Compassion for Students
A teacher must have compassion for his students in the same way a father would have for his own children. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said “I am to you like a father is to his child”
Abu Haroon Abdi and Shahr ibn Haushab Rahmatullahi Alayhi relate that when we visited Abu Saeed Khudri Radiallahu Anhu as students, he would say to us: “Welcome! O bequest of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Listen! Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said:
“Soon the world will become subdued to you and young people will come to you who will be thirsty for knowledge. They will desire to attain a deep understanding of Deen, (Tafaqquh). When they do come, teach them and treat them with kindness. Be tolerant with them and teach them the Ahaadith.” [Jamiu Bayaanil Ilm].
Do not punish children whilst you are angry. An angry doctor cannot cure a patient. Similarly, an angry teacher who has no self-control will not be able to discipline his students thus causing more harm than good.
The counsellor, who advises with scorn, serves only to add venom to venom.
Experience has proven that kind words are more effective than harsh ones. Only an ignorant person, wishing to place something in a utensil, will first make a hole in it. With excessive beating and harshness, the heart of a child becomes like a sieve. It will be impossible to fill it with goodness.
Instilling fear into the child might be effective temporarily but has proven to be largely unsuccessful. In this day and age it develops into a major fitnah, which would prove to be a nightmare for the officials of the Madrasah, and have a negative impact on the reputation and administration of the madrasah.
That ustaadh who is incapable of rectifying the students’ evil habits by himself displaying good character is not worthy of being an ustaadh. Generally, teachers do not pay attention to rectifying the wrongs within themselves thinking themselves to be perfect. Thus, we can well imagine the fitnah that can stem from one who is deficient yet thinks himself to be perfect.
To fill the heart of a child with fear has a similar effect as that of an icy wind on a delicate bud or a hot wind on gentle flowers.
Imam Ghazaali has stated that a teacher has to be extremely tolerant.
Hadhrat Abdul Qadir Jilaani has stated that as long as anger overcomes you, do not count yourself among the people of knowledge.
A pious person once mentioned that a teacher has to be an embodiment of love and kindness. Nobody is prepared to listen to harsh words just as a sick person is not prepared to take bitter medicine.
Allah Ta’aala mentions in the Qur’aan:
“Had you been harsh and hard hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.”
It is recorded in Ta’leemul Muta’allim that the son of a kind ustaadh will one day also become an Aalim. The reason for this is that the ustaadh encourages the students to become Ulama. Through the barakah of this encouragement and due to his kindness, his son too will become an Aalim
