Feedback Time: This year's theme was the Islamic Civilization. i didn't take notes so i'm hoping the other sisters who attended can add some more to this or share with us their experience.
Best day for me was Friday, I hardly noticed the time passing as the speakers and sheikhs were captivating their audience with their knowledge and sincere efforts in reviving our islamic spirit. Although Tariq, Zaid shakir and Zakir Naik were great as always, I have found a new favorite to add to my list of all-stars sheikhs. Imam Riyad al Haq from the Uk was not scheduled to speak on friday but took over at a moment's notice when one of the speakers couldn't make it, he was both eloquent in his delivery as well as captivating, and all from the top of his head since he didn't plan on speaking. Yet his speech was much more organized and well thought out than some who had time to put it together. His basic message was that as muslims, there are more requirements of us than simply doing the bare minimum requirements (5 pillars-praying, zakat, hajj, etc). He pointed out the fact that we overlook other things that must also be done in order to dwell in heaven for all eternity, such as taking care of our neighbors (muslims or otherwise), guarding our tongues (backbiting), our bodies (from zina), greed, and envy, purging all those from our hearts. He pointed out that it's a common misconception when ppl say that to in order to complete half of our deen one must marry, when in fact, it is guarding our morality and our bodies from committing zina that is half our deen. Marriage is simply a way for us to guard ourselves from temptation, and that the other half is guarding our tongue from slander, as backbiting is more heinous than adultery.
Riyad mentioned a hadith about a woman who was well known and respected by the companions and the ppl at the time of the Prophet (saw), who was extreme in her religion, she prayed all the time, read the quran and was extremely devoted, and when one person commented to the Prophet how this woman was great, he said that there is one thing holding her back from heaven and it being that she was neglectful to her neighbors. Her inability to socialize and take care of the sick and visit friends who may have needed her help, detracted from her deen as she lost sight of what it is to be muslim.Similarily, there was another woman who was more balanced in her deen, meaning that she didn't need to be extreme in her devotion like the other, giving her time to attend to her neighbors, visit sick friends, etc, and that was her ticket to heaven. His point being that we need to strike a balance and not be caught up in one thing while neglecting all that is required of us as muslims, even though we may think that it's not so great a sin.
Tariq spoke about the contributions of muslims to the Europeans (ex.bathing) and that civilization was not in the infrastructure nor in the arts, music, etc, but that civilization was found in the ppl.
Ms. Shabaz, malcom x's daughter talked about how ppl didn't know that her father had family from egypt, caribbean, states,a product of mixed heritage, therefore Islam wasn't a foreign concept to him as the religion and culture were practiced by his ancestors, a fact not well known. When he went back to Islam, it was simply to reaffirm what he already knew and it was just his time to accept the message. One thing I found funny was that she stated that O.J. Simpson had converted to islam.
Zakir Naik talked about apologetic muslims, who come out and speak against 9/11 and the London bombings, as they should, but he challenged them that in the same breath that they are condemning those terror acts, they should also condemn the millions of muslims being slaughtered daily in Palestine, India, Chechnya, etc. He also embraced the words that the west would use against us, such as fundamentalist, terrorist, extremist, in this way. He said we should be proud to tell ppl we are extremists, because our deen calls for us to be extremely kind, extremely giving to the poor, etc, using the words in ways that empowers us and giving it a new meaning from what the west would have others believe. Zakir also said that the west looks down on us as being a barbaric religion in terms of our rules, such as if one steals, cut of his hand and if one rapes, kill them. He then went on to say, if these countries implemented any of these rules, such as cutting a robbers hand, the rate of theft would go down considerably, and if all rapists were put to death, the stats would also decrease as well. He pointed out the double standards of the west, when asked, if someone rapes your mom or sister, relative, what would u like to have happen to them, and they all answered death, and yet when there is such a law in islam, they look down upon it. Zakir also mentioned that the hijab helps women to be more free in society and less likely to be raped, and the men also have their hijab, being covered from navel to knee, and to also guard their modesty and lower their gaze. No wonder I like him, he wasn't simply addressing women as most are prone to, he also reminded the men their part.
The lectures on Saturday was also very beneficial. One that I will never forget is Suliman Mulla's speech about avoiding bankruptcy. This is when one is put forth on the Day of judgement before Allah with great amount of good deeds but because they back bitted or spoke a rude word against someone, they will left will no good deeds. And when their deeds are taken from them, the bad deeds of others that they have offended will be placed upon them. SubhanAllah.
Sunday was ok, I was disappointed that Zakir Naik repeated some elements of his lecture of last yr again this yr.Such as what to say to an atheist and show them proof of Islam being the only and true religion and that in fact God did exist.
Omar abdel Kafi (i think it was him) spoke about the purification of the heart from evil deeds, such as pride, arrogance, greed, envy, and that anyone with an ounce of pride believing they are better than others, that they can do no wrong and do not acknowlege when they are wrong are headed for hellfire and won't be allowed in the gates on heaven.
One thing that marred the conference was that someone had stolen the tags to get in from a volunteer and sold them out in the parking lot, this along with many ppl who snuck in, amounted them to lose about 100,000, and when they announced what happened, ppl showed their solidarity and generosity by donating money, writing checks, and a woman even donated her gold.
Monday's concert with the nasheeds that was to benefit the ppl who were affected in the pakistani earthquake was great, especially Native Deen and Raihan who I had the chance to meet.
I'm hoping that in the following years, one of the themes could be the great women of Islam, their contribution to the religion, the wives of the prophet and I'm also hoping that more female speakers would be invited.
eace: 