is unique? Shafahi sums up what it means to be a student in Jamea. Where else in the world are students examined in front of the elite and established echelons of the community, having their responses relayed to thousands who are scrutinizing every word which they utter? Above all, they stand before Moula, his gaze intently fixed on each and every one of them as he considers their fate and future. There is no such thing as a ‘standard’ Shafahi, but if there was, it follows something like this: Each student is summoned by his or her rank which they acquired from their previous year’s performance. They are given a paragraph, sometimes less, which is an extract from the numerous treatises authored by both Syedna Taher Saifuddin and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. A correct reading of the Arabic text is a basic requirement after which a rendering in Lisan ul Dawat is expected. After that, a student will be expected to answer questions which span the entire breadth of his education and experiences until that point; it goes beyond his or her specialization in a particular subject and most certainly extends far beyond the teachings of the classroom. Questions are usually put forward by one of the rectors and if fortunate enough, they may be questioned by Moula himself who, during Shafahi, occupies a special room which allows him to discreetly peer down from above.
Nevertheless, like I said, there is no ‘standard’ Shafahi. These are no normal oral examinations; these exams are a test, yes, of a student’s analytical skills, academic prowess, creative thinking, elocution and ability to discern, dissect and discuss. However, they are an appraisal of character, an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses as a human being and a litmus test of, what is expected to be, a well rounded personality. Shafahi is not an end to the academic year, but sets itself as the preamble to the chapters of real life that will follow once a student graduates from Jamea. Shafahi then becomes a rich experience for both students and spectators, like a tapestry of coloured silks, which engage all the senses of all that have gathered. There are tears as a student might recount the tragedy of Karbala or when she is moved by the memory of Burhanuddin Moula’s innumerable blessings; there is laughter as one student talks of how his weight fluctuates like the raising and flattening of a roti on a hot stove; there is collective wonderment as a student displays outstanding oratorical finesse humbling an elder generation of learned men; there is a sympathetic sigh for a student who didn’t quite reach the mark expected of him. The subjects too can vary greatly. One moment one might be discussing the intracacies of Arabic syntax and its use a literary tool and the next moment, questions on sociological theories on the institution of marriage might be forthcoming. Alternatively, topics such as the state of modern day finance contrasted with the culinary skills of roti-making might be debated. All in all, it combines a kaleidoscope of emotions and experiences which only adds to the vibrancy of the moment.
Any student will tell you that Shafahi is a defining moment in their lives. The gravity of the honour bestowed on those whose examiner is no less than Moula himself, is one which weighs heavily on their minds from the very first day they enter Jamea. Shafahi is the point where one gets to see whether he or she has fulfilled the expectations of Moula. In turn, it also sets about the blueprint on which they will construct their future. What is seen and heard in Shafahi is, in comparison to what is beyond our immediate comprehension, superficial. Shafahi is an exercise in soul-making – not just of the student, but for generations to come. The irony is that although it may seem like an exam, many a time it seems like a lesson to be learnt, the venue turning into a large classroom with Moula as the teacher.
Shafahi sets the curriculum which will be taught in Jamea. The books and the texts have their function, but it is their instruction, interpretation and implementation which Shafahi highlights and therefore brings about a far greater meaning during the course of their study. It forces Jamea, its students and the wider community to reflect on who and what we are and what we are meant to do. How will we perceive life? Will we be blinkered in our perspective or will we broaden our horizons? Will we be self-centered or learn to effectively and ethically engage with the ‘real’ world? Will we allow ourselves to be turned by the tide or will we fight the flow? Will we see ourselves as atomized individuals or a part of a larger, global community whose character and conduct has a positive impact on the rest of humanity? These are just some of the larger themes which are constantly being brought to the fore in Shafahi.
Shafahi then becomes the moment in which Moula looks right into the soul of a student, knowing in an instant the who, what, where and why of his or her entire existence. One can never prepare enough for such a moment. But it is a truly magical moment nonetheless. For that moment, you are connected to Moula in a way which defies description. Your nerves get the better of you but somehow you are greeted with a deep seated calm, for isn’t this Moula? Moula is known not for admonishing but for being the loving, paternal figure that every Jamea student and mumin sees him as.
It is an exam of love as well as learning, an exam, that if you pass, there are no heights to which you cannot soar to.
Wishing every student in Jamea the very best and may each one of us pass each test of faith and fate with flying colours.
Abde Syedna TUS
Adnan Sh Shabbir Abidali
Aljamea tus Saifiyah
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