Exams can be extremely stressful. Being fully prepared is important to succeed! Anything done in accordance with Allah's Law and the Sunnah[way]of His Beloved MessengerMuhammad [peace be upon him] it is classified as Ibadah[worship]! A Muslim student puts hisTrust in Allah when facing the tests of this world and seeks Allah's help whilst following the prescribed means. While preparing himself fully in every permissible way for the exams that lieahead, he should always endeavour to be obedient to the Commands of Allah.Here are some useful tips to assist in preparing for the exams:
BEFORE THE EXAMS:HOW TO OBTAIN THE HELP OF ALLAH· Turning to Allaah by making du'aa' in any way that is prescribed in Islam. Dua is an extremely important tool to attain the desired results and more importantly the help of Allah.Read duas such as ,"Rabbishrah li sadri wa yassir li amri(O my Lord, expand my chest and make things easy for me)."· Reciting the du'aa' for leaving the house:"Bismillaah, tawakkaltu 'ala Allaah, wa laa hawlawa laa quwwata illa Billaah. Allaahumma inni a'oodhu bika an adilla aw udalla, aw azillaaw uzalla, aw azlima aw uzlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala 'alayya(In the name of Allaah, I put my trust in Allaah, and there is no strength and no power except with Allaah. O Allaah, I seek refuge with You lest I should stray or be led astray, lest I slip (commit a sinunintentionally) or be tripped, lest I oppress or be oppressed, lest I behave foolishly or betreated foolishly)." Do not forget to seek your parents' approval, for their du'aa' for you willbe answered.· Mention the name of Allaah before you start, for mentioning the name of Allaah isprescribed when beginning any permissible action; this brings blessing, and seeking the helpof Allaah is one of the means of strength.Rasulullah [peace be upon him] is reported assaying that any du'a which begins with: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (Inthe name of Allah,the most Gracious, the most Merciful) is not rejected .· Remembering Allaah (dhikr) dispels anxiety and tension. If something is too difficult foryou, then pray to Allaah to make it easy for you. Reading Surah Yaseen in the early part ofthe day brings blessings for the rest of the day!· Performs 2 rakaats salaah and ask Allaah to make it easy for you. Two rakaats of SalatulHajaat is an excellent means of having your needs fulfilled!PLAN, PLAN, PLAN…..!!!!·Time management.Plan. Before finals begin, get out your calendar and schedule as muchof your finals week as possible. Then stick with the schedule.·Set study goals- Set regular routines of study.-Daily goals-Weekly goals-Long-term goals·Time table-Know your deadlines, exam dates and make a study timetable·Ask-Your teachers want you to succeed; ask them if you are unsure!·Schedule in sleep-Some people can function well on three hours of sleep a night. Most cannot. You'll do much better during exams if your mental state is good, and sleep is essential for this.
·Schedule in study breaks-Don't plan to study non-stop for the next five days. You'll goinsane, and you'll be too fried to do well on the exams. When you write your schedule,include short study breaks to help you recharge. You'll feel so much better and willbe ableto concentrate so much more. Make Deen(Islam) as part of your study program. Schedule your study time using the five salaah(prayer) times as your markers.·Exercise-It's a good source for stress relief. Just don't overdo it to the point that you're procrastinating heavily. Go for short, stress-relieving activities, like walk to the Mosque or jogging or any other light exercise.·Location-Choose a quiet, well-lit an well ventilated place to study.·Prioritize-You have limited time to study and will have to choose what to spend the mosttime with. You could spend hours and hours on that math exam because if you do really well, you might be able to pull of a C. Or you can spend hours and hours on a chemistry exam.because if you do well, you've got a good shot at an A. It's up to you.·Study groups-Just don't waste your time with any group. Only where absolutely essentialjoin one. Often time valuable time gets wasted in these groups. Always keep the laws ofAllah in mind.
·Diet-Is extremely important in preparing yourself physically and psychologically for the exam (mentioned in detail below)
PREPARE, PREPARE,PREPARE…..!!!· Go to all revision sessions for your subjects.·
Have up-to-date course notes. If you don't,ask your teachers for the latest versions.
·Practise assessments and examination papers.
· Know what is required for each achievement standard.
· Check the time and place for the exam.
· Do not cram at the last minute.
· Check that you have all you need for the exams.
· Put your equipment in a clear plastic bag the night before.
· Get a good night's sleep.
· Eat before the exam but not junk food.
· Avoid people who make you feel nervous.
· Stay calm and confident. Breathe deeply.
· Don't forget your equipment e.g. pens. pencils, calculators etc. Take out all required materialwell in advance.
· Be early for the exam. Allow time for traffic jams etc· Avoid unnecessary talking outside the exam hall before the exam. It's too late to do anything now and listening to others about what they have revised, or not, might justdamage your confidence· Take spare stationery, pens/pencils etc·
REMEMBER: Your obligations to Allaah- Salaah, reading Quran , Zikr etc. Dont miss yourSalaah no matter what!
