Mercy Mission Canada Newsletter Issue 1: March 2012

Issue 1

March 2012

Q&A with Ustadh Musleh Khan!

AlKauthar Canada: where it all began...

New Muslim Care: Meet the Mentor

Being ME

1st annual women only conference

“Allah noticed her.”

Kashif Shabir

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu

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uring the time of our Prophet ‘alayhi wa-salatu wa-salam, there was a black woman that used to clean Masjid un Nabi in Madinah. Her name is not recorded in the archives of history. We do not know who her family was, if she had children or if she was married, etc. What we do know however, is that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and His noble Messenger ‘alayhi wa-salatu wa-salam noticed her. When she died, the most noble of human beings that Allah had sent to this earth, the Prophet and Messenger, enquired of her whereabouts when he did not see her one day. When he was informed of her passing, he asked his companions to show him where she had been buried, so that he could pray upon her.

This was not just anyone offering their dua for someone- this was the Prophet of Allah whose dreams were true and whom Allah has given the sole right of intercession on the day of reckoning.

Think about the magnitude of this: A woman whom we have no knowledge of, except that she cleaned the masjid and was black in complexion. Any one of us would probably trade everything we have to be that black woman cleaning that masjid and be worthy of the intercession of our beloved Prophet... wouldn’t we? She was not a noble of society, but she was someone who gave her time and service for Allah and His Messenger.

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Mercy Mission was founded upon a vision inspired by the final Prophet: A world where every Muslim is able to live faithfully to their belief, building an exemplary Islamic community that benefits humanity.

I joined Mercy Mission a few years ago because of this lofty vision and my desire to be in the company of those striving to fulfil it. Like the black woman cleaning the masjid, I thought I could add some small, tiny value to this enormous task, and that I could help bring together others who also wanted to pursue this noble vision too. Like this black woman, I also wanted a share of that final reward when Islam has spread to the far corners of the earth, even though like her, I probably would not be able to see it in my lifetime. Allah has however permitted me to witness smaller scale success over the last few years through my work in Mercy Mission.

Alhamdulilah, over 15 000 people have attended our global conferences in the UK, Canada, Malaysia and Australia, calling people back to the Deen of Allah.

Over 30 000 students have engaged in learning Islam from authentic sources through AlKauthar Institute. Hundreds of thousands across the globe have tuned into Ramadan TV.

for those who wish to take the vision of our Prophet ‘alayhi wa-salatu wa-salam forward, with whatever service they can offer. The projects of Mercy Mission will increase the piety, confidence, compassion and self-sufficiency of our communities to facilitate positive changes in the world around us. Mercy Mission is working around the clock to make this happen. This newsletter will provide you with inspiration and updates on celebrating our small successes along the way, and hopes to tantalise the tastebuds of those of you with a thirst for a share of the ajr to make it happen too.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala noticed the black lady in the masjid. The question is, will He notice you?

Jazakum Allahu khair. Wasalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu Kashif Shabir Chief Operating Officer Mercy Mission World

Kashif Shabir Chief Operating Officer – Mercy Mission World

Mercy Mission is in essence a vehicle

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From AlKauthar to Madinah Mahmood Qasim Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu

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Mercy Mission has been founded on a vision, which takes direct inspiration from our Final Messenger Sallallahu Allihi Wassalam. “A World where every Muslim is able to live faithfully to their belief, building an exemplary community that benefits humanity�. We have a duty to Allah and His messenger to support His religion and uplift their mention.

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With the blessing of Allah, Mercy Mission Canada has been working towards this great vision everyday since its launch in 2009 in Toronto, Canada. From the initial stages of Mercy Mission in Canada our focus has been Excellence in Knowledge and Action. We have this as our moto because of the importance of combining the learning with actual implementation of that knowledge.

viding the critical support to our convert community as they embrace Islam.

Women’s Resource Centre- Empowering, Supporting and Achieving Excellence is a program that is providing Seminars, Counseling and a helpline for our sisters.

Being ME Conference, which was the largest sisters conference ever, launched to give a platform to our sisters to make an impact and leave a stamp on humanity.

Mercy Mission Canada has launched many programs in the past few years, which have made a grass roots impact in our community. With the launch of AlKauthar Institute as the cornerstone to developing our community leading to great change by the programs that have since been generated by the same people who have put that knowledge into action. AlKauthar Institute is now spanning across Four Canadian Cities.

Brothers and Sisters, Allah has blessed us by getting our teams in place, building the system and developing programs that will make a lasting impact on the community around us InshaAllah.

