career path suggestions?

Society Business and Career
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I graduated in 2006 from SOAS (The School of Oriental and African Studies, London), BA Arabic and Islamic Studies. I spent my 3rd year abroad in Alexandria, Egypt and have spent the past 5-6 months in Sialkot, Pakistan. I’ve been volunteering at a local school (Al-Huda Islamic School for Girls) where I’ve been helping out with tajweed and ‘translating’ my essays into lecture format for the girls.

A lot of my work experience is in the teaching field but I do not want to be a teacher until much later in life inshaAllah. I’m obsessed with studying and researching and trying to specifically answer peoples’ questions about Islam, and trying to reconcile gaps in understanding etc, in an academic and, thus, unbiased manner…

I’ve also been out here in Sialkot compiling notes and developing a mild form of ‘loathing’ for the system. I want to put my efforts inshaAllah into something that will contribute towards producing effective change.

I’m also developing my language skills so, Alhamdulillah, now I have 3 native languages (English, Urdu, Punjabi, like most of us here at GS), am fluent in classical and 3 Arabic dialects, and am currently studying Hebrew and Japanese by myself, as well as basic French and German (GCSE)…

I am planning to do an MA in Islamic Studies inshaAllah and although I am 100% certain that I want to do that, I am still unsure about how to, well, combine my passions and ‘realise my potential’ career-wise. A few people have suggested Journalism. Others have suggested Development. Others have said I need to be out of my comfort zone before I realise what it is I want to do. I’m not sure about that, though.

I’ve just sort of been really frustrated with the situation for quite a long time now… Until now, I’ve been a very comfortable and untired academic and have no problems continuing this way. But I feel like something greater is missing or unrealised.

Any ideas? Or thoughts about how to move through with this stage?

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Re: career path suggestions?

Great demand for teachers in the US, have you considered that?

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Re: career path suggestions?

No I haven't. I would prefer to go into teaching much later in life inshaAllah... Maybe not so much right now... JazakAllah though :)

4

Re: career path suggestions?

what about law?? with a focus on islam. Mashallah, you seem like a very smart girl...so try it going for a post grad degree. Also, have you looked into public health or public policy. I know there are several good schools in the US. Also, there are many muslim student and professional association, you can check out there websites and explore different career options.

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Re: career path suggestions?

Generally, for religious students the career options seem to be teaching, being imam/scholar, and/or running small business as a secondary mean for earning. But since you are not interested in teaching at this point (and of course you need to study more to become a teacher, specially for higher schools), other option come in my mind are:

  • Continue for MS and PhD for sure, since you have the blessed stamina of studying more so make the most of it. Real learners never stop studying even after PhD, and that's a good thing.

  • Since you wanna do da'wa work as well, one way is through 'writing'. You can be a writer (not suggesting full-time though) - writing books as well as articles for newspapers, etc. You can take short-courses to improve ur writing skills to be a professional writer. Your language skills could be handy here too, for example, you can be a correspondent of a news media (say jang group) and monitor Arabic, Hebrew, German and French news sources and write for your employer - which comes down to Journalism.

  • Another option could be a Librarian. Well, that'd keep u close to books and you can do research work as well. I believe for becoming a scholar, a religious teacher, a writer and a journalist you need to read a lotttt.

As far as making difference to the system (in Pakistan) is concerned, i think that's a huge task. Education system that is being dictated by super powers, can't be changed by common people. However, you can contribute to the limited extent for sure, in different ways. There are many NGOs working on different issues, you can join any or start your own. Atleast something is better than nothing ........ just my two cents (fi sabilillah :p )

is it really a beautiful country, why so patriot
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Re: career path suggestions?

abeera i m totally impressed by your academic achievements..MAshallah..u have gained knowledge in a true way..i wish i could do stuff like that..volunteering at Alhuda..and spending time in Egypt!..
I have no suggestions for u rite now..but hope that u achieve what ever is best for you. Inshallah