Convention, revisited

So where did I finish? oh yes.. i remember... So the next lecture which I was looking forward to 'his beloved: Aisha's relation with the messenger of Allah' but the speaker didnt show up for the weekend so it didnt go on. I dont think i sat around to find out what was going on, or I did and cant remember but I know I went around the bazaar for that time and for the maghrib and dinner break too. I was so much better with the bazaar this year, I know I still spent alot of money there, but it was for things I wouldnt have gotten for the price I paid and I did still get to see a lot of the lectures which was my regret from last year. Alhamdulillah. After my purchases we made our way to sit down for the lecture, and before it was a quran recitiation masha'allah

Then Hakim Jackson gave a brief speech about bridging the gap between ideals and reality in muslim families. He talked about how parents needed to realise that there kids can either go one way or the other, its no good asking them to practise your culture when they have never lived in the country you come from. Which is so true, its hard for the teens of today, if they want to practise islam they cant rely on what their parents teach them is the true islam. Parents have to remember that their childhood is very different to the childhood of the kids today, especially in a different country. I think many parents dont realise how hard it is in the west as a teenager, yes they might too have seen peer pressure but probably not peer pressure from non-muslims (im assuming from the muslim country immigrants) It was good how he put across his point and insha'allah many parents went away with some questions and reasoning in their heads.

Next was a lecture on: For the love of our children, related to the second degree murder charge of an Ontario man towards his daughter. This was totally related to Hakim Jacksons talk in that parents need to realise this isnt Pakistan, or Saudi, or Africa, or wherever the parents have come from. This is Canada and if you cant accept what this country might do to your kids you really should have thought more before moving here. You cant move with the 'i want to give my kids a better life' better life in what sense? materials? money? education? think about the affect on your deen, on their deen! insha'allah I dont offend anyone with this, and I am definately not pointing the finger for the death of this teenager. Zaid Shakir gave this speech with someone else, who I cant remember because the dude in the program didnt turn up. I wasnt intending on staying for this lecture but we ended up staying and it was a good lecture masha'allah. The next lecture was a video translation which we had had before at some point and it was hard to concentrate so we decided to scrap that one too. So we checked in with a few friends alhamdulilah and stood around till about 12am talking outside the lecture hall. The worse thing about living in Cambridge is how far away from my friends I am and most dont have cars. I stood outside talking with a friend, then moved onto her mum, then her sister in law then back to her, it was amazing masha'allah and I can honestly say i have never felt so welcomed and comfortable as with her family alhamdulillah. May Allah listen to her duaa and follow her through life. Her mother is a british convert, her sister in law is a convert and we connect so well.. I just wish she could commit to things more ;P cause we have so much fun when we do finally get together. Anyways, thats hardly a conversation to go into when i should be writing about the convention, Im trying to upload a little video i took when the Qari was reciting but i cant seem to upload it, maybe its too big :( oh well.

That was the end of that day.. and still we tried to get to bed early but didnt make it. And the sunday morning we too tried to get there early, we actually arrived earlier than the saturday but still late.. oops.. but thats another post :D

Back to the convention

Sorry, got a little sidetracked there with my life.. naughty me :P

So I finished on the end of day 1 I believe, so saturday.. we all woke up a little later than hoped due to the late late night but alhamdulilah we managed to park up befre 10am so we were only a little late. I had wanted to make this lecture desperately so alhamdulillah we got there on time, so a backwards 3 part lecture starting with Sheikh Yayha Rhodus masha'allah with the second part of his lecture about Surah Hujurat. It was nice to walk into this lecture, hes got such a nice voice masha'allah strong, yet soft and appealing to the ears. We managed to get quite a front row seat for this group of lectures so I was happy. After Yayha there was a lecture from Dr Jamillah Karim, a first generation african american muslim, would i say first generation? her parents were converts, so I think thats the right term to use insha'allah. Anyways, my friend turns to me and says 'I dont like this lady too much' when we hadnt really heard much from her, but I guess some people only need to hear a smidge to form opinions, but by the end of the lecture she was smiling and glad to have stayed masha'allah. The speaker gave a little intro and talked about how her mother had gotten through some tests for being a muslim and black in the years of her life.. masha'allah, was also nice to hear that this sister is the first black professor of religion at the school where she teaches alhamdulillah. She discussed how to raise spiritual children which I thought was a bit strange after she told us that she wasnt a mother. I mean.. i can give all the advice of child rearing from books and stuff, but until you have experienced it i really dont think i would be the best person to listen to. Then we had mufti muhammed again masha'allah talking about managing sibling squabbles, as much as I should have listened to this I was sort of, I mean.. im not a sibling so I couldnt really relate to much. However, I did like how he also talked about how the children treat their parents in times of these squabbles which was good to listen to. As you can probably tell this wasnt one of my taking notes moments :( I noted down a few of the stories he told which were really nice..
"Muhammed (saws) said to Aisha (RA) once that he knew when she was displeased with him, she asked how and he told her that when she was displeased with him she would say 'by the Lord of Ibrahim' whereas when she was pleased with him she would say 'by the Lord of Muhammed' she smiled when realising that he was correct and told him 'I may say by the Lord of Ibrahim, but this is on my lips, in my heart and my head your name never leaves me"
Subhanallah.. I remember letting a little tear shed at this.. for someone to say this to another human being, their connection must have been so strong. I remember all the people who say that their union was not right in todays society and even call it horrible names.. but surely this proves the love and respect she had for her husband masha'allah. He also discussed the matter of inheritance and mentioned this story
"There was a man who passed away shortly after receiting the shahada (testimony of faith) Everyone in the room was making duaa that the man will see paradise and meet his creator. One person turned off the lamp and the whole room was plunged into darkness, when everyone asked why he had done it he replied that 'the lamp was the mans in the living world and now he was dead it belonged to his relatives and inheritors. Until they had been given permission by all of them it was haram to use the lamp" I thought this was pretty amazing, very respectful of the man and his belongings, and to use such a strong word as haram showed how disliked it was. Unfortunately he didnt give references for these stories so I can only tell you what he said in a like minded way (ie, this wasnt written down word for word)

