Shaheer Khan - 4th Year Mining Engineering

1. Having shifted to a new environment, what values and expectations of yourself did you take with you?

I have been shifting to new places all my life. As much as I disliked moving, as soon as I would start to settle. But Allah has a funny way of making you fight your fears, not to break you but rather to make you stronger. I knew it would be hard because I have always feared goodbyes. Because I am an emotional dude I get attached way too quickly, I end up caring way too much and then when you say goodbye that goodbye takes a bit of myself with it. Therefore, I am working on caring less and controlling the urge to help everyone or rather anyone. But that’s also a difficult battle because I believe Allah puts care and love of other creations in your heart. How can you take that out especially if Allah specifically chose your heart for that particular task? How can you deny the controller of hearts, instead I began to embrace it and take that with me wherever I go? This trait of mine has helped me a lot when it came to me shifting to a new environment. Because humans crave love and care. If you don’t feed that craving, then you are only harming yourself and others alongside it. When I began to give back, in terms of caring, loving and helping others. I found that Allah gave me more, more of what I desperately needed not what I wanted. Because nothing good you ever do go to waste, that’s something I have noticed from my past experiences. Another thing I vowed to never change, was to never let go of my prayers, whatever happens, I will not let them go. Because after all, that is the only thing saving me from depression, hopelessness, all the diseases of this world. It’s a helpline, who wouldn’t use one considering the world we live in nowadays. Once you experience the serenity and bliss that comes with prayer, it becomes impossible to not pour your heart out to the one (ALLAH) who always listens and cares for you turn back to the One who gave you all; whose love is 70 times purer and more beautiful than a mother’s love. If it weren’t for prayer, I would not be working as a Mining Engineering Student here – miracles happen, you just have to believe.

2. When did you last push the boundaries of your comfort zone?

This summer. You know no one has loved me more in my life than my lord and your lord, Allah. You see, Allah works in mysterious ways, He surrounds you with people whom you love, puts love for you in their hearts, but then takes them away from you in an instant. This happened just this summer, not that it was a first but surely second time around wasn’t any better either. I think I have not been tested to such an extent as much as I was this summer. I spent the first half of my summer with my friends in UBC, where I also had the opportunity to spend Ramadan with them. I got to have many experiences – helping out with feeding the homeless, to praying tahajjud together and having our suhoor on the beaches with my friends – I made a lot of memories that I will cherish forever. I could see how Allah chooses his special servants for his special tasks. However, suddenly, I got this job offer, they asked me to move to Halifax, Nova Scotia before the end of May. After having waited for such a long time for such a job offer I didn’t think twice and jumped on to the very next flight. So, there it began, more goodbyes and more sleepless nights. It's like every time I get comfortable with my life, Allah throws a curveball right at me. As excited I was on getting the offer, I did not realize the emotional stress I would have to go through. That is when I realized I had to say goodbye to my friends and start a new phase of my life. Here I was: a new province, new city, new people, no friends to share my emotions with, no clue as to how I am going to survive with not only my first ever engineering job but a new chapter, – 3 years’ worth of memories and connections, taken away in a second. It is like Allah took everything away from me. My Friends whom I began to love as much as I would love my family. My favorite food places. My LIFE in simpler terms. I found it hard to adjust to the life here – alone. But you know life is a beautiful love story, one which revolves around the creation and its creator (Allah). There is not a single moment where Allah hasn’t saved me, every time I thought he was being unfair it was rather me who was being unfair and ungrateful. As time passed, I realized that Allah never left me on my own. There was never a moment when He was away from me. I began to remember that with every hardship there is ease – which He promised TWICE and that He is there for me; I just have to believe. I started adjusting to the city and the new environment, I met new people, and this led me to accept an extension of my contract here. I ended up staying here in Halifax for much longer than I had planned for. The experience of working at an actual mine as a mine engineering student and learning how to survive in a new environment was worth the extension and the difficulty which came with it. I realized that it is in the difficult of times when it is the easiest to find Allah and hardest to hold on to him. It is in such difficult times, that you find Allah closest to you, it is just a matter of how steadfast you are. My advice to anyone who is going through similar would be to pray and be patient. Because Allah told us to seek help through patience and prayer, Allah is with those who are patient. Miracles happen, you just have to believe. I try to follow just that.

3. How has being away from family for so long shaped the man you have become?

Distance has made me value everything in life, I find love in everything now. Everything in this world is a depiction of love, the love which Allah has put in the hearts of his creations for his beloved creations. I have come to this conclusion that life is temporary. Good things come and go, just how bad things do. Nothing ever stays, so do not attach your heart with anything which is temporary, hence LIFE. Live like a traveler, make beautiful connections with whomever or whatever you love, so if you don’t end up meeting again in this life, there is always Jannah where we will reunite and have a halal and a lit party. Ever since I started university and moved away from my parents, especially this summer, I have come to this realization that there is always a void in humans – the need for companionship – a void that they think they can fill but honestly, I have yet to meet someone who has. A need of a partner in crime or just close family members is enough to make a person whole. At my current job I have tasted what being a fully independent adult feels like. I am making money, I have everything I ever wanted, a car, a cool place to live, friends, food (biryani), but I missed being around my friends and feeling the love given by a family. I did not have a partner in crime. I think Allah showed me a trailer of life during this coop journey. I came home to an empty house which is why I am unable to call it a home. Like my coworkers who were all married or were either in a relationship looked forward to evenings after work where they will hang out with their significant other or go on some adventures on the weekends. So, for all the young Muslims out there, let this be an inspiration as this life and in particular, this coop adventure has made me realize since there is so much fitnah around the world and Allah forbade us Muslims from having haram relationships. Don’t give in to the society’s unreal expectations and rituals, work on yourself, take risks, propose to your crush, don’t fear rejection, don’t live a life of regret and just be yourself. I have come to this conclusion, life is too short, fitnah is ever increasing, get married young, marry a halal wife, live a halal and a blissful life, die a halal death, leave a halal legacy and inshallah party in Jannah with your loved ones. #khanout