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Our Forgotten Teachers!!!

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Our Forgotten Teachers!!!
tahirah
02/16/04 at 15:08:49
[slm]

Recently Dr. Ingrid Mattson flew to College Station, Tx to participate in sessions (along with Dr. Nour Akhras, and sister Fatima Bhutan) for the sisters retreat called "Muslim Women: Our Forgotten Teachers."

The program went extremely well, and they covered topics ranging from marriage, to ettiquettes with the Qur'an, to child abuse.  The difference is that these topics were covered in a way that I have never seen presented.  It was amazing to hear a fresh perspective that made us feel so empowered.

If anyone who attended the sessions wants to make some comments please add your input.  And if anyone who did not attend has any questions please, please, please ask.  I took some notes so if you guys want I can share them online.

I would also like to add that Dr. Mattson came (May Allah Grant her Jannah) despite the fact that her daughter is currently in critical condition in the hospital.  So please make du'a for her daughter, and please make du'a for Dr. Mattson, for her tremendous sacrifice for the sake of Allah.

ma'a salaama,
tahirah
Re: Our Forgotten Teachers!!!
jannah
02/16/04 at 17:16:26
wlm,

inshaAllah we'll make dua for Dr. Mattson and her family. May Allah reward her! We have so few good role models like her.

please do share your notes! that would be awesome.. and please tell us about your experience and anything that struck you as interesting or important..

jazakiAllah khair :)
Not just a model: a ROLE Model
tahirah
02/16/04 at 23:59:15
:-)
[slm]
Dr. Nour Akhras delivered this session for the youth entitled: Not just a Model a Role Model

here are some of the points I caught from the lecture....(but before you read it please understand that these are only notes :-[, so whatever is correct is from Allah 'Azzawajall, and whatever I write that is incorrectly attributed to anyone is from myself and Shaytaan. And if any corrections or clarifications need to be made please feel free to let me know.)

~I noticed that she didn't start off by saying: take Britney Spears as a role model.

~ She started off with the purpose of our lives....we were not created except to worship Allah Ta'ala.
  - this of course, she explained, does not mean that we lock ourselves in our rooms and make salah and du'a all day, for this would lead to the deterioration of the world that Allah Created for us.
  - however, we cannot ignore the deen and immerse ourselves in this dunya for even for necessary things like medicine, our jobs, our families, etc.
  - instead Islam has provided a balance: there is salah and du'a, but other actions of this dunya that we do for the sake of Allah also becomes act of 'Ibadaat. therefore by engaging in both properly, we fulfill the famous ayat

~ So we must take out time when we are alone with Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala to establish and nurture our relationship with Him.  Only then can we embark on changing the world in a positive manner.

~ Next she mentioned that the peope on television cannot properly serve as our role models
  - their goals and puposes in life are not the same as ours: we seek to worship and please Allah, they seek whatever false or worldly gain they choose
  - we plan to "revive" Islam through a revolution of Justice and Equity

~ Some may say "it is impossible for me, or just a few of us to make any trmendous affect on the world"
 - Dr. Nour reminded us that Rasul Allah [saw] started with just one person (himself!).  Then he moved to his family, those close to him, then those around him [saw] until before his [saw] death he had changed an entire nation and more!

~ Some may say "Rasul Allah [saw] did all of this yes, but he [saw] had a special connection and relationship with Allah Ta'ala as His prophet.
  - Dr. Nour responded to this by saying that Allah Ta'al Has already Promissed
that He Will "Bring Islam back"
  - it is up to us to join the train of this righteous movement, otherwise, the train will pass you by...and there will be nothing to help us when we are alone in our dark, deslate graves

~ How do you get started?
  - every little bit counts, even if it is just letting one person know that Muslim women are not oppressed, forced to wear hijab, uneducated, etc.
  - use your time wisely and realistically:
         + don't waste your time on insignificant things, or things that you really can't change
         + Dr. nour mention that many young women spend their time, maybe from the age of 15, worrying about marriage.  Worrying about it until you are say 25 doesn't bring it any closer or farther.  Instead you have just wasted 10 years of your life harping over something you cannot change.
         + Instead use this energy to in a positve way, work on things you can make a difference in, ad leave the rest to Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala

~ Who are our role models?
  - First is Rasul Allah [saw]
         + we have all heard that we should love him [saw] more that anyone else
         + but the word that is used ('Uswa) is not just love, a deep YEARNING (for him, and to be like him, and to put his choices and decisions above ours and everyone elses)
         + (side note from another lecture) even though Rasul Allah [saw] is a man we he is still our first role model...just remember that his [saw] daughter was described as being just like him [saw]

  - What about women?
         + Dr. Nour notes that Muslim Women must regain standing in Islamic Sciences
         + although female scholars are not often highlighted in Islamic history, they did exist! for example, the famous commentary writer of Bukhari learned from his wife!
         + Dr. Nour also mentioned an interesting fact that no Muslim women hadeeth translater has ever been known to lie about hadeeth (she went into the tedious business of verifying the character of very hadeeth translater; and she mentioned the example of one man who was rejected because he tricked his riding animal by putting food just out of reach so the animal would continue to ride, then when the animal got close, he moved it farther.....deception even on a "small" scale was enough to be rejected for transmitting ahadeeth)
         + so seek out information about these women scholars.  Dr. Nour suggested a book in Arabic (if you don't know Arabic, don't just forget about the book, find someone who knows it well who is willing to go thrugh it with you): 'Alam Un Nisaa fi 'Aimay Al 'Arabul Islam (by 'Umar RiDa' Ka7ala) ...(capital "D" is for the letter "dawd", and "7" is for the breathy "Ha")

