Assalamu Alaikum waRahmatullahi waBarakatuhu,

Surely all praise and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Praise be to Allah, Who gives us life after He has caused us to die and unto Him is the return. From Him alone do we seek help, and He alone helps us. We seek refuge in Him from Satan, the outcast, from his madness, his poetry, and his pride. We seek refuge in Him from the evil of our souls and from the evil of our deeds. We seek refuge in Him lest we misguide others or others misguide us, lest we cause others to err or we are caused to err, lest we abuse others or we are abused. Oh Ever Living One, Eternal One, do not place us in charge of our souls even for the blinking of an eye.

And because we ask these immensely important favors from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, we must do our best to earn His favor.

Allah commanded Muslims to seek knowledge
Allah bestowed on mankind the greatest favor when He sent the Prophet Mohammad SalAllahi Alayhi wa Salam to teach us the final religion. For that reason, it is the obligation of every Muslim to take advantage of this divine favor and stay steadfast upon Islam. This cannot be done without gaining knowledge about our beautiful religion.

At Al-Iman Academy (AAM), the principles of Islam are taught and practiced. Students are required to behave with the proper Islamic attitude, which will carry through to the rest of their lives. In addition, the secular curriculum at AAM is covered from an Islamic perspective so that students are trained to relate to the world through the eyes of a slave of Allah. What is taught at AAM is not just beneficial in this life, but also in the Hereafter.

The best among us are the best to their children
We must not only provide worldly needs for our children so they can grow into strong adults, but we must also provide for their spiritual needs in order for their Iman to grow strong as well. We must ask ourselves before Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala asks us on the Day of Judgment, what kind of environment are we sending our children to?

At AAM, not only is Dhuhr prayed in congregation at the masjid, but the Juma’ khutbah is also attended by the entire school. The Prophet SalAllahi Alayhi wa Salam said, “Whoever performs wudu’ for prayer, performs it well, then walks to the prescribed prayer, and then prays it with the people, or with the congregation, or in the masjid-- Allah forgives him his sins.” Muslim (232) Conversely, in public schools, not only is Dhuhr prayer missed, but fasting in Ramadaan can become difficult for children because they have no support from their non-Muslim peers.

Although Islam can be taught to children at home, in public schools (both in the classroom and on the playground), children are exposed to ideas, moral codes, and behaviors that can lead them astray. Peer pressure to try drugs, alcohol, and take part in promiscuous behavior is enormous in public schools, as there are few Islamic influences in that environment.

Who are our children’s friends?
We must ask ourselves, “Who are our children’s friends?” In public schools, children do not have many opportunities to meet and associate with other Muslims their age. They are bombarded daily with misguidance from their peers. We should afford our children every opportunity to experience good influences in an Islamic environment. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala said, “Friends on that Day will be foes to one another, except Al-Muttaqun [pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which he has ordained)].” (Qur’an 43:67) Also, Abu Hurairah RadiAllahu Anhu reported that the Prophet SalAllahi Alayhi wa Salam said, “A man is on the religion of his khalil (very close, intimate friend), so let [each] one of you be careful about the person he chooses to be his intimate friend.” Ahmad (8212), At-Tirmidhee (2387), & Abu Dawood (4833)

At AAM, with the help of the parents and the Muslim community, students are provided with a safe environment to develop the Iman, attitude, and knowledge necessary to become respectful, productive, and disciplined Muslims in today’s world filled with fitna.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala said, “There shall be no compulsion in religion: truth stands out clear from error. Whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold; one that never breaks. Allah hears and knows all things.” (Qur’an 2:256)

What answer will we give Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala on the Day of Judgment when all our excuses are gone?