Weekly Women’s Seerah Bookclub
2022-10-25 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
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 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. and in Fall ’22 runs from Tuesday, August 23 to December 20, 2022. The sessions are now only virtual sessions.
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-Zayid
Translators: Susan Imady, Tamara Gray, & Randa Mardini
Binding: Softcover
Pages: Vol 1, 570; Vol 2, 558
Publisher: Daybreak Press

Questions? bookclub@mcceastbay.org

Monthly Sisterhood Halaqa
2022-10-27 19:00 - 21:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Join Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi for our monthly in-person and online gathering for women (ages 18+) to commune, reflect, discuss, and gain strength and support from each other.
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Last Thursday each month | Free; no registration required | Conference Room or watch live online at https://mcceastbay.org/live

– Watch past session recordings at: https://mcceastbay.org/muslimah-purification

We talk about spirituality, self-development, relevant and contemporary topics, as well as issues related to the various roles and responsibilities of Muslim women in today’s knotted-up world. We also examine “Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms, and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart” by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.

– 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

This is a discussion-based group and participation is not only encouraged but it is required. These sessions are held on the last Thursday each month on:

– Thu, May 26, 2022 (Cancelled)
– Thu, June 30, 2022
– Thu, July 28, 2022
– Thu, Aug 25, 2022
– Thu, Sep 29, 2022
– Thu, Oct 27, 2022

Sorry, no babysitting is provided. In-person option is for women only and the virtual option so anyone can watch live on:

– YouTube: https://mcceastbay.org/live
– Facebook: https://mcceastbay.org/facebook
– Instagram: https://mcceastbay.org/instagram

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.
These monthly sessions are live-streamed and recorded. Watch past Ustadha Hosai recordings at https://mcceastbay.org/hosai
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Monthly Sisterhood Halaqa
2022-10-27 19:00 - 21:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Join Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi for our monthly in-person and online gathering for women (ages 18+) to commune, reflect, discuss, and gain strength and support from each other.
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Last Thursday each month | Free; no registration required | Conference Room or watch live online at https://mcceastbay.org/live

– Watch past session recordings at: https://mcceastbay.org/muslimah-purification

We talk about spirituality, self-development, relevant and contemporary topics, and issues related to the various roles and responsibilities of Muslim women in today’s knotted-up world. We also examine “Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms, and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart” by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.

– 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

This is a discussion-based group, and participation is not only encouraged, but it is required. These sessions are held on the last Thursday of each month on:

– Thu, May 26, 2022 (Cancelled)
– Thu, June 30, 2022
– Thu, July 28, 2022
– Thu, Aug 25, 2022
– Thu, Sep 29, 2022
– Thu, Oct 27, 2022

Sorry, no babysitting is provided. In-person option is for women only and the virtual option so anyone can watch live on:

– YouTube: https://mcceastbay.org/live
– Facebook: https://mcceastbay.org/facebook
– Instagram: https://mcceastbay.org/instagram

