Dr. Rania Awaad's Weekly Friday Evening Halaqa
2023-01-20 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-01-27 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-02-03 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-02-10 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-02-17 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-02-24 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-03-03 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-03-10 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) and 1 more date | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad holds a weekly Friday evening women’s gathering about navigating contemporary issues.
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Every Friday from October 14, 2022 to March 17, 2023 | MCC Conference Room | Free; no registration or RSVP required to attend in person | To join virtually, register at https://mcceastbay.org/zoom

– More Dr. Rania: https://mcceastbay.org/rania
– Watch past Dr. Rania’s Friday Evening Halaqa recordings: https://mcceastbay.org/womens-halaqa
– Join Dr. Rania’s WhatsUp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/HlHmFFnGbwvCvLl6uGD1C4

Free babysitting is provided in Room 16. Facility map: https://mcceastbay.org/facility-map
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
This halaqa is hosted parallel to our girl’s program in partnership with Rahmah Foundation.
Ustadha Rania AwaadRaised in the U.S., Ustadha Rania Awaad began her formal study of the traditional Islamic sciences when her parents permitted her to travel to Damascus, Syria, at 14. Her desire to continue studying the Deen resulted in multiple trips back to Damascus, interspersed between her high school, college, and medical studies. She was honored to receive Ijaazah (authorization to teach) several branches of the Shari’ah sciences at the hands of many renowned scholars, including many female scholars. She has received Ijazah to teach Tajwid in the Hafs and Warsh recitations from the late eminent Syrian scholar Shaykh Abu Hassan al-Kurdi. In addition to completing several advanced texts of the Shafi’i madhhab, she is licensed to teach texts of Maliki fiqh, Adab, and Ihsan. Currently, Ustadha Rania teaches online and local classes for The Rahmah Foundation, Rabata, and is on the faculty of Zaytuna College, where she teaches courses in Shafi’i fiqh, women’s issues in fiqh and has helped develop and co-direct the Tajweed and Hifz program.
Ustadha Rania is also a medical doctor with a specialty in Psychiatry. She completed her Psychiatric residency and fellowship training at Stanford University, where she is currently on the faculty as a Clinical Instructor in the Stanford Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences department. Her medical interests include addressing mental health care concerns in the Muslim community- particularly that of Muslim women and girls. She has been awarded grants from the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) to research this topic and has presented her findings at several medical conferences. Other ongoing endeavors include compiling manuscripts addressing female-related mental health and medical issues from a fiqh-oriented perspective. She currently serves as the Director of the Rahmah Foundation, a non-profit organization that teaches Muslim women and girls traditional Islamic knowledge. In this capacity, she also heads the Murbbiyah Mentoring Program, which trains young women to teach and mentor Muslim girls and teens. Ustadha Rania is both a wife and a mother; she has been counseling and teaching women classes on Tajwid, Shafi’i Fiqh, Ihsan, marriage, and raising children since 1999.
Learn more about Dr. Rania and her work at http://med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/research/MuslimMHLab.html
Every Friday evening, the MCC bustles with activity. MCC hosts four halaqas to increase God-consciousness for youth, women, and men.
From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., join Dr. Rania Awaad‘s women’s gathering about navigating contemporary issues. This wide-ranging Muslimah halaqa is in the MCC Conference Room, and the first hour is live-streamed here (watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/halaqa). This halaqa is organized in partnership with The Rahmah Foundation.
Friday evening sessions in Fall 2022 and Winter 2023:

– October 14
– October 21
– October 28
– November 5
– November 11
– November 18
– November 25 (no session)
– December 2
– December 9
– December 16
– December 23 (no session)
– December 30 (no session)
– January 6, 2023
– January 13, 2023
– January 20, 2023
– January 27, 2023
– February 3, 2023
– February 10, 2023
– February 17, 2023
– February 24, 2023
– March 3, 2023
– March 10, 2023
– March 17, 2023 (last session before Ramadan 2023)

Women's Burdah Gathering
2023-01-22 14:30 - 17:00
Join us for MCC’s monthly women’s-only talks and recitations of the Blessed Burdah, a world-renowned poem of the cloak, which is a great means to connect to the Best of Creation ﷺ. Reciting this magnificent poem is a means of getting closer to the Prophet ﷺ through its recital, its commentary, and its appreciation. Led by Ustadha Nihad Hammoudeh, Ustadha Roya Ataie, and Ustadha Mona ElZankaly, this celebrated poem has been a mainstay in Islamic scholarship gatherings for centuries.

2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 22| MCC Conference Room| In-person only| No RSVP | Women & girls only, boys under 8 welcomeQuestions? event@mcceastbay.org

Weekly Women’s Seerah Bookclub
2023-01-24 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-01-31 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-02-07 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-02-14 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-02-21 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-02-28 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-03-07 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-03-14 18:30 - 20:00
Join our weekly sisters’ virtual only Seerah book club, where we have an active discussion, take away lessons for our daily lives, and inshaAllah fall in love with the Prophet ﷺ. This fall, we are reading “The Prophetic Narrative” by Samira al-Zayid.

