MCC East Bay

Eid Toy Drive
2021-04-10 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Please help us spread cheer to families in need during this blessed time by donating new unwrapped gifts (in person or online) to the MCC Girl Scouts’ 4th Annual Toy Drive.
Prior to Eid ul-Fitr ’21, our wonderful MCC Girl Scout troops will wrap and deliver the presents to 340 children of Muslim families in the East Bay who have recently received Zakat/Sadaqa and if possible, an additional 360 children of families who receive regular food rations from the MCC Pantry.
There are four ways to bring a smile to a child’s face this Eid:

Drop off toys/gift cards to MCC every Saturday (through May 1st) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ship to MCC via our Amazon wish list at https://mcceastbay.org/wishlist
Ship toys/gift cards from any online retailer to: MCC Girl Scouts, 5724 W. Las Positas Blvd., #300, Pleasanton, CA 94588
Donate using at https://mcceastbay.org/drive-donations (secure link) or drop off cash/checks (made out to “Girl Scouts”) marked “Toy Drive” to the MCC office or during Saturday hours listed above.*

For children 1 – 16 years of age, please consider donating new unwrapped toys and for children 16 – 18 years old please consider a gift card (which can be marked Toy Drive and left with the MCC office) or other options suitable for teens.
Please avoid:

Clothing
Dollar store or similar quality toys
Electronics or electronic accessories requiring children to have access to a particular device
Toys of violent nature (guns, swords etc.)
Toys that may be construed as having an inappropriate nature

Keep in mind we are hoping to share gifts that these children may not typically have access to.
If you donate a toy that needs batteries, please attach a set to the toy.
*MCC Girl Scouts will use funds collected to purchase toys or wrapping supplies for the drive. Any extra funds received will be used for school supplies for the same group of children for the next school year.
Questions for Girl Scouts Troops 30875 and 32705? girl-scouts@mcceastbay.org

Ramadan Recipe Demo
2021-04-10 13:00 - 13:15
This Ramadan, let’s resolve to spend less time in the kitchen and more time in worship.
Learn how to prepare and freeze these simple recipes for use in the holy month.

March 20: Beef patties (Galawati Kebab)
March 27: Beef samosa
April 3: Chicken spring rolls
April 10: Meat balls (koftay)

1 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Saturdays leading into Ramadan ’21
Watch live as part of ‘Ramadan at Home’ series at mceastbay.org/live

Full recipes will be posted at https://mcceastbay.org/recipes
More Sr. Aalia: https://mcceastbay.org/aalia

Sr. Aalia Muzaffar is on a lifelong journey to cook wholesome and tasty food for her loved ones. She shares her passion virtually leading into this holy month by demonstrating Iftar meals that are nutritious and delicious, but also quick and freezable so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time on your spiritual development this Ramadan.
Sr. Aalia video blogs about her favorite recipes on her YouTube channel Aalia’s Kitchen at https://mcceastbay.org/aalia-kitchen She loves to teach simple recipes and techniques to community members who are reticent about trying their hand in the kitchen.

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Ramadan Ready For Women: Fiqh of Fasting and Nutrition
2021-04-11 10:00 - 13:00
Sisters: Join our esteemed panel of speakers for a three-hour session to prepare for Ramadan.
Dr. Rania Awaad opens the session followed by three simultaneous sessions: Maliki Fiqh with Ustadha Mona Elzankaly, Hanafi Fiqh with Ustadha Shaista Maqbool, and Shafi Fiqh with Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad.
After a short break, the program resume with a special session on nutrition and exercise in Ramadan with Holistic Health Coach and Prophetic Tibb Student Iman Salam, of Afiya Live Well.
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Sunday, April 11 | Free for Women Only | Register at mcceastbay.org/ramadan-ready
Sponsored by The Rahmah Foundation & MCC East Bay
Ustadha Mona Elzankaly

