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S.K.I.L.L.S. [Sisters Konnected Islamically Listening Learning & Sharing] Presents: Certification in Janaazah Preparation. This is a hands-on workshop, held at the University of Pennsylvania Houston Hall, 35th & Spruce Street. Saturday, Dec. 8th, 2007, in the Golkin Room and Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007, in The Ben franklin Room. The times are 10am until 2pm each day. The cost for the two-part workshop series is $25.00. There will be an informative lecture given by Dr. Jamillah Abdus-Sabur. There will also be additional entertainment. For more information as well as registration info, please contact: Hajja Safiyah Abdul-Latif: 215-457-4042 and Hajja Alia Walker: 267-738-3842 or Hajja Saeyda Quaye: 484-486-4533.

Once boasting some of the grandest houses to be found, so many of Detroit’s former “mansions” lay in ruin. There are spots where one can drive for blocks or perhaps even miles and witness only decay. Many have fallen victim to fire or been ravaged by scavengers looking to make a few pennies off of stripping it of all metals such as the copper wiring or plumbing. Several of the houses were occupied by the homeless or other drifters with the occasional junk yard dog that could pose a formidable challenge to shooting. If memory serves, this was near Brush Park. Hasselblad 501 C/M, Ilford Delta 400. Tripod.

Retrospective?

…and other collected thoughts on the MANA conference.

So, here we are, a full week after the successful MANA conference and we’re already starting to see the mud slinging around the Muslim blogosphere. I was beginning to think real change had in fact come from this conference. But don’t mistake my sarcasm for critiquing MANA. In fact, it’s just the opposite. In fact, I would like to again extend my thanks to MANA for hosting their first conference. God willing, this is just the first of many more successful conferences.

So what should we expect from a conference such as this MANA conference? Should we emerge from it to find the streets paved with gold? Or as Conan so once eloquently put it: “to hear the lamentations of the women”? Perhaps – or perhaps not. I will have to say in defense of MANA I certainly encountered many happy and motivated faces of those who attended the various workshops. And while I didn’t attend any myself I have it on good account that they were well constructed and of value.

It is precisely that last word, value, that keeps bouncing around and around inside my head as I ponder our current condition. If we do not value ourselves then I think very little will change. And from what Dr. Jackson had to say during his speech, that seemed to be one of his underpinning points – we as Blackamerican Muslims are in a unique vantage point, one where Allah has chosen us to be in this spot, this place, and this time, as the receptacles and carriers of Islam to this part of the world at this point in Time and History. So the perduring question is: what we gon’ do? Read more this entry »

It’s amazing that it’s already November. This year has just flown by. So last night had me in gracious company, photographing the first day of MANA’s conference here in Philadelphia: The State of Blackamerican Islam. Such keynote speakers included Dr. Aminah McCloud, professor Amir al-Islam, and of course, the esteemed Dr. Sherman ‘Abd al-Hakim’ Jackson. For more info in the event, see MANA’s web site. Here’s short photo gallery of some images from last night.

Enjoy

Update

I have posted the final version of the web gallery - you can take a look here. Imam Johari also has some thoughts.

I also wanted to say thanks to MANA for letting me come and shoot and for all the MANA volunteers who, when I didn’t know where I was going, they did!

Like many of you, I had high hopes going in to this conference and I have to say that I’ve left with some additional high hopes as well. One aspect of this conference that really sank in to me last night was how happy and motivated people seemed to be after coming out of the various workshops. That is a commendable achievement on behalf of MANA and the workshop leaders, speakers, and coordinators. Hat tip to Muhammad Khalifa, who besides looking dapper in his suit, really ran around and seemed to glue stuff together.

I saw a lot of old, friendly faces. And by old, I mean OLD!! Damn!, what happened? I moved away from Michigan about eight years ago and it’s funny - when you leave a place, it has a tendency to remain a time capsule for you. And so do the people you know there. Many were shocked to find that I even live in Philadelphia now, many of us having lost contact through the years. This provided a great way to reconnect. I also had a chance to meet many new faces. I guess I should put up a better looking picture of my self as people kept saying, “oh, you’re Manrilla. I saw your picture online”. It’s amazing how well read this blog is sometimes. I enjoyed meeting other fellow bloggers, Tariq and Umar. I hope we can do so again.

One last thought; we really need to hang out more often. I say this as I saw so many people who were overjoyed at seeing faces that they hadn’t seen in years. I think the other part about this conference that gave me some more food for thought is the need for Muslims to really associate and get out and spend time with one another. And we don’t always need a conference for that. Though I am happy to hang out in Reading Terminal eating sandwiches that’ll drive my cholesterol through the roof. See you next year