RSVP for the live registration link below at https://mcceastbay.org/bookclub. RSVP is needed to join us virtually.

**Sessions changed to online only for the remaining classes.

Event Details:

The discussion takes place every Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a break in Ramadan ’23. The sessions are now only virtual sessions (no in-person component).

Please register online to receive the link to the Whatsapp thread where all communication and updates will be made.

Book Purchase:

If you wish to follow along with the book, please purchase the book. The book can be purchased here:

– https://daybreak.rabata.org/products/soft-cover-a-compendium-of-the-sources-on-the-prophetic-narrative

Questions? bookclub@mcceastbay.org

About the Book

Internationally acclaimed as “the most authoritative resource” on the Sīra, this two-volume translation textbook is revolutionary in bringing Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s life to life for everyone who ventures upon it.

This multiple award-winning, comprehensive compilation of narrations and details of the life of Prophet Muhammad (S) has never before been available in English until now! Internationally acclaimed as “the most authoritative resource” on the Sīra, this two-volume translation textbook is revolutionary in bringing his (S) life to life for everyone who ventures upon it. The original volumes have won the approval and praise of numerous scholars. It is finally available as a treasured text for personal or educational development.

Author: Samira al-ZayidTranslators: Susan Imady, Tamara Gray, & Randa MardiniBinding: SoftcoverPages: Vol 1, 570; Vol 2, 558Publisher: Daybreak Press

Questions? bookclub@mcceastbay.org

Monthly Saturday Dhikr/Support Circle | Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi
2023-01-28 09:00 - 10:30
Join Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi for monthly in-person women-only dhikr circles filled with recitation, reflection, and Salawat.

This monthly Sisters Healing & Du’ah Circle is here to support sisters experiencing grief/loss, marital challenges, parenting challenges, health challenges, caring for elderly parents/loved ones, isolation, etc.

9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. | Monthly on the last Saturday of each month | Conference Room | Free; no registration needed

– More Ustadha Hosai: https://mcceastbay.org/hosai

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series: (Women): https://mcceastbay.org/muslimah-purification

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series: (Adults): https://mcceastbay.org/heart-purification

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series (Teens): https://mcceastbay.org/purification

– ‘Agenda to Change our Condition’ Series: https://mcceastbay.org/agenda

– ‘Modern Muslim Parenting’ Series: https://mcceastbay.org/islamic-parenting

Schedule

– Welcome

– Recitation of Ratib al-Shahr wird

– Recitation of Surah Yasin

– Dhikr

– Salawat

– Short reflection (khatira)

After this monthly gathering, MCC hosts a children’s story-time: https://mcceastbay.org/storytime

About Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi:Hosai Mojaddidi is the co-Founder of mentalhealth4muslims.com where she advocates for and writes about various mental health-related topics tailored for Muslims. She has served the American-Muslim community for nearly 20 years as an activist, writer/editor, mediator, interfaith organizer, and public speaker, covering a variety of topics including women’s issues, marriage/family, education, and self-development, interfaith bridge-building, spirituality, etc.

In her spare time she enjoys reading, writing, blogging via social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), doing arts and crafts, visiting gourmet coffee shops, and exploring the countless beautiful parks, beaches, and nature preserves throughout Northern California where she lives with her husband, two sons, and fish named Max.

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Sisters Decadent Dessert & Game Night | Sr. Emira Mustafa
2023-01-28 20:00 - 22:00
Sisters!

Show up ready for a fun-filled night of desserts & games! Be ready to build sisterhood and have a memorable evening with new and old friends.

We will have a program filled with yummy treats, icebreakers, and fun activities to get you going.

8 p.m. to 10 p.m. | Saturday, January 28 | Join in person| $35/sister | Register at https://mcceastbay.org/sisters-night

Join our Whatsapp group for important details at Building Sisterhood- MCC at mcceastbay.org/building-sisterhood. Sisters 16 and up.

Note: No refunds due to the purchase of materials specific to each program. Otherwise, the seat may be transferred.

– More Sister Emira: https://mcceastbay.org/emira

– More talks for sisters: https://mcceastbay.org/women

MCC has a standing policy that financial need should never hold a person back from attaining spiritual or practical knowledge from any event or class held within the community center. To request a financial waiver, message scholarship@mcceastbay.org.

About the Facilitator:Sister Emira Mustafa is the founder of Craft E Muslims, a business with a mission to connect the heart and mind through fun, creative, innovative methods.

She has published two workbooks available on Amazon titled “Islamic Themed Fall Festival Activity Kit” and “Practically Preparing for Ramadan.” Her Etsy page features many Islamic-themed crafting kits sure to inspire a love of learning within our community.

Here is one of her crafting videos on how to make a Rustic Eid Twinkle Light Banner: https://youtu.be/J8xIJOTy5dM

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

*Canceled* Monthly Sisterhood Hike | Sisters in the Outdoors
2023-02-04 08:00 - 11:00
Join us from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on February 4 for a Saturday morning hike at Waterfalls of Mount Diablo near Clayton to get to know other sisters in the community and enjoy the great outdoors. No children, please (female teens, okay).

