Advises For Students From Students

Mental and Spiritual

Out of so many people, Allah has chosen you for this opportunity. Hold on to it, work hard and prove yourself worthy of that choice. (N. Khan)

Whenever you start to lose motivation, remember your goal. (M. Adam)

Your intention matters just as much as your effort, so make sure that both are sincere. (R. Patel)

Attendance

Attendance is the most important attribute of a student to be successful. (S. Bholat)

Before Class

Look ahead at what is to be covered in the next lesson (M. Hafeji)

In Class

Do not leave the class until you have understood the lesson. Make sure you ask if you do not understand. (A. Adam)

Ask questions about anything you don't understand, no matter how insignificant you believe it is. (H.Peerbhai)

Always ask questions when you don't understand something. (H.Badat)

Study Tips

Make notes for each unit. (M. Makadam)

Make a timetable and stick to it; otherwise, other things will start to take priority. (H. Makadam)

Learn one example by heart for each rule. (M. Diwan)

Vocab

Do not let vocabulary pile up. Learn it as you go along. (M. Desai)

Memorise vocab as you go along. (K. Adam)

Revise your vocabulary consistently. (F. Lambat)

Preparation

Look ahead and prepare for each lesson. By doing this, you will go through each lesson three times, rather than just listening to it once in class. (Z. Nizam)

To know whether you have truly understood something, test whether you can explain it clearly to someone else. (M. ar-Rahman)

Try writing your own Arabic sentences using the rules you have learnt. (A. Bhimani)

Revision and Recap

Revise the content regularly. (A. Vardaliya)

Go over the content every week. (A. Patel)

Continue revising previously covered content. (I. Khan)

Go over every lesson when you can, don't let it build till exam time. (S.Bholat)

During revision, do not skip any material because you think you already know it. (M. Osman)

Stay on top of you work and constantly revise even outside of exam season. (S. Bholat)

Work steadily. Recap each weekend, and do not wait until the exams to start revising. (M. Islam)

Stay consistent with your revision from the very beginning, as catching up later is much harder. (J. Mayat)

Don't let your revision pile up — do mutala'a a little every day, because staying consistent is much easier than trying to catch up later. (H.Badat)

Exams 

Use past papers when revising for your exams. (S. Chothia)

General

Your expectation may be to only understand Arabic but your result will include understanding Islam better (H.Peerbhai)

Advice For Year 1

Try to thoroughly understand your lessons since it becomes your foundation. (M.Hafeji)

First year is the basis of your knowledge going forward so make thorough notes. (A.Makda) 

A Student's Reflections

I joined Al Qalam Institute because I wanted structured learning and a proper foundation in the Islamic sciences. I wanted to understand the Qur’an and the sources of Islam through their original language and study the Islamic sciences by first building strong foundations in Arabic before moving on to more advanced subjects.

I wanted to be guided by teachers rather than trying to guide myself. I wanted teachers who would correct my mistakes, challenge my assumptions, help me develop good habits and prevent me from becoming impressed with my own understanding. I wanted tarbiyah, guidance and teachers who genuinely cared about their students and their development.

One of the things I appreciate most about Al Qalam is its emphasis on تدرج (Progressive Learning)in seeking knowledge. The institute does not encourage students to rush through books or move quickly to advanced subjects. Instead, it emphasises building strong foundations, particularly in the Arabic language, and progressing gradually under the guidance of teachers.

Studying at Al Qalam has shown me just how deep and rigorous our scholarly tradition really is. There have been many occasions where I answered confidently in class only to discover that I was wrong, or opened a text and realised that I understood very little of what was being discussed. Those moments have been among the most beneficial parts of my studies.

It has taught me to be far more cautious when speaking about matters of religion. The more one studies, the more one appreciates the depth of scholarship behind rulings, hadith and the meanings of the Qur’an, and how careful one must be before speaking with certainty or assuming that there can be be no other valid understanding.

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If someone is looking simply to complete books quickly without first building strong foundations in Arabic and the foundational sciences, they may find the methodology of the programme challenging. The institute places particular emphasis on developing firm foundations before progressing to more advanced study. 

I ask Allah to reward my teachers and everyone involved with the institute abundantly ... I also ask Allah to forgive my shortcomings as a student ...