iLabs Newsletter 2 sept2014 sm

< All praise and thanks is due to Allah, peace and salutations upon our beloved Prophet, his family, friends, companions and all who testify to the revelation of the Holy Quran through the passage of time.

learning across borders

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News iLABS

PH: (+27) 072 570-6683 FAX: 086 6190153 ilabs.abu@gmail.com

learning across borders

THIRD QUARTER 

SEPTEMBER 2014

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learning across bord

VOLUME 2 NUMBER 1

iHYA – Islamic Teacher Education Programme About 70 people registered for the iLabs Islamic teacher education course during 2012/3. It all began with DIC making it possible to conduct the Pilot course during the first half of 2012.

The knowledge surge in Cape Town abounds. Everywhere new madaris are sprout. At our new premises in Schaapkraal Al-Tanzil opened its doors in February, just opposite the road the AQSA Academy is also in full swing with two more new schools just down the road. Evidently, this is part of a world phenomenon. The Bilal Phillips’ Islamic Online University in, (IOU), had over 150,000 students registered from 219 countries by the end of 2013 whilst Seekers Hub Toronto has 10 000 participants, authentic knowledge delivered in real time, live, web-streamed, on-line is the new buzz.

2013 GRADUATION CEREMONY

We have arrived at a juncture where it has become imperative for our full-time madaris to seriously consider extending our programmes to include Maths, Sciences and Life Skills in order to facilitate the passage of young women and men towards writing their matric exams - a bridge towards fulfilling academic aspirations.

Youth all over the world are reconfiguring their Muslim identity and their search for Islam as their anchor in a world that is in a state of intellectual and moral discord and spiritual vacuusness. This we see in the everyday as youth are not ashamed to wear their beard, fez, thaub or hijab.

Alhamduliaah, iLABS over the past three years has taken at least 70 Islamic Educators through our six month (IHYA ITEP) Islamic Teacher Education Programme, successfully. At the beginning of 2014, we suspended the course in order to restructure, modularise and expand its contents to a full year certificate/diploma course. Currently, a research study has been initiated at the University of Cape Town about the IHYA ITEP programme.

During the latter part of 2013, The Islamic Peace College of SA (IPSA) commissioned iLABS to design and roll out a brand new course as an added module to their Enrichment Course called the Global Leadership and Life Orientation course. It has been an absolutely wonderful journey working with these young men and women who have taken out a year after matric to fortify themselves through Deen and drawing closer to Allah.

2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1

Closer to home there is clearly a move from parents to seek a more substantial Islamic education for their children for certainly public schools are in crisis. There has never been a more urgent demand for values-based or moral education as the present. This we witness as increasing numbers of children of school going age are enrolling in ‘Ulums and full time madaris all over this country, notwithstanding education being compulsory. The home-schooling community is flourishing.

An exciting initiative that is currently underway is spearheaded by the Two Oceans Education Foundation (2OEF) and offered by the University of the North West. This is the National Professional Diploma in Education where iLABS has played a key role in enlisting about 75 applicants in the Western Cape, mainly Shuyukh, Mualimaat, Tahfith and madressah teachers.

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The Qiyaamul Layl Tahajjud salah sufuf are filled with youth, led by youth. Youth are also initiating programmes of Islamic conscientising and stewardship.

iLABS NEWS

There is a host of others such as Sandala of Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, the Ghazali Institute in Melbourne with Sheikh Afroz Ali the Zaytuna Institute and many others.

Cont’d on pg 5

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Mindful Living Initiative

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IHYA Teacher Training

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Jean Piaget & ibn Sina

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iLABS at IPSA GLLO course

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iSTEP – Skills Training

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The Mindful Living Initiative - MiLi

Living naturally – the way of the ambiya …

In progress SEED FOR LIFE MiLi is busy producing and collecting ‘clean’ seed also known as Heirloom Seed.

SOIL MANAGEMENT During the past 4 months MiLi has produced about 10 tons of compost.

We have mainly used horse manure and straw. The manure is used to prepare the soil for our Organic garden in Schaapkraal and to supply our Green School projects.

EDUCATION School Edu-Tours, Info Booklets, The Schaapkraal Diaries Blog, Facebook …

GOURMET GARDENING WORKSHOPS MiLi is currently planning and organising a series of training programmes to teach people how to go about growing their own food.