In 2011 Mercy Mission launched its first infrastructure Project known as Mercy Mission Madinah. The Madinah being the focal point and the hub for all the dedicated teams to develop and bring to life some of the most impacting projects our community has seen.

Alhamdulillah we feel Allah has given us many great successes in our work, however we feel this is just the start and with your continuous help and support we will together make the vision a reality. I hope you will read through these pages and discover the work we have been doing.

JazzakumAllahu Khiran for your continuous Duaa’s and support.

Mahmood Qasim National Manager Mercy Mission Canada

To name a few we have launched; New Muslim Care – A Education, Mentorship and Empowerment program that is pro-

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Being ME: Knowledge Nomads and Labeled Lotas Being ME Toronto 2011: A Volunteer’s Perspective Sunday Dec 18th 2011 It’s 8:01 am. Just prayed Fajr in my cozy fleece pajamas, got a toasted bagel in my plate, minty aromas wafting from my mug. And, a pile of cold, plastic limbs, heads and torsos in my car’s trunk.

The post-conference haze is finally beginning to lift.

Being M.E. or ‘Being Muslimah Empowered’ was a one-day conference for Muslim women organized

by Mercy Mission in Toronto, December 17th 2011.

While brothers and sisters worked feverishly behind the scenes, it promised to be the go-to event for every Muslimah in the city.

The website tempted us with a program of high profile achievers. They included an Alimah-comemed-student, Saleha Gangat; a Political Science professor, Katherine Bullock; and a Qur’anic Language educator, Taimiyyah Zubayr -- all active Muslimahs with young families who would offer their take on success in both worlds.

Being more of a halaqah and seminar person myself, I was a bit of a late adopter when it came to this conference. One day I was whining to an organizer about wudu flooded washroom fears, next thing you know I got recruited as a volunteer.

Job no.1? Label the lota jugs the night before and gleefully equip every washroom with more sponges and squeegees than you could shake a stick at.

The conference day itself was a blur of contrasts.

Emerge from the hubbub of volunteer HQ, pass the henna/massage/dry cupping services, wind your way around the bazaar booths crammed with handmade delights, and sail up the escalator past the smiling ushers. Then, as the voices diminish while you enter a dark, hushed lecture hall, note that all eyes and ears are intently focused on the words of a solitary speaker on the podium. Where were most of the kids? Being babysat by the

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Munazzah Shirwani (Um Aneesa) brothers! What if you were hearing-impaired? The sign language interpreter was right there matching the speakers’ phrase for phrase! The audience could forget about deadlines, the dishes, the desk, and the doldrums. Just open up your heart to Allah Ta’ala. Become informed about your rights, give yourself to the Qur’an, know your obligations.

And aim high! These were the messages from the ‘Knowledge Nomads’ at the podium.

Even more inspiration came from the on-stage chat session and awards ceremony. These were opportunities to observe women in many realms: the home, the office, social justice, family, spiritual, mentorship, school. Award recipient Iman Kouvalis, an accomplished activist in the Greek community, described how the process of success is not always apparent. “It may look like a heap of failures to the untrained eye”, she explained, “but look closer and you’ll see a pile of effort and struggle that predetermines success“. Another ‘Knowledge Nomad’ was longtime volunteer and school principal, Rania Lawendy. During the onstage chat session she referenced Simba from the Lion King and his forgotten identity. She said, “We must remember who we were. We have a history of strong Muslimahs, like Zaynab al Ghazali, who did not think to limit themselves because of their gender. We sometimes forget our history, growing up here. We forget we were leaders.”

And the plastic body parts in my trunk? Oh those were just some stranded bazaar mannequins that needed a ride home. And while heads did not roll, shoes sure did strut across the stage for the fashion show: flowing skirts, graceful abayas, matching purses, the whole shebang. The stage decor consisted of two stunning backdrops. Your eyes followed a bold spray of tropical florals that culminated in an elegant silhouette of a woman’s head. Perhaps a fitting conference metaphor: after all, a Muslimah’s sophistication runs more than skin deep.

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1st Annual Women Only Conference www.Being-ME.org

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where it all began...

AlKauthar Institute: where it all began December 27, 2011. Mercy Mission Summit, Kuala Lumpur.

30 leaders from around the world representing Mercy Mission regions, project portfolios and shared services. They all share a common vision, “A world where every Muslim can live faithfully to their beliefs building exemplary Islamic communities that benefit humanity.” The work has started already and has been going on for more than six years now. A lot has been achieved and lot yet is yet to be achieved, bi ithnillah. As I looked around that room, I noticed something else. All of these people had started their journey in an AlKauthar classroom somewhere in the world. Some had first walked in as students to one of our courses, others had been instrumental in starting AlKauthar in their home countries, while there were also those instructors that had been teaching us our beautiful deen.

