By Aida Najwa
GOMBAK, 18 August 2022: “Your turn to pop will come. And as IIUM graduands, I have no single shred of doubt when each and every one of you pops out in the real world, the sound will be loud,” the Best Student (Overall) Award winner told an audience at the 10th session of IIUM’s 37th Convocation ceremony yesterday (17 August).
Muhammad ‘Afif Jazli Samion from AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS) illustrated using popcorns that are prepared in the same pot, oil, and heat, yet popping at different times. He implied that graduates to not make comparisons with one another as everyone has different life situations and will bloom when the time is right.
“The truth is each and every one of us found our reason to keep strong and stand right back up every time we fall,” he said.
“If you were to compare yourself when you first entered the Garden of Knowledge and Virtue, I have no doubt that your past self would be proud of what you have achieved and grown to become today,” he added.
Although he was happy about the convocation, the bittersweet feelings remained as his parents could not attend the ceremony due to his father undergoing chemotherapy.
Muhammad ‘Afif, who represented his fellow graduates, extended gratitude to parents and lecturers.
“Even so, I would like to represent everyone here by saying thank you to all our parents for never-ending support, sacrifice, hard work, and constant prayers for our success. Not to forget, our beloved lecturers for their diligence and patience in imparting knowledge to us.”
Acknowledging the shift to post-pandemic life, he encouraged the graduates to utilise the advantages of having experienced many innovations and balance between Islamic and acquired knowledge.
“Together we would be part of those who bring about changes that will be embraced by the generation to come,” he told the audience.
In his valedictory speech, he also noted that the convocation ceremony did not only mark the end of the university journey but beginning of a new life.
“All of the sacrifices, efforts, and obstacles we faced throughout our four years in this Garden of Knowledge and Virtue are our preparations to continue our challenging life journey.”***