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.
These monthly sessions are live-streamed and recorded. Watch past Ustadha Hosai recordings at https://mcceastbay.org/hosai
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Compassion Drawing Honoring Victims of Covid @ Three Jumu'ahs
2022-10-28 13:30 - 16:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Together we draw, mark, memorialize and honor those that died from COVID-19, please stop by after any of the Jumu’ah prayer services to draw golden circles marking each person who has died with calligraphy brushes and gold watercolor. One circle = one person.
1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Friday, October 28 | MCC Banquet Hall & Conference Room | No RSVP; just come!
THE REQUIEM MEMORIAL PROJECT
Compassion Drawing Event
REQUIEM is a community-driven memorial to honor those that have died from the COVID-19 pandemic. This project, with a worldwide scope, provides a necessary opportunity to grieve together and remember those that died. This memorial offers collective support to the families, friends, and loved ones so dramatically altered due to the pandemic.
The memorial consists of large-scale drawings of circles in golden ink. One circle = one person who died due to COVID-19. Gold is chosen as all people illuminate long after their physical death. The drawings are made during Compassion Drawing events that act as a nexus for the project. These highly moving events bring people together in the community and offer an opportunity to process the incredible losses and challenges of the pandemic. Drawing golden circles is quiet, meditative, and soothing through repetitive mark-making.
Multiple people work on the 50 x 72″ drawings. Each person’s circles are like a fingerprint, creating a rich golden tapestry expressing the collective, diverse and inclusive nature of REQUIEM. One does not need to know someone personally who died to draw circles. We have all been affected by the pandemic. The names of the dead are then written on the circles. An extensive database accompanies the numbered drawings. When REQUIEM is exhibited, visitors can see their loved one memorialized. If visitors want to add names to the drawings, they may do so. These names are then added to the database.
After a couple of years of feeling separate and often lonely, the REQUIEM memorial project offers a beacon of hope and reminds us that our very nature is to love and support each other. During a Compassion Drawing event, we talk with people we’ve never met, share our stories, and see ourselves in one another. Together we draw, mark, remember, memorialize and honor those that died from COVID-19.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
You are cordially invited to host a Compassion Drawing event at MCC East Bay. The drawings from this event and any names collected will be rolled into REQUIEM.
REQUIEM is an ongoing memorial project developed by California artist Tina Rath. The memorial honors all those that have died from COVID-19. REQUIEM is partnered with the larger non-profit group, Marked By COVID. With a worldwide scope, the REQUIEM project gives us the necessary opportunity to grieve together while remembering each person who has died and giving loving support to their family and friends. The memorial is built by people coming together at Compassion Drawing events. Together, we draw the golden circles marking each person who has died with calligraphy brushes and gold watercolor. One circle = one person.
Compassion Drawing events are highly moving and invite everyone to participate in the communal aspect of the project by drawing golden circles. Gold was chosen as Rath believes all beings shine brightly and offer illumination long after they die. Coming together in the community offers the opportunity to process the incredible losses and challenges of the pandemic. Drawing golden circles is quiet and meditative; each person’s circles are highly individual, like a fingerprint. Multiple people work on the 50 x 72″ drawings creating a rich tapestry of circles expressing the diverse and collective nature of REQUIEM. Together we draw, mark, memorialize and honor those that died from COVID-19. One does not need to know someone personally who died to participate. We have all been affected by the pandemic.
Ms. Roth will bring the prepared paper, the water-based ink that will easily wash out of clothing and any surface. She will also bring the brushes, distilled water, and tiny cups to hold the water. Some people will draw just a few circles, some people will draw for long periods. No previous art experience is needed. Everyone can draw a circle. Children are invited to participate, but the event is inappropriate for children under 8.
Those that do know someone who died due to COVID are invited to write the names of their loved ones on a circle they drew or chose. Learn more at: https://tinarath.com/requiem

MCC Jumu’ah Services
2022-10-28 13:30 - 16:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
For our Jumu’ah services on Friday, October 28, masks are recommended to attend any MCC service, and no RSVP is necessary:

1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. – INDOOR ONLY

– Dr. Hatem Bazian delivers this sermon.

– No social distancing option in Prayer Hall (shoulder-to-shoulder). Social distance worship is available for women in Banquet Hall & men in Conference Room.

2:30 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. – INDOOR ONLY

– Sidi Mahdy Amine delivers this sermon.

– No social distancing option in Prayer Hall (shoulder-to-shoulder). Social distance worship is available for women in Banquet Hall & men in Conference Room.

3:40 p.m. – 4 p.m. – INDOOR ONLY

– Sidi Zaid Khanani delivers this sermon.

– No social distancing option in Prayer Hall (shoulder-to-shoulder). Social distance worship is available for women in Banquet Hall and men in Conference Room.

Please attend at 2:30 or 3:40 p.m. to avoid heavier first-service congestion whenever possible. Masks are optional.

Jumu’ah parking for three services is in the MCC and the neighboring HP lot. The aerial map at https://mcceastbay.org/hp

– Virtually watch these three sermons from home: https://mcceastbay.org/live

– More Sidi Hatem: https://mcceastbay.org/hatem

– More Sidi Mahdy: HTTP://mcceastbay.org/mahdy

– More Sidi Zaid: HTTP://mcceastbay.org/zaid

For parents attending with young children indoors, MCC offers private mothers’ and fathers’ rooms with an audio and visual connection to Prayer Hall. Parents can watch the sermon and pray while in the company of other parents with young children. The mothers/fathers prayer room is just past the Banquet Hall doors into the school area.

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

The Alameda County Health Department reports COVID-19 cases are still happening. We remain indoors for the five daily prayers and three Jumu’ah services as long as health officials deem it safe. All the Jumu’ah prayers are indoors in the MCC Prayer Hall. Learn more at https://mcceastbay.org/prayer

Youth Listening Session & Meet & Greet with New MCC Youth Leaders
2022-10-28 16:30 - 18:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Welcome our two new youth leaders: Maryam Awwal & Hafiz Zaid Khanani.
MCC holds our precious future in its walls.
These two dynamic leaders will curate practical and meaningful programming for our teens and families in the coming weeks.
We begin with two meet-and-greet sessions in which these youth leaders listen to what youth and parents of children want so that they can hit the ground running.
Please join us in person, online, or submit your comment/suggestion here at mcceastbay.org/questions:

Teen Only Town Hall: 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, October 28 (high schoolers only; pizza provided)
Community Town Hall: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 5 (high schoolers only; pizza provided)

