Kids Urdu Classes for 2022-23

Kids Urdu Classes for 2022-232022-09-29T11:27:35-07:00

Please join the interest list.

If you are interested in enrolling your child for our Fall 2022 semester, please fill out the form below and we will contact you with further details.

Our Urdu Program is a multi-level program designed for children from KG to 12th grade.  Our classes take place over 12 Sunday afternoons (after Sunday school) in one-hour classes with native Urdu-speaking instructors focusing on four basic skills: speaking, comprehension, reading, and writing. 

The Fall 2022 session will take place from Sunday, September 25 to Sunday, December 11, and Zoom as well as in-person options will be available. There will be a break for Thanksgiving. This Sunday afternoon language class is from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. for in-person students and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. for online students. 

Please join the interest list.

Kids Urdu Classes for Fall 2022

The MCC Urdu Program is a multi-level program designed for children from KG to 12th grade.  

We are processing priority registration for our current families that have already been in the program.  We will be opening registration for new students Monday, September 12th.  Our classes tend to fill out quickly so please fill out your information below and get added in.

Please join the interest list.

Despite the community’s overwhelming interest, I am pleased to announce that our instructors have started adding multiple sessions to keep up with the demand. 

We will not compromise our low student-teacher ratios and as always keep the fees at the very minimum to basically just over teacher salaries and minor expenses.

If you have ever desired to have your kids learn Urdu, this is your chance to take advantage of this excellent community service.

Fall 2022 Details and Basic Information

  1. A 12-week session that takes place after MCC Sunday School to accommodate students who are enrolled in both.
  2. MCC Urdu Fall 2022 will begin Sunday, September 18, and end on Sun Dec 11.
  3. New students will be evaluated and placed with kids that are similarly aged as well as at the same level – we have multiple classes taking place simultaneously.
  4. The fall 2022 semester will have Zoom and in-person options.
  5. Classes last 45 mins for KG and 1 hr for all other grades.
  6. Very minimal homework is assigned.
  7. Class timings will be Sunday afternoons after Sunday School.
  8. KG – parents can join their child in class.
  9. 1st to 12th grade – no parents are allowed to be in the class.
  10. Immersive teaching style so novice students may feel overwhelmed at first but PLEASE allow them to be a bit confused – within weeks you will see them blossom, gap up, and make connections.
  11. This program is catered to kids born and raised in the US.  We will focus on conversation first and then reading and writing.
  12. All Urdu classes are taught by qualified local teachers who are proficient in the language and are also trained in the ACTFL standards of language learning.
  13. We have 8 teachers on our team.  Also, we have a few high school/college-aged TAs that help in break out rooms as well as inspire our students that learning Urdu is very achievable and that learning Urdu can be useful as well as quite fun.

Questions? urdu@mcceastbay.org

Do the bride and groom exchange vows?2021-06-25T00:05:11-07:00

Traditionally, the bride and groom do not exchange vows. The imam or officiant will often recite a chapter or a couple of verses from the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book, and give a short sermon, or khutba, sometimes about the meaning of marriage, the rights, and responsibilities of the husband and wife or a similar topic.

What Are The Nikah Ceremony Requirements?2021-06-25T00:05:28-07:00

The Proposal

As with any marriage, someone has to propose for the Nikah process to start. The woman or the man can make the proposal as long as the intention is for marriage. While in many cultures, it is often more common for a man to propose, in Islam the woman (or her family) can propose as was the case with Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Acceptance

The qubool is the acceptance of the proposal—but you don’t have to say yes right away. During the time between the proposal and the acceptance, the couple can meet as many times as they like to get to know each other as long as the meeting takes place in public or within close proximity of a chaperon.

The Witnesses

For the Nikah, there has to be a minimum of two male witnesses that can attest to the fact that both the bride and groom say, “I do” or “Qubool” from their own free will and without any force from family members or anyone else. It must be the bride and the groom who agree.