Born in Cairo, Egypt and raised in Southern California, Ustadha Mona Elzankaly graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics in 1994.
In 1998 Ustadha Mona began seeking sacred knowledge at the Zaytuna Institute in Hayward CA. She later traveled internationally seeking sacred knowledge. She has studied under many eminent scholars such as Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Khatri, Shaykh Abd Allah b. Bayyah, Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi, Shaykh Salik b. Siddina, Imam Zaid Shakir, Habib Umar b. Hafiz, Habib Ali al-Jifri and other scholars from Syria, Yemen and Egypt.
Ustadha Mona obtained different Ijaazahs in Tajwid, different books of hadith, Aqidah, and Maliki Fiqh. In 2008 She completed the four-year Zaytuna Seminary pilot program and received a baccalaureate degree in Islamic Studies. In 2014 she completed a four-year Islamic Shari’a program at al-Azhar University in Cairo Egypt.
Ustadha Mona began teaching in 2002 both privately and publicly. She has taught for Zaytuna Institute, Sisters Deen Intensive, Dar al-Zahra, The Rahmah Foundation and Meadows of al-Mustafa. She currently teaches at The Rahmah Foundation FOH program, and Nur al-Iman an Islamic studies program for ladies.

Ustadha Shaista Maqbool

Ustadha Shaista was born and raised in New York, America. She started her studies as a teenager in Queens, New York. She then travelled to Damascus, Syria where she spent ten years studying Arabic along with a range of other religious sciences such as Fiqh, Seerah, Tafseer, Hadith and ‘Aqeedah. Ustadha Shaista was blessed with the opportunity to study with some of the most illustrious scholars of our time such as Shaykh Samir Al-Nass, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Muhammad al-Jum’uah, Shaykh Mazeen Bakeer and Shaykh Na’eem al-Arqsusi. She is licensed in tajweed from the late Shaykh Abul-Hassan al-Kurdi (may Allah have mercy on him).
She has studied the Shafi’i and Maliki schools, though her specialty is in the Hanafi school.
She is an expert in the Fiqh of menstruation in the Hanafi school (known to be one of the most difficult chapters in fiqh) which she would teach in Syria to other Arab students as well as the wives of her shuyukh.

Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad

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) and upcoming texts on Islamic Psychology (Routledge, 2020) and 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 Instagram at Dr.RaniaAwaad
More Dr. Rania: https://mcceastbay.org/rania

Iman Salam
Iman Salam is a practicing Nutrition Consultant, Holistic Health Coach, and a student in Eastern Medicine. She thrives on creating the ideal health plan to meet wellness goals. While living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, she received a Diploma in Preventative Health & Nutrition, Executive Master’s in Preventive Health and Nutrition, and became a certified Health Coach as well as a certified Personal Trainer. Living abroad helped give her a broad outlook on the role wellbeing has on our lives.
Her philosophy embraces the sacred traditions of wellness, revolving around living well, being well, and eating well. She truly believes the key to success is being mindful of one’s wellbeing. Her aim is to help folks navigate between foods that heal and foods that harm. She loves teaching others the fun and ease in being able to understand how each individual body works. She has developed a wellness program that promotes insightful health and sustainable actions to achieve the best self. Learn more about her https://www.afiyalivewell.com

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Thrive This Ramadan | Sidi Shahryar Abbasi
2021-04-11 18:00 - 19:30
Join us in a judgment free zone to help us all thrive this Ramadan no matter where we are at on our spiritual journey. This pre-Ramadan session is geared towards teens and young professionals.
Let’s face it: Ramadan can be tough. Many times it is hard to go from our regular lives full of school and work to days full of fasting and worship.
Whether it’s figuring out how to navigate long hours of studying or work, or how to resist gossiping with your friends at school, join Sidi Shahryar as we discuss practical ways to not just survive this Ramadan but to truly spiritually thrive. There will be time for Q&A inshAllah as well.
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, April 11 | Watch at https://mcceastbay.org/live
Join Sidi Shahryar Abbasi for an open conversation to help us navigate any challenge we are facing – whether we are struggling with smoking and drinking or with praying and reading the Qur’an. We will cover:

Having the right mindset: How we can get the most out of this Ramadan given the circumstances

Light fiqh review: How to ensure we are fasting in a way that’s pleasing to Allah

Getting on the path to repentance and change: Practical steps we can take to seek Allah’s forgiveness for our actions

Spiritually cleansing our hearts: How to cleanse our hearts from bad traits, and our mind from bad images and lustful desires

Getting rid of bad habits: How to wean ourselves from excessive use of NetFlix, Hulu, Tiktok. Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Whats App

Managing our time: How to have a good schedule while at home and juggling lots of responsibilities

This is a judgement free zone! Please join this virtual chat regardless of where you at on your spiritual journey, learn spiritual insights to overcome your challenges, and learn ways to have a great holy month.