  - What about more "practical" examples of role models?
         + we should seek out and work with Muslim women around us who exemplify good character and want to work for the sake of Allah
         + Dr. Nour mentioned a personal example that was really touching.  Her had a full time job (sorry i can't remember exactly what it was, but i thought she said accountant) but she would spend her nights teaching Qur'an/Tajweed.  There was no time for her just to hang out with friends....so they really only met for the sake of Allah.  Dr. Nour appreciated and yearned for this time so much that she was reluctant to finish her last juz, becuase she knew that would be the end of their time together (like she mentioned before, there was no such thing as hanging out - no time for that)... :'(...SubHan Allah just think of the person in your life that impacts you so deeply that you just want to freeze time so that you can work together and love each other for the sake of Allah Alone.  This is a real role model!
         + Dr. Nour also mentioned that another one of her teachers would never let those last ten minutes of class go by.  Her answer to the complaints of the students was very simple and honest: " Allah is going to ask me about those last ten minutes at the end of class..."

~ Thoughts to keep in mind
  - There is no such thing as a coincidence in the Plan of Allah.
         + Allah Ta'ala has put us here for a reason
         + He Ta'ala Chose us for this noble work, so our presence here is very important.  We have the opportunity of being His Ta'ala tools (which is an honor, because He is not in *need*of us as "tools" but it is an opportunity for us to participate in something so great)
  - Don't waste your time!  
         + (everyone always hears this, but it is a serious matter)
         + Dr. Nour's Tajweed teacher said something very striking to her regarding making the sacrifice (she is a pediatrician had just been on call, so she had practically no sleep....) to come to our retreat: "Perhaps in the grave, this is the only thing you will find."  
  - Dr. Nour left us with statement from the Qur'an that Whoever as real Taqwa, then he has certainty that Allah Will Provide for him a way out of any problem.  And Allah Ta'ala Will Provide Rizq from where we never imagined.  
         + always rely on Allah Alone
         + and understand that without Taqwa, there is no way out, you will only continue in your misery until you realize that to Allah Belongs all Power.

~ That was the end, and then there were a bunch of questions about marriage (lol, just after she said don't spen your life stressing over it :D) but Khair, insha Allah,  I think everyone benefited.

...sorry about the typos...and i hope you enjoy this information
ma'a salaama
tahirah
Re: Our Forgotten Teachers!!!
Ruqayyah
02/17/04 at 12:59:50
[slm]

Mashallah, that sounds like a really wonderful lecture! Thank you sis Tahirah for sharing your notes with us  :-*

The topics discussed made me think about one of the human values in medicine classes I just finished taking called, "Gender, Media, and Medicine" and how the messages that media are sending to the general public (if you're a woman: use your body to get what you want and if you're a man: there's no need to be held responsible for anything) have serious implications in terms of health care like teen pregnancy, std's, eating disorders, depression, etc.

It just really made me think that the messages that media send are so incredibly strong, and I don't deny that they do not effect me. I know they have. But at the same time, I feel incredibly lucky alhamdulilah that I have *much* stronger Islamic messages being sent to me by all of the strong, intelligent, well spoken muslimahs that are around me. (Which is why i am such a strong believer of halaqas and myna groups :-X)

It was interesting that one of the points under the presenters "plan of action" was to compliment girls on other things besides beauty. Granted, it's very easy and often the first thing we think of when we see children, is to say, "what a beautiful girl!" or "what a cute boy!" Rather we should instead compliment girls on their other qualities, like intelligence, etc. It reminded me of a lecture by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf on men and women, where he commented on the Moroccan culture. He said that the adults often lovingly say to their children, "oh you're so ugly" instead of constantly complimenting kids on their looks. He also went onto say that he didn't advocate doing that to your own children- he didn't think the kids here could handle it  ;)  But it just proved a point, that we should try to instill in children (especially our girls) that there is more to their self worth than just their looks.  ;-)

[wlm]
ruqayyah
Re: Our Forgotten Teachers!!!
readagain
02/17/04 at 14:25:07
[slm]
[quote author=tahirah link=board=sis;num=1076962129;start=0#0 date=02/16/04 at 15:08:49] [slm]
I would also like to add that Dr. Mattson came (May Allah Grant her Jannah) despite the fact that her daughter is currently in critical condition in the hospital. [/quote]
wait what??? her daughter soumayya??? what happened? omg she is such a cute kid...i rem her from last year when they came to our school ....do u know whats wrong?? may Allah (SWT) give her health inshallah...:( inshallah..ameen.

Re: Our Forgotten Teachers!!!
tahirah
02/19/04 at 17:21:42
[quote author=readagain link=board=sis;num=1076962129;start=0#4 date=02/17/04 at 14:25:07] [slm]
wait what??? her daughter soumayya??? what happened?
[/quote]


As Salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmatullah,
I don't have all of the details about soumayya's illness, but, from what I was told, she has been in the hospital for about two or three weeks.  She has not been able to keep ANYthing in her stomach, os they had to geve her an IV and maybe a tube.  To my knowledge the doctors are not sure what is wrong.  But again I do not have all the facts, this is just what I hae come to understand.  Yes, please everyone make du'a for her.

ma'a salaama
tahirah
Re: Our Forgotten Teachers!!!
se7en
02/23/04 at 10:58:21
as salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah,

sis tahira, your notes are awesome, masha'Allah!  jazaki Allahu khayran for sharing..

I am so sorry to hear about Sr. Ingrid's daughter.. may Allah grant her shifaa.


wasalaamu alaykum
02/23/04 at 11:00:14
se7en
Q and A
tahirah
02/23/04 at 11:06:45
[slm]
insha Allah I'll post some more stuff soon, including an amazing Q and A session
ma'a salaama,
tahirah


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