Please note: Hike may be canceled due to the rainy forecast.

– When: Saturday, Feb 4, 2023

– Time: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Please arrive a little early to park and find the group. The group can wait till 8:10 a.m. and will start the hike. Please be on time since we cannot hold the group.

– Carpool: Highly recommend carpooling. No carpool from MCC is available for this hike. Carpool encouraged others on this hike.

– Parking: Paid parking is available at Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center.

– Location: Summit Rd, Walnut Creek, CA 94598

– Distance: 7.9 miles

– All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/waterfalls-of-mount-diablo-loop-trail

– Difficulty: Hard

– Misc: Please wear comfortable walking/hiking shoes, carry enough water, a small snack, a hat, sunglasses, and hiking poles if you have one. There are bathrooms at the trailhead. No cell network in that area, suggest carpooling and downloading the AllTrail maps.

– RSVP: By Friday, February 3, please let us know you are coming for this hike: https://mcceastbay.org/rsvp

Sr. Aparna Khan and Sr. Sohaila will be leading this hike. On the day of the hike, if you have trouble finding the group, please call or text Sr. Aparna at (408) 480-6584. Please remember that we cannot hold all the group so we request you to please be on time.

For future hikes, please subscribe to the MCC newsletter and/or add your phone number to the Women’s Hiking WhatsUp group.

Please wear comfortable walking/hiking shoes, carry a water bottle, a small snack, hat, sunglasses, and hiking poles if you have one.

About the Trail:

Explore this 7.9-mile loop trail near Clayton, California. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 2 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.

This hike has two potential starting points. This route follows the trail’s alternative trailhead off of Mitchell Canyon Road. The main trailhead begins at the end of Regency Drive and Mountaire Parkway. Limited parking is available on Regency Drive. Parking at Regency Drive is for residents only and you may get a ticket. Paid parking is available at Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. There are bathrooms there as well.

Winter and spring rains create scenic waterfalls in this hike at Mount Diablo, the East Bay’s signature peak. While Mount Diablo State Park is best known for towering vistas from the mountain’s twin East Bay summits, the seasonal rains that visit the San Francisco Bay Area every year create several falls in the mountain’s rugged canyons. You can also find fragrant wild daffodils growing along Bear Creek seasonally.

Questions? hiking@mcceastbay.org

Monthly Saturday Dhikr/Support Circle | Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi
2023-02-25 09:00 - 11:00
Join Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi for monthly in-person women-only dhikr circles filled with recitation, reflection, and Salawat.

This monthly Sisters Healing & Du’ah Circle is here to support sisters experiencing grief/loss, marital challenges, parenting challenges, health challenges, caring for elderly parents/loved ones, isolation, etc.

9 a.m. to 11 a.m. | Monthly on the last Saturday of each month | Conference Room | Free; no registration needed

– More Ustadha Hosai: https://mcceastbay.org/hosai

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series: (Women): https://mcceastbay.org/muslimah-purification

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series: (Adults): https://mcceastbay.org/heart-purification

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series (Teens): https://mcceastbay.org/purification

– ‘Agenda to Change our Condition’ Series: https://mcceastbay.org/agenda

– ‘Modern Muslim Parenting’ Series: https://mcceastbay.org/islamic-parenting

Schedule

– Welcome

– Recitation of Ratib al-Shahr wird

– Recitation of Surah Yasin

– Dhikr

– Salawat

– Short reflection (khatira)

After this monthly gathering, MCC hosts a children’s story-time: https://mcceastbay.org/storytime

About Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi:Hosai Mojaddidi is the co-Founder of mentalhealth4muslims.com where she advocates for and writes about various mental health-related topics tailored for Muslims. She has served the American-Muslim community for nearly 20 years as an activist, writer/editor, mediator, interfaith organizer, and public speaker, covering a variety of topics including women’s issues, marriage/family, education, and self-development, interfaith bridge-building, spirituality, etc.

In her spare time she enjoys reading, writing, blogging via social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), doing arts and crafts, visiting gourmet coffee shops, and exploring the countless beautiful parks, beaches, and nature preserves throughout Northern California where she lives with her husband, two sons, and fish named Max.

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

"Progression Not Oppression" | World Hijab Day
2023-02-25 11:00 - 15:30
MCC marks the World Hijab Day global campaign with the 2nd annual World Hijab Day Celebration! This year’s theme is “Progression, not Oppression.” Join fellow sisters on Saturday, February 25, to enjoy an afternoon celebrating the noble Hijab and invite a friend, too!

Shop the bazaar of women-owned clothing vendors, eat a delicious meal from the women-owned food vendors and participate in the spirit of the Hijab and sisterhood. The program will include an interactive talk, age-specific hijab activities, and more!

Spots are limited! Click the blue ‘Buy Tickets’ button on your screen above to RSVP today! Or RSVP here!

