Graduation of Prince Al-Sayyid College Students… and a Conference on Al-Sheikh Al-Fadel

Following verses from the Holy Quran recited by student Sheikh Faisal Hamadeh, a welcoming speech by Sheikh Majd Shohayeb, and an address of thanks on behalf of the graduates delivered by student Sheikh Taher Zeineddine, the college's supervising official and head of the Religious Committee in the Confessional Council, Sheikh Hadi Al-Aridi, delivered a speech defining “the priorities and strategic goals of the college’s journey, most notably: reinforcing the distinguished academic level of the college; developing and modernizing the administrative and academic framework; fortifying knowledge through practice, conduct, and self-observation; in addition to activating the scientific research system by establishing a center for research and studies, launching a peer-reviewed academic journal, working to protect our cultural heritage by enriching the college library and electronically archiving manuscripts and books, and signing agreements with other universities for cooperation and exchange of expertise. The college board is working hard to achieve these goals, many of which have already been accomplished.”

He added: “The college is proceeding to fulfill its noble mission: disseminating knowledge and education, and graduating generations capable of serving their faith and society. Aware of its role and contributing toward achieving a Unitarian (Tawhid) and cultural renaissance, the college has undertaken to empower its students to build their capacities for a better understanding of everything around them, for a wise person must be knowledgeable of their era. What has been accomplished so far, on the academic and administrative levels and within these few years, is a source of reassurance and a motive to continue, preserving the future and standing of this college.”

He concluded by emphasizing that “Prince Al-Sayyid College (may his secret be sanctified) will remain—God Almighty willing—a beacon and a destination for seekers of knowledge and learning, and will continue its path toward excellence, leadership, growth, and progress; thanks to the prayers of the venerable Sheikhs, the support of the Mashyakhat Al-Aql, devoted supporters, faculty, administrators, and students.”

Then, the Dean of the College, Dr. Sheikh Sultan Al-Quntar, delivered a speech focusing on the serious plan to establish new colleges or departments, in order to afford opportunities for students seeking other disciplines in alignment with the college's approach, orientations, and objectives, as “the pressing need compels us to strive, work, and cooperate toward this end, especially since we are witnessing an increasing demand for education and knowledge from members of our community.”

He added: “This dream project requires continuous support on various fronts, especially as our vision to expand the college's role and spread its message requires extensive efforts to secure the necessary buildings, equipment, and other requirements to implement the project. All of this demands financial and moral support, which we hope will be provided by all concerned parties.”

In conclusion, His Eminence the Sheikh Al-Aql delivered a speech, stating:

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, and blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his pure family and companions, and the righteous prophets of God.

Venerable Sheikhs, brothers and children, dear beloved ones,

We praise God Almighty for what He has ordained and facilitated for the graduation of the second cohort of male and female students from the Prince Al-Sayyid University College of Monotheistic Sciences in Aabey, which has turned the dream into reality and has come to present annually to the Unitarian community an elite group of graduates who hold in one hand the certificate of religious commitment to the path of Tawhid from their Sheikhs, gatherings, and retreats, and in the other hand the certificate of academic Tawhid sciences from their college. This has always been by the blessing of the soul of our Master Prince Abdullah Jamal Al-Din Al-Tanukhi, after whose comprehensive name the college is named, and near whose blessed shrine it stands, inspired by his fragrant biography, his monotheistic thought, and his gnostic mission; by the prayers and guidance of our venerable Sheikhs; and through the grace and care from the very beginning of our venerable Sheikh Abu Mahmoud Saeed Faraj, may God preserve him, without whom, and with the support of His Eminence Sheikh Naim Hassan, this dream would not have been realized, nor would this college have become a focal point of hope and trust, and a guardian of the covenant and trust.”

He added: “Your certificates, dear brothers and sisters, as much as they are badges of pride for you and marks of merit for the effort and care you have invested, are also a responsibility placed upon your shoulders, as well as on ours, on the Religious Committee, and on the college administration. Society awaits us, and the need for religious education is great and pressing. We rely on you to join us in the mission of awareness, guidance, and education, in the face of a world of moral dissolution, abandonment of faith and values, and a world of ignorance, extremism, takfir, and blind religiosity. Ahead of us lie many challenges, perhaps the most dangerous of which is the challenge of drifting into ideological currents foreign to our Tawhid, the challenge of atheism or calls to adopt misleading intellectual doctrines, the challenge of proselytism aimed at religious conversion by some extremist groups, in addition to the challenge of promoting deviance, destroying values, disintegrating the family, and encroaching upon the order of the Creator, Almighty is He.