– More Sidi Shahryar: https://mcceastbay.org/shahryar
– Sidi Shahryar’s “Real Talk Series”: https://mcceastbay.org/real-talk
– Sidi Shahryar’s “Traits of the Righteous” Series: https://mcceastbay.org/hallmark
– Sidi Shahryar’s “Controlling Your Desires” Series: https://mcceastbay.org/desires

Shahryar graduated from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and served as the External Affairs Vice President of UC Berkeley’s student government. He is an experienced speaker, mentor, and coach. Learn more about him at The Success Company: https://www.successcompany.co/about-us
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
2021-04-12 09:00 - 12:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
For ages 18+, MCC is hosting a mobile clinic right before Ramadan and we are distributing 300 Johnson & Johnson vaccines available. No walk-ins. Please schedule an appointment now at https://mcceastbay.org/vaccine
9 a.m. to noon | Monday, April 12 | https://mcceastbay.org/vaccine
This event is a free community program open to all.
Sponsored by Support Life Foundation and hosted at MCC East Bay.
Once registration is full, please email clinic@supportlives.org to be informed of future community vaccine drives near you. Include your telephone number in the email.
To volunteer at the clinic, please complete the form at https://mcceastbay.org/vaccine-volunteer
Please bring your ID. The administration of the vaccine takes 15 minutes, but please arrive 15 minutes early to check in.

Skygazing for Ramadan Moon
2021-04-12 19:30 - 20:00
MCC observes the beginning and ending of months following the sighting of the crescent moon.
Join us live online on Monday, April 12th at 7:30 p.m. for a special event as the young crescent moon is expected to be sighted and Qari Amar Bellaha reads a special dua from high atop the Hayward Hills as we welcome the month of Ramadan.
This is the moon-sighting signaling start of Ramadan in 2020: https://youtu.be/nBWPp2aOaqg
As soon as the new moon is sighted, we will send a community-wide message on all MCC channels with the current state of MCC and all Ramadan virtual programming!
Due to COVID-19, no community members may join Qari Amar in the private location on the Hayward Hills.
– More Ramadan lectures & sermons: https://mcceastbay.org/ramadan-reminders
– More Qari Amar: https://mcceastbay.org/amar

MCC adheres to the traditional principle that Islamic lunar months begin and end based on confirmed, verifiable naked-eye sighting of the new crescent moon globally. Sha’ban began on March 14 and MCC will confirm start of Ramadan on the evening Monday, April 12.

If the moon is sighted, the first night of Taraweeh will be after Isha at 9 p.m. on Monday, April 12 and the first day of fasting will be Tuesday, April 13.

Otherwise, the first day of fasting is Wednesday, April 14 and the first night of Taraweeh prayers is Tuesday, April 14.

We encourage all our community to follow the Sunnah and go out and look for the new crescent moon after Maghrib on Monday evening.
Both the MCC homepage (www.mcceastbay.org) and the MCC’s automated phone menu (925-485-1786) will announce the start of Ramadan by 9 p.m. on Monday, Apr. 12.
For Ramadan Moon Sighting Dua
اللَّهُمَّ أَهْلِلْهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْيُمْنِ وَالإِيمَانِ وَالسَّلاَمَةِ وَالإِسْلاَمِ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ
Allahumma ahlilhu `alainā bil-yumni wal-iman, was-salamati wal-Islam, rabbi wa rabbuk Allah
O Allah, bring it over us with blessing and faith, and security and Islam. My Lord and your Lord is Allah.
Tirmidhi: 3451
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Ramadan Reflections | Imam Tahir
2021-04-12 20:45 - 21:00, 2021-04-13 20:45 - 21:00, 2021-04-14 20:45 - 21:00, 2021-04-15 20:45 - 21:00, 2021-04-16 20:45 - 21:00
Join us nightly live at 8:45 p.m. for a brief virtual pre-Isha/Taraweeh Khatera (spiritual reminder) by a Bay Area teacher.

