A
MUSLIM RESEACHER IN THE 21ST CENTURY:
CHALLENGES
AND OPPORTUNITIES
Written
by:
Musibau
Anifowose BOLAJI
SHA’BAAN, 1441AH
(APRIL, 2020)
INTRODUCTION
The
21st century is a world fill with lots of uncertainties. The recent
advancements felt in technology did not help in reducing these negativities about
this century. Rather the story remains to the contrary. The most delicate of
such adversaries is the internet! Just as it makes it easy for information to
be fetched, the opposite is also true for it. You need to keep on verifying
what you used to know to be true if you do not want to be caught in the middle
of the fake news spree!
For
a Muslim in the field of research, the situation is more than critical. He is
not here for mere fun. He is here to better his Hereafter (Al-Jazaairee, 2003).
Thus, his struggle to please his Lord along with the challenges of the 21st
century posed before him a double herculean task. Though positive opportunities
could not be said to be absent for him, he must be ready to constantly
double-check all his efforts at it, so as to vouchsafe himself from not earning
the wrath of his Lord.
This
piece is thus necessary at exploring the concept of being a Muslim researcher
in the 21st century. While doing this, time would be taken to dwell on possible
precautions, challenges and opportunities before the person of a Muslim
researcher. Supposedly, relevant literature would be referenced to show this.
THE
CONCEPTUALISATION OF THE TERM: MUSLIM RESEARCHER
The
conceptualisation of a Muslim researcher is considered within the purview of
Islaam. A Muslim researcher is the one whose conduct of his research is in
conformity with Islaamic tenets both in his inwards dispositions and outward
engagements. He takes trustworthiness to be his watchword (Philips, RMY 101).
Ordinarily,
every Muslim is expected to be cautious of his actions, inactions and reactions
in the world of living before he breathes his last. The Prophet of Allaah –
Muhammad ﷺ said: “The worldly life is a prison for the believer and it is
a paradise for the disbeliever.” (Riyadus-Saliheen). He ﷺ has also
made us realised that if this world should have been as worthy as a wing of a
butterfly, Allaah would not have allowed the disbelievers to have a sip of it
(Zarabozo, 1999).
Therefore, a
Muslim researcher is expected to fortify himself spiritually enough to be able
to work against the evil machination of the 21st century in the
forms of human and non-human engagements (Al-Jibaly, 2006). Such engagements
are not exclusively physical; there are bound to be times if not most times, that
he would have to go virtual. If he could not safeguard himself against the
physical temptations, it would be very difficult for him to avoid the constant
spree of evil of the virtual world (As-Sudais, 2012).
PRECAUTIONARY
MEASURES
He
is to support himself with a number of Islamic etiquettes that would benefit both
his inner-self and outward disposition (Abu Zayd, 2002). That would be ignited
with sincerity even though he might be said to be learned, he must internalised
Islamic ethics in every field that requires human interaction and
interrelationship (Abdalati, 1973).
He
must be ready to always put Allaah and His messenger before any personal desire
of his. A quick Isti’aadhah (that is, seeking refuge with Allaah from
the Devil with the statement: auudhubiLlaahi minash-Shaitaanir-Rajeem)
could help (An-Nawaawi’s al-Adhkaar). This would only be recognised
by he whose heart allows the light of the Reminder and gets illuminated
by it (Al-Hujuraat, 58:3).
Dhikr
(Remembrance
of Allaah) is another measure here. The best of this is the recitation of the
Book of Allaah – Al-Qur’aan – because with it, the hearts find true
rest (Ar-Rad, 13: 28). So this Muslim should busy his tongue with it. In
adjunct to that, he has the Adhkaar of the Prophet ﷺ as another source to quench his thirst to remembrance. Besides
the fact that this would enliven his heart, numerous number of rewards would be
accorded to his account as each deed of the Muslim is rated with ten of its
kind minimally (Al-An’am, 6: 160).
CHALLENGES
OF OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE A MUSLIM RESEARCHER IN THE 21ST
CENTURY
The
Muslim researcher is never expected to relax his watchfulness. Besides, he is
seen as a role model and as such he is purposeful with his physical steps and
virtual moves (Durkee, 1999). These are the likelihood of the challenges a
Muslim researcher in the 21st century would have to operate with.
He
has unlimited opportunities before him both while moving around in the physical
world into the halls of documents just as he is also free virtually in the
world of the internet to gaze at programmes and educative stuffs. Or he himself
produces such for others so as to provide himself with some levels of
inner-happiness (Oloyede et al, 2007). Yet he is doing all that while being
mindful of his aakhirah (Hereafter); he is going to be left with his
sense of correct judgment from the Islamic conceptualisation of a Muslim
researcher and the precautionary measures he makes available to himself (Al-Mud-dath-thir,
74:38).
Of
course, a Muslim researcher would be met with copious reasons to send and
receive emails during his research. He would interact with people as he would,
at a time, have to correct, admonish, answer their questions and clarify
misconceptions about Islaam (Topbas, 2009).
Though
the virtual world looks opportunistic, a Muslim researcher should not be insensitive
about its downsides. One may choose to be offline, yet that is not a guarantee
that downloaded clips are free from negative elements. While connected to the
internet, identifiable lapses in the form of online fraud, indiscriminate
display of porns, insecure connectivity and hacking take to increase (Adedapo
& Agunbiade, 2015).
CONCLUSION
It
is hoped that a Muslim researcher would be fine at the end of the day
especially if the above outlined concept was sincerely internalised along with
the precautionary measures. Lastly, I present The Etiquette of Seeking
Knowledge written by Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd (RahimahuLlaah) to every
Muslim researcher as a trusted companion!
REFERENCES
Abdalati,
H. (1973). Islam in Focus. Islamic Teaching Center - WAMY: Riyaadh.
Abu Zayd, Bakr (2000). The Etiquette of Seeking
Knowledge. Al-Hidaayah Publishihng and Distribution, Birmingham: UK.
Adedapo F.O., Michelle A.S. &Agunbiade D.A. (2015). Online
with Computers. Ibadan, Rasmed Publications Limited, Oyo: Nigeria.
Al-Jibaly, M. M. (2006). The Dreamer's Handbook.
Al-Kitab Al-Sunnah Publishing, India.
Al-Jazaairee, A. J. (2003). Minhaajul-Muslim.
Daarul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon.
As-Sudais,
A. R. (2012). Glorious Sermons from the Haram. Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, Riyadh:
KSA.
Durkee,
N. (1999), Those Promised Paradise (Stories of the Sahabah: Volume I). Chicago:
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M. Z. (1985). Riyaadh al-Saaliheen of Imaam Nawawi. IYPN for Publishing
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T. A. & Muhammad M. K. (2009).The Translation of the Meanings of the
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Philips,
A. B. (2020). Research Methodology (Notes) for RMY 101. © Islamic Online
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Book of Rememebrances (Kitab Al-Adhkar) by Imam Yahya Ibn Sharaf An-Nawawi
(2014). Turath Publishing: ;London Borough of Wandsworth, England.
Topbas,O.
N. (2009). Civilisation of Virtues. Instanbul, Turkey: Erkam
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