MCC East Bay

#TeamFajr Monthly Sunday Breakfast
2023-02-05 06:15 - 07:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
“If people knew the reward in praying Fajr & Isha in a congregation, they would go to the Masjid even if they had to crawl” [Bukhari & Muslim]
Join Qari Amar Bellaha on the first Sunday of each month. Pray the pre-dawn prayer in congregation followed by recitations of Surah Yaseen and Al-Wird Al-Latif (booklets provided) in unison and following sunup, Salat al-Ishraq prayer in congregation. Our monthly Fajr gathering is also live streamed at mcceastbay.org/live
Following the post-sunrise prayer, Qari Amar and anyone else who wishes to accompany him will visit Five Pillars Islamic Cemetery in Livermore (weather permitting).
MCC provides tea, coffee, orange juice & muffins.
Fall & Winter 2022 dates and Fajr times:

Sunday, October 2 | Fajr Iqamah at 6:30 a.m.
Sunday, November 6 | Fajr Iqamah at 6 a.m.
Sunday, December 4 | Fajr Iqamah at 6:30 a.m.
Sunday, January 1, 2023 | Fajr Iqamah at 6:30 a.m.
Sunday, February 5, 2023 | Fajr Iqamah at 6:15 a.m.
Sunday, March 5, 2023 (last Fajr gathering before Ramadan) | Fajr Iqamah at 5:45 a.m.

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

More Qari Amar: https://mcceastbay.org/amar
Imam al-Haddad’s litanies (al-Wird al-Latif): https://mcceastbay.org/wird
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “He who performs the Fajr will be under the protection of Allah.” [Muslim]
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The best prayer before Allah is Fajr prayer on Friday in congregation.”

#TeamFajr Bi-Weekly Sunday Breakfast
2023-02-05 06:15 - 07:15

The Forty Hadith Qudsi | Ustadha Nihad Hemmoudeh
2023-02-07 13:30 - 14:15, 2023-02-14 13:30 - 14:15
Ustadha Nihad Hemmoudeh facilitates a 45-minute live Zoom session for sisters (posted the following day publicly on MCC’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram) about the Forty Hadith Qudsi, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as revealed to him by the Almighty Allah. 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. PST | Tuesdays | 12 consecutive weeks from January 3 to March 21 | No pre-registration needed | Join live each week at 1:30 p.m. on Zoom at https://mcceastbay.org/hadith

Ustadha Nihad will be using the book “Forty Hadith Qudsi” by Shaykh Muhammad Mitwalli ash-Sha’rawi.

– Watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/qudsi

More Ustadha Nihad:

– Ustadha’s Nihad’s “Pearls of Islam: The Wives of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)” series: https://mcceastbay.org/pearls-series

– Ustadha Nihad’s Surah al-Kahf series: https://mcceastbay.org/kahf

– Ustadha Nihad’s Juz Amma series: https://mcceastbay.org/quran-tafseer

– Hafidha Nihad’s Sahaba (Companions) Series Sessions: https://mcceastbay.org/companions-series

– Ust. Nohad’s Al-Nawawi Hadith Series: https://mcceastbay.org/nawawi

– More Ustadha Nihad: https://mcceastbay.org/nihad

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Weekly Women’s Seerah Bookclub
2023-02-07 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-02-14 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

Dua & Art | Kids Program with Artist Tarannum Saeed
2023-02-08 17:00 - 19:00, 2023-02-15 17:00 - 19:00
For ages 6 to 11, join us for a six-week Wednesday evening session to provide children with a fun and relaxing environment where they can create art and learn while having a good time with their Muslim peers. These sessions will be a continuation from last year. All skill levels are welcome.
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (breaks for prayer) | Wednesdays | January 18 to February 22 | $145/child (all materials provided) | Register at https://mcceastbay.org/art
Learning objectives:

– Drawing basics, composition, sketching, and shading.
– Use of different mediums, watercolor, acrylics, and pastel colors.
– One point perspective
– Enhance creativity

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
MCC has a standing policy that financial need should never hold a person back from attaining knowledge offered within the four walls of MCC the facility. To request a financial waiver or discount, please complete: https://mcceastbay.org/scholarship
About the FacilitatorAs a lover of art for the sake of Allah (SWT), Tarannum Saeed wishes to imbue and foster love for art in the youth of the Muslim community. She has conducted art classes in painting, crafts, and other fine arts, both in person and on Zoom, and she has showcased her Islamic art and calligraphy at community art fairs. She has also served as a Kindergarten teacher at the MCC Sunday School and Ilm Academy in Fremont.

