MCC East Bay

Women’s Seerah Bookclub (in-person) | Ustadha Leila Fakira
2023-11-06 11:00 - 12:30, 2023-11-13 11:00 - 12:30, 2023-11-20 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Join our weekly sisters’ in-person & virtual 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. We are currently reading from “The Prophetic Narrative” by Samira al-Zayid and will begin reading Volume 2.

Every Monday in-person & virtual | 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | MCC Conference Room | Women only | RSVP for the live registration link at https://mcceastbay.org/bookclub. RSVP is needed to join us virtually.

Event Details:

The in-person & virtual discussion takes place every Monday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a break in Ramadan ’24.

Please register online to receive the link to the Whatsapp thread where all communication and updates will be made. In this bookclub, we will be starting volume 2 of “The Prophetic Narrative” by Samira al-Zayid.

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

Principles of Religion | Ustadha Nihad Hemmoudeh
2023-11-07 12:30 - 13:15, 2023-11-14 12:30 - 13:15, 2023-11-21 12:30 - 13:15
Ustadha Nihad Hemmoudeh facilitates a 45-minute live Zoom session for sisters on the principles of religion, such as acts of worshipping Allah (swt), the good character of a Muslim, and more. These talks will be recorded and available on MCC’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram publicly.

Ustadha Nihad will be using the book, “The Forty in the Fundamentals of Religion” by Al-Ghazali.12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. PST | Tuesdays | 12 consecutive weeks from Oct. 31 to Jan. 16, 2024 | No pre-registration needed | Join live each week at 12:30 p.m. on Zoom at mcceastbay.org/principles

Watch the prior sessions in this series: HTTP://mcceastbay.org/principle-seriesMore Ustadha Nihad:

– Ustadha Nihad’s “Principles of Religion” series: https://mcceastbay.org/principle-series

– Ustadha Nihad’s “Women Around the Messenger” series: HTTP://mcceastbay.org/women-series

– Ustadha Nihad’s “Forty Hadith Qudsi” series: https://mcceastbay.org/qudsi

– 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

Dua for our Brothers & Sisters | Qari Amar Bellaha
2023-11-09 20:00 - 20:30, 2023-11-17 20:00 - 20:30
“The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Join us to supplicate for our brothers and sisters in Palestine on Thursday and Friday evenings. We will have a guest speaker who will lead with a short talk after the Isha Prayers (8 p.m.) followed by Salawaat & Dua Al-Nasri (Prayers of the Oppressed) by Qari Amar Bellaha.

8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. | Thursdays and Fridays | Prayer Hall | Join in person or watch live at https://mcceastbay.org/liveIn the enormity of this moment, MCC is responding to our sisters and brothers in Palestine by:

– Our Jumu’ahs are dedicated to our sisters and brothers. Our Khateebs will make dua and encourage worshipers to give generously for humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. MCC will absorb the credit card processing fees and send collected funds to Islamic Relief & UNRWA. Donate at https://mcceastbay.org/palestine

– Our MCC youth are baking goods and selling in the MCC lobby during the Jumu’ahs for humanitarian relief efforts during Jumu’ah.

MCC will cover the credit card processing fees so that 100 percent of our community’s donations go to two reputable organizations providing on-the-ground relief efforts in Gaza. Donate: mcceastbay.org/palestine

The Nasiri Dua is from the pen of the renowned Sufi Shaykh ibn Nasir ad Dari Rahimahullah of the Shadhiliyya Tariqa. Faced with the military power of France, who were bombing villages in Morocco, the Shaykh Rahimahullah wrote this Dua, which was recited in every Masjid in the Maghrib in various different styles. This Dua had such an effect that the French President issued a law banning its recitation. Due to the barakah of this beautiful Dua, Morocco gained independence from France.

