One of the things that have always bothered me is the Scholarship Policy of Islamic Universities in Saudiyah among other Scholarship Awarding Universities in Arab countries whereby the age limit of applicants is restricted to 25. Seriously, I used to be bothered: why the age restriction to getting free learning? Isn’t this a discouragement of learning the Deen? Why restricting access to getting free refined ISLAMIC Knowledge to a certain age?!
I absolutely find no wisdom in that policy until last year when one of our Shuyookh explained that there’s limit to the retention capacity of the brain above the age of 25. Even in Qur’an memorization, research has it that Quran is best memorized below the age of 22. The earlier one memorizes it, the easier and better. A person who is above the age 22 is likely not to find the Qur’an memorization easier as would a younger person. This is because at that age, the brain is likely to have multitasked which is not good enough for the academic task that requires a brain which is yet to be subjected to the trials and challenges of life at adulthood.
This does not mean there are no exceptional cases where the “Aged brains” perform well and sometimes better than the perceived “Fresh Brains”. Examples abound in the companions who were able to memorize the Qur’an at their advanced ages. Abubakr and Umar are said to have memorized the Qur’an at age 50+(1)
It is pertinent to mention that even in these scholarship awarding foreign Islamic Universities, like Madinah et al, the TRUE AND REAL ages of most of the foreign students (esp. Nigerians) there in are greater than the stipulated 25yrs when they applied. They only chose to reduce their age on paper so as to be shortlisted for admission – a subtle way of saying that they LIED – and yet, they’re doing well in their studies in the universities.
Thus, I would suggest that the Universities giving scholarship, instead of Age-Limit stipulation, should find other means of identifying applicants with the potential to perform academically well in the universities and hence, worthy of their scholarship grants. For example, they could be conducting entrance examinations for applicants who have met up with their requirements (of excellent/very good grade in their high school final exams, ijaazah, etc) irrespective of their ages. The exam questions would be such that if the applicants can pass above the required passing percentage, then they’re likely to do well in their academics and hence, be considered for scholarship.
Doing this will give the chance to exceptional brilliant students, regardless of age, to have their ways into the Universities and achieve their dreams of studying in such universities. This will consequently reduce the menace of age falsification among applicants because, the policy of Age-Limit stipulation undoubtedly encourages LIE (age FAKING, reduction).
As regards some of us, if not for our Principle of being REAL and not Fake in every aspect of our lives, we would have gone into that, because we also have the dream to further our studies as regards the knowledge of this glorious Deen in the best place on Earth surface, Suudiyah (on scholarship).
I completed my Thaanawey education at age 23 (2018) but my result was not completely processed until I was 24 and then came COVID’19 last year when I was already 25.
I used to follow the scholarship admissions of those Universities before but I stopped following them January this year when I realized the maximum age requirement for all of these Universities is 25 and I was just a year above that.
Infact, I felt very sad and reluctant when I was going to make payment for my international passport early this Month as my main motive of obtaining it has been defeated. When I was providing my details at the immigration office and I got to my DOB, I could have reduced it by three years so I could be eligible to apply for scholarship abroad. After all , I have a very small stature and a baby face too. You wouldn’t have known I am that old if I hadn’t told you. All I could have done is to get an affidavit on DOB Correction with just #500, but no! I would never be FAKE. I would always be the REAL me!
If we had been maintaining the principle of not faking anything as regards our secular knowledge acquisition or worldly affairs, why should we do that as regards Islamic knowledge Acquisition? It is more worthy of attainment in an ALL HONEST way.
So I only proceeded to obtain my international passport because I thought it might serve other purposes I wouldn’t have thought of. Who knows? someone might want to send me to Ummuroh or even Hajj this year (I might even go with my own money, mi o ro ara mi pin ) or even be among the selected Geology students to be sponsored to attend a conference abroad etc. “So, just let me get it ready in case of necessity.”
May Allah grant us steadfastness on truth. Aameen.
In conclusion, I really hope the Scholarship Team of SAUDI Universities look generally at the potential excellent performance of their scholarship applicants, irrespective of their ages.
May Allah reward the scholarship teams abundantly. Aameen
Hamzat Usman Olamide.
Minna, Nigeria.
0903573621
13th Aug. 2021.