AlKauthar is Mercy Mission. It is the lifeblood and lifeline for the work that we all cherish.

That vision of ours will only be achieved if we can Inshallah continue to enrich our lives with knowledge, along with the lives of those around us. Since our first course in November 2008, we have gone on to offer 36 courses on a variety of Islamic subjects to thousands of students.

Currently we operate in 4 cities in Canada Vancouver, Waterloo, Ottawa and Toronto. At a global level, AlKauthar Institute currently offers courses in 8 countries around the world.

Hassan Newaz

a share of the knowledge and action they have gained, in sha Allah. I request all of you who have been to our courses to provide us with your valuable feedback so that we can continue to improve the AlKauthar experience. As for those who have not had the opportunity, we invite you to join us in the near future.

Conference: Excellence in Knowledge & Action Ottawa - March 25, 2012 with Sheikh Alaa Elsayed Sheikh Musleh Khan Sheikh Mohammed Cheppih Courses: Home Sweet Home Ottawa - May 5th & 6th Sheikh Alaa Elsayed The Victorious One Toronto - May 12th & 13th Sheikh Alaa Elsayed Coolness of the Eyes Waterloo - May 19th & 20th Sheikh Abdurrahmann Murad A-Z of Love & Mercy Vancouver - May 26th & 27th Sheikh Musleh Khan

At AlKauthar Institute, we take great pride in providing a very special weekend experience to our dedicated and growing student body. We believe that if we help, host and provide every opportunity for our ‘guests’ to maximize their learning experience, then we inshaAllah earn

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O tt aw a’s First S in gl e D ay AlK authar Co nferen ce SUNDAY MARCH 25th | ALGONQUIN COLLEGE

SPEAKERS

Sheikh Alaa ElSayed

Sheikh Mohammed Cheppih

Sheikh Musleh Khan

Ustadh Youssef Berrada

Tickets

$20

(Adult)

[$30 at the door] Imam Ahmed Limame

Imam Zijad Delic

Entertainment provided

by Boonaa Mohammed

For full list visit ottawa.alkauthar.org

Find us on Facebook

/AlKautharOttawa Full Details & Purchase Tickets Online

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Sponsored By

Purchase online: ottawa.alkauthar.org Child: $10

Q&A: Meet the Mentor: Side Note: Brothers Across the Border...

Sadia

What is your role in New Muslim Care?

I’m a mentor and also work on social supports.

As a mentor, what is your role?

As a mentor, my role is to help our new sisters and brothers in faith make the transition as they settle into their new way of life. We support them with their education, assist them in overcoming challenges they face, help them integrate into the community, and really just being a good friend.

We are not their primary source of education; the New Muslim Care classes and curriculum is, but we do the one-on-one review with them, making sure they are understanding concepts, clarifying issues about the ‘Muslim-way-of-life’ that come up, and supporting them in any way they need really. We meet up with the new brothers and sisters at least once a week and are in regular (almost daily) contact with them. A mentor is quite involved but because you love the sisters and brothers so much for the sake of Allah, you really just end up becoming very good friends, alhumdulillah!

In February 2012, New Muslim Care was delighted to receive a letter from Mehmood Johri who resides in Conway, South Carolina. In this letter, Brother Mehmood enclosed pictures of the 25 kits that were delivered to new Muslims at his local masjids. MashaAllah - as the brother explains, Conway has a small Islamic Centre of less than 50 people, the majority of which are new Muslims that are still learning the basics of Islam. May Allah increase them in their knowledge and ease their journey, ameen!

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What type of support is most needed in your opinion/experience from the mentor?

Non-judgmental understanding and sincere love.

A lot of our new Muslim sisters and brothers come from situations (especially when it comes to the family) that most born Muslims are unfamiliar with. It becomes very important to be able to empathize and be completely non-judgemental of their circumstances. Our new Muslim sisters and brothers often need to drastically change their life after their shahadah. It is a vulnerable situation to be in and sincere love and concern goes a long way in supporting them. It’s with this sincerity that one is

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“..help them integrate into the community... and really just being a good friend.” able to help find solutions to their concerns; as mentors we don’t have all the answers but it is the commitment to the well-being of your new sister/brother that ensures we are able to face the challenges together successfully.

In your sessions, how do you primarily help the new Muslim?

The help provided really depends on the most pressing need at the time and the individual themselves.

