مَدْرَسَةُ هُدَى النُّور

Here are some excerpts of the speech of the honourable Sheikh Maẖmūd Murhij (May the mercy of Allāh and His blessings be upon him) addressed to a group of the expatriate community in Sydney, Australia, in 1981. We consider these words a commandment that inspires us to fulfill our commitment to well-educate the future generations, and expresses our sense of the great responsibility towards them.

We divided these words into seven titled paragraphs to highlight their meanings and clarify their premises:

1- Our feeling towards this hospitable country Australia, which is our second homeland and the first for our children and grandchildren:

“Brothers, how proud I feel to be here with you in this hospitable country that gives every citizen and resident their full rights provided they serve their full duties, since ‘who fulfills their duty, earn their rights.’”

2- What is our duty towards Australia?

“Every one of us has to be a practical person, productive and creative in his job.”

3- What is our duty towards our community?

“Our structure should be firm, unshakable by the storms of intrusive foreign ideas, or the corruption of some who are sabotaging from within.

We should correct the internal corruption and resist the [wrong] foreign ideas.”

4- What is the plan of action that will help us to do our duty towards our community?

“We (immigrants and parents) in this expatriation must focus our attention on our children who are the products of the family and are the growing buds. We should look after them with so much care and sincerity because we’re their guardians and trustees.”

“We are stressed by the Great Creator to fulfill our sincerity towards those who entrusted us. We are our children guardians and trustees and we have duties to teach them: our language, rituals, customs and worshipping. This is the national heritage that was passed on to us by our ancestors.”

5- What happens if we don’t work according to this plan of action?

“And if we don’t (fulfill those duties), then:
We’d have defied the orders of Allah. Our children would miss their national heritage.
Our children are rendered strangers among their people (of origin) if they went back to them, needing who translate for them their own mother tongue!
And who is held responsible for that?
We are, because we know the consequences of our actions and we then have no excuse.”

6- What is the result of our negligence to that plan?

“We have wasted: the faith, heritage, identity, and language of our children and that is a great loss. We are considered to have kept a page smeared by shame and disgrace.”

7- Then, what are we supposed to do?

“We have to go back to the fold of God, assuming our responsibility to the rising generation.
God blessings for what is righteous, He is the source of good luck.

May peace, God’s mercy, and blessings be upon you.”