Keep your things either locked away or give it to a trustworthy brother to keep it for you, such as your passport. Do not carry large amounts of money (on your personel.) When I was living in the Markaz, I had my own cupboard/locker (approximately 100sar) made with a lock and kept my important things in there.
Khidmah.
This is probably the most difficult part in terms of living in the Marākiz. MOST if not ALL Marākiz have something called Khidmah, where the student is in the servitude of the other students. How so? The student will be picked to help in the kitchen for the entire day to help the cooks prepare the food for the students, just like how it was in Dammāj. They cut and prepare ingredients, help cook sometimes, plating the foods, cleaning afterwards etc. This is normally split into groups for the larger Marākiz. For example, one day the Yemenis, then Somalis, then British, etc. My best advice is to keep the mindset that this, in itself, is ʿIbādah and remembering the statement of Allāh عزوجل:
{...وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى...} الآية
{...And aid one another upon righteousness and taqwā...} Al-Ayah.
Despite all these hardships, we say: be patient, O' student of knowledge. Nothing of value has come in this dīn, let alone the Dunyā, except one is required to strive for it and be patient upon the calamities that fall a person. Be sincere in your intention and you'll see the fruits of this sincerity and striving for good.
al-Nabī ﷺ says in an authentic ḥadīth:
"إنك لن تدع شيأ إتقاء الله إلا أعطاك الله خير منه"
أخرجه أحمد وصححه الإمام الوادعي رحمه الله
"Verily, you do not leave something for the fear/sake of Allāh except Allāh عزوجل gives you better than it." Reported by Ahmed and authenticated by our Shaykh, al-ʾImām al-Wādiʿī رحمه الله.
Khidmah.
This is probably the most difficult part in terms of living in the Marākiz. MOST if not ALL Marākiz have something called Khidmah, where the student is in the servitude of the other students. How so? The student will be picked to help in the kitchen for the entire day to help the cooks prepare the food for the students, just like how it was in Dammāj. They cut and prepare ingredients, help cook sometimes, plating the foods, cleaning afterwards etc. This is normally split into groups for the larger Marākiz. For example, one day the Yemenis, then Somalis, then British, etc. My best advice is to keep the mindset that this, in itself, is ʿIbādah and remembering the statement of Allāh عزوجل:
{...وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى...} الآية
{...And aid one another upon righteousness and taqwā...} Al-Ayah.
Despite all these hardships, we say: be patient, O' student of knowledge. Nothing of value has come in this dīn, let alone the Dunyā, except one is required to strive for it and be patient upon the calamities that fall a person. Be sincere in your intention and you'll see the fruits of this sincerity and striving for good.
al-Nabī ﷺ says in an authentic ḥadīth:
"إنك لن تدع شيأ إتقاء الله إلا أعطاك الله خير منه"
أخرجه أحمد وصححه الإمام الوادعي رحمه الله
"Verily, you do not leave something for the fear/sake of Allāh except Allāh عزوجل gives you better than it." Reported by Ahmed and authenticated by our Shaykh, al-ʾImām al-Wādiʿī رحمه الله.