The power of this Dua of Imam Muhammad ibn Nasir al-Dar’i lies in its simplicity, its purity, and its sincere supplication. It is essentially a plea to Allah that our transgressions be overlooked, that divine mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that righteousness reigns once again in our lands so that the destitute may no longer be in need, the young may be educated, the animals’ purpose fulfilled, rain restored, and bounties poured forth. It is a plea to be freed from the aggression of foreigners in lands over which they have no right – a plea much needed in our modern world, rampant as it is with invasions and territorial occupations. Ultimately, it asks not to destroy our enemies but simply to halt their plots and the harm they cause. Its essence is mercy, which in turn is the essence of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “And We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.”

PDF copy of the Nasiri Dua

https://youtu.be/rLvq6nyi_w8?si=v6s6IXqHsMZtqOKr

New Jumu’ah Times (Winter Schedule)
2023-11-10 12:30 - 14:40
Sunday, November 5, is when Daylight Savings time changes. Please remember to set your clocks one hour back.

MCC’s Jumu’ah times will change this Friday, Nov. 11:

– First Khutbah: 12:30 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.Location: MCC Prayer Hall

– Second Khutbah: 1:30 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.Location: MCC Prayer Hall

– Third Khutbah: 1:40 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.Location: Community Room, Dublin Library

– Fourth Khutbah: 2:30 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.Location: MCC Prayer Hall

There is no parking in any neighboring parking lots, including the Pleasanton Unified School District lot (former HP lot).

Due to the shorter time frame for Zuhr prayers before the Asr prayer comes in, MCC will not offer the youth Jumu’ah (3:40 p.m. to 4 p.m.) until Friday. March 10, 2024, after Daylight Savings Time (DST), ends.

The daily Iqamah times change beginning Sunday, November 5 are:

– Fajr: 6 a.m.

– Zuhr: 12:30 p.m.

– Asr: 3:30 p.m.

– Isha: 8 p.m.

Download the ’23 Prayer & Iqamah timetable: HTTP://mcceastbay.org/timetable

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Winter Blanket Drive @ MCC Jumu'ahs
2023-11-10 12:30 - 14:40
During all three Jumu’ahs on Friday, Nove. 10; help out your brothers and sisters in need by donating new or gently used blankets in the MCC parking lot outside the sisters’ entrance. Volunteers will load your donation directly into the MCC cargo van that will leave for Sacramento on Friday afternoon after Jumu’ah. MCC will send these items to Al-Misbaah Foundation in Elk Grove, which is the primary Islamic charity organization welcoming hundreds of families from Afghanistan that are being settled in the Sacramento area.

Friday, Nov. 10 | 12:30 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. | MCC Parking Lot

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Jumu’ah Services @ MCC & Dublin Library
2023-11-10 12:30 - 14:50
For MCC’s Jumu’ah services on Friday, November 10, 2023:

12:30 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.

Sidi Mahdy Amine delivers this sermon at MCC.

1:30 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.

– TBA delivers this sermon at MCC.

1:40 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.

– Sidi Abdullah Qureshi delivers the sermon at Dublin Library.

12:30 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.

– Sidi Abdullah Qureshi delivers the sermon at MCC.

Please attend at 12:30 or 2:30 p.m. to avoid heavier second-service congestion whenever possible. Please note that the former HP lot (now Pleasanton School District) is no longer available to our congregation. Please come to the first and fourth Jumu’ah to ease up parking congestion or attend the parallel satellite prayer at 1:40 p.m. at Dublin Library: https://mcceastbay.org/satellite-jumuah-library-update

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

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

– More Sidi Abdullah: https://mcceastbay.org/abdullah-qureshi

For parents attending with young children indoors at the main MCC facility, we offer private mothers’ and fathers’ rooms with an audio and visual connection to the Prayer Hall. Parents can watch the sermon and pray while working with 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

Girl Scouts Troop 30875 Tables @ MCC Jumu'ahs
2023-11-10 13:30 - 16:00
Girl Scouts Troop 30875 will sell nuts and candies during the three Jumu’ahs to raise funds for people in Palestine. 50% of the proceeds will go to the relief efforts on the ground. Please support them.

Questions? girl-scouts@mcceastbay.org

Women's Tafseer Class in Farsi | Ustadha Nooria Musleh
2023-11-10 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-11-17 16:00 - 18:00
For Farsi and Pashto-speaking women who want to learn or brush up on Qur’an, join this two-hour class every Friday after the third Jumu’ah to connect with the Book of Allah (swt).