Week 1 (April 12-18): Imam Tahir Anwar
Week 2 (April 19-25): Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad
Week 3 (April 26-May 2): Ustadh Feraidoon Mojadedi
Week 4 (May 3-May 9): Ustadh Dr. Ali Ataie

Watch these reminders on YouTube at mcceastbay.org/live
Watch these reminders on Facebook at mcceastbay.org/facebook

– More Ramadan Reflections: https://mcceastbay.org/reflections
– More Ramadan lectures, sermons, programs & Tarawih reminders: https://mcceastbay.org/ramadan-reminders

– More Imam Tahir: https://mcceastbay.org/tahir
– More Ustadha Dr. Rania: https://mcceastbay.org/rania
– More Ustadh Feraidoon: https://mcceastbay.org/feraidoon
– More Ustadh Dr. Ali: https://mcceastbay.org/ali-ataie

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Outdoor Taraweeh Prayers
2021-04-12 21:15 - 22:15 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Pray Taraweeh under the stars in 20 shortened rakahs offered each night in the MCC parking lot.
Registration opens at 5 p.m. each Sunday for upcoming week’s nightly registration. RSVP at https://mcceastbay.org/taraweeh-1
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
In addition to daily prayers (no RSVP needed) and Jumu’ah outdoors (RSVP required), we will pray 20 rakat of shortened prayer in the parking lot each night. Bundle up and join us. Volunteers check each night’s registration nightly. Limited prayer spaces.
We livestream our outdoor Tarawih on YouTube & Facebook.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Daily Juz Recitation
2021-04-13 18:15 - 19:00, 2021-04-14 18:15 - 19:00, 2021-04-15 18:15 - 19:00, 2021-04-16 18:15 - 19:00
Due to the pandemic, Qari Amar will recite shortened rakats (cycles) in MCC’s nightly outdoor Taraweeh.
Qari Amar will help bridge our connection with the Qur’an by virtually reciting one chapter everyday in his sonorous voice.
The daily recitation (schedule) are broadcast after Asr prayer daily from 6:15 p.m. to about 7 p.m. on MCC’s Facebook and YouTube.

– Qur’anic Recitation playlist: https://mcceastbay.org/ramadan21
– Daily recitation schedule https://mcceastbay.org/recitation
– Watch Tarawih in Ramadan ’19: https://mcceastbay.org/taraweeh
– More Qari Amar: https://mcceastbay.org/amar
– Qari Amar reciting Juz’ Ama 30 (final chapter of Qur’an): https://mcceastbay.org/juz-ama

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Kids Ramadan Challenge
2021-04-15 17:00
In an effort to make Ramadan at home a special one for your child this year, MCC has prepared a good deeds chart for your child ages 5 to 12. MCC will award prizes at month’s end.
Here is what you need to do:

Print a chart every Friday and post it a noticeable place in your home, like on the refrigerator. Here is the chart for ages 5 to 7 and here is the chart for ages 8 to 12.
Write your name, your child’s name, your phone number, and date in the space provided.
Keep the chart in a visible place, like on the fridge.
Encourage your child to do as many of the good deeds as possible each day.
Keep track of your child’s work by checking the appropriate box.
Email a copy of the chart back every Friday or Saturday to Program Coordinator Sr. Abeer Alkhawaja at ramadan@mcceastbay.org
Every good deed is worth one point, except for reciting Qur’an; it is worth two points.
The maximum number of points you can earn is 70 per week.
MCC will keep track of the points for every participant.
MCC will keep track of the points for every participant. By the end of Ramadan the names of the top three winners will be announced along with grand prizes.

