Emotions - The late Mufti Sheikh Khalil Al-Mais, may Allah have mercy on him

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Bekaa has been deprived since the 1990s - until now - with no attention from the state. There is no one to embrace the idea of uplifting the Bekaa community or investing in it. The Bekaa has no right for doctors and scientists to emerge, and women have no right to step out of the abyss of ignorance. They fight to reach knowledge, facing many obstacles, whether it be religious or otherwise. In the face of this deprivation felt by His Eminence, the late Mufti Sheikh Khalil Al-Mais, he took it upon himself to establish Al-Azhar in the Bekaa in 1985 on that plateau in Majdal Anjar. It became a sanctuary of faith and nurseries for generations of Muslims distant from their religion. Al-Azhar institutions became a refuge for those lost and searching for their identity from Lebanon and beyond. His Eminence had a deeper view towards families, as they nurture generations and, therefore, need more than others to fortify them with religious knowledge. The presence of Muslim women learning beneficial knowledge in the mosque, participating in circles of remembrance, calculating their steps from home to the mosque with sincere intentions to Allah and a determined commitment to persevere, learning knowledge recognized by Allah, is essential for the advancement of this nation.

Therefore, His Eminence's view was for Muslim women to prioritize attending knowledge sessions and providing the necessary means for them. The lessons were broadcast through Al-Azhar Radio, and Friday sermons allowed women to hear and benefit from them while fulfilling their family responsibilities without difficulty. Thus, women could lift the burden off themselves, improve their worship of Allah, and enhance their fear of Allah. The idea of weekly lessons for women, known as Monday's lesson, was born, and His Eminence has been giving these lessons for at least thirty years. The timing of these lessons was considered sacred. On the day of his passing, women wept for their loss of his simple and heartfelt teachings. The lesson became an opportunity for women to get to know their Muslim sisters and learn from a religious scholar dedicated to inviting people to Allah.

From him, we learned humility and good manners, the priorities of jurisprudence, the simplicity of the religion, and how to adhere to the Prophet's Sunnah, among other benefits. The women attending Monday's lessons testified, 'He taught us ablution, prayer, modesty, and shyness. May Allah have mercy on him; he was a nurturing figure, beloved for the simplicity of his teachings and the kindness of his reception, making each woman feel special.'

Isn't the lesson of knowledge and Quran memorization sessions, and the recitation and refinement of the Quran, the ones the Prophet referred to when he said, 'When a group of people gather to remember Allah, the angels surround them, mercy covers them, tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them among those with Him'? This is what Sheikh Khalil Al-Mais meant for Al-Azhar - tranquility, mercy, knowledge, Muslims who know their religion, and a haven for women, mothers, and girls - a dwelling for the soul.

Many women, yesterday and today, know little about religion. They struggle with Quran recitation, are unfamiliar with the jurisprudence of fasting, and fumble through the rulings of Umrah and Hajj. They lack knowledge in various aspects of worship and transactions. The remedy for this is opening the door to knowledge, which can only be achieved through study and attending lessons. The religious secondary school was the first step for Muslim women in the Bekaa. His Eminence's goal was that a righteous woman seeks abundant knowledge in accordance with the Quranic verse: 'And say, 'My Lord, increase me in knowledge' [Ta-Ha: 114], and also the verse: 'Say, 'Are those who know equal to those who do not know?' [Az-Zumar: 9].

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, 'Whoever Allah wishes good for, He grants him understanding of the religion.' Therefore, Sheikh Khalil Al-Mais exerted every effort to bear the responsibility and complete the journey. His efforts culminated in Al-Azhar University opening its doors to women and girls thirsty for knowledge. One woman said, 'I left the school benches eleven years ago, and I haven't held a pen or read a book since then. Al-Azhar became my hope to return to knowledge, and what knowledge is more splendid than religious knowledge.' The Prophet's saying resonates: 'Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge, Allah makes his way to paradise easy. The angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge, pleased with what he does. Mercy envelops him, and everything in the heavens and on earth seeks forgiveness for him, even the fish in the water. The virtue of the knowledgeable person over the worshipper is like the virtue of the moon over all other heavenly bodies. Scholars are the heirs of the prophets; the prophets did not leave behind dinars or dirhams, but they left behind knowledge. Whoever takes it, takes a large share.