Next Dr Jamal Badawi gave a short talk on the assumptions held by society pertaining to the role of women in the muslim family. Masha'allah it was very informative with a little powerpoint, which they wouldnt keep on for long enough to make notes on but oh well. He discussed inheritance and women quite alot in this sectionto show the things that we are given because of this wonderful religion. He said there are 2 primary sources of Islam, the Quran and authentic sunnah (ahadith) and that the ahadith must be understood and interpreted in light of the Quran. To deal well and understandably with the quran we must have knowledge of the great book that has been passed on through the years, we must remember that the quran explains itself.. it is us that reads it as confusing sometimes. Also, we should be aware of the occasion of revelation of the different verses to have a somewhat full understanding of the lifes of the people when these verses were sent down. Dr Badawi talked about the connection with protecting right of orphan girls in the quran and he touched on the fact that monogamy is the norm, of course this issue had to be addressed in this topic ;P It should be seen by everyone that Islam limited polygamy, not introduced it.. and the quran gives us many verse to show the apparent discouragment of the practise telling the men if they cant be just to more that 1 then to marry just 1 woman. He also touched on many women including the fact that they wish to not be involved in a polygamous relationship, into the marriage contract. This was interesting for me... I asked h2b about this issue awhile ago and while now I know that it isnt something he feels he has to do I mentioned it to a sister who said it was wrong to put this in the contract, she said... how can u make something haram for your husband that has already been made halal and that I can understand. So whats best? to find out whether he wants to before you marry? but then what if he changes his mind and wants it.. does that give u enough reason for a divorce if you cant live in that situation?? hmm... interesting... He also mentioned that in some situation that women can inherit equal amounts and even more than the male which I think is something that has to be researched as Ive never come across any explanation of certain situations. The whole 2 women equals 1 man for testimony was also discussed, he said that in the quran this was only mentioned in a finiancial situation 1 ayah in the whole quran!! (I havent quoted the whole ayah)
"2:282 O ye who believe! When ye deal with each other, in transactions involving future obligations in a fixed period of time, reduce them to writing Let a scribe write down faithfully as between the parties: let not the scribe refuse to write: as Allah Has taught him, so let him write. Let him who incurs the liability dictate, but let him fear His Lord Allah, and not diminish aught of what he owes. If they party liable is mentally deficient, or weak, or unable Himself to dictate, Let his guardian dictate faithfully, and get two witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as ye choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her."
He told us that being created from a bent rib is not a degrading situation as god knows that we are completely different to men, we were blessed with more sensitivity and emotion than any man can ever imagine.

The point about women being the majority in the hell fire was also discussed, the professor went on to say this wasnt a general statement about women, it was connected with negative behaviour not gender. He mentioned a story about the prophet asking Aisha to fetch him something from the mosque, she told him she couldnt go in as she had her menses and he told her 'your menses is not on your hands, go!' doesnt that tell us something? Masha'allah.

Next was prayer and lunch.. I think i spent more time running around during this 'break' than anything else, the problem with this convention is that they always try to squeeze so many things in and give us little or no break inbetween.. being a university student I know that they arent giving everyone the chance to gain the most out of this weekend from doing this, and its such a shame because there is alot to gain from it. My phone battery was dying and at its worst on this day, and my stepdad kept phoning me to tell me the most stupid things.. my mum was in UK at this point.. so i think he was getting bored with noone to talk to.

There was a lecture on pornography next which I was going to go to, but decided against it. There was a warning read out to everyone that this wasnt for children, I was interested to hear a little of it but then from the reviews from people who went Im glad I didnt. I was surprised to see that the lady who was speaking wasnt selling her book at the convention booth.