The Mahr

The Mahr is an obligatory gift from the groom to the bride that the bride or her family can request. More often than not, it is a lump sum of money that the bride decides. Other times, the bride may ask for a trip, gold, or anything she wishes like helping her memorize a Surah (chapter) that her husband has memorized and she has not. Of course, she is encouraged to be fair and keep her future husband’s income in mind. The Mahr is also symbolic of the responsibility the man has for providing for and taking care of his wife.

The Wali

The Wali is usually the father of the bride who “gives away” his daughter. The Wali gets the consent from the bride—he does not give it on her behalf without asking her. If the father is deceased or there is some reason that he cannot “walk her down the aisle,” so to say, then another male guardian or relative can take on that role. The Imam may also serve as the guardian in some cases.

The Nikah

Once all the requirements are met anyone can officiate the Nikah ceremony. The bride and groom repeat the word “qubool” or “I accept” three times. Then the couple and the two male witnesses sign the contract, which the imam can provide or the couple can get their own, making the marriage legal according to civil and religious law.

What Is the Nikah Ceremony?2021-06-24T23:18:04-07:00

The Nikah ceremony is the Muslim marriage ceremony. In the Islamic tradition, the marriage contract is signed during the Nikah and it’s during this event that the bride and groom say, “I do.”

Traditionally, the Nikah ceremony often takes place in a mosque and the leader or imam of the mosque officiates the Nikah. Most couples will set up a time for the Nikah and invite family and friends to attend the ceremony. In the Islamic tradition, the Nikah is supposed to be as simple as possible, so as not to place a financial burden on the couple.

Nowadays, it’s also common to have the Nikah ceremony either at a venue or at the bride’s house, and depending on the family, the event can become quite glamorous as people tend to mix Islamic and Western traditions.

The Nikah is a religious ceremony for a Muslim couple to be legally wed under Islamic law. It’s a Prophetic tradition and the only permissible way that a man and woman can be married. This ceremony makes the wedding official because in the Islamic tradition it’s not permissible for a couple to be intimate without a Nikah. The Nikah legitimizes the relationship in front of God and it’s when the couple says, “I accept.”

What is required for Nikkah?2021-06-15T22:30:15-07:00

In Islam, Nikah is the traditional marriage function. There are three components needed for a Nikah to be valid:

  1. a couple who are willing to marry each other,
  2. witnesses,
  3. a wedding gift named mahr that the groom gives to bride.

The most important thing among these is the mutual agreement between the bride and groom to get married. They should meet each other and talk before the Nikah arrangements are begun. They should agree upon a dowry. It can be a sum of money, objects or property as demanded by the bride. It is a symbol of the groom’s commitment. It is decided based on the groom’s financial conditions.

There should be at least two adults as witnesses for the function. Usually there is an Imam to perform the Nikah ceremony and he guides the function.

The Nikah can be performed in a mosque or wedding hall as per the convenience, but the masjid is the preferred venue for a Nikah. Prior to the Nikah function, getting a marriage license from the local county government is required in the U.S.

When does Nikkah become expensive?2021-06-15T22:27:17-07:00

The Nikah in Islam is a very simple occasion as it is taught by the model of prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

From Prophetic tradition, we know that the Islamic wedding was a simple ceremony with about 10 guests attending. Cultural expectations nowadays call for a ceremony that is extravagant and expensive. Also, the dowry or wedding gift demanded by brides in some Muslim-majority countries is sometimes too much expensive that the groom is unable to meet the demand. In other countries like India, it is the bride’s family who need to give a dowry to the groom. In most of the cases it is a huge amount and it makes their life miserable too. The Nikah ceremony these days are also occasions for ostentation to show off and people do not hesitate to spend lavishly on their ‘once in life time’ event.

From the invitation card to wedding halls, splendid meals and other wedding related arrangements like dress, ornaments, flowers and more, people do not try to fit into minimum, but spend extravagantly. As it becomes a social trend, everyone is literally forced to follow the trend and spend accordingly to keep up their social status and good will. This makes Nikah expensive and even unaffordable for many. That is a troubling departure from the way things are supposed to be, according to the Islamic faith.