DURING THE EXAMS:· Stay calm. Relax. Stay focused.· Choose a good place to sit during the exam, if you can. Keep your back straight, and sit onthe chair in a healthy manner.
· Have confidence in yourself.
· Begin with the name of Allah.
· Write clearly – the examiner cannot mark what they cannot read! Leave a line spacebetween your main points/ paragraph to help the examiner mark your work.· Look over the exam first. Studies advise spending 10% of the exam time in reading thequestions carefully, noting the important words and dividing one's time between thequestions.
· Answer the easy questions first, then the difficult ones. Whilst reading the questions, writenotes and ideas which you can use in your answers later.
· Answer questions according to importance. Start by answering the easy questions which youknow· Do not spend too long on each question. If you have extra time at the end return to thequestion.· Cross out mistakes with a single line.· Don't leave any questions unanswered andnever omit an entire question.· Use diagrams to support your answer. Label clearly.· Read questions twice. Circle/Highlight key terms.· Do not bulk up an answer. Keep to the point!· Proof read answers. Ask yourself – Have I written a complete answer? Have I answered thequestion that was asked?· Match the length of your answer to the space provided.· Watch out for plurals in questions. For example, 'Name features of graphs' means that youare required to write at least two features.
· Label extra pages clearly and attach them to your exam booklet.GENERAL ADVICE:
FEAR ALLAH: Fear Allah with regard to your classmates, and do not be affected by their anxiety or fear just before the exam, for anxiety is a contagious disease. Instead, make themfeel optimistic by saying good words as prescribed in Islam. The Prophet (peace andblessings of Allah be upon him) was optimistic- when he heard the name of Suhayl (whichmeans "easy") and he said: "Things have been made easy for you." So be optimistic that youand your friends will pass this exam.
RELAX-Take breaks eg. Salaah[prayer] time is an excellent time to take a break.Ifstressed, ask Allah for ease.DON'T HURRY-Take your time to answer, for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:"Deliberation is from Allaah and haste is from the Shaytaan."(A hasanhadeeth.Saheeh al-Jaami, 3011).
MULTIPLE CHOICE-Think carefully about theanswer and choose the right answer whenanswering multiple-choice questions. Deal with them in the following manner. If you aresure that you have chosen the right answer,then beware of waswasah (insinuating whispersfrom the Shaytaan). If you are not sure, then start by eliminating the wrong orunlikelyanswers, then choose the correct answer based on what you think is most likely to becorrect. If you guessed at a correct answer then do not change it unless you are sure that it iswrong - especially if you will lose marks for a wrong answer. Research indicates that thecorrect answer is usually that which the student thinks of first.WRITTEN EXAMS:In written exams, collect your thoughts before you start to answer.Write an outline for your answer with somewords which will indicate the ideas which youwant to discuss. Then number the ideas in the sequence in which you want to presentthem.Write the main points of your answer at the beginning of the line, because this is whatthe examiner is looking for, and he may not see what he is looking for if it is in the middleof the page and he is in a hurry.REVIEW-Devote 10% of the time for reviewing your answers. Take your time inreviewing, especially in mathematical problems and writing numbers. Resist the desire tohand in the exam papers quickly, and do not let the fact that some people are leaving earlybother you. They may be among the people who have handed in their papers too early.
ACCEPT THE WILL OF ALLAH- Perform 2 rakaats(units) of salaah(prayer) after theexam and make dua in gratitude to Allah and that He grants you success. If you discoverafter the exam that you answered some questions incorrectly, then take that as a lesson in theimportance of being well prepared in the future, and not rushing to answer questions. Acceptthe will and decree of Allaah and do not fall prey to frustration and despair. Remember thehadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), "If anything befallsyou, do not say, 'If only I had done such and such.' Rather say, 'Qadar Allaah wa maa sha'akaan (the decree of Allaah and what He wills happened),' for saying 'if only' opens the doorfor the Shaytaan."(Hadith-Saheeh Muslim).CHEATING-Note that cheating is haraam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah beupon him) said,"Whoever cheats is not one of us."It is wrongdoing and it is a haraammeans of attaining a degree or certificate, etc., that you have no right to. The consensus isthat cheating is a kind of cooperation in sin and transgression. So do without that which isharaam, and Allaah will suffice you from His bounty. Reject all offers of haraam things that come to you from others. Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of Allaah, Allaah willcompensate him with something better. You have to denounce and resist evil, and tell the authorities about any such thing that you see during the exam, or before or after it. This is not the forbidden kind of slander rather it is denouncing evil which is obligatory.Advisethose who buy or sell questions or post them on the Internet etc., or who prepare cheat notes.Tell them to fear Allaah, and tell them of the ruling on what they are doing and on themoney they earn from that. Tell them that the time they are spending in preparing these haraam things, if they spent it in studying, or answering previous exams, or helping oneanother to understand the subject before the exam, that would be better for them than doingthese haraam things.TAKE A BREATHER- During the exams take a breather for a few seconds and praiseAllaah and send blessings on his Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)thiswill attract Allah's mercy on you and will allow you to relax. Recite Subhaanallah,Alhamdulillah , Allahu Akbar and then say Allahuma swali ala Muhammad.[takes less then12 seconds!]