Anyways Ive just realised the time.. Im off to bed. insha'allah ill write more soon before i forget the main points. Take care

contined

Please remember Im really not good with taking lecture notes, God only knows how I got through university with just text books and printed sheets alhamdulillah. And I did go through phases of writing notes during the weekend and not, so back to the mufti lecture. He was really good masha'allah, he seemed to have an understanding of the topic he was speaking on and it wasnt until my friend pointed out that he looked really young that I realised he was probably going through the same things he was talking about or at least had only recently gone through them. He discussed how the term 'arranged marriage' can be looked at from many different perspectives depending on how you wanted to look at them and your upbringing before coming to the issue. Of course this guy was english too and I dont know whether it was that that made me listen to him more.. I realised that I dont really hear canadian accents anymore because they are all around me now, but I do hear english accents almost immediately. I also realised why I never got bored of accents in England, because they are all different masha'allah.. whereas here in canada i would say there are 3 accents from what i have heard so far, french speakers, people from newfoundland (total irish accent masha'allah) and the rest of canada. I dont mean this to sound derrogatory or offensive.. this is just what i hear, so it was nice and refreshing to hear an english accent alhamdulillah. I wish I had taken more notes during this time but to be honest his accent was confusing me because it was the first time I had heard one in awhile and my friend was telling me he was from South Africa, but what i did walk away with from this lecture was that I liked how this guy thought and I would try to listen to more of his lectures.


Time was moving by at this point and I was beginning to feel sleepy.. how on earth was I going to get through the next 3 lectures?? subhanallah.. in the end the next speaker didnt show up so they had dr Abdal Hakim Jackson speak, masha'allah.. he was another good speaker. He spoke about reconciling power and authority in the muslim family, as a convert this was a big issue for me. I mean, Im sure im not speaking for only me when I say i was brought up to believe that I had as much authority in the house as my male counterparts. Also that Islam was the one thing that opened my heart to actually spending my life with a male for the time that it was allowed for me, alhamdulillah... before Islam I was strongly against marriage and I thank God for opening my heart to that. It was a good lecture that he gave with many facts, that I obviously hadnt written down because of my inability to sit still for long :( but I did like it, i remember that much. He has a good strong voice and although he is older, I think he said he was in his 50s he still has the ability to communicate with the youth of today masha'allah.

After this lecture we found out that the speaker to give the last lecture, which I was so looking forward to, would not be there to talk either. So they decided on a Q&A session, me and my friend sat in for awhile but we were both restless so went to check out the booths and catch up with some friends who we had bumped into. We wandered around checking bits out.. I cant remember exactly what I bought each day, but I remember buying the londonistani and paulo coelho books for $10 each masha'allah...

At the end of the day I bumped into a dear friend of mine after the isha prayer, she filled me in on the coming engagement of her sister may Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) bless them both. We stood around talking for awhile until realised that the 'adult' members of both of our parties wanted to go home.. then he hugged.. agreed to meet soon insha'allah and went on our separate ways. It was late when we got home but we still sat up for a little and chatted about the days events, definately made me feel part of a family alhamdulillah.

continued

anyways, I was in the convention hall phoning around the 1 friend who I knew was definately there already. I walked down the escalators to see the masses of people walking out of the lecture hall, remembering the layout of last year I walked towards the bazaar in hope of finding out a schedule. Still trying to phone her I bumped into a lady and immediately recognised her from a day trip I made 2 Ramadhans ago when I organised a day trip around different masjids in Toronto to which only this lady, Nihada turned up to. Masha'allah she was a lovely woman and we kept in touch through emails, and now I was stood infront of her, it was amazing alhamdulillah. She pulled me to the side and I asked what was happening now, to which she informed me that I hadnt missed asr salah and thats where she was going now. So I followed her and we had a chat about life, the things I had intended on last time we met, she asked about my hand and everything. We all prayed asr salah and then I left the area to check out where my friend was. Eventually I got hold of her and she told me to meet her at a booth, when I found her I knew this was going to be a memorable weekend insha'allah. Her and her family had allowed me to stay in their house for the weekend of the conference, for which I am immensely grateful for.

We settled into the room for the lectures, I had only missed the first one alhamdulillah and actually thinking about it now I think I bumped into a friend from where I used to live who I havent seen for ages and this is who I sat with for this first lecture of mine. Alhamdulillah, I text her when I got there and we met up in the lecture hall... it was so amazing to see her again, its been so long and I miss her tons. She started giving me arabic reading lessons and helped me so much when I needed to talk, may Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) reward her for her intentions. So I sat with her and her friend for the lecture: Reflections on Sura Hujarat by Ustadh Yahya Rhodus... masha'allah, impressive speaker.. I loved his arabic and the way he spoke masha'allah. My friend said (not the one in the pic) that he sounded like Hamza Yusuf when he was lecturing many years ago) I would like to look out for him to hear his lectures again insha'allah, he seemed a little ill with coughing and stuff so im sure his stuff would be even better when hes ok.