Share the experience and invite a friend, colleague, or neighbor. Muslims, as well as non-Muslim sisters, are all welcome.

11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 25 | Limited spots | $10/girls ages 8+ & women

Earthquake Relief Booth donations: Donate a drink or a snack to be sold at the MCC WHD booth at the event. 100% of the proceeds will go towards relief efforts. Click HERE to sign up today!

#WorldHijabDay #DressedNotOpressed #Hijabista #Hijabismycrown #HijabiStrong #MyhijabmyChoice

“To my surprise, the veil was strangely liberating, an unapologetic form of self-expression.” – [ J. Galvez, Catholic, Philippines]

Event Overview

11 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. –Shop! Eat! Connect! Donate! Vendor and lunch sales at women-owned stalls. Please support the Earthquake relief fundraising booth. Visit the booth to support or to donate items to sell. Click the link above to donate a drink or snack to be sold. (All food must remain outside in the Picnic Area)

12:40 p.m – A female lead women-only Zuhr congregational prayer (Main Prayer Hall)

1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. – Interactive talk with Sr. Sanaa Subhani & Q&A session with parallel sessions for ages 8-11 (Main Prayer Hall)

2:20 p.m. – Hijab activities ( Grouped by age: 8-11; 12-15, 16-18, 19-26, 27+) (Various parts of MCC Facility)

Vendors: Only women-owned vendors are considered for the Bazar. Express interest at https://mcceastbay.org/vendor

Volunteers: Limited opportunities for ages 14+ https://mcceastbay.org/hijab-volunteer

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

MCC is proud to support #WorldHijabDay in February to stand against bigotry, discrimination, and prejudice Muslim girls and women worldwide face in hijab. In its 10th year, World Hijab Day Organization has continued dismantling bias, prejudice, and discrimination against Muslim women through awareness, education, and empowerment. Taking part in this event and every bit of support means more victories for our sisters who are unfairly targeted and harassed for their choice of wearing hijab globally. World Hijab Day is a global campaign to promote religious tolerance, cultural understanding, and international solidarity.

The goal of this second-annual event is to provide sisters – both Hijabi and non-Hijabi – with an opportunity to:

Celebrate the Hijab and promote pride in carrying on this noble tradition and campaign for a world where Muslimahs can proudly and freely practice her faith;

Create an environment where sisters feel empowered, supported, and inspired to wear hijab (particularly youth girls finding sorority and support)

Host a bazaar where attendees can purchase modest clothing that supports Muslimah-run Islamic businesses and lunch from female-run food vendors.

About the Speaker:

Sanaa Subhani holds a Master’s in Social Work and a bachelor’s in Human Development. She is the Founder and Executive Director at Wasilah Connections. She has served in the mental health field since 2007, holding multiple roles, from Residential Counselor for emotionally disturbed girls, Activity Coordinator for Developmentally Disabled Adults, Recovery Counselor for a Substance Abuse recovery home, ABA Therapist, and Medical Social Worker, to current a Clinical Case Manager and a Crisis Specialist.

Her internships include working with the low-income, homeless population in single resident occupancy (SRO) homes and as a Clinical Therapist for a school with a behavioral and emotionally challenged population. Her volunteer work consists of being a minority affairs officer on her Community College Student body of government and as a Northern California Events Coordinator for MSA WEST.

Sanaa continues to work with the community on an ongoing basis helping all those in need. She has initiated support groups and is consistently networking with like-minded individuals to create resources and programs that cater to the community’s needs.

WHERE IT ALL BEGANNazma Khan immigrated to New York City from Bangladesh at a young age. Not knowing the culture or the language, Nazma was the only one wearing the hijab (headscarf) in middle school, where she was constantly bullied. This constant discrimination followed her throughout high school and college. After 9/11, her situation got even worse. Now, she was being chased down the street and labeled a ‘terrorist’ for being visibly Muslim. She realized that many women in hijab in different parts of the world were encountering similar discrimination. She wanted to do something to address the stereotypes and improve circumstances. Therefore, she invited women from all ethnic backgrounds to wear the hijab for a day to foster religious tolerance and cultural understanding. She called this global event ‘World Hijab Day.’ This event is commemorated in over 150 countries every February 1st. https://websitewww.worldhijabday.org

This event is commemorated in over 150 countries every February. Learn more at wwww.worldhijabday.org

Monthly Sisterhood Hike | Sisters in the Outdoors
2023-03-04 07:00 - 10:00
Join us from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on March 4 for a Saturday morning hike at Lake Chabot to get to know other sisters in the community and enjoy the great outdoors. No children, please (female teens, okay).

Please note: Hike may be canceled due to the rainy forecast.

– When: Saturday, March 4, 2023

– Time: 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Please arrive a little early to park and find the group. The group can wait till 7:10 a.m. and will start the hike. Please be on time since we cannot hold the group.

– Carpool: Highly recommend carpooling. No carpool from MCC is available for this hike. Carpool encouraged others on this hike.

– Parking: 4-5 $ or free street parking on Mission Blvd./Pine Rd.

