I graduated from the ʿalim program in 2006. I spent the first few years making all kinds of crazy mistakes. Although I’ve learned from my mistakes over time, I have noticed a trend. In general, a lot of ‘fresh graduates’ make the same mistakes as I did, or even worse mistakes. (Fresh graduate here includes anybody who recently graduated from any ʿalim program or BA in Islamic Studies)

By the grace of Allāh, we have been blessed with one of our most long-awaited holidays – the summer break! It’s been a long year, but alhamdulillah, we’ve all made it through, and for this, we need to express our gratitude to Allāh, for He tells us in the Qur’ān:

لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ

“If you are thankful, surely I will increase you”^[1]

Knowing how to study is just as important as studying if not more important.  A student spends years studying, however if his methodology is inaccurate and imprecise, then he will fail in gaining maximum benefit.

As a student a lot of our time is spent writing, be it notes, articles or assessments. Scholars – both of today and the past – have written regarding this topic.

Whatever is not in the mind, is not known, hence it is not knowledge. Therefore, a student must memorise as much as he can. How many times are we discussing something we read the night before but cannot recall what we read? The problem is we do not know how to retain information! The following are 10 tips on how to retain more of what we read.

Many times young Muslims decide they want to become scholars and embark on the path of knowledge with little knowledge of what to expect. I was such a youngster who signed up for an “‘alim” course with no idea what an ‘alim is or where it would lead me.

Islam promotes seeking all types of knowledge, although seeking Islamic knowledge is the most virtuous, studying secular subjects along side Islamic studies open many doors towards inviting others towards Islam.