From this educational, religious, and academic institution, we affirm our adherence to the spiritual Unitarian identity and our responsibility to safeguard it by nurturing faith and noble morals in the hearts and minds of our youth, working for the elevation of humanity and society, striving to preserve the heritage of our fathers and ancestors against attempts to tear down human values and undermine the foundations of the family, society, and the nation, contributing to bringing about positive change where needed, while clinging firmly to the roots and principles that do not change with time, and which deserve from us struggle and dedication.”

He continued: “As for the Confessional Council, for all its beneficial diversity, it is united in its orientations and shares with us, through all its members, responsibility for the trust of religion, society, and the homeland. We desire it only to be a safety valve for the pillars we have mentioned. It is indeed a shared responsibility that we shepherd in the Mashyakhat Al-Aql and the Confessional Council in confronting these diverse challenges. This is our duty and our role, and this is our mission, in which we cooperate and integrate our efforts with community leaders, venerable Sheikhs, and intellectuals firmly grounded in knowledge. This noble mission demands of us sacrifice, giving, care, commitment, and openness. Our pride in this college stems entirely from our conviction in its fundamental role in providing essential support in this direction, through its Board of Trustees which sponsors and plans, its administration which bears executive responsibility, and its teaching staff which waters the seeds of goodness within it and nurtures them in hearts and minds, in a perpetual voyage across the degrees of knowledge, education, and the preservation of teachings.”

His Eminence concluded: “Here you are, graduates, joining us in this noble monotheistic mission. How deeply we need you, and how eagerly society awaits your engagement in the mission of awareness and guidance! Great are the hopes placed upon us and upon you. With the new Confessional Council, whose members are scheduled to be elected on the twenty-fifth of this month in a process of renewal and continuity in bearing responsibility, we will seek to realize those hopes and will work, with God’s help, to keep pace with the work of this college, which is linked to the Council through its Religious Committee, and which operates under the auspices of the Mashyakhat Al-Aql, which is keen to embrace it and continually strives—in close cooperation with the college administration and through the Board of Trustees which we chair—to advance this pioneering historical endeavor, regardless of changing circumstances, committees, or individuals. The college is a sacred trust, the mission is one, and the will is unified. May we succeed in performing the duty we have undertaken for ourselves and in achieving the desired purpose of our work. God grants success to whoever strives for His pleasure, and He is the Helper, the Supporter, and the One whose aid is sought.”

His Eminence the Sheikh Al-Aql and college officials then presented the certificates to the graduating students.

Likewise, His Eminence the Sheikh Al-Aql patronized the college's second conference, entitled “Al-Sheikh Al-Fadel – Virtues and Legacies.” Sheikh Abi Al-Muna delivered the opening address, which focused on the fragrant life of Al-Sheikh Al-Fadel (may God be pleased with him) Muhammad Abu Hilal, which encompassed numerous supplications, prayers, and words of wisdom, as well as a collection of testaments and guidance calling for piety in avoidance and acquisition, both secretly and openly, urging sincerity toward God Almighty, treating oneself with purity and cleanliness, interacting with others with refined manners and precision, and dealing with God with truthfulness and transparency.

His Eminence also pointed to the recommendations of Al-Sheikh Al-Fadel, which focused on “the obligatory conditions incumbent upon the brethren in their lives, which are akin to charting the paths of the monotheistic way or the codes of ethical living along the journey of spiritual elevation and commitment to social order.”

He stated: “In his biography, there is a wealth of citations from the sayings of sages and gnostics, and an emphasis on the duty of knowing the Islamic pillars, performing religious obligations, reciting the Holy Quran correctly, and memorizing what is feasible of it. His religious poems contain gnostic overtones, sound in structure, eloquent in meaning, and of a lofty standard.” He wished “the researchers success in their in-depth information and analysis, and in the illumination they will cast on this exceptional monotheistic personality and on that rare endeavor which drew inspiration from the profound legacy of Prince Al-Sayyid Abdullah Jamal Al-Din Al-Tanukhi (may his secret be sanctified) and brought it to completion.”

The conference included an intervention by the supervising official, Sheikh Al-Aridi. Speaking in the first session were Sheikh Majid Abu Saad on “Between Secret Worship and the Method of Exemplary Conduct,” and Sheikh Dr. Taher Hamad on “A Reading into the Language of Al-Sheikh Al-Fadel.”

In the second session, Sheikh Dr. Asaad Al-Bataddini spoke on “Between Philosophy and Religion—Al-Fadel as a Model,” while College Dean Sheikh Dr. Al-Quntar addressed “The Radiance of Al-Sheikh Al-Fadel's Thought upon the Notables among his Contemporaries.”