BE CONFIDENT-After the exams always be confidant and keep making dua. If asked byanyone how did the exam "go" start off by saying Alhamdullilah(Praise be to Allah) andthen explain. Be positive! Dua is a great weapon for a true believer and it can make what seems impossible -possible with the permission of Allaah!. So dont loose hope. The heart ofthe examiner is in the hands ofAllaah.POST MORTEM- Avoid the post-mortem analysis after the exam with friends and other students.CONGRATULATE-Congratulate those who succeed and say encouraging words to thosewho have not done so well this time. According to Hadith every good word is sadaqah[charity]Failure is stepping stone to success. Don't look down upon any person who does not do well. Whatever Allaah has willed cannot be changed. Therefore we shouldalways be happy and content with the decision of Allaah. Allaah knows best and Allaah isAll Knowing and Most Wise.
DON'T FORGET-Remember what you have prepared for the Hereafter, and the questionsof the examination in the grave, and how tobe saved on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is saved from the Fire and admitted to Paradise will be truly successful.DIET When you're studying for finals, good nutrition often slides way down on the priority list. It's easy to get into the habit of gulping coffee and gobbling take-out pizza, because you don't want to wastetime on food preparation. But, actually, good nutritionshould bepart of your study plan because it's going to help you ace those tests. The better the fuel your brain gets, the better you'll study. It's a...well...no-brainer…and Most Important…Eating healthy is a tradition of our Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him).Here are 10 tips for eating right during exams:
1.How do I eat smarter?Meeting daily vitamin and mineral requirements will make doingyour best much easier. Iron andB vitamins are especially important to maintaining thephysical and mental energy necessary to study well. Iron-containing foods include red meat,cereals and spinach; Foods that contain B vitamins include whole-grains, wheat germ, eggsand nuts. Fish and soy are other foods that are said to help boost your brain by providing thenutrients it needs.
2.Dude, chewable Vitamin C is not a meal.Dietary supplements are good, but real food isbetter. An orange contains not only Vitamin C, but fibre, phytochemicals, beta carotene andother minerals — so it can't be replaced by a pill. When you're heading for the library, packwhole-food items like apples, bananas, clementines, carrot sticks or dried apricots.
3.Eat at regular intervals.Eating regular meals helps keep nutrient and energy levels morestable, curbing the temptation of empty-calorie snacks in the vending machine.
4.Big meals keep on turning ... in your stomach.You might find that eating the standardthree-big-meals-a-day slows you down mentally and physically. Consider 5 or 6 wellbalanced,smaller meals, like toast spread with peanut butter, hummus or tuna, or a piece ofcheese with fruit.
5.Meet breakfast, your new study buddy.While much is said about the reasons to eatbreakfast, less known are the best ways to eat smart in the morning. Coffee and a donut justdon't cut it. The idea is to get some protein, calcium, fibre and a piece of fruit or a vegetablein there. So, a bowl of cereal with milk and a piece of fruit would do the trick. Or try acereal bar with milk.
6.Going bananas? Good.Fruit ranks high among the best foods you can eat for your brain.The natural sugars in fruit offer clean energy, so you don't experience the crash that followsconsumption of refined sugar.
7.Choose powerful vegetables.Not all vegetables are created equal. The darker the colour,the higher the concentration of nutrients. A spinach has more to offer the mind and bodythan iceberg lettuce. Vegetable choices include bell peppers, broccoli and sweet potatoes.
8.Smart snacking can enhance studying.Snack smart while studying and you may find thatyou retain more. Try to get two food groups into your snacks to balance the nutrients andkeep your blood-sugar level stable. Some smart snack examples are banana with peanutbutter, a small baked potato with cottage cheese.
9.Gather simple recipes for nourishing foods.It's easy to feed the brain well. No-fussrecipes let you eat to succeed, without taking too much time. Combine scrambled eggs withtoast, cheese or salsa. A little chopping is all it takes to construct a hearty salad.
10. Stay well hydrated.Choose your beverages well, though. Caffeine and sugar should bekept to a minimum. Since too much caffeine can make you jittery, try to drink moderateamounts: 400 to 450 mg per day, the equivalent of 2/2.5 cups, (16 to20 ounces or 500 to625 ml). Better choicesinclude water, fruit juice, milk, and anti-oxidant-rich green tea.We ask Allah to make us successful in this world and let us to be among those who are victorious and saved in the Hereafter, for indeed Allah Ta'ala is the All-Hearing , The Most Mighty and Most Wise.
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This post was originally posted by eislam.co.za
