Should i continue or take a break?

[Haya emaan]

Assalam o alaikum brothers and sisters

hope every one is in the best state of health and emaan

InshaAllah i will be completing my graduation in a short time and i m stuck between to go further for my masters degree or take a break for a year or so..

To do masters was my dream. Women education is not common thing around me but alhamdullillah my family always supported me and my sister.

so why i thought of a break? there are several reasons. i think specially in last four years i have been too much bounded by my studies that i neglected many of my duties and other stuff around me. my family stuff, other relations etc and also have given up all my hobbies. and now as i m going to complete my degree my family is expecting some support from my side(not the financial one) my mom wants me at home by her side and my dad also expecting me to come and live with him for some time. i too need some rest.and the foremost reason i want some time to learn Arabic and fiqh courses. cant do it along with my college.

but on the other hand i m not sure what will be the situation after a year break. i myself will be ready to continue or not or may be other things. i have also observe that taking breaks affects academic performance. have heard it affects your career( although i have not planned to do a job yet but if i do so)...

now i m confused and undecided. its really hard to bring a full stop to your studies after a long struggling years for what ever reasons.
definitely if i decide to take a break i will be in short courses stuff.

if any one has been in such or similar situation or have suggestions, i would appreciate your valuable help.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

istikhara :)

you knew it was coming

[~Zaria~]

Assalamu-alaikum ukthi : )

JazakAllah khayrun for sharing your story with us.

Im not sure what course you are doing - it may help to know this, but I do understand if you wish to keep it concealed.

Firstly, i think that whatever knowledge Allah (subhanawataála) has bestowed upon us is an immense blessing. If we consider how many people around the world are denied education/ knowledge (for various reasons), then we learn to really appreciate this great bounty and favour that Allah has chosen some of His servants for.

Which means, that with knowledge comes responsibility (famous (similiar) words of..... Spiderman, lol: ) )

So, we should try our best to take the knowledge/ skills that we have and direct them towards the betterment and development of our ummah.
Its no point having knowledge, but then not making use of it......in fact, if we dont 'use it, we lose it' - i.e its very easy to forget/ lose our skills if we do not put it into practise.

I realise that when it comes to women, we need to think even harder with regards to this - and make sure that whatever we do, we are not earning Allahs wrath in the process, by ignoring His commands upon us.

With regards to taking a break from your course, before proceeding to further studies:
If you are not planning on implementing your current degree at present, it may be a bit difficult to get back into it after some time......I personally think, that if you really want to do it, then make istikharaah - and insha Allah get it out of the way.
With time, our minds do get a bit 'rusty' and it does get more challenging to juggle other responsibilities that may enter later on in your life insha Allah (e.g a husband - BIG responsibility :P, babies, etc). May Allah Taa'la bless you with all of this and more. Ameen.

Also, do ask yourself the following:

Why do you actually want to obtain your masters?
Is it just for the sake of earning the degree.....but with no plans to ever use it? Then, what is its point?
Is it important for the direction that your career may need to take?
Is it because you want to be the expert in your particular field (as it should be all of our intentions - that when we do something, we do it well) - and so, a masters will aid in this?


If your answer is Yes to the first question......then insha Allah, it may be more beneficial for you to pursue something else.


And finally (Im sorry, this is turning out into an essay again :/ ),

It is good to have a balance in life.

While knowledge related to this dunya is important - and indeed, it is a means of ibaadat in itself (if we make the intention as such), deeni-related knowledge is also important for each and every muslim.
It is only through knowledge that we can get closer to Allah, and love Him and His messenger (sallalahu alaihi wasalam) more, and protect ourselves from the ploys of Shaytaan.

So, we should make time in our lives to seek Islamic knowledge.

^ This is a LIFE-LONG journey, that should only end when we take our last breathes, insha Allah.
But, the important thing is that we actually make the effort in this regard, and keep time aside for building on our imaans.

We may not all become 'scholars' or 'sheikhs' - and it is not necessary for us to do so......but still, it is encumbent on us to increase our knowledge each and everyday with regards to our deen.

In light of the above, it may be possible to take arabic/ other islamic courses on a part-time basis if you so wish.

In other words - you decide that you want to become a good teacher/ nurse/ psychologist or whatever your field may be - and work at this (for the sake of being of benefit to the ummah).......AND, on the side, you continue to develop your islamic knowledge.

Hope this if of help, insha Allah.

May Allah Taa'la guide you towards what is best and most pleasing to Him. Ameen

:wa:

[Alpha Dude]

On one hand, you have an extra year of study for a career that you are undecided on and on the other hand, you have a chance to be there for and help your parents and at the same time learn Arabic and Fiqh. Looking just at these two facts, there seems to be more good and reward to be had in the second choice.

However, I would agree with the istikharah advice.

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[Haya emaan]

istikhara :)

you knew it was coming

jazakAllah khair borther for the reminder
this is the first thing to do inshaAllah..:)

just waiting for my exams to complete...

Assalamu-alaikum ukthi : )

walaikum assalam:)
jazakAllah sis for taking time to read my post and posting your advice

Its no point having knowledge, but then not making use of it......in fact, if we don't 'use it, we lose it' - i.e its very easy to forget/ lose our skills if we do not put it into practice.

you are right. but it depends on the field
my field doesn't necessarily needs a job to put it into practice.. its more towards artistic side (Arts, design, interior etc)

With time, our minds do get a bit 'rusty' and it does get more challenging to juggle other responsibilities that may enter later on in your life insha Allah (e.g a husband - BIG responsibility :P, babies, etc). May Allah Taa'la bless you with all of this and more. Ameen.

things that stops me and make me rethink about taking break...^o)

Also, do ask yourself the following:

Why do you actually want to obtain your masters?
Is it just for the sake of earning the degree.....but with no plans to ever use it? Then, what is its point?
Is it important for the direction that your career may need to take?
Is it because you want to be the expert in your particular field (as it should be all of our intentions - that when we do something, we do it well) - and so, a masters will aid in this?


If your answer is Yes to the first question......then insha Allah, it may be more beneficial for you to pursue something else.

for me job is not the end point or goal of my education neither i have chosen any such field which comes out useless without using it professionally ( although i think none of the field is ever useless even if you don't use it as a profession)...

To me going out and doing a job where i have no need for it right now is not a good idea (i have many other things to do in life :p) but i must prepare my self for every thing. Alhamdulillah my degree have prepared me to stand on my foot when i need it and masters will do some more to it inshaAllah..
apart from this alhamdulillah i have gained much more for my life from my education..

In light of the above, it may be possible to take arabic/ other islamic courses on a part-time basis if you so wish.
In other words - you decide that you want to become a good teacher/ nurse/ psychologist or whatever your field may be - and work at this (for the sake of being of benefit to the ummah).......AND, on the side, you continue to develop your islamic knowledge.

this is some thing, as you said, goes on entire life.. alhamdulillah..:)
but side by side in a formal way like some course way...have thought of that several times in last years but it wasn't possible for me to attend college in the morning and courses in the evening.. and will not be any further with the uni classes...

May Allah Taa'la guide you towards what is best and most pleasing to Him. Ameen

ameen.
may Allah bless you success in this life and akhira ameen:)

On one hand, you have an extra year of study for a career that you are undecided on and on the other hand, you have a chance to be there for and help your parents and at the same time learn Arabic and Fiqh. Looking just at these two facts, there seems to be more good and reward to be had in the second choice.

jazakAllah khair brother for the reply..
Simple and clear way of thinking..lol:)
but 'undecided career'.. is doing a job the only purpose to gain education..:?