Fridays | 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. | Women only | Classroom 1 | In-person only | Join in person or virtually at mcceastbay.org/farsi-tafseer

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Dr. Rania Awaad’s Weekly Friday Evening Halaqa
2023-11-10 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-11-17 19:00 - 21:00
Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad holds a weekly Friday evening women’s gathering about navigating contemporary issues. This program runs in parallel to the Friday night girl’s halaqa.

7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Every Friday from October 6, 2023, to May 24, 2024 | 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

The fall session runs from Friday, Oct. 6th to Friday, Dec. 15th, with Thanksgiving Break on Friday, November 24.

After winter break, we continue in the winter from Friday, Jan. 26 to Friday, March 8, with then a break for Ramadan (March 15, 22, 29, April 5 & April 12), and we restart from April 19 to May 24.

Free babysitting is provided in Room 23. Facility map: https://mcceastbay.org/facility-map

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

This halaqa is hosted parallel to our girls’ program in partnership with The 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 Ijazah (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.

Dua for our Brothers & Sisters | Qari Amar Bellaha
2023-11-10 20:00 - 20:30
“The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Join us to supplicate for our brothers and sisters in Palestine on Thursday and Friday evenings. Sr. Emira Mustafa, who was detained by the IDF when she was sixteen, will lead with a short talk after the Isha Prayers (8 p.m.), followed by Salawaat & Dua Al-Nasri (Prayers of the Oppressed) by Qari Amar Bellaha.

8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. | Thursdays and Fridays | Prayer Hall | Join in person or watch live at https://mcceastbay.org/liveIn the enormity of this moment, MCC is responding to our sisters and brothers in Palestine by:

– Our Jumu’ahs are dedicated to our sisters and brothers. Our Khateebs will make dua and encourage worshipers to give generously for humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. MCC will absorb the credit card processing fees and send collected funds to Islamic Relief & UNRWA. Donate at https://mcceastbay.org/palestine

– Our MCC youth are baking goods and selling in the MCC lobby during the Jumu’ahs for humanitarian relief efforts during Jumu’ah.

MCC will cover the credit card processing fees so that 100 percent of our community’s donations go to two reputable organizations providing on-the-ground relief efforts in Gaza. Donate: mcceastbay.org/palestine

The Nasiri Dua is from the pen of the renowned Sufi Shaykh ibn Nasir ad Dari Rahimahullah of the Shadhiliyya Tariqa. Faced with the military power of France, who were bombing villages in Morocco, the Shaykh Rahimahullah wrote this Dua, which was recited in every Masjid in the Maghrib in various different styles. This Dua had such an effect that the French President issued a law banning its recitation. Due to the barakah of this beautiful Dua, Morocco gained independence from France.

The power of this Dua of Imam Muhammad ibn Nasir al-Dar’i lies in its simplicity, its purity, and its sincere supplication. It is essentially a plea to Allah that our transgressions be overlooked, that divine mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that righteousness reigns once again in our lands so that the destitute may no longer be in need, the young may be educated, the animals’ purpose fulfilled, rain restored, and bounties poured forth. It is a plea to be freed from the aggression of foreigners in lands over which they have no right – a plea much needed in our modern world, rampant as it is with invasions and territorial occupations. Ultimately, it asks not to destroy our enemies but simply to halt their plots and the harm they cause. Its essence is mercy, which in turn is the essence of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “And We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.”

PDF copy of the Nasiri Dua

https://youtu.be/rLvq6nyi_w8?si=v6s6IXqHsMZtqOKr

Private Event
2023-11-11 17:00 - 19:00
Banquet Hall

Afghan Family Program: Preserving Your Cultural Identity | Ustadh Feraidoon Mojadedi & Br. Hilaman Ghaznawi
2023-11-12 14:00 - 18:00
For Afghan youth and families that arrived from Afghanistan in the U.S. after August 2021, please join us on Sunday afternoon with Ustadh Feraidoon Mojadedi & Brother Hilaman Ghaznawi to discuss how to preserve your cultural identity and language.