– Location: Lake Chabot

– Misc: Please wear comfortable walking/hiking shoes, carry enough water, a small snack, a hat, sunglasses, and hiking poles if you have one. There are bathrooms at the trailhead. No cell network in that area, suggest carpooling and downloading the AllTrail maps.

– RSVP: By Friday, March 3, please let us know you are coming for this hike: https://mcceastbay.org/rsvp

Sr. Aparna Khan and Sr. Sohaila will be leading this hike. On the day of the hike, if you have trouble finding the group, please call or text Sr. Aparna at (408) 480-6584. Please remember that we cannot hold all the group so we request you to please be on time.

For future hikes, please subscribe to the MCC newsletter and/or add your phone number to the Women’s Hiking WhatsUp group.

Please wear comfortable walking/hiking shoes, carry a water bottle, a small snack, hat, sunglasses, and hiking poles if you have one.

Questions? hiking@mcceastbay.org

Practically Preparing for Ramadan - Sisters Workshop
2023-03-04 10:00 - 13:00
Join Ustadha Hosai Mojadidi, Sr. Heba El-Haddad, and Sr. Emira Mustafa (author of Practically Preparing for Ramadan) for a pre-Ramadan Saturday morning workshop for practical spiritual tips and insights on what we can do to leverage this upcoming Ramadan for the maximum benefit of our Hereafter.

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Saturday, March 3 | $35 per person, workbook & refreshment included | MCC Conference Room | In-person only, no live stream option

This workshop will give you helpful tips to maximize your time effectively and efficiently to achieve all your spiritual, intellectual, and physical goals this Ramadan, insha’Allah. Join us to transcend the Ramadan grind and maintain spirituality in a busy life.

Trapped in to-dos and endless appointments, everything we do becomes a task to be checked off quickly, even our worship. So how can we be spiritual if we’re so busy? Prepare for the sacred month with our two dear community teachers as they present practical tips to connect with Allah and rise above the grind this Ramadan.

– More Getting Ramadan for Ramadan reminders: https://mcceastbay.org/ramadan-ready

– More Ramadan sermons & talks: https://mcceastbay.org/ramadan-reminders

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi

Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi is the co-Founder of mentalhealth4muslims.com, where she advocates for and writes about various mental health-related topics tailored for Muslims. She has served the American-Muslim community for nearly 20 years as an activist, writer/editor, mediator, interfaith organizer, and public speaker, covering various topics, including women’s issues, marriage/family, education, self-development, interfaith bridge-building, spirituality, etc.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, blogging via social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), doing arts and crafts, visiting gourmet coffee shops, and exploring the countless beautiful parks, beaches, and nature preserves throughout Northern California where she lives with her husband, two sons, and fish named Max.

– More Ustadha Hosai: https://mcceastbay.org/hosai – ‘Purification of the Heart’ Series: (Adults): https://mcceastbay.org/heart-purification – ‘Purification of the Heart’ Series: (Women): https://mcceastbay.org/muslimah-purification – ‘Purification of the Heart’ Series (Teens): https://mcceastbay.org/purification – ‘Agenda to Change our Condition’ Series: https://mcceastbay.org/agenda – ‘Modern Muslim Parenting’ Series: https://mcceastbay.org/islamic-parenting – Quranic Parenting Series: https://mcceastbay.org/quranic-parenting

Sister Heba El-Haddad

Heba El-Haddad received her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine in Psychology of Social Science, later earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at California Southern University. Heba is an affiliate of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health Lab, which provides resources for clinicians, researchers, and community leaders working with the Muslim population. Believing that prevention is superior to intervention, she has worked on promoting awareness on a broad spectrum of topics through seminars, workshops, and lectures through her previous role as a mental health instructor at Kaiser Permanente and currently as a Khalil Center practitioner serving Zaytuna College students. Heba is part of a group of clinicians and scholars who contributed to publishing the new text on the TIIP model (Traditional Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy) titled “Applying Islamic Principles to Clinical Mental Health Care” for Muslim practitioners nationwide.

– More Ms. Heba ElHaddad: https://mcceastbay.org/heba

Heba has been a mental health practitioner at the Khalil Center since its inception in the Bay Area. She is also an affiliate of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health Lab, which focuses on providing resources for clinicians, researchers, and community leaders working with the Muslim population. Believing that prevention is superior to intervention, Heba has worked on promoting awareness on a broad spectrum of anxiety and anger management topics through seminars, workshops, and lectures and her previous role as a mental health instructor at Kaiser Permanente. She believes that psychoeducation can empower and transform communities, not just individuals. Heba is part of a group of clinicians and scholars who contributed to publishing a text introducing interventions utilizing the Traditional Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy model (TIIP) to Muslim practitioners nationwide. She perceives learning as a never-ending process and continuously seeks to further her self-development.

Sister Emira Mustafa

Sister Emira Mustafa founded Craft E Muslims, a business with a mission to connect the heart and mind through fun, innovative methods creatively.