The Muslims reared the finest horses and sheep and cultivated the best orchards and vegetable gardens. They knew how to fight insect pests, how to use fertilizers and they were experts at grafting trees and crossing plants to produce new varieties.

This rich history is evidenced in the works of Ibn al-Jazzār, Al-Tamīmī, Abū Sahl alMasīḥ, Alī ibn Ridhwān, Ibn Jumay' and Ya'qūb al-Isrā'īlī and many others.

Ibn Bassal (fl. 1038-1075 CE) was an original scientist and engineer who lived in Toledo and wrote about agriculture. He described different types of soil and stated how often each should be plowed and irrigated to get the best yields. He described how to best engineer hydraulic systems made up of wells, ditches, and pumps. Other agricultural writers like ibn al-Awwam, and Abul Khair (early 1100s CE), al-Ishbili (late 1100s CE), and al-Tignari of Granada described sophisticated techniques such as grafting fruit trees, sugar-making, and preservation of fruits and vegetables.

Today muslims need to make a concerted effort to continue this agricultural tradition.

About 15 years ago we bought a property of 4 acres in Schaapkraal with the view of starting an agricultural school for the disadvantaged youth in surrounding areas.

We did not have many resources other than the grounds and our enthusiasm. To our dismay we could not secure formal support for the initiative at the time.

So we started exploring with fertility beds and soil management techniques as well as intensive farming, composting and propagation. With the lack of support we had to abandon the project four years later.

Alhamdulillah in December 2013, the iLABS team found themselves back in Schaapkraal with a new vigour and high hopes, so the idea of a seed took root and “THE MINDFUL LIVING INITIATIVE” sprouted as a key iLABS programme. Our objectives are not as ambitious as it was 15 years ago and includes the following:  To establish self-sustaining organic food gardens where others can learn to grow their own food free from genetic modification, the use of pesticides and chemicals that is detrimental both to the environment and our health.  To maintain good soil and water management practices and conserve our resources.  To involve as many schools in our projects so that we enable a communities as we enable individuals.

GROW FOOD & LIVE MINDFULLY!! 

Then let mankind consider his food How We poured down water in torrents, Then We broke open the Earth, splitting [it with sprouts], And caused to grow within it grain, And grapes and herbage, And olives and palm trees, And gardens of dense shrubbery, And fruit and grass— [As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock. Surah `Abasa: 24-32

NEWS SEPT. 2014 iLABS  SEPT.  VOLUME 3 NUMBER NEWS 2014 iLABS  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 1 

MiLi - GREEN SCHOOLS PROJECT iLABS have taken MiLi to a number of schools. From Mitchells Plain to Manenberg. iLABS has also nominated two schools for free tree planting from Green-Pop. Alhamdulillah 30 trees were planted at Hyde Park College during March 2014.

Every person is considered to be a trustee on all earth's assets appointed by, Allah.

Following in the footsteps of the prophets and the sahabah, as early as the ninth century, a modern agricultural system became central to economic life and organization in the Muslim lands. The great Islamic cities of the Near East, North Africa and Spain were supported by an elaborate agricultural system. This system included extensive irrigation and expert knowledge of the most advanced agricultural methods in the world.

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Think Big, Start Small

Getting our Hands dirty One of the greatest challenges humanity will face during the 21st century will be the lack of fresh food production. Allah orders us in his book to eat that which is at-Tayyibaat. The only guarantee we have of this is to grow our own food. iLABS has been supporting the worldwide social media campaign to “Grow Food Not Lawn”. In pursuit of this initiative we are developing an organic garden, Green Schools Project and making our own compost, not just to save money but to be able to teach others to reuse their kitchen waste and garden waste – nothing gets wasted in a project like this. We used our personal resources and bartered whatever we had to start the project.

In order to bring about change Islam teaches us to strive with ourselves and our resources. So we started with the soil, knowing that if we got it right the vegetables would be healthy and flourish.

Many cubes of compost went into the earth until we realized that we needed to start producing our own, besides it being more rewarding, it would save us some money and we could then share with those who wanted to start up.