The sessions of knowledge with His Eminence Al-Mufti Al-Mays were like heaven for the female students who found in him a father, a teacher, a mentor, and a scholar who feared for each one of us from going astray. His famous words were, "For God's sake, what are you doing outside Al-Azhar? Stay with Al-Azhar and live with books and knowledge." He highlighted the need for women for religion and jurisprudence in particular, emphasizing that women, through their scholarly pursuits, safeguard themselves against the dangers and preserve their homes and children. The companion Umm ad-Darda describes herself, "I sought worship in everything, but I found nothing more healing for myself than sitting with scholars and studying." This includes Umm al-Khayr, who dominated teaching and guidance sessions for Muslim women at the mosque of Amr ibn al-As. Fatimah bint al-Samarqandi was knowledgeable in jurisprudence and hadith, learning from various scholars and teaching in addition to writing multiple works in jurisprudence and hadith. The wife of Hafiz al-Haythami assisted her husband in reviewing hadith books, while Umm Zaynab Fatimah bint Abbas al-Baghdadi would ascend the pulpit, advise women, and benefit many through her upbringing and education, being well-versed in jurisprudence and principles.

One is amazed and frightened at the same time when seeing school and university girls, investing time and effort in acquiring worldly knowledge for meager financial gain or transient social status, yet showing little interest or effort in inquiring about their faith or pursuing religious knowledge! Sheikh Khalil, as we like to call him, had a significant impact on many at the university. His classes were the most influential in motivating students to continue learning at Al-Azhar. He brought prominent scholars to support his earnest desire to spread knowledge among the people of Bekaa, Lebanon, and even the world.

Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "If it were not for the scholars, people would be like animals." Without scholars, who would issue legal opinions for the Ummah? Who would debate the enemies of Allah? Who would defend the religion? Who would help us correct our mistakes? Personally, after completing my university studies in Zahle and obtaining a bachelor's degree in history, I found that I hadn't gained knowledge that satisfied my heart. I considered pursuing Islamic history and a master's degree in Beirut, but circumstances prevented that due to the difficulty of the journey and the idea of leaving my small daughter for a long time. I asked Mufti Al-Mays about the possibility of studying Islamic studies in Bekaa, and he asked me, "Do you want a degree or knowledge that benefits? Start with Islamic knowledge at our university." For the first time, I entered the sanctuary of Al-Azhar University, and when I decided to continue my studies, I found my alphabet lacking, unable to keep up with the vast knowledge in this sanctuary. In Al-Azhar, scholars and sheikhs share the pure nectar of knowledge with you, full of brotherhood and simplicity. I became eager to follow in their footsteps, stumbling before the vastness of their knowledge. Sometimes I hesitated to look at their lives or talk about the richness of their knowledge, knowing that I would never do them justice.

If you give Al-Azhar your soul, it will become your home and haven, where your youthful spirit roams freely. It provides you with motivation and perseverance, teaching you how even stones and places can't steal our dreams, prompting us to smile. Indeed, Al-Azhar embodies your dream and hope. Thus, it is associated with you, His Eminence, and will never part from you until the Day of Judgment. You will come to it, circling its premises as usual, removing dust from here and opening curtains to let the sunlight in, just as you like. Al-Azhar, in recent days, remained loyal to you through the scientific conference, honoring the founder. It resounded with the echo of your name and prayers for you. It's only fitting that it remains loyal forever because you drew its paths and carried its bricks and timber. It will continue to bring you the gifts of prayers through the mouths of your students.

O Sheikh, the lecturers were choked with your virtues, including friends, relatives, and students. Lecturers from all categories and specializations. You were the subject and focal point of discussion. Their words and expressions were repeated. The scholar has departed, the Mufti has departed, the Sheikh, the scholar, the doctor, indeed, he has departed. The words may seem easy when we say them in our gatherings, but we now realize that we miss your words, you on the pulpit addressing us. We don't tire of your speech; indeed, we cry for ourselves if we cry. We cry for our shortcomings. We, who sat in these seats by the grace of Allah and then by your grace.

O Sheikh Khalil, your loss is great, and this void will only be filled by those who aspire to be like you and sincerely dedicate themselves to this Ummah. What you taught us will endure after your departure from this worldly life because you only cared about inviting people to Allah, not about positions but about achievements. O Sheikh, the Mufti, the Sheikh, you will live on in the hearts and consciences of your lovers because your impact, whether through action or speech, was splendid. The commemorative conference in your memory is just a seed of goodness from the seeds of your oases that you generously showered upon your land and Islam. We will remember you for the good always, O Sheikh, the fatherly figure.

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