Then there was maghrib and food, at that point I remembered I had to go back to the car to put in another $10 for the additional hours of my parking... and it was so cold outside, I thought I would freeze. It was weird.. I was soo aware of the fact that I didnt really know the area, and it worried me a bit to be honest. However, alhamdulillah I got there and back with some food ok and then I met up with my sleepover friend. We checked out a little of the booths then went to find a seat to check out the next lectures, one thing that bothers me about this convention is all the people 'saving' seats or rows!!! for lectures at a time when you see noone sitting there. It got to the point were at the end, we would move the coats and sit there.. u cant do that, its just not fair!!

So the next lectures were arranging a marriage by choice by Mufti Muhammed Ibn Adam and The most eligible bachelor/bachelorette by Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, but they were actually switched around for some reason, or were they... im just thinking now, I really should have noted this down. I remember listening to the Yasir lecture and telling my friend, Im looking forward to this, I have a few lectures on my ipod and hes a good speaker masha'allah... but I think I was thinking of a different person. Anyways we sat through the lecture and to be honest we werent that impressed, one thing Ive come to learn as a new muslim is that born muslim speakers tend to generalise alot and dont think about their audience sometimes. Think about it, this convention was hosted in Toronto, a very multicultural city masha'allah with a big community of new muslims masha'allah and muslims from all over the world. Also it is a big student city with young adults and the convention is a youth movement masha'allah.. now bearing this in mind the shaykh talked and brought down MSAs (Muslim Student Associations) calling them Matrimonial Service Associations (I dont think that was the A but Im sure you get the picture) he also mentioned, speaking up for the sisters, that the brothers in this deen should remember that the women need respect (masha'allah) and that they had muslim fathers and muslim brothers and uncles who could put them into place if need be, now this was meant as a joke Im sure saying not to mess with the women... but does that mean that men can mess around new muslimahs because we dont have muslim fathers, or brothers, or uncles... that was insensitive and disheartening to hear.

Well, Im sorry but its nearly 130 and I need some sleep.. insha'allah Ill fill you in on more tomorrow. Fi amenallah

The convention

Ok, so Ive calmed down and now Im deciding to write to tell you all about the convention I went to over the previous weekend. The full story that has been requested by a dear friend, 'From the minute you left home to the minute you returned' is what Im intending on writing now for my dear friends who want to hear all about my long and tiring yet extremely fulfilling weekend.

So where do I start? Oh yes, the time I left the house. I left early to join some friends from work for dinner at a vegetarian restaurant in my town that i reguarly frequent. I take all of my friends, veggie and meat eating and they all love it there, just like me, its well worth the little trip there and the atmosphere is so nice masha'allah. So we ate and chatted and I showed them my holiday pics, then we hugged, well wished for the holidays and separated on our different journeys. That is when I made my way to Toronto for the convention.

I got the place where the convention was starting and was making my way to the car park to find that it was full... what was I to do now? I dont know my way around toronto AT ALL and I started to panic a little, I pulled a U-turn and started back to the convention centre when I saw it... a big green P alhamdulillah, there was parking around the corner. I parked up, paid my $10 to then realise that I had to come back at 6pm to pay another $10 (it was around 3pm at this point) but alhamdulillah. I started walking up to the centre freezing my backside off as I walked, the wind was bitter and I wasnt too sure where I was going, just knowing the direction I should be going. Then I just followed the muslims, alhamdulillah they were going to the convention. I got in and picked up the wristband that was to bug and itch me for the next 2 and a bit days :) bright orange.. hardly a fashion statement or something that goes with any of my colours (those of you who know me in the real world will know how hard it was for me to be uncolour coded with this silly thing)

Im off to work now.. so more when I get home tonight insha'allah

Few pictures from the weekend

KEY: from top left..... Imam Zaid Shakir, honey dealers wanted (well I thought it was hilarious) Abu 'Aaliyah, Qari Sheikh Abdelkarim Edghouch, Dr Abdal Haki Jackson, Dr Jamal Badawi, Salah, mirror posing and Mufti Muhammed Ibn Adam. Masha'allah great speakers.. more information to follow insha'allah

Reviving the Islamic Spirit Convention

So here is the program for this years event, insha'allah I will still be able to make the majority of it after telling my mum that I will be in Toronto that weekend. She told me just to check in with my stepdad and find out if he needs my help with walking the dogs incase he is working. Insha'allah he wont be working, but that will be ok to pop up to their house (although it will probably be a good 90mins drive) and walk the dogs then drive back down. Here is the program, my notes are in blue, speakers are in red, times and dates in green. i have deleted the prayer times too.