After six months, we have not only started planting more than 47 kinds of vegetables but managed to make our own compost; fence off the garden with shade cloth; created over 800 new plants from cuttings; started a flower and shrub garden; planted out 1500 strawberry plants in the grounds and gave away many for sadaqah; seeded our own seedlings; planted over 119 fruit trees in the ground as well as in barrels and milk crates and started a pilot of urban food gardening in crates. We have extended the food garden to double its size and we are now working on a more efficient water system: the tank for run off rainwater needs a pump and we are selling plants in order to sustain the project. So come and support us.

We are involved in three school projects and we plan to have an organic food breakfast soon where we can sit down and chat; attend a workshop or, buy some fresh produce and start up kits for urban gardens.

Alhamdulillah! None of this would have been possible without the support and help of our wonderful friends and family.

So make a start – Live Mindfully!! 

Mindful Living Initiative - MiLi

To see what we are currently up to, read

www.the_schaapkraaldiaries.blogspot

NEWS 2014 iLABS  SEPT.  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 1 NEWS 2014 iLABS  SEPT.  VOLUME 3 NUMBER

We drafted a plan for the garden and started to knock gum poles into the ground in order to create protection for the young plants. Then we proceeded a few square meters at a time. Is it worth it? All the time and everytime! One of our family members with fruit allergies can eat the strawberries and blueberries from the garden without reaction. The vegetables have a long shelf life and it tastes soooo much better. We have not bought any salad vegetables, spinach and herbs since we started planting.

In the summer we did not have to purchase any tomatoes until the season ended. Broccoli, brinjals, cucumbers, spinach, peas and peppers were used straight from the garden. There is enough to share with others too.

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iLABS News – Learning Across Borders

iLABS foundation

learning across borders

iLABS & 2OEF Creating learning platforms

The National Professional Diploma in Education (NPDE) is a distance learning course offered by the University of the North West is not a new course. In fact attempts have been made to offer this course before in the Cape but did not achieve much success in enrolment. This course has particularly been designed to allow practicing teachers who are not SACE registered to be upskilled.

Since 2012 iLABS, developed a relationship with Two Oceans Education Foundation (2OEF) and partners with them on a number of programmes. At the beginning of this year 2OEF decided to take on the challenge to enrol as many teachers as possible for this programme. In collaboration with 2OEF, iLABS saw the opportunity to enrol Islamic educators that has been practicing in schools as well as madrasahs for many years, but who does not necessarily have all the formal requirements.

Some ex IHYA ITEP students also made application.

We then set up meetings between March and May with individuals as well as 12 madrasahs and institutions.

We work-shopped, explained and assisted with filling out forms in order to make their applications possible.

Alhamdulillah, by June about 95 people forwarded applications and 75 of them submitted their forms to the University of the North West. 2OEF finance through Islamic Relief Foundation in the form of bursaries to cover student fees.

The 2OEF Graduate Institute will be based at the Cape Town Science centre from which all support for students will be conducted during 2015.

We wish 2OEF well with the formal roll out of the entire programme. The IHYA Teacher Education Programme will also be available to those who are not registered on the NPDE qualification, see back page. 

iLABS NEWS  SEPT.

2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 

http://www.facebook.com/ilabs.learningacrossborders

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Reconfiguring IHYA Islamic Teacher Education Programme HOW WE TEACH IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE TEACH; undoubtedly they are intimately linked. iLABS-Learning Across Borders has developed the IHYA Islamic Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) to address the need for developing professional practice within our Madaris and Islamic schools.

This is a structured programme that develops muslim educators in understanding traditional Islamic pedagogy and the use of contemporary teaching practice and Facilitation tools.

It is a very practical learning programme where the learner is able to implement what is learnt immediately. It is imperative that all participants are currently based in a teaching practice.

The IHYA programme enables the learner to align her/his teaching with contemporary research and development as well as professional teaching principles. It explores educational theory and practice from Islam’s rich tradition of teaching and learning in a way that is relevant to today’s Islamic schools. It does not look at what to teach, it develops in the learner the practical skills of HOW to teach.

Alhamdulilaah, the IHYA Teacher Education Programme has achieved great success after the past 3 years of running this course. The openhandedness of the Muslim Judicial Council to use their boardroom as premises for the past two years is greatly appreciated. We are especially grateful for the welcoming attitude of the General Secretary Maulana Abdul Khaliq Ali and the caretaker Boeta Rashid.

materials and consolidate other work that iLABS is involved with.