She has published two workbooks on Amazon titled “Islamic Themed Fall Festival Activity Kit” and “Practically Preparing for Ramadan.” Her Etsy page features many Islamic-themed crafting kits sure to inspire a love of learning within our community.

More Sister Emira: https://mcceastbay.org/emiraMCC has a standing policy that financial need should never prevent a person from attaining spiritual or practical knowledge from any event or class held within the community center. To request a financial waiver, message scholarship@mcceastbay.org

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Weekly Ramadan Women's Dhikr Circle | Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi
2023-03-26 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-04-02 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-04-09 10:00 - 12:00
Join Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi every Sunday in Ramadan (except the last one) for weekly in-person women-only dhikr circles filled with recitation, reflection, and Salawat.

This Sisters Healing & Du’ah Circle supports sisters experiencing grief/loss, marital challenges, parenting challenges, health challenges, caring for elderly parents/loved ones, isolation, etc.

10 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Sundays, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9 | Conference Room | Free; no registration needed

– More Ustadha Hosai: https://mcceastbay.org/hosai

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series: (Women): https://mcceastbay.org/muslimah-purification

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series: (Adults): https://mcceastbay.org/heart-purification

– ‘Purification of the Heart Series (Teens): https://mcceastbay.org/purification

– ‘Agenda to Change our Condition’ Series: https://mcceastbay.org/agenda

– ‘Modern Muslim Parenting’ Series: https://mcceastbay.org/islamic-parenting

Schedule

– Welcome

– Recitation of Ratib al-Shahr wird

– Recitation of Surah Yasin

– Dhikr

– Salawat

– Short reflection (khatira)

After this monthly gathering, MCC hosts a children’s story-time: https://mcceastbay.org/storytime

About Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi:Hosai Mojaddidi is the co-Founder of mentalhealth4muslims.com where she advocates for and writes about various mental health-related topics tailored for Muslims. She has served the American-Muslim community for nearly 20 years as an activist, writer/editor, mediator, interfaith organizer, and public speaker, covering a variety of topics including women’s issues, marriage/family, education, and self-development, interfaith bridge-building, spirituality, etc.

In her spare time she enjoys reading, writing, blogging via social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), doing arts and crafts, visiting gourmet coffee shops, and exploring the countless beautiful parks, beaches, and nature preserves throughout Northern California where she lives with her husband, two sons, and fish named Max.

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Women’s Qiyam & Suhoor
2023-04-14 23:30 - 2023-04-15 05:00
Join our esteemed panel of speakers for a night of prayer, remembrance, and reminders starting after Taraweeh prayer (11:15 p.m.).

Post Taraweeh till Suhoor | Saturday, April 15 | Conference Room | Free | Suhoor provided at about 4 a.m. | Register at HTTP://tinyurl.com/grandqiyam

*Friday, March 31 sisters’ Qiyam is virtual only. Please sign up for it here.*

Cosponsored with The Rahmah Foundation. For female teens and women only.

– More The Rahmah Foundation at the MCC: https://mcceastbay.org/rahmah-foundation

– More Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad: https://mcceastbay.org/rania

– More sessions for Muslim women: https://mcceastbay.org/women

– More Dr. Rania’s Friday Evening Halaqas: https://mcceastbay.org/womens-halaqa

Qiyam Ul-Layl literally translates to “standing during the night”. And in the Islamic Tradition, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH said, “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.” (Sahih Muslim)

“When Allah, the Most Merciful, created the woman, He gave her mercy as her nature. He created her for mercy.”

About the Speaker:

Dr. Rania Awaad, M.D. is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine where she is the Director of the Muslim Mental Health Lab and Wellness Program and Director of the Diversity Clinic. She pursued her psychiatric residency training at Stanford where she also completed a postdoctoral clinical research fellowship with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Her research and clinical work are focused on the mental health needs of Muslims. Her courses at Stanford range from teaching a pioneering course on Islamic Psychology, instructing medical students and residents on implicit bias and integrating culture and religion into medical care to teaching undergraduate and graduate students the psychology of xenophobia. Her most recent academic publications include an edited volume on “Islamophobia and Psychiatry” (Springer, 2019), Islamic Psychology (Routledge, 2020) and an upcoming text on Muslim Mental Health. She has also produced a toolkit, fact sheet, CME course, and is now editing a clinical textbook on Muslim mental health for the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Awaad is particularly passionate about uncovering the historical roots of mental health care in the Islamic intellectual heritage. Through her outreach work at Stanford, she is also the Clinical Director of the San Francisco Bay Area branches of the Khalil Center, a spiritual wellness center pioneering the application of traditional Islamic spiritual healing methods to modern clinical psychology. She has been the recipient of several awards and grants for her work. Prior to studying medicine, she pursued classical Islamic studies in Damascus, Syria and holds certifications (ijaza) in Qur’an, Islamic Law and other branches of the Islamic Sciences. Dr. Awaad has also served as the first female Professor of Islamic Law at Zaytuna College, a Muslim Liberal Arts College in Berkeley, CA where she taught courses on Shafi’i Fiqh and Women’s Fiqh and Qur’anic sciences for nearly a decade. In addition, she serves as the Director of The Rahmah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Muslim women and girls. At Rahmah, she oversees the Murbiyyah spiritual mentoring program for girls. Dr. Awaad is a nationally recognized speaker, award-winning teacher, researcher and author in both the Islamic and medical sciences. Follow her on I/T: Dr.RaniaAwaad

– More from Dr. Rania: https://mcceastbay.org/rania

Women’s Qiyam & Suhoor
2023-04-14 23:30 - 2023-04-15 05:00
*In-person positively full. Please join us online.*

Join our esteemed panel of speakers for a night of prayer, remembrance, and reminders starting after Taraweeh prayer (12:30 a.m.).

12:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. | Friday, April 14 – Saturday, April 15 | Prayer Hall | Free | Suhoor provided at about 4 a.m. | Register at HTTP://tinyurl.com/grandqiyam

Cosponsored with The Rahmah Foundation. For female teens and women only.

– More The Rahmah Foundation at the MCC: https://mcceastbay.org/rahmah-foundation

– More Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad: https://mcceastbay.org/rania

– More sessions for Muslim women: https://mcceastbay.org/women

– More Dr. Rania’s Friday Evening Halaqas: https://mcceastbay.org/womens-halaqa

– More Ustadha Hosai: HTTP://mcceastbay.org/hosai

Qiyam Ul-Layl literally translates to “standing during the night”. And in the Islamic Tradition, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH said, “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.” (Sahih Muslim)

About the Speakers

Shaykha Ieasha Prime

Ieasha Prime is the Director of Women’s Programming at Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Virginia and the DC Muslim Women’s Conference founder. She converted to Islam more than 20 years ago after being a Youth Ambassador to Morrocco and Senegal. There she developed a thirst for knowledge that would cause her to sit at the feet and learn from some of the top Islamic Scholars of our time. After participating in several circles of knowledge in the US, Ieasha pursued religious studies abroad. She studied Arabic and Quran at the Fajr Institute in Cairo, Egypt. Later, she moved to Hadramaut, Yemen, and enrolled in Dar al Zahra, an Islamic University for Women. There she studied Aqeedah, Quran, Hadith, Arabic, Jurisprudence (Fiqh), Islamic law, Purification of the Heart, and other religious-related learning. She has received several scholarly licenses (ijaza). The work that she is most committed to and enjoys has been the development of Islamic programming, Islamic Studies curriculum, and Rites of Passage programs for youth and adults. The majority of her life has been spent as an educator and activist. She is most passionate about combining Islamic studies, cultural art, activism, and service to training leaders to rise above whatever challenges stand in their way and that of the community they serve. In addition to her full-time work, she is the co-founder and Executive Director of Barakah INC, an organization committed to training Muslim women in traditional Islamic sciences with a focus on modern application. Sister Ieasha is recently known for participating in the National Women’s March and the courses she teaches on traditional knowledge, the challenges of race and gender in the Muslim community, and Spirituality. Ieasha Prime is a proud wife and mother of three children.

Ustadha Rania Awaad

Dr. Rania Awaad, M.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She is the Director of the Muslim Mental Health Lab and Wellness Program and the Director of the Diversity Clinic. She pursued her psychiatric residency training at Stanford and completed a postdoctoral clinical research fellowship with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Her research and clinical work are focused on the mental health needs of Muslims. Her courses at Stanford range from teaching a pioneering study on Islamic Psychology, instructing medical students and residents on implicit bias, and integrating culture and religion into medical care to teaching undergraduate and graduate students the psychology of xenophobia. Her most recent academic publications include an edited volume on “Islamophobia and Psychiatry” (Springer, 2019), Islamic Psychology (Routledge, 2020) and an upcoming text on Muslim Mental Health. She has also produced a toolkit, fact sheet, CME course and is now editing a clinical textbook on Muslim mental health for the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Awaad is particularly passionate about uncovering the historical roots of mental health care in the Islamic intellectual heritage. Through her outreach work at Stanford, she is also the Clinical Director of the San Francisco Bay Area branches of the Khalil Center, a spiritual wellness center pioneering the application of traditional Islamic spiritual healing methods to modern clinical psychology. She has been the recipient of several awards and grants for her work. Before studying medicine, she pursued classical Islamic studies in Damascus, Syria and held certifications (ijaza) in Qur’an, Islamic Law, and other Islamic sciences branches. Dr. Awaad has also served as the first female Professor of Islamic Law at Zaytuna College, a Muslim Liberal Arts College in Berkeley, CA, where she taught courses on Shafi’i Fiqh and Women’s Fiqh and Qur’anic sciences for nearly a decade. In addition, she serves as the Director of The Rahmah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Muslim women and girls. At Rahmah, she oversees the Murbiyyah spiritual mentoring program for girls. Dr. Awaad is a nationally recognized speaker, award-winning teacher, researcher and author in the Islamic and medical sciences. Follow her on I/T: Dr.RaniaAwaad

