Saturday, December the 5th, the Quba Institute will be presenting it’s 2nd-Annual Fundraising Banquet from 5 – 9pm. Quba Institute has been a leader in Islam in Philadelphia, helping to develop and grow the Muslim community here in Philadelphia. I personally have benefited tremendously from Imams Anwar and Anas. More than I will ever be able to repay. The theme is of this year’s banquet is, “Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today”. I hope you will be able to attend if you’re in the area.

Location: Regal Ballroom, 5411 Oxford Ave, Philadelphia 19104.

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You may purchase tickets online via Eventbrite or via PayPal. General Banquet Tickets are $50.00 each, with a special discount for seniors: $45.00 each, as well as for students: $35.00 each (ages 13 – 18 years old). They are also providing Family Banquet Packet Banquet Tickets at $150.00 per packet (2 adults and 2 youth tickets). A savings of $20.00. The guest speaker will be Dr. Sherman “Abd al-Hakim” Jackson. For more information call 215-473-8589 or e-mail Quba at info@qubainstitute.com. If you cannot attend, please consider donating to the Quba Institute [see the orange button on the right-hand side]. Quba’s 60+year legacy is a testimony to the endeavors, dreams, and supplications of the Muslims in Philadelphia. I pray Allah grants them another 60 and more successfully. Amin.

Hope to see you there, God willing.

The last several weeks have been tough ones for the Muslim community here in Philadelphia. With the embarrassing letdown of the bank robbery scandal, many Muslims have been left in a state of bewilderment, angst, anger and confusion. I cannot say that I am not myself afflicted with some of these feelings. But there is always a silver lining. I had the pleasure to spend my weekend with Imam Anwar Muhaimin, partaking in the khatiyb training course. Imam Anwar continues to amaze me as he slowly unfolds the vast array of knowledge he has at his disposal. And as a teacher, you could not have a finer instructor. In fact, I would highly recommend two things: 1) if anyone is involved in giving the khut’bah for the Friday Prayer, I highly recommend the course to both newbies and oldies. 2) A condensed class or halaqah be given, distilled down into a one- or two-hour lecture. It was highly informative and I think it would be good for even lay members and women [meaning those who won’t ever give a khut’bah], allowing people to have a greater depth and appreciation of the significance of the Friday Prayer.

And it is with appreciation and admiration I will continue with. I approached the class as one who used to give halaqas as well as a frequent public speaker. I [wrongly!] assumed it would have a similar feeling. Just get the vernacular down and I’d be on my way. I couldn’t have been more off course! In a beneficial but amusing way, at the end of the second day, all of us participants were given an opportunity to deliver a short, sample khut’bah that we had to write up. Being full of bravado I happily volunteered to go first. As soon as my foot hit the mimbar though, a feeling came over me; something in between fear and awe. And this was with just ten people! Words that I’ve said a hundred times over in Arabic suddenly stumbled clumsily off my lips. My tongue felt like it swelled and I couldn’t think straight. My notes were right in front of me and I rushed through everything. My khut’bah was only six minutes but halfway through, I was sweating, as were many of the other participants. We all laughed at each other and had a great time. Imam Anwar in particular seemed amused as we all went up with one feeling and came down with another. (more…)

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.

May the Almighty shower rewards on IMB for setting up the event and the speakers who enlightened us this past Saturday and Sunday. I can’t yet tell if attendance was up or down this year but I will say this: it keeps getting better. I felt the speakers really worked in tandem – like a sort of jazz improve where musicians work off of one another. The following are a few of the shots from the event. I will post my thoughts and notes on it shortly. For those who are interested in obtaining audio copies of the event, please contact IMB. I would like to thank IMB for inviting me back again this year to photograph the event. I am honoured to be able to document our history as it unfolds in front of our eyes. Enjoy.

Sherman Jackson

Yours Truly

Brothers Discussing

Dr. Khalid Blankinship

Professor Amir al-Islam

Muslim Woman

Brothers

Imam Anwar Muhaimin

Hajj Musa and company

Professor Amir al-Islam

Muslim Man

Imam

Muslim Man

Captivated Brother

Sherman Jackson and Imam Anwar Muhaimin

Muslim Men

Sisters

Sherman Jackson

Taking Notes

Muslim Woman

Sherman Jackson

Captivated Woman

Sherman Jackson, Book Signing

Book Signing

Honoured Speakers: Amir al-Islam, Anwar Muhaimin, Khalid Blankinship, Sherman Jackson