The Seven Obstacles on the Path to God Series | Sidi Shahyrar Abbasi
2023-02-08 19:15 - 20:15, 2023-02-15 19:15 - 20:15
Every Muslim is on a journey to Allah. As you travel to Allah, you will inadvertently face obstacles on your path and, many times, not know how to overcome them.

Join us for a new virtual weekly class with Sidi Shahryar Abbasi where we will discuss the 7 obstacles a believer faces on the Path to Allah, along with strategies for navigating these hurdles.

Imam Al Ghazali beautifully discusses these 7 Obstacles in his famous book, Minhaj Al Abideen, which is the core text for our class.

7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. | Wednesdays | Dec. 14 to Ramadan ’23 | Watch at https://mcceastbay.org/live

Hosted at Lighthouse Mosque. Streamed only on MCC media channels. Watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/obstacles

– More Sidi Shahryar: https://mcceastbay.org/shahryar

– Sidi Shahryar’s “Seven Obstacles on the Path to God” Series: https://mcceastbay.org/obstacles

– Sidi Shahryar’s “Practical Spirituality Series”: https://mcceastbay.org/practical

– 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 “Deceptive Desires” Series: https://mcceastbay.org/desires

About the SpeakerShahryar 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. Send him questions at: ask.abu.taha@gmail.com and learn more about him at https://www.tiktok.com/@islamic_spirituality

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Virtual Healing Circle for the Earthquake | Maristan
2023-02-09 18:00 - 19:00
In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon, MCC’s community mental health partner Maristan is having a virtual pop-up healing circle from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 9, 2023.

Join us as we address this tragic natural disaster, provide mental health tools and techniques to process these events, and provide a spiritual lens through which to view these difficulties in life.

To conclude our discussion, we will be making a Global Group Dua to pray for the families affected and the lives lost.

Register to watch this live: TinyURL.com/MaristanHealing6You can also watch live on MCC’s YouTube & Facebook pages.

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Two Jumu’ah Services at MCC
2023-02-10 12:30 - 14:00
For our Jumu’ah services on Friday, February 10, masks are optional to attend any MCC service, and no RSVP is necessary:

12:30 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.

– 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.

1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.

– Sidi Ibrahim Qureshi 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.

Please attend at 12:30 p.m. to avoid heavier second-service congestion whenever possible. Masks are optional.

The third Jumu’ah will resume in March ’23: https://mcceastbay.org/event/new-jumuah-times-winter-schedule/

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

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

More Sidi Mahdy: https://mcceastbay.org/mahdy

More Sidi Ibrahim: https://mcceastbay.org/ibrahim

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 two Jumu’ah services as long as health officials deem it safe. All the Jumu’ah prayers are indoors.

Turkey-Syria Earthquake Collection Drive
2023-02-10 12:30 - 14:30
Türkiye and Syria are enduring the horrors of one of the worst earthquakes to affect the region in more than 100 years. The devastation calls for immediate action.

Due to acute destruction, MCC is collecting these items that will be shipped on special cargo flights from SFO (space donated by Turkish Airlines):

-Winter jacket and clothing-Baby diapers-Baby formula-Winter jacket and clothing-Tent-Sleeping bag-Hygiene products-Thermos-Hand/pocket warmers

Our volunteers will not have time to sort used through used items. Please bring ONLY brand-new items.

Dr. Rania Awaad's Weekly Friday Evening Halaqa
2023-02-10 19:00 - 21:00
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)

Boys Friday Night Halaqa for High Schoolers (Ages 14-18) | Hafiz Zaid Khanani
2023-02-10 19:00 - 21:00
Join MCC Youth Leader Hafiz Zaid Khanani‘s 16-week Friday evening halaqa for teen high school boys from 9th through 12th grade.