– More from Dr. Rania: https://mcceastbay.org/rania

Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi

Ustadha Hosai is the co-founder of MH4M (http://mentalhealth4muslims.com), established in 2010. For nearly 20 years, she has been actively involved in the Muslim community in the Bay Area and southern California working and volunteering for many notable organizations. Learn more about her at http://hosaimojaddidi.com – More Ustadha Hosai: https://mcceastbay.org/hosai Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi was born in Afghanistan and moved to the United States with her family at age two. She credits her Islamic journey to 1996, when she attended Islamic classes in Hayward, California. These classes were taught by her teacher and mentor since then, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf. One of her main focus areas is to help create a strong sisterhood for the women in the community by leading halaqas (spiritual study circles) and support groups whilst offering individual spiritual counseling and mentoring. She noted that many of the spiritual problems encountered were actually reflective of the community’s deep and complicated mental health issues and would be better served by focusing on mental health. Thus, along with her cousin Dr. Nafisa Sekandari, they co-founded a website called Mental Health 4 Muslims (www.mentalhealth4muslims.com). Ustadha Hosai is a freelance writer and editor who lectures on various Islamic/spiritual topics. – More Ustadha Hosai: https://mcceastbay.org/hosai Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi is an educator, public speaker, author/writer, spiritual counselor, and mental health advocate with over 25 years of experience serving the Muslim community. She co-founded MH4M (www.mentalhealth4muslims.com), a site dedicated to providing clinically supported & Islamically sound information on common mental health issues. She began her Islamic studies at the renowned Zaytuna Institute (now Zaytuna College) in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was blessed to study a variety of topics, including Qur’anic memorization and recitation, fiqh, seerah, aqeeda, tazkiyyah an-nafs, and other sacred sciences directly with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi, Imam Zaid Shakir, Qari Amar Bellaha, and other visiting scholars. She currently offers year-round classes on spiritual development and self-development for adults and youth through different local and national organizations on topics such as parenting, marriage/family, women’s issues, youth issues, spirituality, Seerah, tazkiyyah an nafs, social-emotional learning, social media literacy, mental health advocacy, etc. She is also a published author, writer, and active content creator on social media. She is a wife and mother of two and resides in California, USA.

– More from Ustadha Hosai: https://mcceastbay.org/hosai

Ustadha Shamira Chothia Ahmed

Born and raised in California’s Central Valley, Shamira is passionate about educating and empowering Muslim women to reach their highest spiritual potential through acquiring sacred knowledge.

After graduating as a Valedictorian from her large public high school, Shamira’s studies led her — following a brief soul-searching stint at Georgetown University — to seek sacred knowledge from scholars on three continents — Africa, Europe, and Asia.

After completing her intensive Alimah studies in South Africa and England and further studies in Damascus, Syria, Shamira received various licenses (ijazas) to teach the sacred sciences.

In 2005, Ustadha Shamira taught Hanafi fiqh to women at the Zaytuna Institute in California and, since then, has led various Islamic sciences in venues across North America. In 2008, she earned a Master’s Degree in Demographics and Social Analysis from the University of California at Irvine, focusing on the identity formation of the Muslim-American population.

In 2013, Ustadha Shamira specialized in the detailed rulings of menstruation, lochia, and abnormal discharge under Dr. Mufti Abdur Rahman Ibn Yusuf Mangera’s direction and assisted in compiling Imam Abu Hanifa’s Al-Fiqh al-Akbar Explained.

In 2008, she earned a Master’s Degree in Demographics and Social Analysis from the University of California at Irvine

Ustadha Shamira is a co-founder of The Rahmah Foundation and is currently a teacher for Nur Al-Iman, a full-time online shariah program teaching the fardh Al ayn and more to young women.

She has passionately advocated for a natural birth, infusing her natural birth classes with Islamic spirituality since 2009. She is also a certified lactation counselor, a virtual birth doula, and a birth consultant.

You can find Ustadha Shamira hiking, playing, or exploring with her husband and five children in sunny California.

Hafiza Suzane Derani

Hafitha Suzane Derani received her Ijaza in Tajwid at age 15, and she completed the memorization of the Qur’an shortly after. She subsequently received her Ijaza in the ten canonical readings (qira’at) of the Qur’an in 2023. She graduated with a B.A. in European and Middle Eastern history, focusing on secondary education. She is an educator with extensive experience teaching the Qur’an to students of all ages and backgrounds for over twenty years. She also taught history and Islamic studies to middle and high school students. With her traditional training and classical teaching experience, Hafitha Suzane has taught multi-level individualized and group classes for children, teens, and adults. She has also held motivational workshops for teens and women on how to excel in their Qur’an studies. Hafitha Suzane released her first Islamic children’s book, “The Quran My Best Friend, in Ramadan 202. She lives in Michigan with her family, where she continues to reach Qur’an. She serves as a board member for The Rahmah Foundation. Hafitha Suzane continues to further her studies in the different sciences of the Qur’an with scholars worldwide and write books for children and mentor youth.