Here is the chart for ages 5 to 7: https://mcceastbay.org/ramadan5-7
Here is the chart for ages 8 to 12: https://mcceastbay.org/ramadan8-12

Questions? ramadan@mcceastbay.org

Kahf Recitation | Omar Ali
2021-04-16 12:00 - 12:30
Listen to a MCC Hifz students recite this important Surah with English subtitles at noon each Friday in Ramadan.

April 16: Omar Ali
April 23: Ahmed Saifullah
April 30: Yusra Constantino
May 7: Taha Abdullah

These recitations are part of the MCC Mic Check series, which is a teen-initiated effort when a youth in the East Bay expresses their love for the Qur’an by reciting his or her favorite verses with melody and beauty. The series is curated by Muslim Student Association (MSA) at California High School in San Ramon.

– Watch the recitation on YouTube at mcceastbay.org/live
– Watch the recitation on Facebook at mcceastbay.org/facebook
– Mic Check Youth Qur’anic recitations at https://mcceastbay.org/mic-check

About the Reciter:
Omar Ali is a San Ramon native who is a Hifz student studying with Qari Amar Bellaha. He is 17 years old and he is a junior in high school. Omar is homeschooled.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
Surah al-Kahf (Arabic: الكهف, meaning: The Cave) is the 18th chapter (sūrah) of the Quran with 110 verses (āyāt). It is considered by many to be among the most important Qur’anic Surahs due to its doctrine, spirituality, guidance, and storytelling.
Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said “Whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Friday will have a light between this Friday and the next.” -As-Sunan al-Kubra

RSVP for an MCC Outdoor Jumu'ah
2021-04-16 13:30 - 13:50 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
RSVP for a prayer spot at the outdoor MCC Jumu’ah on Friday, April 16:

First service: 1:30 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.
Second service: 2:30 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.
Third service: 3:40 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Ustadh Feraidoon Mojadedi leads the first and second Friday prayer services and Hafiz Zaid Khanani leads the third service.
Registration is limited to 100 outdoor Jumu’ah spots. Registration opens to all promptly at 5 p.m. each Thursday.

RSVP for the outdoor prayer services:

1:30 p.m. Jumu’ah: https://mcceastbay.org/jumuah-1
2:30 p.m. Jumu’ah: https://mcceastbay.org/jumuah-2
3:40 p.m. Jumu’ah: https://mcceastbay.org/jumuah-3

Watch these three sermons live from home: https://mcceastbay.org/live
More Sidi Feraidoon: https://mcceastbay.org/feraidoon
More Hafiz Zaid: https://mcceastbay.org/zaid-khanani

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
Alameda County is in the red tier, which means widespread and rapid COVID-19 cases are still happening.
We remain cautiously outdoors for the five daily prayers and three outdoor Jumu’ah services (weather permitting). Learn more at https://mcceastbay.org/reopening
We limit the number of worshipers at each service. Please give a chance to another brother & sister to attend if you’ve been fortunate to attend these popular outdoor Friday prayers in recent weeks.
You may forfeit your prayer spot if you do not arrive in the MCC parking lot when the sermon begins promptly at 1:30 p.m./2:30 p.m./3:40 p.m. each Friday.

Pantry Food Drive
2021-04-17 09:00 - 12:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic together, the MCC Pantry hosts three weekly food distributions. We’ll be here for you as long as we’re needed. We serve you three times weekly:

MCC Pantry: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, MCC Pantry volunteers deliver food care packages to the doorsteps of families across 13 cities in the East Bay. You may also pick up food from MCC. To request a food care package for your family, please call our helpline at (925) 272-8325 or submit a online request at https://mcceastbay.org/care
Alameda County Food Bank: From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday or Thursday, MCC hosts drive-through fresh food distribution with our county food partner. Just come to the MCC parking lot. You can also call the Food Bank’s helpline at (510) 635-3663 or visit https://foodnow.net

Here are the items most needed in the MCC pantry that you can drop off every Saturday morning to MCC.
The MCC Pantry currently serves more than 200 households, 80% of which have children. Most families have seen a significant loss of income due to the pandemic. The Pantry serves families living in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Article: Muslim Community Center Steps Up its Food Distribution Aid
Questions? pantry@mcceastbay.org