Sunday, November 12 | 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. | Conference Room | Free to attend; registration required for dinner @ mcceastbay.org/preservation

Registration is required for dinner. Dinner will be served to all registered guests.

Hosted in collaboration with San Ramon Islamic Valley Center.

Questions? refugee@mcceastbay.orgUstadh Feraidoon Mojadedi is one of the most well-known and respected community leaders, lecturers, and entrepreneurs in the Bay Area – California. He was born in Herat, Afghanistan and immigrated with his family to America during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1985. After graduating from American High School and Chabot College he attended San Francisco State University where he majored in history.

He grew up in a household with a deep love and reverence for poetry. At the age of five he began to memorize poems by Rumi and other great poets. His love of poetry continued to grow and eventually developed into a passion and calling that would allow him to teach regular classes on Rumi throughout California, the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Germany and even as far as Konya, Turkey, where Mawlana Rumi is laid to rest. The nuances of the Farsi language, in which he is fluent, allows him the unique ability to bring Rumi’s poetry to life and to help listeners recognize Rumi’s essential message of peace, love, coexistence, and connection with the Divine. He is the author and performer of “Layla & Majnun” play produced by Performing Lines in Perth Australia.

Ustadh Feraidoon spends his free time reading, studying, and lecturing on many topics including Rumi and a wide collection of Farsi poetry, spirituality, and self-development. He currently lives with his wife and two children in Dublin, California.

More Sidi Feridoon: https://mcceastbay.org/feraidoon

Trials & Tribulations – How to Connect with Allah (swt) During Challenging Times
2023-11-16 20:00 - 22:00
Join us on a Thursday evening with Imam Zaid Shakir to gain practical and spiritual insights on how we can connect with our Creator when faced with the trials and tribulations of this life.

Thursday, Nov. 16 | 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. | MCC Prayer Hall | Join in-person or watch live at mcceastbay.org/live | No RSVP needed to join the main program; register only for dinner (non-refundable) at mcceastbay.org/connecting

Schedule:

7 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Dinner in the Banquet Hall

8 p.m.: Isha Prayer

8:15 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Qur’an, Dhikr, and Talk by Imam Zaid Shakir