We have also formally registered as an NPO with the Department of Social Development. The course still includes the SAQA facilitation unit standard and we are working at extending the number of SAQA units offered, notwithstanding challenges with SAQA certification. We look forward to the start of our new class inshaAllah. 

http://www.facebook.com/ilabs.learningacrossborders

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Education is the fabric of society

2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1

It now includes four modules module1: Islam and education; module 2: Academic literacy and professionalism; module 3: Psychology and politics of education and module 4: Contemporary teaching practice. The Islam and Education module has particularly been expanded to include 5 units. The break has allowed us to develop new

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It was with sadness that we suspended the course at the beginning of 2014, however, there was great ni’amah and wisdom in it. It allowed the iLABS team to draw on all the lessons learnt in class and research done during the past few years. It allowed us to restructure and to enhance the course particularly the Islam and education unit. The IHYA ITEP course has been extended to a full year and has been modularized.

Each participant has brought a wide range of insights into the programme.

Teachers from varied teaching practice and professional background sat around one table. The challenges they faced in their everyday whether in classroom, the madrasah or the mosque seemed to coincide. We were able to draw on all of this in redesigning the course. In one of our final evaluation sessions, a teacher had this to say: “I am thankful to have been on this course and to have been in the company of all present here today. I have taught for more than 30 years and I have always looked for tools and knowledge to improve my teaching, from the west. I did not realise that Islam had so much to offer both theoretically as well as practically.”

iLABS NEWS

Cont’d from pg 1 On the 1st of December 2013 we have moved premises to Schaapkraal. So the past seven months has been a struggle with shovel and pitch fork to establishing the Organic Food Gardens central to an iLABS project of a different nature called From the Ground Up. This project is about good living, eating of the wholesome foods that Allah so often mentions in the Qur’an and treading lightly on this earth. This feeds into our philosophy of educating the “whole child”, thus our work is aimed at schools and madrasahs and the community.

At the Skills Development front, we have started a pilot Master-Apprenticeship programme in wood carving as well as an art and graphic design training programme. 

In as much as this course is a learning journey dealing with concepts and methodologies it is about people and their personal journeys within their learning journeys. The programme includes a level 5 SAQA unit standard on Facilitating learning using a variety of given methodologies.

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iLABS News – Learning Across Borders

Focus on Tahfiz

By Ml Saleem Gaibee

AL-TANZĪL offers a uniquely devised training-course which aims to enhance students, huffath, reciters and those ardent learners or Quran lovers regarding all aspects of Quranic study.

Its course provides the student with the understanding of the Arabic language, allowing him to grasp the communiqué, alQuran. It also offers in-depth discussions on Tajweed and Qiraat, utilising classical works while comparing it with contemporary studies. Texts studied at al-Tanzīl include the Tuhfah, the Jazariyyah and ultimately the Shātibiyyah as well as the Seven, Ten and Fourteen Qiraat.

Ulum al-Quran is one of the pivotal subjects introduced so that students may understand basic and necessary facts about the Quran: when certain verses were revealed, why they were revealed, how the Quran was revealed, compiled, the history of Qiraat, and so forth, culminating into the study of Tafseer.

Sanads and ijazat are issued to students who have successfully fulfilled the necessary requirements and achieved satisfactory results. Ijazat are not restricted to the Quran but to all the texts and books taught in the course.

After Ramadaan, al-Tanzīl has launched a new project; completing the Qira’ah of Kisai in 60 sittings. This innovative project does not restrict the proliferation of Qiraat amongst its

In the Classroom Paying attention to ADD/ADHD By Mariam Jaffar

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http://health.howstuffworks.com/mentalhealth/for-64-percent-of-kids-with-adhd-foodis-the-cause

2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1

http://www.facebook.com/ilabs.learningacrossborders

attention, you can work together collaboratively with parents and support teams to find creative solutions and capitalise on their strengths.

It is also useful to ascertain what dietary plan a child should follow to help alleviate the symptoms. Research shows that 64 % of children suffer from this syndrome because of what they eat. Many claim that lack of Essential Fatty Acids and foods that contain preservatives are the cause.

