I'm in the middle of finishing my thesis* writing.
Despite being overwhelmed by the amount of tasks at the moment, I would love to greet this 1 week deserted blog. Yes, I do have plans on (so many) things to write. But writing my thesis is currently a priority, hehe...
So instead of going with the plans of writings, I am just going to talk about barakah in thesis.
Barakah, means ziyadatul khair (literally: addition of goodness).
I learned this concept, waaay to late. Yes, I was a second semester freshman when my friend said:
"It's okay. I hope this (event) brings barakah in your time."
She comforted me after I panicked about an upcoming histology examination I hadn't studied for, because we were in a 2 days retreat to learn more about Islam. She told me to keep renewing my intention.
I was stunned by those words. After I pondered upon it, I wished I had known earlier about time full of barakah!
That histology exam turned out to have the highest mark out of all past histology exams I had had. MasyaAllah. Within limited time to study, by the Will of Allah the questions that were asked were the ones I revised!
When our intention is to seek for Allah's acceptance, Allah would shower blessings from unexpected directions.
What about thesis?
Is it possible to have a thesis full of barakah?
In the beginning of my thesis journey I made a pledge to myself that I would try my best to keep this journey full of blessings. Then, I asked Allah to help me with this intention.
Before I got into the steps on how, let me share you a recent experience:
As you probably have guessed... to analyse data I need a statistics software. Unfortunately, this software is quite pricey especially for students like me. So I tried finding a way to get this software. I learned that although my uni provides the students an access, it is highly limited, specialised for Windows and could only be used in campus area. Living far from campus, I tried finding other sources (asking my seniors, logging in with my dad PhD account, etc.)
At the end of the day, I couldn't seem to find a way to get a hand on that software while I was rushed with a deadline. As a last resort, I go that way: piracy. Yes, I found the crack and successfully installed it.
Though I violated my own 'law', I remembered a principle of 'emergency' in Islam.
We should be compelled to do this specific haraam thing, meaning that we cannot find anything with which to meet that necessity except this haraam thing. If we can find something else, then it does not become permissible, even though it could meet our necessity. (Source)
But.. my heart was not at ease.
And strangely, the results keep coming out rather puzzling. After several restless days, I keep making unusual mistakes here and there.
Until... My supervising professor decided that I need to repeat the lab work once more. Astaghfirullah.
At that moment, I vowed to stop using this illegal software. I prayed to Allah that He guided me.
"Hey, do you know where can I access this S*** software? If we're required to buy, is there any way we can pay together?" I asked my research partner hopelessly. Surrendering to Allah completely.
To my surprise she said,
"Habibah, you know we could just download it legally using the free trial period."
"REALLY? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?" I practically exclaimed. I proceed to open its official website. "Oh yeah, it is available for 14 days!"
Immediately, I downloaded and installed the software.
You know what?
(Oddly) Within one night, I finished all the analysing process. MashaAllah. I melted how Allah taught me in the most beautiful (and painful-but-will-always-be-remembered) way.
What I (Try Doing) to Preserve Barakah in My Thesis?
This is purely the things I did but benefitted from, so I thought: why not share it?
1. Renewing intentions
As always! With pure intention, even writing a thesis could be considered as an 'ibadah' or act of worship. How? Say Basmalah beforehand. Remember that we seek barakah to gain Allah's acceptance. Not merely to attain ease! As the reward could come in many forms.
2. Adab to teachers
Adab, plays important role in Islam. I can't stress enough. Though its literal definition is "refinement, good manners, morals, decorum, decency, humaneness", this point could be a hundred pages book itself if discussed contextually.
A technical approach to this point include:
Mentioning the name of your supervising professors within your duas
Never badmouth them
Choose your best words in interacting with them, both virtually and directly
Be polite and show good manners
Say the magic words often sorry, please, thank you
Smile despite any critiques
Consider giving them presents, as Rasulullah (PBUH) taught us:
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Give each other gifts and you will love each other." Source: al-Adab al-Mufrad 594
3. Use only legally accessed sources and softwares
This is again a lesson on adab. Yes, an adab to fellow researchers, whoever they are, who had shed tears and sweat to produce their papers in journals.
Though some people disagree with me on this point, I was very strict on myself to stay away from any piracy.
How?
Go to library, borrow books (from library or friends)
Use uni computers or wi-fi subscribed to journals
If the uni doesn't have the access, ask your professor how to get a hand on the references
Say no to: libgen, scihub, torrent, plagiarism
For softwares, find free alternatives to paid softwares or subscribe for free trials period
4. Quran time
This is the fountain of Barakah! But subhanaAllah, we rarely drink from it! Allah says in the Quran: “And this is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it…” (Surah Al-An’am, Verse 92). So read the Quran, and observe the blessings and barakah of Allah enter your life. The further we are from this Book of Guidance, the less barakah we will have in our lives. (Source)
5. Giving thanks to Allah in abundance
Allah says in the Quran: “If ye are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you”. A scholar once told me that if one looks into this verse, the Arabic word that is used to confirm that Allah Wills favours unto the person who thanks Him is actually in the form of an Oath – “La azidannakum”. So Allah is promising the person who thanks Him an increase in goodness and blessings, and Allah never breaks His promises. (Source)
It is inevitable that there are times you'd feel like giving up. The journey to write a thesis is full of ups and downs! So even in the hardest times, I would say to myself: put on your spectacles of shukr!
"Alhamdulillah, Allah wants me to learn this topic more so I need to revise this chapter."
"Alhamdulillah, Allah is reminding me not to be arrogant with whatever I have achieved."
"Alhamdulillah, Allah is teaching me sabr from my lab partners."
Yes, always have a positive thinking mind to Allah! After all,
Allah says, “I am as My servant thinks I am”. (Bukhari)
6. Charity
In a Hadeeth Qudsi, Allah says: “O son of Adam, spend (in charity), and I’ll spend on you!”
Charity, isn't always of money. It comes with many forms: a sincere smile to a friend, spreading beneficial knowledge, giving your friend a ride, sharing a food, etc.!
Moreover:
let’s say barakah was removed from your life due to a sin you committed; charity cleanses your sins, adds good deeds and is a source of barakah. (Source)
MashaAllah!
7. Learn from prominent muslim scholars
What keeps me motivated!
This scholar, never wrote a single hadith without doing ablution and praying 2 raka'ahs salah. He did these for all 7,563 hadith he assembled!
But as he maintained this ritual to seek barakah, indeed, his compilation of 7563 hadith is still a reference to everyone even thousands years later. His name, is (almost always) mentioned every time a hadith is narrated, all over the world, ever since. What a book full of blessings!
Who is he? Imam Al Bukhari.
Whenever someone mocked me of being too strict, of having too many rules for a thing as simple as thesis...
I remember this heart-warming story. It always bring goosebumps, MashaAllah.
It proves the theory of ziyadatul khair!
I hope this covers most of the sources of Barakah in thesis writing, but as I said before, this is not an exhaustive list. Please add your sources and recommend more tips for us to share!
May we find barakah in our activities,
-h.a.
*thesis: in Indonesian undergraduate curriculum, writing a thesis is compulsory to earn a bachelor degree; a graduating paper.
Updated 26th September 2019
Alhamdulillah,
(unofficially) S. Ked.
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