Never Underrate Your University Course Of Study
By Adnan Mukhtar
One of my students sent me a WhatsApp message this morning. He began with: “Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu.” I responded to his Salam, and he went ahead to say, “Yauwa Malam, jiya na kiraka baka daga ba. Dalibinka ne wanda zai yi project a wajenka.”
I asked him to introduce himself properly, but unfortunately, he did so in a rather poor manner. I had to remind him that he needed to come back to his senses and understand the responsibility ahead of him. As his prospective supervisor, I will be expecting nothing less than a well-researched, properly structured and excellent dissertation.
His research topic is The Concept and Significance of Zakat in Poverty Alleviation: A Case Study of Ibadan Metropolis. Interestingly, his topic also tells something about his background and where he comes from.
What amazes me most is the growing number of Yoruba students in my department. These are young people who have travelled from different parts of South-Western Nigeria to study Islamic Studies, demonstrating passion, commitment and a genuine interest in acquiring knowledge about Islam.
Islamic Studies is a very interesting and intellectually stimulating discipline that broadens one’s understanding of the history, teachings, civilisation and intellectual traditions of Islam.
Unfortunately, some people have a limited understanding of the course and assume that it is only about studying the Qur’an, Hadith and Islamic jurisprudence. This is far from the truth.
Islamic Studies is an all-encompassing discipline with diverse areas of specialisation. Even within academic research, scholars and students have different fields of interest, including Islamic Finance, Islamic Political Thought, Islamic Eschatology, Islamic History, Contemporary Islamic Thought, and Islamic Culture and Civilisation, among others.
Interestingly, Western institutions have also recognised the importance of Islamic Studies and supported the establishment of centres dedicated to advancing research and scholarship in the field.
For instance, we have the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, which provides an academic environment for researchers and scholars to explore different aspects of Islam and Muslim societies.
Similarly, the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, is another internationally recognised centre of Islamic scholarship. Distinguished Nigerian academics, including Dr Ahmed Tahir and the former Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Professor Muhammad Sani Zahraddeen, are among those associated with the institution’s academic tradition.
Unfortunately, some people are often shy about disclosing their courses of study because they have internalised the perception that certain disciplines are less valuable than others. This mindset needs to change.
In education, there is nothing like an underrated course. What matters is your ability to develop yourself, acquire relevant skills, build intellectual capacity and distinguish yourself through hard work and dedication.
Some people assume that studying courses such as Islamic Studies or Hausa limits one’s opportunities for professional and academic excellence. That assumption is completely wrong. I have encountered several people who studied these disciplines and are doing remarkable things in their respective professions and places of work.
Your course of study does not automatically determine your level of success. Your knowledge, competence, creativity, commitment and ability to apply what you have learnt are what ultimately distinguish you.
My advice is simple: Never be ashamed of what you study. I encourage young people to study whatever discipline they are passionate about at the university. Every field of knowledge has its relevance, and there is no knowledge acquired through genuine learning that is a waste.
What matters is how you develop yourself and what you make out of the opportunity to acquire knowledge.
There is dignity in every legitimate field of learning. Never allow society’s misconceptions to determine how you value your education.