So parents should do a bit of research and move towards establishing more natural, wholesome ways to feed the family and schools and madrasahs should take an interest in what their learner consume when on their premises and take action.

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areas of weakness and take advantage of the many strengths and talents they possess. The signs and symptoms of this syndrome typically appear before the age of seven. However, it can be difficult to distinguish between ADD/ADHD and normal “kid behaviour.” If a child is just over energetic, or the symptoms appear only in some situations, it’s probably not ADD/ADHD. On the other hand, if your child shows a number of signs and symptoms that are present across all situations, such as at home, at school, and at play, it’s time to take a closer look and suggest to the parents to have the learner assessed.

Once you understand the issues the learners’ are struggling with, such as forgetfulness or difficulty paying

iLABS NEWS

ADD – ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER and ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has become “buzzwords” in today’s society. Teachers are constantly being challenged with more and more learners being diagnosed with it. It is important to note that it is not merely a problem with paying attention, but ADD/ADHD makes it difficult for the learner to manage the multiple tasks of daily life, especially complex tasks that require organisation, planning, and sustained focus.

We all know learners who can’t sit still, who never seem to listen, who don’t follow instructions no matter how clearly you present them, or who blurt out inappropriate comments at inappropriate times. Sometimes children are labelled as troublemakers, or criticised for being lazy and undisciplined. However, they may have ADD/ADHD. It is a disorder that appears in early childhood. This makes it difficult for children to inhibit their spontaneous responses – responses that can involve everything from movement to speech to attentiveness. It is extremely challenging to manage, but once you understand the problem and how it affects your learners’ lives, you can learn to compensate for

learners alone, but allows all interested students in Cape Town to be trained under the qualified expertise that we have to offer.Dates to look forward to are the info-evening on the 24th of October where everyone is invited to al-Tanzīl and find out about the current as well as future projects. This evening will also see the launch of its new website. Its graduation is on the 5th December, where one and all are invited to see the students completing various Qiraat. This graduation will mark a historical moment for all South Africans, as we witness the first female in South Africa completing all Ten Qiraat, after our short span of 300 years in the Cape.

Al-Tanzīl is the only institute in South Africa which teaches all Fourteen Qiraat.

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iLABS News – Learning Across Borders

Jean Piaget

& ibn Sina

Mapping Islamic theory of cognitive development Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a biologist who originally studied molluscs and by the time he was 21 he published twenty scientific papers on it. Jean Piaget’s cognitive development theory has strongly influenced the way in which educationists view how individuals learn and the stages that children pass through while constructing their own knowledge. He focuses his theory on the idea of constructivism, in which learning is constructed from each individual’s experiences and connections between previously learned concepts and new ideas.

The four stages of cognitive development that all children will progress through according to Piaget are: Sensorimotor (Birth-2 yrs); Pre-operational (2-7 years); Concrete operational (7-11 years) and Formal operational (11 years and up). (2011:Atherton J.S)

The theory of Piaget has since its development been used in both education and psychology. Other theorists prove or disprove or build upon it.

Islam is no stranger to the theory of cognitive development considering many hadith about discouraging any strictures on a child until the age of seven, from which age a child should be taught purely by encouragement. Whilst only from ten years old the child must be compelled.

Many Islamic scientists and educationists have expounded on the theory of cognitive development, Al Miskaway, Al Farabi and Ibn Sina amongst others. Turning our attention to Ibn Sina, we find a rather well developed and advanced theory put forward about 1000 years before Jean Piaget.

Cont’d on pg. 11

Going Paperless

Are we ready for digitalisation of education?

2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 

http://www.facebook.com/ilabs.learningacrossborders

confidently on many subjects but do not realise that not everything on the web is the truth. But above all they become so selfcentred, with technology everyone looks out for number one and the idea of sharing has become foreign to our students We have a lot of problems with iPads and laptops being distractive more than anything else with teenagers. And also, teachers who are not properly trained to use these tools effectively. Management doesn't care about how we use the apps, all they want to see is the use of technology all the time. I could be fired for telling you this.

For me personally, I love the educational apps but I think that everything has its time and place. Instead of replacing paper with technology we could use the iPad and laptops as tools to encourage students to be confident learners using any medium.

