What does walking through the gate of knowledge look, feel, and sound like for a female student at Darul Qasim? Sayeeda Hikmat, a 4th year student in the intermediate program, shares:
“It’s never going to end…I can keep doing more and more!”
Sayeeda’s excitement and dedication to the acquisition of Islamic knowledge can be felt not only in her words, but also in her mannerisms and voice. She shares her quest for more knowledge with a certainty and reflectiveness that is a testament to Darul Qasim’s academic environment.
Sayeeda is an Afghan-American who was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. Her ethnic identity reflects the diversity that can be found amongst students and teachers at Darul Qasim. However, her story does not begin at Darul Qasim, but precedes it. At a young age and with the support of her father, Sayeeda completed her hifz and also began her Alimiyyah studies in a traditional madrasah environment. She goes on to share,
“I also homeschooled myself throughout high school while I was finishing up my hifz. After a couple years, I wanted to begin my college journey, so I went back home for a few months. During that time, I continued my Islamic studies online, but I was definitely missing out on the experience of being on campus with an environment. That is when I found out about Darul Qasim.”
After doing much research, she came across Darul Qasim.
Darul Qasim is not like any other institution. The exposure that one would get to Islamic academia, scholarship, and the plethora of subjects that exist cannot be attained elsewhere in the Western world. Each teacher who teaches a class is proficient in that respective field, which is undoubtedly something we lack in schools across the world. […]The classes that are offered at Darul Qasim range from basic essential classes to advanced books, which allows for a spot for any individual to begin their quest for more knowledge.
She chooses to reflect a bit more on the student-teacher relationship and the endless benefits of having access to well-trained scholars with exemplary character. The importance of physical presence is highlighted:
The true barakah (blessings) and atmosphere is only felt when one is physically present and benefiting from the teacher as they sit in the same room. I am forever grateful that we have this opportunity at Darul Qasim, especially as women.
The story of Sayeeda Hikmat has become a part of the story of Darul Qasim. As she walks through this gate of knowledge, she recognizes every quest has its prerequisites and struggles which are unique for every individual. Yet for Sayeeda, what remains common for every student embarking on this journey are the right intentions, commitment to knowledge and discipline. She was able to overcome the difficulty of moving; the balancing of college studies with Darul Qasim studies; and working part-time jobs through setting the right intentions, commitment to knowledge and discipline. “Alhamdulillah, everything fell into place with the right intentions.”
In this episode of Darul Qasim’s docuseries, “Walking Through the Gate of Knowledge,” watch and listen as Sayeeda Hikmat shares a sense of what walking through the gate of knowledge looks, feels, and sounds like.