What is Aqd nikah?2021-06-15T22:17:47-07:00

Aqd in Arabic means contract. Islam considers Nikkah to be a contract and not a sacrament. Even though in Islam, Nikah is a religious sanction for individuals to have sexual relationships and to have children and live like a family, it considers marriage as a civil agreement, entered into by two individuals or those acting on their behalf. And because it is a contract (‘aqd), it conveys legal rights and obligations to each spouse.

Islamic jurisprudence, as elaborated by various schools of legal thought, considers the main purpose of the marriage contract to make intercourse lawful (halal) between a husband and wife and to legitimize any resulting offspring. Also, the marriage contract establishes further rights and duties for each spouse. It is basically required to treat each other well and good and each one’s rights and duties are differentiated by gender. They are also interdependent: a failure by one spouse to perform a specific duty may jeopardize his or her claim to a particular right.

Can Nikah be done online?2021-06-15T22:13:58-07:00

Yes. Many scholars have acknowledged that it is permissible to conduct a Nikah online as long as the usual conditions are met for a valid Nikah. They suggest that there is no issue with conducting the ceremony online via Zoom, Skype, or other online mediums. According to the mainstream Sunni schools of thought, for a Nikah to be valid, what is necessary are the verbal acceptances from the bride & bridegroom, in the presence of witnesses, with consent from the bride’s Wali (legal guardian), and a Mahr (bridal dower) agreed beforehand.

It is to be noted that, during the circumstances of Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021, many renowned Muslim scholars, including Mufti Ismail Menk and Shaykh Hasib Noor, have taken to social media to openly encourage Nikah through online considering the emergency circumstances. This should be considered as a wise suggestion and a feasible alternative for many Muslim couples because, otherwise they have to delay their Nikah for many more months to have the guardian, the bride and groom and the witnesses on-site. With the advanced technology at our disposal today, an online Nikah is the best suggestion for those who are apart distances.

What happens at a Walima?2021-06-15T22:08:02-07:00

A walima is the marriage reception function in the traditional Islamic wedding. It designates a feast in Arabic. Walima is used as a symbol to show domestic happiness in the household post-marriage. Usually walima takes place after the Nikah function and is hosted by the groom. The venue can be at groom’s place or at a selected place like the masjid, parks, halls, etc. A Walima is a Sunnah and it is just an event where the new couple mingles with their guests instead of sitting on the stage the entire time. There are no rituals or customs associated with Walima. The bride and groom enter together, walk down the aisle, sit on stage, sometimes they cut a cake, and then they mingle with the guests. It celebrates the happiness and joy inside the family and it is an occasion for the bride and groom to meet and familiarize their dear ones.

How do I enroll my child in the Urdu Program?2021-01-07T15:30:10-08:00

*Registration is closed. Please join waiting list.*

After filling out this form, MCC administrative staff will make sure there is room for your child in his or her respective age level and send you enrollment information to make an account on MCC’s FACTS class portal for registration and payment.

The Urdu classes focus on comprehension are designed for children who have grown up in the United States. No previous knowledge of Urdu is necessary. In the first one or two sessions, the teacher will assess your child and we may move your child to a class that is most suitable for his or her learning.  The maximum class size is 10 students. Students in the Kindergarten level must be accompanied by a parent for the duration of their online session each week.

Questions? urdu@mcceastbay.org

What is the curriculum?2020-09-14T14:45:29-07:00

The Urdu classes focus on comprehension are designed for children who have grown up in the United States. No previous knowledge of Urdu is necessary. A teacher will assess each new student to cater to his or her unique needs.

The maximum class size is 10 students. Students in the Kindergarten level must be accompanied by a parent for the duration of their online session each week.

What time and what dates are classes?2020-11-25T20:37:45-08:00

Urdu class sessions are held each Sunday from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. (to accommodate students after the MCC Sunday School).

Classes are from January 10 to April 11 and follow MCC’s academic calendar.

What is the cost?2020-11-25T20:38:11-08:00

The 12-week Spring semester cost is $200 per student. This includes course material.

This semester, there is no sibling discount or returning student discount.

There is no refund policy. However, if you are dissatisfied after the first class, please let us know within 24 hours after the first class at urdu@mcceastbay.org.