While there are thousands of Islamic Centers and Schools being built in the USA for our youths of today, it is sad on the other hand to see that in most cases, the parents and directors of these organizations are far from living or practicing true Islam. I do not mean to bring down anyone by this statement; rather it is to motivate our Muslim Schools and Islamic Centers directors and parents to teach our youths by living Islam. We can give youths the best of facilities, computers and teachers, but if the adults and directors don't set the pattern of conduct and example, then we would have a double-standard system. That is to say, Islam would be in the Masaajid and Islamic Schools, but not in the Muslim society. Hence the reason why non Muslims are impressed by reading the Qur'aan, but disappointed to see that most Muslims are not living by the Qur'aan.
Culture and society dominate our lifestyle so much so that, it has even become a social and cultural thing to be involved in a Masjid or Islamic School Board. Many Muslims of today use the director position for worldly status. After all, what else could an old retired politician, medical doctor, engineer or businessman do in life, other than using their money to get involved in some Masjid or Muslim School Board. What else does life has to offer when people have become old and cold. There are no worldly status anymore from the worldly profession, neither wealth is of any use. We cannot eat what we want too, due to health problems nor could we go where we want too, due to physical complications. Hence the reason why my brothers and sisters, it is most important for our parents and directors to educate themselves in the Qur'aan and Sunnah, so we could demonstrate the true Islamic lifestyle while we are young, healthy and dynamic.
Youths of today become confused when they learn one thing in the Masjid and Islamic School, then see a different thing practiced by the parents and directors. For example, in the Masjid and Islamic School, they learn to pray five times daily, but do not see the most parents and directors praying five times daily. They learn to take the day off from school for Eid, but do not see most of the parents and directors taking the day off from work for Eid. They learn from the Masjid and Islamic School to marry a pious spouse and to seek piety as priority in a marriage, but are advised by most parents and directors to look for status, wealth and culture as priority in marriage. They learn that building Masaajid and Islamic Schools are important, but in most cases they see parents and directors spending their money and time building unnecessary lofty houses and buildings as priority in life. However, they see most parents and directors devoting some time and money to the Masajid and Islamic Schools in the last phase of life.
Therefore, my dear readers, as parents and directors of Masaajid and Islamic Schools, it is important for us to make an extra effort to study the Qur'aan and live Islam for the sake of Allah, which would automatically be one of the best example for our youths and future leaders Inshaa Allah. Parents and directors should also seek Qur'anic knowledge which would guide us to living the true Islamic way of life and would bring us closer to Allah and better our status on the Day of Judgment. We should understand that, through the seeking of Qur’anic knowledge our path to Jannah is made easier by Allah’s Mercy. `Uthmaan (radiAllahu anhu) said: Knowledge is better than wealth; Knowledge protects you and you (have to) protect wealth. Ash-Shaafi'ee (rahimahullah) said: Knowledge is that which benefits, not that which is memorized. Maalik ibn Anas ((rahimahullah) said: Whoever does not love knowledge, then there is no good in him; so there should not be any acquaintance between you and him, and nor any friendship.