These sessions aim to craft our next generation of confident and faithful Muslim men. This will be the only offered for boys on Friday nights in 2022. Younger-age boy’s halaqas planned for January 2023. These halaqas are for teens ages 14-18 only. No younger boys. Capped at 30 teens. Once full, please join the waitlist.

7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Fridays | November 11 to March 17 (Ramadan ’23) ($100 from January 11 to March 17) | Register at HTTP://mcceastbay.org/boys

The MCC has a standing policy that financial need should never hold a family in the East Bay from benefiting from any offering at the MCC facility. To request a financial waiver, please complete the application at mcceastbay.org/scholarship

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

Friday evening sessions in Fall 2022 and Winter 2023:

– November 11 (free preview session; no registration required)

– November 18 (registration required to join from this session onwards)

– November 25 (no session)

– December 2

– December 9

– December 16

– December 23 (no session)

– December 30 (no session)

– January 6, 2023 (no session)

– 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)

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.

Ilm Classes for Middle & High Schoolers (Boys & Girls) | Sr. Maryam Awwal & Hafiz Zaid Khanani
2023-02-11 10:00 - 11:15
Join MCC Youth Leaders, Sr. Maryam Awwal and Hafiz Zaid Khanani, for 9 weeks Saturday Ilm classes offered for both middle & high school girls and boys ( 6th through 12th grades). The classes will cover the Creed of Imam al-Tahawi.

These sessions aim to craft our next generation of confident and faithful Muslim women and men. These classes are for girls & boys ages 11-18 only. Capped at 30. Once full, please join the waitlist.

10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. | Saturdays | January 21 to March 18 (Ramadan ’23) | $120 per child | Register at HTTP://mcceastbay.org/ilm-classes

The MCC has a standing policy that financial need should never hold a family in the East Bay from benefiting from any offering at the MCC facility. To request a financial waiver, please complete the application at mcceastbay.org/scholarship

Saturday morning sessions in 2023:

– January 21, 2023

– January 28, 2023

– February 4, 2023

– February 11, 2023

– February 18, 2023

– February 25, 2023

– March 4, 2023

– March 11, 2023

– March 18, 2023 (last session before Ramadan 2023)

Saturday Morning Middle School Boys Halaqa | Hafiz Zaid Khanani
2023-02-11 11:30 - 12:45
Join MCC Youth Leader Hafiz Zaid Khanani‘s 9-week Saturday morning halaqa for middle school boys from 6th through 8th grade.

These sessions aim to craft our next generation of confident and faithful Muslim men. This will be the only offered for boys on Saturday mornings in 2023. These halaqas are for boys ages 11-13 only. Capped at 30 boys. Once full, please join the waitlist.

11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. | Saturdays | January 21 to March 18 (Ramadan ’23) | $120 per child | Register at HTTP://mcceastbay.org/middle-school-halaqa

The MCC has a standing policy that financial need should never hold a family in the East Bay from benefiting from any offering at the MCC facility. To request a financial waiver, please complete the application at mcceastbay.org/scholarship

Saturday morning sessions in 2023:

– January 21, 2023

– January 28, 2023

– February 4, 2023

– February 11, 2023

– February 18, 2023

– February 25, 2023

– March 4, 2023

– March 11, 2023

– March 18, 2023 (last session before Ramadan 2023)

LOCATION

MCC East Bay, 94588

Being Believers: Our Mind, Body & Soul | Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans
2023-02-12 14:00 - 15:00
Join Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans during February’s Black History Month as we explore how do we holistically care for ourselves and our community.

2 p.m. to 3 p.m. | Sunday, February 12 | MCC Prayer Hall (join in-person or watch from home at https://mcceastbay.org/live

– More Ustadh Evans: https://mcceastbay.org/ubaydullah

– More discussions of race: https://mcceastbay.org/race

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans is ALIM’s first Scholar-in-Residence. He converted to Islam while in high school. Upon conversion, Ustadh Ubaydullah began studying some of the foundational books of Islam under the private tutelage of local scholars while simultaneously pursuing a degree in journalism from Columbia.