Have we written out human interaction and element and given it over to a way of learning that is impersonal, individualistic and does not stimulate creativity? The thing about paperless schooling is that we need to consider the human element in a way that matters. 

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They have learnt to plagiarise everything so as teachers we have no idea of their own thoughts and personal innovation and creativity. They become lethargic, because it’s easier to google it. They also speak realised that traditional pen and paper should not be excluded unless everything supports this. What’s the use of going paperless in the classroom when the kids still have to sit for exams with pen and paper? High school is supposed to prepare students for the next phase of their lives.

But the gap seems to be growing because of different expectations.

Most of my grade 11 students write beautiful essays during the semester. Of course these essays have been auto corrected with spell checker and often they use Google’s aid. By the time they reach the exams they cannot spell a word, let alone control their handwriting (they are so used to typing). The whole thing is a disservice to the students. They are so comfortable typing that when they are asked to write on paper their handwriting is unrecognisable.

Students don’t know how to spell because of their spelling is automatically corrected.

iLABS NEWS

I received a paperless invitation to wedding and I thought it was brilliant. We are saving on trees being cut down and it is so convenient. With this, we just need to check who has RSVPd; no waiting for phone calls or sms and a quick database of guests at your fingertips for organising the reception. We don’t waste time and can easily fill in when someone is not able to make it, so on and so forth. A paperless society Hmmmm, food for thought.

So I googled paperless schools. While sites writing about why we should go paperless cite that students love it as the main focus and the problems more connected to the technology tools itself.

I thought, let’s hear from the horse’s mouth and spoke to some teachers who teach at paperless schools in South Africa and in the Middle East and to find out what their personal impressions were. They all wanted to stay anonymous, so here are some of their concerns for consideration should your consider ushering in a paperless system for your school, maddressah or even institution.

Teacher Comments: I don’t have very positive things to say about going paperless in a high school, except for the great research access for students. After two years of doing it I’ve

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Global Leadership & Life Orientation During the latter part of 2013, The Islamic Peace College of SA (IPSA) commissioned iLABS to design and roll out a brand new course as an added module to their Enrichment Course called the Global Leadership and Life Orientation course.

“I never realised that Islam had such a rich history” Student

 JULY

2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 

The course needed to be creative and engaging and to address the many issues that youth have to navigate contemporary life. So we pulled out all the stops. We designed learning journals for them to reflect on their learning journey; every lesson plan was visually appealing and intellectually engaging yet afforded them opportunities to make their voices heard and to be able to work in cohorts. The first two hours would mean lectures engaging in specific topics and the final hour myCreativespace where we utilised up-to-date digital technology for exciting current presentations.

One of the themes that we used was Nabi Yusuf A.S as a role model for youth even in modern-day times. Another text that was utilised for this course was the book of Khurram Murad – In the early hours.

Several students have decided to continue their studies at IPSA, a few are off to the University of Cape Town and the …

Cont’d on next page

iLABS NEWS

Alhamdulilaah, the roll out of this component of IPSA’s Enrichment Course has really been a wonderfully enriching experience for all involved. Participants on this Higher Learning course take out a year for study for various reasons. Some of the students needed to show more community commitment before being accepted to university; some were unsure of where to after matric; some were there to polish up on their Islamic knowledge and so on and so forth.

The iLABS team consists of Maulana Ebrahim Yahya, Waseemah HendricksMdoka, Abubakr Shabudien and Yasmine Jacobs. Every week lectures are presented on Fridays. When we designed the course we realised that the course needed to round off the other modules of Arabic, Qur’an Literacy, Fiqh, Aqidah, Meanings of the Qur’an, Sirah, Islamic Inter-Personal Relations And Academic Reading & Writing.

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iLABS News – Learning Across Borders

Some course materials developed by iLABS for the GLLO course

Cont’d from prev. page

GLLO Update During the end of the last term we dealt with final sessions in leadership Alhamdulilah. We ended with sessions that concentrate on leadership from an Islamic perspective and also being globally competent in relation to the market, jobs, migration, climate change, food shortages and environ-mental responsibility and stewardship.

Students watched a contemporary movie – Divergent, for discussion about values and characteristics of different factions, tolerance, power and control, as well as different leadership styles.