Tentative outline of the program is as follows. Please note, the program can change without prior notice.
DAY 1 - Friday, December 28th, 2007
12:30 PM
Salaatul Jumu’ahAdhan: 12:30 p.m. Khutbah: 12:45 p.m.Imam Zaid Shakir
Imam Zaid Shakir will jump-start this year’s RIS by delivering a khutbah on the implications of the many Quranic references to “Bani Adam” – the “Children of Adam.” Imam Zaid will elucidate the meaning of the term and explain how those who believe in the message of the Quran can utilize it to foster a spirit of inter-faith and civic harmony without compromising on the unique dimensions of their faith.

2:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Quran Recitation Qari Sheikh Abdelkarim Edghouch

Session 1 Speaker: Shaykh ‘Abdallah Bin Bayyah Translator: Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
2:15 PM – 3:30 PM
“The best among you are those who are best to their families”Shaykh ‘Abdallah Bin BayyahTranslator: Shaykh Hamza YusufThe theme of this year’s conference was inspired by the Prophetic narration that we have chosen as the title for the opening session. The speaker will offer a commentary of this narration by taking us on a journey back in time to the home of the blessed Messenger and offering concise examples to demonstrate why he was the most perfect father, grandfather, father-in-law and husband.
Wont attend, going for jummah at my mosque in Cambridge and drive over a little after that which usually finishes around 2ish. Insha'allah I will be able to make it for part of this last lecture or at least for Asr. I think I will email my friends and see who is going for the friday lectures and see if anyone needs a lift over there.. therefore it might be a little longer for me to get to there.

Session 2 Speaker: Ustadh Yahya Rhodus
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Reflections on Sura Hujarat (Part 1) Ustadh Yahya RhodusSura Hujurat (named for the Apartments of the Messenger of Allah) warns against the human propensity to disputations, anger, hate and rumormongering. In this Sura, God admonishes us to take the lofty path of nobility instead of the path that leads to social chaos. Addressing mankind, God says He created us from a male and female and made us into nations and tribes that we may get to know one another. “The noblest of you in the sight of God are those who are most God-fearing.”
This guy isnt on the speakers list so Im not too sure about his credentials, although I want to go to as many lectures as I possibly can this year insha'allah. So I can see myself going to this one.

Session 3
6:30 PM – 7:45 PM
Arranging a Marriage by Choice Speaker: Mufti Muhammad Ibn Adam
The Most Eligible Muslim Bachelor: Searching for Mr. or Mrs. Right Speaker: Shaykh Yasir Qadhi
Highly educated and successful, this current generation of Muslim men and women born and raised in the West, have rejected and banished the concept of an ‘arranged marriage’ from their vocabulary. Paralyzed, mom and dad, sit by hoping and praying that someone suitable will drop from the sky and whisk away their lovely daughter or son away. Worry no more or perhaps worry even more. Here comes Naseeb.com, Shadi.com and a slew of Muslim matrimonial websites catering to all kinds of ethnic flavors. So, instead of having their parents introduce them to suitable partners bachelors have instead embraced the anonymity of websites designed by no other than an unknown ‘web auntie or uncle.’
I cant wait to go for this one, I have a few lectures from Yasir Qadhi on my ipod and I do like the way he thinks masha'allah. Insha'allah he will be rewarded for this. Even though I dont really live in the culture of arranged marriages I still think it will be a good topic to listen to

Session 4 Speaker: Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui
8:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Spiritual Traits of a Beautiful Family Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui It is often said that a family that prays together stays together. Spiritual beauty is not about how nice our clothes are or how tasty the meal we eat, it has to do with comportment –adab - the refinement of our manners, the treatment of our neighbors and guests, even those who happen to be total strangers. Beautiful families are often magnets in society at large and as is often the case, they are almost always deeply spiritual.
Who’s the Boss? Reconciling Power and Authority in the Muslim Family Speaker: Dr. Abdal Hakim Jackson
Disputes within Muslim families over who is the boss, is a recurring problem in our society. Men believe God has given them ‘a degree’ over women and they almost always translate ‘daraja’ to mean ‘power and authority’ over all members of their household. Muslim wives complain that their husbands refuse to share in the housework because they view housework as ‘unpaid’ service. A few decades ago Chase Manhattan Bank calculated the fiscal worth of housework by valuing it at $257.53 per week X 52 X the number of housewives in America. The total value was approximately $650 billion, half the GNP at the time and six times higher than the military budget. If it were calculated today it would be 272 per cent higher. Is the man’s position of authority in the Muslim family written in stone or should it be viewed as a negotiated authority – a give and take between two adults who ought to accept that for authority to make any sense in a family, it has to be shared?