Since then, he has studied at Chicagoland’s Institute of Islamic Education (IIE), in Tarim, Yemen, and Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, where he is the first African-American to graduate from its Shari’a program.

Ustadh Ubaydullah also instructs with the Ta’leef Collective and the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) at times. Follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/UbaydullahEvans

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WfCIPoVo_F0From ISPU:

For Black History Month, resources on Black Muslim experiences

Black Muslim history is defined by centuries of pioneering presence, resilience, and struggle for racial, religious, and social justice. Black Muslims represent one-third of the American Muslim community, lead in rooting and growing Islam in America, and have borne the brunt of racial injustice and racism throughout our country’s history.

Join us in our ongoing effort to highlight Black Muslim experiences through research and actionable resources, and share with your networks our Black Muslim Experiences toolkit, which includes:

Resources on Black Muslim youth

Research and resources on Muslim experiences of racism

Books on Black Muslims in the United States

Data on demographics, faith, social justice, and more

BLACK MUSLIM EXPERIENCES TOOLKIT

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hTwft2KX9xE

Private Event
2023-02-12 14:00 - 20:00
Conference Room & Banquet Hall

Arabic Calligraphy Class for Children | Zubair Simab
2023-02-14 17:45 - 18:45
Join a six-week calligraphy class with Br. Sayed Zubair Simab. The class is for beginner students and they will learn to write Arabic letters in Naskh style. The sessions will provide you with an understanding of:

– Pen, paper, and ink– Preparing the pen– Learning the Naskh style of writing and techniques.

No previous experience is necessary.

Tuesdays | 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. | Feb. 14 to March 21 | $90.00 (plus $35 calligraphy kit available for purchase during first class session) | For Ages 10-12 years | Capped at 40 attendees

Register at mcceastbay.org/calligraphy-class

Sessions are held in Banquet Hall. On Tuesdays: Feb 14th, 21st, 28th, March 7th, March 14th, & March 21st.

About the Instructor

Zubair Simab is a calligrapher and engineer living in Silicon Valley. He was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, where his initial passion for calligraphy was sparked as a young boy. Since 1997, Zubair has delightfully returned to the tradition of calligraphy. Through his work, the correlation between calligraphy and engineering is evident. With a background in engineering from the School of Engineering at San Jose State University, his calligraphy shows high attention to detail and technical mastery.

Zubair Simab fled Afghanistan at 17, eventually emigrating to the Bay Area. With his calligraphy, he seeks both to preserve the ancient art of beautifying Arabic texts and to build understanding among cultures. Learn more about Sidi Zubair at http://www.simabcalligraphy.com

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

An Evening of Remembrance | Sh. Abdullah Misra, Sidi Baraka Blue, & Sidi Uthman Ames
2023-02-16 18:00 - 20:00
Join Shaykh Abdullah Misra for a faith-affirming evening to learn lessons from the Prophet’s blessed heavenly ascension: Al-Isra wal-Mi’raj followed by recital of selections of the Seerah Song (Shaykh Abdullah Misra), Nasheed (Sidi Uthman Ames) and poetry readings from his book “Art of Remembrance” (Sidi Baraka Blue).

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Thursday, February 16 | MCC Conference Room | Join in-person or watch live at mcceastbay.org/live

Sidi Baraka will have his book “Art of Remembrance” for sale.

MCC annually commemorates a momentous occasion in the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ life: the miraculous Night Journey to Jerusalem and Ascension to Heaven (al-Isra wal-Mi’raj). This event starts at 6 p.m. and goes until the congregational Isha prayer at 8 p.m.

– More Sheikh Abdullah Misra: https://mcceastbay.org/misra

– Past talks commemorating Al Isra Wa Miraj: https://mcceastbay.org/isra

Muslims worldwide remember this event as one that changed the course of history. Allah bestowed the tremendous honor of this journey and the command of Prayer (salah) upon His Messenger – a perpetual gift and source of comfort for Muslims until eternity.

This webinar is also an excellent way to begin spiritually preparing ourselves for Ramadan and enlivens our spirit to get through the uncertainty we are challenged with now.

