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This years ALIM Winter Program is entitled “Is Islamic Thought Dying?”, and will held in Santa Clara, California, at the MCA Islamic Center (Bay Area), January 18th-21st, 2008.

The conference will discuss, among other things, William Chittick’s recent book entitled, “Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul”. The book will serve as a springboard for discussion on the broader issues and intersections of Islamic and Western approaches to learning and knowledge. Chittick argues that Islamic thought is dying, falling prey to the more short term oriented perspectives of Western educational systems.

Topics like impediments to Islamic learning, the role of “progress” and “ideology” in Western and Islamic thought, the centrality of tawhiyd to knowledge, and changes in the Muslim view of knowledge through history, among others, will be addressed through a critical lens.

The event is being held MLK weekend and includes Dr. Sherman Abdul-Hakim Jackson along with Imam Zaid Shakir and Dr. Umar, and Dr. Fareed. For more information and to register, go to: www.alimprogram.com

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.

…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

It’s been one year since I started shooting, Philadelphian: The Low-Fi Shots Series, with my cellphone. It’s been an amazing project thus far. One of the main reasons is that it’s just not possible to do photography like this with a “normal” camera. People and society have come to “know” what a camera is and react in two ways: hostile or posed. I’m interested in neither. This series has allowed me to crawl into a social space that is worthy of examination: the quotidian existence of us all. Whether it be on a trolley headed home after a long day’s work or going to work early in the morning, still half asleep or comatose, this series shows us “as we are”. The black and white images allow me to peel back any exterior layers and reveal something more intimate. It is amusing when I get responses like, “you shot that on your cellphone? How?” The simple answer is it’s not the camera but rather the subject matter. To be fair, though, the cellphone camera allows me to photograph and yet not be recognized as a photographer. And no, the lens isn’t tack sharp. For me, it is akin to a Holga but I can still make phone calls with it! You simply have to embrace the limitations of the device as if they were advantages.

So stay tuned for more Low-Fi Shots. The series can be viewed here.

Just want to wish my mother a very happy birthday! You’re the greatest!

If you have a chance, come on down to AXD Gallery this weekend to check out my brother’s show. He’s got some really great paintings up. Fun for all! The reception is tonight from 5-7pm but the show runs September 6th to the 29th. The gallery is located on 10th Street between Locust and Spruce [Google Map]. See you there!

Islam in America: Establishing an Islamic Educational Foundation

Saturday, September 8th through Sunday, September 9th, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law [Sansom Street between 34th and 36th Streets - Google Maps]. Registration at 9:00am. Programs start at 11:00am.

Guest speaker list: Dr. Amir al-Islam, Sheikh Anwar Muhaimin, Dr. Jamilah Carter, Dr. Khalid Blankinship and Dr. Aneesah Nadir. Other guest speakers include Dr.Sherman Abdul-Hakim Jackson, Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Suad Islam and many more.

Total cost for the weekend: $40. The event is sponsored by the International Muslim Brotherhood. For more event/vending information please call 215.473.8589 or email IMB at events@imbrotherhood.org.