MCC East Bay

Arabic Calligraphy Class | Zubair Simab
2022-11-01 17:45 - 18:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Join six-week calligraphy with Calligrapher Zubair Simab for beginner & intermediate students to learn to write each Arabic letter in the popular Thuluth writing style and to prep pen, paper, and ink. You will learn the:

Understanding of pen, paper, and ink
Preparing the pen
Technically analyzing alphabet letters in Thuluth style

Tuesdays | 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. | Oct. 4 to Nov. 8 | $90.00 (plus $35 calligraphy kit available for purchase during first class session) | For Ages 13+ | Capped at 40 attendees
Register at mcceastbay.org/calligraphy-class
This workshop will provide you with an understanding of pen, paper, and ink in calligraphy; preparing the pen; and learning the Thuluth style of writing and techniques. You will have a chance to write and practice in class. No previous experience is necessary.
Sessions are held in Banquet Hall. Masks required. On Tuesdays: October 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th November 1st & 8th.
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

Weekly Women’s Seerah Bookclub
2022-11-01 18:30 - 20:00 | 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

Weekly Women’s Seerah Bookclub
2022-11-01 18:30 - 20:00 | 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 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. and in Fall ’22 runs from Tuesday, August 23 to December 20, 2022. 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-Zayid
Translators: Susan Imady, Tamara Gray, & Randa Mardini
Binding: Softcover
Pages: Vol 1, 570; Vol 2, 558
Publisher: Daybreak Press

Questions? bookclub@mcceastbay.org

The Forty Hadith: Compiled by Imam al-Nawawi | Ustadha Nihad Hemmoudeh
2022-11-02 13:30 - 14:15 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
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 collection of the Forty Hadith, compiled by al-Imam al-Nawawi.
1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. PST | Tuesdays | 12 consecutive weeks from September 20 to December 6 | No pre-registration needed | Join live each week at 1:30 p.m. on Zoom at https://mcceastbay.org/hadith

– Watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/nawawi
– PDF of 40 Hadith: https://mcceastbay.org/40

Imam al-Nawawi’s compilation of forty hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is considered by scholars as a compilation conveying the most holistic and comprehensive understanding of Islam.
This series will elaborate on the collection of the Forty Hadith, compiled by al-Imam al-Nawawi. Everyone desiring to attain the Hereafter should know these narrations for the critical information they contain, the guidance they provide, and the light they shed on the lives of Muslims.
Attending this 12-week weekly course will teach attendees about the ahaadeeth and the commentary for each Hadith.
The weekly live session is for sisters only. Boys & girls ages 7 to 14 are welcome to join. Join the live session at 1:30 p.m. every Tuesday at https://mcceastbay.org/hadith

– 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 Nohad: https://mcceastbay.org/nihad

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
Imam al-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith have come to be known as the most comprehensive and holistic compilation/collection of Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) that convey the essence of Islam. Imam al-Nawawi’s collection of 40 Hadiths is one of the most important collections of hadiths we have today. He compiled a total of 42 hadiths for this collection, not 40. Allah (SWT) granted him blessing and success in his work so that he could make significant contributions to Islam before passing away at a relatively young age. The Imam was a scholar in many different disciplines of Islamic studies. The vastness of his works in these other areas is so great that if an individual decides to study fiqh, hadith, spirituality, or Quran, one must pass through Imam al- Nawawi. Along with the 40 Hadiths, he authored Riyad al-Saliheen, Al-Adhkar, and commentary of Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari.