The final term covered the final topics of stewardship, connecting with the community and creating a better

environment. With a change of pace a change of style, we tackled these objectives theoretically and practically at the IPSA Campus. The outcome was phenomenal: A gourmet garden was established, The IPSide Edge blog is operational and the calligraphically expressive paintings are ready to be exhibited. As the year comes to a close we take this opportunity to bid salaam to this year’s Enrichment students – may Allah SWT be their compass in their future endeavours and choices. We also take this opportunity to welcome the next group of students who will grace the IPSA campus and find enrichment, clarity, enjoyment, guidance and knowledge in their studies inshaAllah!  iLABS NEWS

Stellenbosch and CPUT, while some are still considering their options. Two of the students chose to speak about choosing a career and what their experience at IPSA has been for their public speaking topics.

Confident and articulate, having done brilliantly in their matric - a gap year at IPSA on the Enrichment Course, seemed to have given them a new lease on life.

They connected choices of study to their own realisation about their trajectory in life towards Allah, subhaanallah! One young woman’s final comment was that wherever she decides to study her life has been enriched by the few months at IPSA be it dentistry or medicine she will certainly tackle her area of study with a different perspective.

On this programme each and every lecturer affects the lives of the students in a good way. Students were not shy to say that they were tentative when they arrived, some even just coming to please their parents. Now they look forward to class and the cohorts they formed.

Individual identities are emerging and the shyest ones have found their voices! 

 JULY

2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 

http://www.facebook.com/ilabs.learningacrossborders

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iSTEP .

iLABS Skills Training Education Programme

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "No food is better to man than that which he earns through his manual work. Dawud (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam), the Prophet of Allah, ate only out of his earnings from his manual work.'' [Al-Bukhari].

Alhamdulillah over the past few decades, Cape Town has produced thousands of huffath; Tahfith schools and ‘Ulums abound. Many of these young students after years of studying the Qur’an either go back to complete matric or pursue further study; some go directly into madrasah teaching and some just have no idea how to proceed.

Muslims in the Cape have for more than 300 years been able to preserve their Islam, as a community of practice we came to these shores with a substantial knowledge and skills base comprising the core artisan force. In 25 years all of this has dwindled and these skills are a rarity amongst our young people. Where do our youth find themselves in the market? Working in Call Centres; working as promotional agents; selling tackies and clothing; working for Checkers and Woolworths.

carving from conceptualization to finished product. 

2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1

Our first wood carving workshop is intended for January/February 2015… This will introduce participants to the history of wood carving; knowing woods; tools and more. Step by step It will take participants over a period of 6 weekends through the process of producing a simple

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To this end, the iLABS iSTEP programme is an initiative to find creative ways to transfer skills and encourage traditional work that is esteemed and allows these young people to earn an honourable living whilst not infringing on their ability to teach Deen at the same time. This is also apparent by the example of the Ambiyah who worked as carpenters and blacksmiths and agriculturalists.

An exciting year lies ahead for iSTEP as we intend rolling out skills training workshops including woodwork, solar power, silk screening, art, wood carving, boilermaking, welding and so on. Our intention is to invite youth and to expose them to different trades and explore different options and make decisions based on participation. We are in the process of developing fully fledged apprenticeships and trade skills programmes. We encourage anyone who is interested in participating or able to assist, to contact us at ilabs.abu@gmail.com

iLABS NEWS

Our madrasah teachers are abused by management some earning less than R3000 per month; our Imams are exploited and treated as workers by Masjid committees.

The most read article of the Schaapkraal Diaries is the blog called Imagine where an ideal state of madrasah is imagined. We have no right to treat our ulema with such disrespect. Our young Qari’s end up without any hard skills to earn a decent living for their families.

Beginning 2014 after much consultation and research iLABS expanded its focus to include the youth, our global leadership and matric support programs have all been a part of this vision. This year we launched the iLABS Skills Training and Education Programme (iSTEP). We initiated two projects – a book illustration and desktop publishing project as well as an apprenticeship in carving pilot project.