Session 5 Speaker: Shaykh Habib Ali Al-Jifri
9:45 PM – 11:00 PM
Family Life of Messenger of Allah Shaykh Habib Ali Al-JifriIt was a large family and made even larger by the mere fact that the private apartments of the Messenger of God was at the heart of the community and always accessible. Emotions flared and even anger was manifested during times of disputes. During all this, the Messenger of God remained in a state of hilm -- tranquil, unperturbed, patient. There was no contradiction between his private interaction with his family and his public relations with members of his community. How he spoke to his community – his love, compassion and mercy -- he embodied in public life, was perfectly reflected in his home. In many ways, the family of the Prophet of God was his entire community, the young, elder, women, men, traveler, poor, wealthy, laborer or trader. In Imam Al-Ghazali’s Ihya-Ulum-ad-Din (Kitab Al-‘Ilm) the Prophet is reported to have said “I am to you like a father to his son.” When he left this world his family would have been in the thousands. Habib Ali will end his talk with a prayer of healing for families that are going through difficulties, hardship, disputes and sickness, either of the spiritual or the physical type.
I would like to make this one, although I dont know whether I like the fact that it finishes at 11pm. I will need to find out if any of my friends are staying the whole time for this and walk back to the car with them. Also the next morning starts at 930am so I think I will see how I feel at that point

DAY 2 - Saturday, December 29th, 2007
Session 6
9:30 AM– 11:45 AM
Managing Sibling Squabbles Speaker: Mufti Muhammad Ibn Adam
Raising Spiritual Children Speakers: Dr. Jamillah Karim / Dr. Tareq Suwaidan (Video Presentation)
Reflections on Sura Hujurat (Part 2) Speaker: Shaykh Yahya Rhodus
At some point in the life of a family, children will inevitably quarrel, fight, stop speaking to each other, feel jealous, and show outrage or displeasure or express grievance at something or the other. What might appear to be petty or serious can quickly turn into something ugly and can have lasting implications, even leading in many cases to a complete breakdown of family ties. How can parents nip early signs of sibling squabbles in the bud and avoid the havoc it wreaks on so many families? Reflecting on the verses of Sura Hujurat, Shaykh Yahya will explain how nobility of actions can subsume the destructive emotions of resentment, anger and hatred.
Im a little annoyed that they lumped all this together instead of setting proper times for this. I would like to see the sister giving the presentation with Dr Tareq Suwaidan but I dont know whether I will be able to make it for 930 to make sure I dont miss any of it. :( oh well.. insha'allah I can see some of it

Session 7 Speaker: Dr. Jamal Badawi
11:45 AM – 12:30 PM
Commonly Held Assumptions Pertaining to the role of women in a Muslim family Can women inherit? What are her legal rights? We does Hudud mean and why is it often invoked when in the case of women? Are women the majority in Hellfire? Are women deficient in mind and religion? Can women work and have a career outside the family? Is a woman’s role limited to domestic tasks? Are women less favored in matters of child custody? Are men allowed to hit their wives? What about polygamy?
This is something that I definately want to listen to insha'allah. Would be nice to hear these things because books on the subjects are sometimes quite hard to find.

Session 8 Speakers: Pamela Paul / Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Another Way of Seeing: Images of social and spiritual ruin
Of the seven inroads to the spiritual heart, sight is perhaps the most underestimated. The internet has opened a portal to an endless stream of pornographic images and for the first time, psychiatrists are beginning to record scores of Muslim men and women who suffer from an addiction to pornography. Pornographic addiction causes a decrease in marital intimacy, which leads in turn to infidelity and eventually to a complete breakdown in marriages. Experts, such as Pamela Paul, have noted that deeper levels of addiction are often accompanied with compulsive sexual behavior that eventually becomes abusive. This talk will focus on the harmful effects of pornography on families and will address ways in which this visual virus can be eradicated from our lives.
I like Hamza Yusuf so I think this is something that I will definately try to catch, especially the fact that he is speaking with a woman who doesnt seem to be muslim (God knows best, and Im not judging) I think they will probably be selling her book too at the convention so I will see how she is and maybe Ill look into buying her book too.

Session 9 Speaker: Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
His Beloved: Aisha’s relation with the Messenger of Allah
The love that the Messenger of Allah had for our mother Aisha has been the subject of many books and a source of inspiration for countless married couples throughout Islamic history. One day the Apostle of God said: “O Aisha, Gabriel is here and offers you his greetings.” Aisha responded: “And unto him greeting and the grace of God and His blessing.” The Messenger of Allah indicated his love for Aisha when he noted that the angel Gabriel would visit him while he was secluded with Aisha while angel would never do the same whenever he was with his other wives.
I would definately like to check out this lecture too as Aisha was one of the best wives of Muhammed (saws) so I think I will be taking my notebook to this one :)

6:30 PM - 7:10 PM
Quran Recitation Qari Sheikh Abdelkarim Edghouch And a message from Islamic Relief

Session 10 Speaker: Dr. Abdal Hakim Jackson
7:15 PM – 8:00 PM
Muslim Family in North America: Bridging the gap between ideals and reality
The topic will explore ways in which families in North American can begin to close the gap between the normative teachings of Islam relating to the family and the realities of Muslim families. The speaker will offer a brief introduction about the significance of the family from an Islamic perspective.
Always interesting to hear about :) and as its only 45 minutes, why shouldnt I check it out at least.