Typically, a session may involve: a review of concepts discussed during the last session or at the last class, usually a lot of discussion about life/family etc. and any challenges that the sister or brother may be facing, a how-to session, for example, on how to wear hijab/ pray etc. may also be incorporated, as well as an introduction to a new concept based on their curriculum or their interest.

the deen. It really makes you evaluate your own emaan, and it increases your gratitude to Allah for all the blessings we take for granted as people who have been born Muslim. Another really invaluable benefit is the review; sometimes converts will ask questions about the deen thaat make you go back and do your research.

One of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to others, and when you keep on teaching the basics of the deen you really do master them in a way you probably wouldn’t have otherwise, alhumdulilah. That, and alhumdulilah you meet some amazing people and make some really good friendships! :-) I also want to share gem that summarizes the benefit: It is reported that Imām Al-Hasan Al-Basrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said: “To learn a single topic of knowledge and teach it to a Muslim is more beloved to me than having the whole world and giving it in the cause of Allāh.” Al-Khatīb Al-Baghdādī, Al-Faqīh wa AlMutafaqqih, article 53.

Why do you think New Muslim Care is needed?

What was Mentorship Certification like? Did you learn a lot of new techniques?

I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for a new Muslim to try and tackle all of this on their own without any support! Some converts I know who didn’t have the same support have talked about the time after their conversion as being the hardest years of their lives. Some others, subhanallah, perhaps found it so daunting, Qadr Allah wa ma shaa fa’al, that they are no longer Muslim.

I’ve only completed Modules 1 and 2, and yes they were very beneficial. I liked how we first studied what the role of the mentor involves in an in-depth manner, and learnt that a mentor is not just a teacher or a friend but rather serves as a guide, and how that in turn impacts the interactions between the mentors and the new Muslim sisters and brothers.

How does New Muslim Care benefit yourself, the Muslim?

The benefit that the mentors gain, inshallah, is not only worldly but all of us hope to see the reward in the Akhirah. It gives an emaan boost like no other; it shakes you to the core when you meet people who literally give up all they own and know for the sake of

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What do you think is the best part of New Muslim Care?

It really is the fact that, alhumdulillah, we are able to serve as a so comprehensive unit in supporting our new Muslim sisters and brothers. Mashallah, the new Muslims that are involved with the program are doing quite well, alhumdulillah.

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Born in Madinah and raised in Toronto; Fraud Analyst come Qur’an hafith; from shooting Basketball hoops, to studying Sahih al-Bukhari.

Who is this intriguing personality excelling in both his deen and dunya commitments? Welcoming our totally awesome new instructor, Ustadh Musleh Khan!

With such an eclectic profile masha’Allah, we were keen to get to know our new instructor a little better, and took the time out to ask him some personal questions.

U

stadh, who have been the role models in your life?

My parents have been my role models in terms of the lifestyle and manners that I have adopted. In terms of my education, my role model has been none other than Shaykh Mukhtar ash-Shanqiti, who is a top scholar of fiqh in Madinah.

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ave you always had a passion to study the deen, or were you ever contemplating a different path?

I always had the passion in my heart to learn the deen, however it wasn’t always easy to pursue such a path. As a result of the difficulties that presented themselves, I would end up settling for other things instead of pursuing my studies.

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hat obstacles did you face, if any, in leaving behind your job as a Fraud Analyst, to commence your studies in Madinah?

At this point in time, I was determined.

After being accepted into Madinah University, I wasn’t going to give up this opportunity, no matter what!

H

ow did you find the transition back to ‘normal life’ when returning to Toronto, and what advice would you give to young brothers raising their families in the West?

The transition returning from Madinah was easy, because I always went back to Toronto every summer and that really helped me to stay in sync with the ‘normal’ lifestyle I was used to. My advice to all those who have to come back and raise their families here, is to remember the lessons and mannerisms taught whilst studying abroad, and apply these! Once you do that, no matter where you are in the world, a true devout Muslim can adjust and protect his family from any fitnah or difficult situation.

W

hat is the best nasiha you have been given?

Teach every ounce of knowledge you have learned, that you are learning,

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of time insha’Allah before you complete your hifth.

W

hat leisure pursuits do you enjoy, and how do you practically make time for this with a busy schedule?

and that which you are going to learn insha’Allah.

H

ow long did it take you to memorise Qur’an? Do you have any practical tips to help AlKauthar students who wish to undertake hifth?

It took me about 4 years to memorise the Qur’an and complete my hifth. My only advice to our AlKauthar brothers and sisters, is to be dedicated and consistent, even if you memorise two lines a day.

Once you begin a surah, realise that the surah has an end. If you combine this with consistency, it will just be a matter

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I love long distance running and the only time I have for it is in the early morning.

So I make an effort before my day starts to get outside and run for about 45 minutes!

