Director’s Graduation Speech

Respected Community Leaders, Academics, Mashāyikh, Graduating Students, and members of the Melbourne Muslim Community.

On behalf of the Melbourne Muslim Seminary, welcome to our Seminaries first ever graduation program.

Over the next few moments, I hope to provide a brief overview of the story of the Seminary and some of the milestones that have been achieved throughout the year. 

The Seminary was officially established at the end of 2021 after the CEO of Ilim College Mr Murat Karadag encouraged us to explore the possibility of an adult higher education institution that can enhance the services of the school but provide education to the Melbourne Muslim community. Many consultations, discussions, and healthy debates with experts later, the Melbourne Muslim Seminary was born. 

A concise overview of the Seminary’s educational ethos can be listed as follows:

1. True to Tradition

2. Cognizant of Context

3. Emphasis on Suhba

4. Practical in our Application

Being arguably the first of its kind not only in Melbourne but Australia, the Seminary was venturing into uncharted territory. As a new institution with no previous experience, we did not know whether there would be any interest or engagement with our services. But at the same time, we were not reinventing the wheel. Many Islamic institutions particularly around the Western world had already been running and thriving for decades.

Moving forward, Approximately 40 students applied with 32 eventually enrolling into our two programs: Access to Arabic and Muslim Essentials. Applications hailed in from diverse professional, academic and ethnic backgrounds. Our youngest student was 16, and oldest graduating today, 54 years young. And this for us was a sign that our Seminary was meeting a broad intellectual demand.

But as we know, enrolling into and starting any course is easy, but how many can actually commit to the arduous 135 hour 35 week course in addition to their full time work/studies? We then saw the applications of husband and wife, Ammar the Paramedic and Aisha the final year Monash medicine student. It wasn’t their professions that specifically caught our attention but according to Google Maps, the 124.2km return trek from their home in Endeavour Hills to the Seminary. Could they commit twice a week after work and study? Alhamdulillah they persisted, and their persistence inspired their fellow colleagues to do the same. 

We did not want to create a mediocre institution but deliver high-quality and contextualised education that inspired Muslims to practice and represent Islam as confident faith practitioners. To this end, we carefully sought out 9 academics and instructors to join our teaching staff. This journey enabled us to greatly appreciate the level of depth and breadth some of our remarkable scholars and educators in Melbourne are acquainted with. Through their extensive experience of delivering content and gentle care for our students, the Seminary was able to offer a high quality curriculum and pedagogy that our students have testified to.

Though I would love to speak about each individual staff member, time does not permit, but two individual staff members are worthy of special mention. 

Firstly Ustadh Tarek Makhlouf, who single handedly led and delivered the Arabic program. His oceanic knowledge of the Arabic language and passionate teaching skills left all his students with a deeper understanding of Arabic, but more importantly a closer connection with the Qur’ān. 

A similar remark must also be made of Dr Done Onan whose dedication to the Seminary formation, commitment to professionalism, and concern for the wellbeing of our staff and students was awe-inspiring. Just this morning I opened a shared document and realised the last edit was made at 3am this morning. Only Allah knows the extent of her efforts. 

In terms of the organisation for today’s graduation, a dear and heartfelt thank you to Sister Aisha Yavuz for beautifying this place and insisting that our graduating students must be honoured with an exceptional and grand send-off. 

More broadly, a genuine heartfelt show of gratitude to ICMG and its president Mr Ramazan Otkun, whose support and encouragement of MMS have been unwavering, and also Mr Murat Karadag and the leadership team at Ilim College for their constant moral and logistical contributions.

In sum, we are here to celebrate the planting of 24 seeds into the fabric of the Australian Muslim story.

Over the last 9-10 months, our dedicated staff have done their utmost best to carefully water and nurture these seeds.
What remains for them is analogous to the similitude of the sunflower – just as sunflowers move their apices steadily from facing east in the morning to facing west in the afternoon, following the Sun— our students must continue to seek the Light of our Lord and cultivate the love of the sacred that exists within.

For the Seminary, this is the start of a long and exciting journey that is growing day by day. We are all students and servants on this eternal journey, seeking the pleasure of our Lord, Allah Most High, and the love of His beloved, Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him.

May the Seminary be at the forefront of social, moral, and intellectual development
Its Staff and student develop as therapeutic change-makers, 

and may the community with which we can not move forward, include us in their prayers.

Amin.

Talha Bozkurt
Director