Session 11 Speakers: Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad / Imam Zaid Shakir
8:00 PM – 9:30 PM
For the Love of our Children A few weeks ago a 57-year-old Ontario Muslim father was charged with second degree murder for beating his 16-year-old daughter so severely that she died shortly after she was rushed to emergency. Based on interviews with the girl’s friends, it appears that she was at odds with her father over conforming to her parent’s code of conduct. This tragic incident raises many critical issues in relation to how Muslim parents should relate with their children during the peak years of the teenage rebellion. Muslim parents are under the false assumption that they can replicate ‘back home’ cultural practices in the West and this in turn leads to major conflicts in many homes. Authorities in Toronto attribute conflict over cultural values as the underlying cause for over half the cases of domestic violence. Beating, scolding, spanking and the hitting of children are illegal in Canada. Is it time that Muslim parents discard the adage: ‘spare the rod and spoil the child?’
I would like to hear of some of this, especially how to deal with the rebellion without having social services around to protect your child. Although I dont think this is one of the lectures that stand out at me that i have to listen to, we will see.

Session 12 Speakers: Habib Ali Al-Jifri / Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
9:30 PM – 11:00 PM
“Paradise Lies at the feet of thy mothers:” A Commentary According to the United Nations
An average of one in four women in the world has suffered from rape or physical abuse at the hands of a man. According to UNICEF, 60 million girls around the world are missing as a result of gender -selective abortions, infanticide or neglect. Another million girls enter the sex trade every year. In the United States (the numbers are similar in Canada) 17.6 % of women have been raped. Of these, 21.6% were younger than age 12 when they were first raped. There is nothing domestic about violence and yet it is a daily reality. The Quran has a chapter titled ‘An-Nisa’ which translates as ‘The Women.’ Maryam was the mother of Prophet Esa (Jesus) and to honor her status a chapter of the Quran is named after her. The Quran is uncompromising when it comes to the absolute love and respect that is due to mothers, not only one’s own, but by implication, all mothers. They bear you in weakness upon weakness, reads the Quran, so give thanks to them and to your Lord.
This would be interesting to listen to although I can see it as being something I dont fully tune in to. I mean, its a very deep and intense subject and I think to discuss it as the last lecture is a bit silly and unorganised.

DAY 3 - Sunday, December 30th, 2007
Session 13 Speakers: Shaykh Muhammad AlShareef / Dr. Jamillah Karim / Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Beyond Hijab: Glimpses from the Lives of Pious Muslim Women Today, the western public obsession is with outward cultural markers such as the hijab and the niqab, worn by a minority among Canada’s Muslim women. In turn, segments of the Muslim community feel they have to defend the honor of the Islamic tradition by reinforcing values around outward appearances. This is an unfortunate reaction and it has produced a mentality, mostly among Muslim men, that the outward observance of the hijab equals inward states of piety, love and obedience to God. Can we please go beyond this trivial level of discourse? Is there more to a Muslim woman than the total substance of the fabric that makes up her hijab? According to the 2001 national census, 62 per cent of all Muslim women in Canada live in this province and their average age was 27 (compared to 37 in the population at large).
This is absolutely something I will be waking up early for. Insha'allah the traffic wont be too bad with it being a sunday. I really cant wait for this discussion and Im glad to see that a woman will be speaking too, nothing bugs me more than listening to hijab lectures from men! ooohh...

Session 14 Speakers: Dr. Jamal Badawi / Abu 'Aaliyah Surkhil ibn Anwar Sharif
11:30 AM -12:45 PM
An Amicable Separation
Divorce in the Islamic tradition is allowed, but it is disliked in sacred law. Divorce rates among Muslims in Canada today are less than half the national average. However, it is higher, much higher, among Canadian-born Muslims. The census showed that 71 per cent of them above the age of 15 were or had at some time been married, once, divorced once or twice and remarried. Incidence of divorce among Muslim women was less than one half of the national average – 7 % compared to 17 %. In 1921 there were 558 divorces in Canada – a rate of 6.4 per 100,000 people. In 1995 there were 7,636 divorces – a rate of 262.2 per 100,000 people. Divorces have lasting and traumatic effects on children and society at large. Assuming all attempts to rectify a relationship has failed, how should a Muslim man and woman go about ending their marriage in a way that produces the least amount of harm to themselves, their families and their children?
This could be an interesting listen and I think I might pop into this one at the start. Since I first came to Islam and realised the importance of marriage (coming from a divorced family) I knew that I would try with all my heart to stay away from this issue within my family which would start with finding a husband who I knew was the right one. Alhamdulillah, I believe I have found him thanks to God so insha'allah its a step in the right direction.