W

here will you be teaching next and why should students attend?

My next AlKauthar teaching experience insha’Allah will be at Excellence in Knowledge & Action, AlKauthar’s first conference in Ottawa. It will be held this Sunday on March 25th. I will also be teaching A to Z of Love & Mercy in Vancouver on May 26th and 27th.

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Review: Birthing Trends Sabah Kazmi Assalaamualaikum wa rahmatullah, My name is Sabah Kazmi and I’m the program manager for the Women’s Resource Center.

The Women’s Resource Centre focuses on empowering women to be successful in all facets of their lives. By facilitating knowledge, awareness and acquisition of necessary skills, the Women’s Resource Centre enables women to harness the reigns of personal growth, success and empowerment. This past weekend, the Women`s Resource Centre hosted one such educational event titled: the Birthing Trends. This event, which was our third empowerment seminar to date, was held at Mercy Mission Madinah and was, Alhumdulillah, a resounding success.

As a program manager, my role was to conduct the seminar and ensure that everything was in order. However, as a mother of a two year old child (and a future mother of more insha’Allah), I also had the pleasure of benefitting from the event by being one of the many attendees.

Sister Hira Khan did an absolutely wonderful job!

She was enthusiastic and very informative, and provided detailed information to the numerous sisters that attended about the different aspects of labour and various alternative ways and resources that women can use during that difficult stage.

At one point during the event, there were many moments during which I realized: this is exactly what I needed to know before I had my daughter.

Alhamdulillah the other sisters and I were so blessed to be a part of this gathering, to learn so much about what resources are available to us outside of the typical doctor’s office, and to have access to someone with the expertise and the experience of birthing explain things to us stepby-step in a very candid and frank manner.

The icing on the cake was at the end of the event when many sisters approached sister Hira and I and genuinely thanked us for holding the event.

These are issues that every women needs to be knowledgeable about, and alhamdulillah there now exists an avenue for them to learn and ask questions openly from those in our community who have the appropriate expertise. I’m excited and eagerly awaiting our next empowerment seminar on Parenting Solutions, which inshaAllah will be just as beneficial. Please visit the Women’s Resource Center Facebook page to find out more about it, and we look forward to seeing you at our future events!

When I was expecting with my own, I thought I was making a well-informed decision and going with the ‘greener and better’ route when choosing to go with midwives. However, even with that approach, there were many things I blindly followed because of the opinions my midwives had, some of which I wasn’t very happy with. During this seminar, I learnt about the many options that I actually had available to me which I didn’t even know about.

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How Did Mercy Mission Change My Life?

I

n February 2011 I finally got married and had a walima in a small North Yorkshire town, close to my home city of Bradford. I gathered 300 of my friends to join me in celebrating my marriage. Guests travelled from across the globe to attend with people travelling from Australia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Canada to mention just a few of the places. As the evening drew to a close and the desserts were slowly vanishing, I looked around the room and realised that 80% of the people present were people I had not known for more than 3 years.

Essentially my guests were in the main volunteers from Mercy Mission or people I had met through Mercy Mission. At that point I realised how the past 3 years had been so much more influential on my life, than the 27 years that had preceded them. I realised then the enormity of the impact that Mercy Mission has had in my life. It was no longer a question of how Mercy Mission was changing my life Mercy Mission was my life.

you love for your brother what you love for yourself (Al-Bukhari). Now how do you get to that point? I had been contemplating over this for many years.

However, the thing I enjoy most about Mercy Mission is seeing with my own eyes how this hadith can become an actual reality. I found the company of some of the most amazing people walking the face of this planet, and it is these people that allowed me to bring the aforementioned hadith of the Messenger ‘alayhi wa-salatu wa-salam to life. These were individuals who were of such a calibre that I genuinely loved for them what I loved for myself. From the very top of this organisation, and my inspiration, Shaykh Tawfique, to team members that I meet for the first time - I truly relish every single meeting with my brothers. This is thing I that enjoy most - the company of my brothers.

Azim Kidwai Chief Business Development Officer

So what do I enjoy the most about working with Mercy Mission?

The Prophet ‘alayhi wa-salatu wa-salam said: None of you will truly believe until

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Join Us On A Mercy Mission Ultimately great things are achieved with great people, and every single one of us has the innate ability to achieve a level of greatness in something. Mercy Mission is hungry to harness the skills, experience and passion of people who are inspired by the pursuit of the vision of the final Messenger ‘alayhi wa-salatu wa-salam.

We are always eager to meet sincere people and therefore if you would like to join us, please send us an email with your CV attached to: hr@mercymission.ca

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• • • • • • •

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