Between the University Degree and the School of Life: Reflections on the Experience of a Young Man Who Left His Studies

Between the University Degree and the School of Life

Reflections on the Experience of a Young Man Who Left His Studies

Many young people today pass through hardships that force some of them to leave university and seek a livelihood or a better opportunity abroad, while others remain in their seats without sensing the scale of the blessing they enjoy. In the course of his work in academic advising, the author received a sincere and realistic question from a young man who had studied at a faculty of computers and information before being compelled to withdraw and travel. He asked whether he could re-enroll in the faculty and study remotely from the country where he now lives.

The author’s answer was practical. As a rule, study at universities in Egypt requires actual attendance, and fully remote study is not adopted in public universities or in most private ones. There are, however, alternatives worth considering: blended-learning programs at several Egyptian universities that combine online learning with a limited number of attendance days; open-education tracks still offered by some institutions under specific regulations; and enrollment in universities outside Egypt that run fully remote programs, provided they are accredited and their degrees recognized. In computing especially, one can also combine work with self-study through global platforms and earn accredited professional certificates from major technology companies, many of which equal or even exceed some traditional academic paths in their career value. The author offered to help him choose the right option based on his country of residence and the specialization he leaned toward, and prayed that Allah grant him success wherever he may be.

To Those Forced to Leave University: Do Not Grieve

Many have assumed that leaving university is the end of the road, only to find it a new beginning, a different path, and an experience that refines character and opens doors never anticipated. This is especially true in computing, where success is measured not by the degree alone but by skill, practice, and the capacity for self-directed learning. How many programmers, developers, and data engineers have built successful careers without a completed degree, through specialized courses, projects, practical experience, and wise use of time.

Even so, Islamic knowledge should remain a constant provision in a Muslim’s life, for it is what most grants the heart balance, certainty, and tranquility in facing life’s challenges. So the one whom circumstances drove into exile and away from his studies should not make the degree the measure of his worth or the limit of his ambition. The doors of success are many, provision is in the hand of Allah, and experience, joined with patience and God-consciousness, can shape a person in ways that lecture halls cannot. Let him combine his work, the development of his skills, and a steady share of Islamic knowledge, and he will find all good, by Allah’s permission.

To Those Still Studying: Preserve Allah’s Blessing upon You

Sitting today in a university seat is a great blessing that only those deprived of it truly feel. The ability to attend, listen, discuss, experiment, and learn from professors is all a favor from Allah that should not be taken lightly. If you are studying now, do not complain about your faculty, belittle your specialization, or grow weary of lectures, for others who once sat in your place and had to leave would wish for a single one of your days.

Part of fully thanking Allah for the blessing of knowledge is to work hard, guard your time, fulfill your responsibilities, and approach your studies with a sound intention, reliance on Allah, and trust in Him. Allah says: “And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe’” (Ibrahim 14:7). The increase here, the author notes, includes success, maturity, achievement, and safety along the way.

Contentment: The Key to Good in Both Cases

Contentment does not mean resignation. It means that the servant strives with a reassured heart, trusting in Allah’s wisdom and pleased with His choice. The one who left university is content and strives; the one who remains is content and preserves what he has. In both cases the words of the Prophet ﷺ are realized: “Be content with what Allah has allotted you, and you will be among the richest of people,” reported by al-Tirmidhi (2305), Ibn Majah (4217), and Ahmad (8095) with slight variation. That is, be pleased with the provision Allah has given you and do not grieve over what of this world has passed you by, for the universe runs by His wisdom. Allah will then fill your heart and your hands with sufficiency, because whoever is content with his share and does not covet what others possess becomes independent of them, and true wealth is the wealth of the soul. Whomever Allah grants contentment finds light in his heart, serenity in his life, and unmistakable success along his path.

Conclusion

The question that reached the author was not merely an administrative one. It was a window onto the lives of young people, their struggle with circumstances, and the varying blessings and trials they live with. It is a reminder that the road to success is not a single road, and that every path is blessed so long as its traveler fears Allah and exerts himself. The article closes with a prayer that Allah open the doors of knowledge and work for the young, compensate those who have been deprived, bless those who have attained, and make contentment and God-consciousness a light for their hearts on every path of life.