MCC Community's Monthly Khatem-e-Quran
2022-11-02 19:30 - 21:30 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
“The most beloved deeds to Allah (SWT) are those which are done consistently, even if they are little.” – Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Please join your MCC community in a monthly communal completion of the book of Allah.
Each month, congregation members complete one Juz of the Holy Qur’an. On the first Wednesday the following month, we meet at 7:30 p.m. for a Zikr, Qur’an Khatam dua, and collective community dua, followed by a community potluck (bring a dish to share!).
This community dua is led by Qari Amar Bellaha and Ustadh Amu Tarif. This program is also streamed virtually at https://mcceastbay.org/live.
Please finish your Juz by the first Wednesday of each month. Sign up for Juz at mcceastbay.org/juz
Fall ’22 & Winter ’23 Wednesday Monthly Du’as with Qari Amar and Ustadh Amu Tarif:

– October 5, 2022
– November 2, 2022
– December 7, 2022
– January 4, 2023
– February 1. 2023
– March 1, 2023

Encourage your family members and friends from across the globe to participate in this noble endeavor.

– More Qari Amar: https://mcceastbay.org/amar
– More Ustadh Amu Tarif: https://mcceastbay.org/tarif

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
The benefits and virtues of reciting the Holy Qur’an and sending Salawat upon Rasulullah (S) are numerous. Along with bringing great barakah into our lives, these two acts of ‘ibadah are a means by which Allah elevates our rank in Jannah.
Though it may be challenging to make a habit of tilawah and Salawat individually, there is strength in our numbers. Join your MCC community in our goal of collectively completing a completing Qur’an khatam.

Brentwood Muslim Community Center Tables @ MCC Jumu'ahs
2022-11-04 13:30 - 16:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Brentwood Masjid (Brentwood Muslim Community Center) is raising $1.5 million to buy an 8.16-acre parcel of land to build a new masjid/community center that can accommodate more than 600 families in the Brentwood/Oakley/Discovery Bay areas. The current facility is at its 150-family capacity. Learn more: https://brmcc.org

Three Jumu’ah Services @ MCC
2022-11-04 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, November 4, masks are optional to attend any MCC service, and no RSVP is necessary:

1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. – INDOOR ONLY

– Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali 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

– Brother Mohammed Abdul Baseer 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 Shaan Mukhtar 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 Abdullah: HTTP://mccceastbay.org/abdullah

– More Sidi Sidi Basser: HTTP://mcceastbay.org/baseer

– More Sidi Shan: HTTP://mcceastbay.org/shaan

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

Weekly Afternoon Flag Football Camp
2022-11-04 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
2022-11-04 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 Sisterhood Hike at Mount Diablo State Park
2022-11-05 08:00 - 10:00 | MCC East Bay, 5724 W Las Positas Blvd #300, Pleasanton, CA, 94588, United States
Join us from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on November 5 for a Saturday morning hike at Secret Valley Loop at Mount Diablo State Park in Walnut Creek to get to know other sisters in the community and enjoy the great outdoors. No children, please (female teens, okay).

– When: Saturday, November 5
– Time: 8 a.m. to 10 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: No carpool from MCC is available for this hike. Carpool encouraged others on this hike.

– Parking: Entrance Fee is $6. We’ll meet by the parking lot right after you enter the gate.

– Location: Summit Rd, Walnut Creek, CA 94598
– Distance: 6.0 miles
– All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/secret-valley-loop
– Difficulty: Moderate
– Misc: Please wear comfortable walking/hiking shoes, carry enough water, a small snack, a hat, sunglasses, and hiking poles if you have one. No cell network in that area, suggest carpooling and downloading the AllTrail maps.
– RSVP: By Friday, November 4, 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:

Get to know this 6.0-mile loop trail near Walnut Creek, California. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 4 min to complete. This is a very popular area for birding, hiking, and horseback riding, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. You’ll need to leave pups at home — dogs aren’t allowed on this trail.
This trail has numerous vistas of Mt. Diablo, much of the East Bay, and up into Napa Valley. Down in Secret Valley the trail gives a sense of what the early explorers and settlers experienced in this part of the state. One absolutely gets the feeling of traveling down one of the old stage roads. Portions of the trail are open to equestrian and mountain bikers.

Questions? hiking@mcceastbay.org

Addiction Family Support Group
2022-11-05 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)
