Embracing Belongingness: Exploring the Significance of Appreciating One's Home Country
The students of the Faculty of Languages and Translation attended a seminar organized by the Intellectual Awareness Unit on Tuesday, October 30th in the Science College Theatre. The presentation was about the significance of the feeling of appreciation and belongingness to one’s home country. Dr. Aisha Abu Sab’a, assistant professor at the Faculty of Islamic Legislation, started her presentation with a review of a map of the prophets’ journeys. She referred to the journey of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) away from his home country. She referred also to Prophet Musa's (peace be upon him) journey away from his home country by explaining that the people of that city were planning to kill Musa (peace be upon him), and so he was told to flee, and he did. Allah says, "So he left it, fearful and anticipating [apprehension]. He said, “My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people" [28:21].
"Your home country is the place where you live, settled, and to which you belong whether you were born there or not", said Dr. Abu Sab’a. She indicated the significance of one’s feeling of love and belongingness to one’s home country. In the Qur'an, it is stated: “If We had ordered them to sacrifice their lives or to leave their homes, very few of them would have done it” [4:66]. She concluded this part by referring to the greatest model of this when she referred to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his deep love for Mecca and his great love to Al-Madinah after he settled there and it became his home. She further emphasized the grace of feeling belongingness to one’s home as she referred to the Messenger of Allah's (peace be upon him) prophetic tradition: "Whosoever begins the day feeling family security and good health; and possessing provision for his day is as though he possessed the whole world".
Dr. Abu Sab’a, indicated that we all should have this feeling of belongingness to our home country. "We should acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as His Royal Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince", she asserted.
The event was attended by the Vice Supervisor of the Intellectual Awareness Unit, Dr. Dawlah Mohammad Mane. Students from various faculties along with 28 students from the Faculty of Languages and Translation participated in the event. The meeting enriched students’ knowledge and increased their awareness of appreciation, gratitude, and belongingness to their home country.