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Naquib Al Attas: Adab the cornerstone of education

One of the most fundamental cornerstones of Sayed Naquib al-Attas’ philosophy of Islamic education is his comprehensive concept of adab. Al Attas argues in his Riasala (“Message to Muslims” 1973: 178-187) that for muslims the present educational, intellectual, and civilizational crisis are rooted in both external and internal causes. The external ones are caused by the religio-cultural and socio-political challenges from the Western culture and civilization.

The internal causes are manifested in three interrelated phenomena; namely, the confusion and error in the meaning and application of, the loss of adab, and the rise of unqualified and false leaders in all fields.

He argues that the most important problem solve first is that of the loss of adab because the learner has to show proper adab towards knowledge, its various categories and its legitimate authorities before knowledge can truly be imparted, or assimilated.

Mohd Nor Wan Daud, AL Attas’ protégé and major supporter in the west, points out that adab is an integral part of wisdom and justice, the loss of adab would naturally entail the prevalence of injustice, and stupidity, and even madness.

Following M. Ummaruddin in his The Ethical Philosophy of Al-Ghazzali (1970) Injustice, is seen by Al Attas as a condition where things are not in their right places.

Stupidity (humq), is the deployment of wrong methods to arrive at right goals or ends, while madness (junun) is the struggle to attain false or wrong aims or goals.

Attas then contends that it is indeed a madness if the very purpose of seeking knowledge is other than the attainment of true happiness or the love of God (mahabbah) in this world according to the dictates of the true religion, and the attainment of His vision (ru’yatullah) in the Hereafter. Similarly, it is utter stupidity to attempt to attain happiness in this world and in the next without the right kind of knowledge and practice.

Al-Attas elaborates on some other negative effects of the pervasive loss of adab: Authentic definitions become undone, and in their stead we are left with vague slogans disguised as concepts. The inability to define, to identify and isolate problems, and hence to provide for right solutions; the creation of pseudo-problems; the reduction of problems to merely political, socio-economic and legal factors become evident. It is not surprising if such a

situation provides a fertile breeding ground for the emergence of extremists of many kinds who make ignorance their capital.An educated person, a person of adab, is in this sense a universal person who understands and practices right adab in himself, in his family, in his environment and in the world community. A person of adab by definition, as al-Attas understands and practices it, can deal successfully with a plural universe without losing his identity. Dealing with various levels of realities in the right and proper manner would enable him to attain the spiritual and permanent state of happiness here as well as in the Hereafter. This implies that the planning, contents, and methods of education should reflect a strong and consistent emphasis on the right adab towards the various orders of realities.

To realize this objective, a new system of education must be formulated and implemented in the Muslim community which must focus on the university. He has successfully experimented many of these ideas at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Kuala Lumpur from 1988-2002.

For a more detailed study see: Al-Attas’ Concept of Ta‘dib as True and Comprehensive Education in Islam – Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud 

Ibn Sina cont’d from pg 5

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2014  VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 

in school or the place where he studies.” (2000. al Naqib)Ibn Sina did not see education except as the entire growth of an individual in order to prepare her/him to exist within society through a selected occu-pation. As al Naqib states, “So Avicennian education does not neglect physical development and everything implied by it: physical exercise, food and drink, sleep and cleanliness. It does not aim exclusively at intellectual development and the amassing of knowledge; likewise Avicenna does not devote his attention to the moral aspect alone, but aims at the formation of a personality complete in body, mind and character … whereby he can contribute to the social structure, because society, in Avicenna’s view, is built entirely on ‘co-operation’, on the specialization of each individual in a craft or profession and on the mutual exchange of services between its individuals.´ (2000. al Naqib) 

iLABS NEWS

Born 428 after the Hijra and famous for works about philosophy and medicine, was a scholar who left an indelible mark on the development of western science.

His famous book Al Qanun, was translated into Latin towards the end of the twelfth century AD, and became a reference source for medical studies in the universities of Europe until the end of the seventeenth century. (2000. al Naqib).

Ibn Sina claimed that the process of obtaining morality begins from the birth of an infant and the early stages of childhood and is affected by its social milieu, which according to Prof Abd al-Rahman al.Naqib influences the psychology and temperate of the child and hence her/his ethical development. “For this reason Avicenna paid great attention to the early stages of childhood and everything connected with it: the morality and culture of the wet nurse, the teacher, and the child’s companions

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