These community servants are here to serve you. You can also directly reach Maryam Awwal at maryam@mcceastbay.org and Sidi Zaid at zaid@mcceastbay.org.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
Maryam Awwal is a second-year Master of Arts student at Zaytuna College studying Islamic law and legal theory. She has a master’s in Counseling Psychology from the Wright Institute and is currently pursuing associateships in Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counseling. She also has a BA in Liberal Arts & Islamic Studies from Zaytuna College and a BA in Economics from UC Davis.
Her hopes after graduating are to further her education in various sacred Islamic sciences and to support the development of sound Muslim communities in the West.
Zaid Khanani is a Marriage and Family Therapy trainee with the City of Fremont, Youth and Family Services. He graduated from Zaytuna College and completed his Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at the Wright Institute. Hafiz Zaid continues his formal Islamic Studies with local teachers and scholars overseas. He is a former Islamic Studies teacher at Northstar Islamic School and teaches numerous online classes.
To make an appointment for parents or youth to meet with MCC’s Youth leaders:
– Maryam Awwal: http://calendly.com/mcc-maryam– Hafiz Zaid Khanani: http://calendly.com/mcc-zaid

Weekly Afternoon Flag Football Camp
2022-10-28 16:30 - 18:30 | Hart Middle School, Willow Road, Pleasanton, CA, 4433 Willow Rd, Pleasanton, CA 94588, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Join Sidi Zeeshan Mukhtar for a seven-week flag football camp for boys ages 8 to 13.
4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. | Weekly on Fridays after the third youth Jumu’ah | Friday, September 16, 2022 to Friday, November 4, 2022,| Track & Field @ Hart Middle School | Admissions $40/child and $35/ additional child | Register at mcceastbay.org/football
The camp and halaqa is broken up into two age groups: ages 8 to 10 and ages 11 to 13.
About the Facilitator
Sidi Zeeshan Mukhtar is a Bay Area economist and a volunteer financial counselor at MCC for our Zakat applicants. He has raised three boys with his wife, Hina Khan-Mukhtar.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Dr. Rania Awaad's Weekly Friday Evening Halaqa
2022-10-28 19:00 - 21:00 | 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)

Monthly Saturday Dhikr/Support Circle | Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi
2022-10-29 09:00 - 11:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
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)

Fall ’22 Saturday Event Dates

– Saturday, August 27
– Saturday, September 24
– Saturday, October 29
– Saturday, November 19
– Saturday, December 17

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

Monthly Saturday Dhikr/Support Circle | Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi
2022-10-29 09:00 - 11:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
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

Monthly Islamic Storytime with Khala Sahar
2022-10-29 11:00 - 12:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Each month, Khala Sahar reads and entertains our young children in an engaging hour for ages 2 to 14 with a fun theme.

11 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Last Saturday of each month | Join in-person in the Prayer Hall or watch online at https://mcceastbay.org/live | Free; no registration needed

– More Sister Sahar: https://mcceastbay.org/sahar
– More sessions for young Muslim children: https://mcceastbay.org/children

Fall ’22 Saturday Event Dates:

– Saturday, August 27
– Saturday, September 24
– Saturday, October 29
– Saturday, November 19
– Saturday, December 17

Prior this kid’s monthly gathering, MCC hosts a sister’s gathering: https://mcceastbay.org/dhikr

About the Facilitator
Sister Sahar grew up in Southern California and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California – Irvine (UCI). She went on to work as a behavioral therapist for autistic children for many years. After having her own two boys, she dedicated her time to raising and homeschooling them. Sahar enjoys working with children. She is inspired by their love and curiosity for life and Allah’s creation.

Khala Sahar’s Book Raffle: Enter the book raffle to win a free book! On a blank piece of paper write your first and last name, your age, and the titles of 10 books you’ve read between August 1-August 27, 2022. Or print out the book log and fill it out. For every 10 books read, you may enter your name in the raffle an additional time! (Note: books can be read independently or read aloud by someone to the child. Audiobooks are also acceptable). Bring your book log to the story time and enter it into the raffle for a chance to win. The more you read the more chances you have to win! Print the log: https://mcceastbay.org/log

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Addiction Family Support Group
2022-10-29 11:00 - 12:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Nearly 37 percent of Muslims report personally knowing a person who has or is struggling with addiction. Yet Most Muslims with addiction and their families find little support in their communities.
Are you looking for resources to help you support someone struggling with addiction? Is someone else’s addiction negatively affecting you?
Help is on the way for you and your loved ones struggling with an addiction. MCC is now hosting Al-Anon Family Group meetings.
Join our weekly anonymous meetings from 11 a.m. to noon starting on Saturday, July 30, 2022, at MCC in Room 16. Enter MCC from Suite 150. In this open and confidential setting, you will learn how to apply basic recovery principles to your personal or loved one’s situation.
There is no fee to participate and pre-registration is not required.
This is an open meeting, so families, friends, and observers are welcome. Recovery is for everyone!
For those who cannot attend this in-person weekly support, the Madina House offers a regular virtual family support group: https://www.madinahouse.org/family-group
Regardless of the issue, you are dealing with, we know that hosting space in your spiritual community center is part of the lasting change from the inside out.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