More about this particular night:

Isra Mi’raj is celebrated on the 27th of Rajab. This night happened in 621, which is the year of sadness (‘Aam ul Huzn) when Abu Talib & Khadijah (RA) died. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) rode Buraq (a white steed) during his journey, and Allah enjoined 50 prayers and reduced the prayers to five.

He met different Prophets on the journey:

– 7th Heaven met Ibrahim (AS)

– 6th Heaven met Musa (AS)

– 5th Heaven met Harun (AS)

– 4th Heaven met Idris (AS)

– 3rd Heaven met Yusuf (AS)

– 2nd Heaven met Isa (AS) & Yahya (AS)

– 1st Heaven met Adam (AS)

MI’RAJ – Ascend to heaven, where he speaks to GodISRA’ – Night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Sh. Abdullah Anik Misra

Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra was born in Toronto, Canada. Raised in the Hindu tradition, he embraced Islam in 2001 while studying at the University of Toronto, where he completed his Bachelor of Business Administration. He then traveled overseas in 2005 to study the Arabic language and Islamic sciences in Tarim, Yemen, for some time, as well as Darul Uloom in Trinidad, West Indies.

He spent 12 years in Amman, Jordan, where he focused on Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith Sciences, Prophetic Biography, and Islamic Spirituality while also serving as Director of Programs at the Qasid Arabic Institute. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies (Alimiyya), authorization in the six authentic books of Hadith, and has studied one year of specialized training in issuing Islamic legal verdicts (Ifta’).

He also holds a certificate in Islamic Counselling and often works with those with religious obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD/waswasa). He is an instructor and researcher in the Islamic Sciences and has taught online and in person for several learning institutes and organizations.

He is the author of the Seerah Song, the first complete Seerah poem written in rhyming English verse to be used as a teaching tool, performed by Zain Bhikha. He currently resides near Toronto, Canada, with his family.

Sidi Baraka Blue

Baraka Blue is a poet, musician, author, and teacher from Seattle, Washington. In addition to releasing multiple studio albums, authoring books of poetry, and performing internationally, Baraka Blue is a prolific educator with a master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

He spent several years studying with traditional spiritual masters in Africa, Turkey, Asia, and the Arab world. He has performed and taught all over the world, including at institutions such as Harvard, Princeton, and the School of Oriental and African Studies.

In 2018, Baraka Blue founded the Rumi Center for Spirituality and the Arts, which provides online courses to seekers from anywhere in the world. Baraka Blue has also conducted creative writing workshops for K-12 schools, universities, cultural and religious centers, and various organizations worldwide.

He is the host of the award-winning podcast Path & Present, which features conversations on spirituality in the modern world. He lives in Seattle, where he is the director of Wasat, an organization that builds community through spirituality, arts and culture, and service.

Sidi Wendell Uthman

Sidi Wendell Uthman Ames’ story to Islam begins at a hip-hop store in Southern California where he worked during high school. He watched his manager take breaks during the day to pray Salah in a back room. A group of Filipino converts soon began visiting the store. A Filipino-American himself, this further triggered his interest in Islam. The Filipino converts befriended him, and Sidi Wendell took his Shahada (Declaration of Faith) with them at age 17, MashaAllah! Sidi Wendell then began driving with them to the Bay Area to take classes with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf. This is pre-Zaytuna College. Sidi Uthman would eventually move to the Bay Area and live with Sidi Usama Canon. Sidi Wendell is now a well-known munshid (reciter). He shares his beautiful voice at gatherings all over the world. He is frequently performing at MCC East Bay, Al-Maqasid, and Ta’leef Collective.

More Sheikh Abdullah Misra: https://mcceastbay.org/misra

Support the Seerah Song Project: https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/seerah_song_project#!/

Zain Bhikha (Vocal version of (Seerah Song”): https://youtu.be/03qWfCMQNws

Thursday Night Community Zikr
2023-02-16 19:00 - 20:30
Our monthly Zikr gathering is in the Conference Room from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. Our Dhikr in a group session is open to all. Please join us!
Zikr is a ritual prayer or litany practiced by Muslims for the purpose of glorifying God and achieving spiritual perfection.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