Session 15 Speakers: Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah Translator: Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Family Values in the Quran
At a time when the idea of a family has been declared out-dated and old-fashioned, this talk will focus on the perennial Quranic values that have inspired men and women to maintain family relations from the dawn of creation to our time. God says in the Quran: “And all things We have created a pair, that perhaps you may reflect.” And again in the Quran, God says: Our Lord, promise us the comfort of our wives and our off-spring, and make us models, leaders, for all those who have taqwa.”
This is something I think would be interesting, we are always taking marriage advice from ahadith and scholars and sheikhs around the world.. would be nice to be pointed out the things the Quran says about family values that we dont realise. Definately a notebook lecture

Session 16 Speakers: Imam Warith Deen Muhammad / Imam Zaid Shakir
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Playing Politics with Marriage
Every year the United States government spends millions of dollars to promote, define and police the parameters of marriage. Many people view political meddling as a dangerous trend in a liberal democracy. They argue that it is as an attempt by the state to promote ‘marriage’ in order for the state to maintain control over its citizens. Those who are opposed to political meddling in the institution of marriage believe that eventually the state will begin to determine rules of procreation such as the number of children a married couple can be allowed to have (China) or who should be allowed to procreate. The institution of Marriage in Islam is a civil union between a man and a woman. Whose responsibility is it to preserve this institution? Is it the responsibility of the Mosque or does the State have a role to play?
Hmm.. not something that really floats my boat.. just the term politics tends to sway me away. But I like Zaid Shakir so insha'allah I might pop into the start and give it 30 mins to win me into staying for the rest. As its only 1 hour long too i might find that Ive stayed for the whole lecture :P

Session 17 Speakers: Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad / Shaykh. Mokhtar Maghroui
6:30 PM - 7:45 PM
Love and Mercy: You can’t have one without the other In the Quran God says that of His signs is that he created for you spouses from your own selves that you may take comfort in them and He ordained Affection (mawaddah) and Mercy (rahmah) between you. These are the twin pillars of a successful relationship. What do these terms mean and is it possible to have love and affection without mercy and compassion? Are these qualities innate in a married couple or do they have to be nurtured and cultivated? If they are qualities that require nurturing, how can couples achieve this?
I do think I want to check this one out insha'allah. We all need to know these things eh?

7:45 PM - 8:00 PM
Quran Recitation Qari Sheikh Abdelkarim Edghouch

Session 18 Speaker: Shaykh Habib Ali Al-Jifri
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Achieving Happiness Together
Some people see marriage as a tax benefit. Others see it as a long-term investment even though being single has its many obvious advantages such as choosing the furniture you like. Happiness is not achieved miraculously when couples get to the point where they have extra cash in their bank accounts that allow them to take a holiday, buy a new van, adopt a pet and create separate rooms for Karim and Fatima. What is real happiness and how can families achieve and maintain it?
Love the sound of this one.. all about balance, so insha'allah I will try to get to this one too.

Session 19 Speakers: Imam Zaid Shakir / Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
9:15 PM – 11:00 PM
Family Matters
The World Congress of Families conference held in Poland earlier this year, reiterated the simple and profound belief that "marriage is good for society." Experts who spoke at the conference said it wasn’t difficult to prove that the institution of marriage in the West was in trouble. In the last 40 years marriage rates have plummeted, illegitimacy and divorce have surged and cohabitation has become fashionable. Prof. Brad Wilcox, a sociologist at the university of Virginia, said that “poverty, crime, depression, suicide, etc. are just some of the consequences that follow when marriage is weakened.” It is often said that the family is the basis of civilization, but what does this mean? Some see this as a convenient excuse to perpetuate a religious interpretation of marriage excluding all other possible permutations. In Canada, legislators approved same-sex marriages by first changing the definition of ‘marriage’ from “a lawful union between a man and a woman at the exclusion of all others” to “the lawful union between two people at the exclusion of all others.” This paved the way for the Canadian parliament to pass the Civil Marriage Act (2005) allowing same-sex couples to ‘tie the knot.’ As Margaret Somerville, the eminent Canadian ethicist, pointed out, no one ever bothered to consider the negative impact such unions will have on our children – our future.
As much as these are probably the 2 speakers Im most looking forward to hearing at this event, Im not too sure whether I will stay for this one. Its not the timing or anything because Im off work the next day with it being New years eve, its just that.. well.. I dont really know. It does sound interesting but with things like this when statistics are thrown at me it sometimes puts me to sleep more. If anyone has read the book Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil and I told them that was hard to read for me... they would understand. We will see how I feel at that point.

Finished :)