What is Al-Anon?
The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of those affected by another person’s alcoholism and substance use who share their experiences, strength, and hope, in order to solve their common problems. Addiction is regarded as a family illness, and the philosophy focuses on the principle that changed attitudes can aid recovery.
Al-Anon is not allied with any sect, denomination, political entity, organization, or institution; does not engage in any controversy, and neither endorses nor opposes any cause. There are no dues for membership. Al-Anon is self-supporting through its own voluntary contributions. This Al-Anon Family Group session is called Celebrating Surrender AFG WSO ID 30787606.

– MCC’s Substance Use Family Support Group: https://mcceastbay.org/support-group
– More talks about various forms of use in Muslim Community: https://mcceastbay.org/abuse

Resources

Muslims find a safe place to recover from alcohol addiction: the mosque
For Muslims wrestling with substance abuse, it’s often a silent struggle
Substance Abuse and Addiction in the Muslim Community: Facing Stigma and Seeking Support
The Imam and the Drug Addict, IlmFeed
Overcoming Addiction: An Islamic Approach to Recovery (OAIAR)

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
FAQs ABOUT AL-ANON
Is this a religious fellowship?
The Al-Anon Family Group is a spiritual fellowship, not a religious one. We avoid discussion of specific religious doctrine, and members of all faiths (or of none) are welcome. Our Twelve Steps ask us to find a “Power greater than ourselves” who can help us solve our problems and find serenity. Each member is free to define that power in his or her own way.
Is an appointment needed?
No advance notification or formal written referral is necessary to attend an Al-Anon or Alateen meeting. Most Al-Anon groups have a contact who can be called for information about the group, our program in general, or for directions to a meeting. For this meeting, it is munir@mcceastbay.org.
How much is this going to cost?
There are no dues or fees in Al-Anon and Alateen meetings. MCC does not charge a fee to provide the space. Some other groups pass a basket for voluntary contributions to support paying rent (if applicable), provide literature, and offer support to local and worldwide service centers.
Is there a registration process to attend Al-Anon meetings?
The meetings are on a walk-in basis. Al-Anon has no membership list and does not take attendance. You’re welcome to attend as frequently or infrequently as you choose. There is never any obligation.
How will Al-Anon help me?
Many who come to Al-Anon/Alateen are in despair, feeling hopeless, unable to believe that things can ever change. We want our lives to be different, but nothing we have done has brought about change. We all come to Al-Anon because we want and need help.
In Al-Anon and Alateen, members share their own experience, strength, and hope with each other. You will meet others who share your feelings and frustrations, if not your exact situation. We come together to learn a better way of life, to find happiness whether our loved one is still addicted or not. It is recommended to try 6 different meetings to determine if Al-anon is right for you.
My friend/loved one is a drug addict. Can I go to an Al-Anon meeting?
You are also welcome to try Al-Anon meetings, then decide if the Al–Anon program might be helpful to you. The primary purpose of Al-Anon is to provide support to those affected by another person’s drinking. In a membership survey 35% of our members said they joined our program because of a loved one’s drug addiction and that their lives had improved since attending meetings. The survey also showed that 78% of these members eventually realized that someone’s drinking also negatively affected their lives.
There is another program, Nar-Anon, which is for people affected by a loved one’s drug addiction. You can visit their web site here: Nar–Anon.org. You are also welcome to try Al–Anon meetings, then decide if the Al-Anon program might be helpful to you.
Will anyone say I’ve been there?
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of Al-anon, ever a reminder to place principles above personalities. One of the ways this is carried out is by group members introducing themselves by first name only. Meetings are confidential, and we do not disclose whom we see or what we hear at meetings to anyone.
Do I have to say anything at a meeting?
It is your choice to speak or not during the meetings. Newcomers are welcomed to meetings, usually provided with literature and a local meeting list, and invited to listen and learn. Some meetings offer beginners’ meetings, specifically for newcomers. Long-time members are available to answer questions before or after the meetings.
Resources

Al-Anon Family Group (for families with a loved one suffering through an addiction)
East Bay Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous (for those suffering through an addiction)
Alameda County Department of Public Health – Substance Abuse Resource List
Alameda County Behavioral Health – Resource List and Helpline (1-844-682-7215)