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

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Imam Zaid Shakir is a co-founder, serves on its Board of Trustees, and senior Faculty Member of Zaytuna College located in Berkeley, CA. He is amongst the most respected and influential Islamic scholars in the West. As an American Muslim who came of age during the civil rights struggles, he has brought both sensitivity about race and poverty issues and scholarly discipline to his faith-based work.Born in Berkeley, California, he accepted Islam in 1977 while serving in the United States Air Force. He obtained a BA with honors in International Relations at American University in Washington D.C. and later earned his MA in Political Science at Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, he led a successful campaign for divestment from South Africa, and co-founded New Brunswick Islamic Center formerly Masjid al-Huda.After a year of studying Arabic in Cairo, Egypt, he settled in New Haven, Connecticut and continued his community activism, co-founding Masjid Al-Islam, the Tri-State Muslim Education Initiative, and the Connecticut Muslim Coordinating Committee. As Imam of Masjid Al-Islam from 1988 to 1994 he spear-headed a community renewal and grassroots anti-drug effort, and also taught political science and Arabic at Southern Connecticut State University. He served as an interfaith council Chaplain at Yale University and developed the Chaplaincy Sensitivity Training for physicians at Yale New Haven Hospital. He then left for Syria to pursue his studies in the traditional Islamic sciences.For seven years in Syria, and briefly in Morocco, he immersed himself in an intense study of Arabic, Islamic law, Quranic studies, and spirituality with some of the top Muslim scholars of our age. In 2001, he graduated from Syria’s prestigious Abu Noor University with a BA in Islamic Sciences and returned to Connecticut, serving again as the Imam of Masjid al-Islam, and writing and speaking frequently on a host of issues. That same year, his translation from Arabic into English of The Heirs of the Prophets was published by Starlatch Press.In 2003, he moved to Hayward, California to serve as a scholar-in-residence and lecturer at Zaytuna Institute, where he taught courses on Arabic, Islamic law, history, and Islamic spirituality. In 2004, he initiated a pilot seminary program at Zaytuna Institute, which was useful in Zaytuna College’s refinement of its Islamic Studies curriculum and its educational philosophy. For four years, students in the pilot program were engaged in the study of contemporary and classical texts. In 2005, Zaytuna Institute published Scattered Pictures: Reflections of An American Muslim„ an anthology of diverse essays penned by Zaid Shakir. He co-founded the Lighthouse Mosque, Oakland, CA. in 2007. He authored an award-winning text, Treatise for the Seekers of Guidance, a translation and commentary on Imam Harith al-Muhasibi’s work, Risala al-Mustarshideen in 2008. He is co-founder and chairman of United For Change since 2009. The mission of United For Change is, through modern discourse, to create awareness of the broadest and most consuming topics within the Muslim community. The aim is to leverage the diversity through cooperation and goodwill and address the obstacles that have proven to be divisive. His most recent work is Where I’m Coming From: The Year In Review, a new collection of his essays from 2010. Imam Zaid has also authored numerous articles and research papers on a wide range of topics.He is a frequent speaker at local and national Muslim events and has emerged as one of the nation’s top Islamic scholars and a voice of conscience for American Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Imam Zaid has served as an advisor to many organizations and influential leaders. He is ranked as “one of America’s most influential Scholars” in the West; by The 500 Most Influential Muslims, edited by John Esposito and Ibrahim Kalin, (2009). Recently, Imam Zaid is a signatory along with religious and spiritual Leaders from around the world who presented the UN Secretary-General with a declaration in support of the Paris Climate Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, marking the largest number of nations ever signing an international agreement.More Imam Zaid: https://mcceastbay.org/zaid-shakir

Cat Adoption at Jumu'ah Prayers
2023-11-17 12:00 - 16:00
Valley Humane Society of Pleasanton will be on site with immediately adoptable furry felines who are ready to be part of your forever family.

12 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Friday, Nov. 17 | MCC Banquet Hall | Free; no RSVP required to attend | See adoption fee below

“Verily, there is a Heavenly reward for every act of kindness done to a living animal.” Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Each adopter must be at least 21 years of age. The adoption fee for a kitten is $125 or $200 for a pair and $100 for a cat. It includes:

-medical summary report

– spay or neuter surgery;

– microchip and transfer of ownership

– age-appropriate vaccinations;

– up to date on flea control;

– parasite control treatments;

– free sample bag of food and

– free vet check certificate

– coupons for local pet stores

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) was fond of cats, particularly his cat Muezza. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was so attached to him he’d let the cat sit on his lap while he gave his sermons. He’d even drink water that Muezza had previously been lapping up.

There are several well-known tales about Muezza. One says that the cat saved Prophet Muhammad from the deadly bite of a venomous snake. Another relates a time when Muezza was asleep on Prophet Muhammad’s robe when the call to prayers sounded. Although most people would have shooed away the cat, Prophet Muhammad instead cut off the sleeve of his robe so Muezza could rest in peace.

Islam instructs Muslims to revere cats. In fact, mistreating a cat is considered a significant transgression.

Northern California Comprehensive Thalassemia Center Tables @ MCC Jumu'ahs
2023-11-17 12:30 - 14:50
The Northern California Comprehensive Thalassemia Center at UCSF to share more information about this condition, treatment, and testing with the MCC community will be tabling at the Friday, November 17th Jumu’ah Prayers. Thalassemia trait is a common inherited blood condition in people of Asian, Mediterranean, African, or Middle Eastern background that causes anemia in patients and in it’s more severe forms, requires regular blood transfusions.

Jumu’ah Services @ MCC & Dublin Library
2023-11-17 12:30 - 14:50
For MCC’s Jumu’ah services on Friday, November 17, 2023:

12:30 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.

Dr. Ali Dia delivers this sermon at MCC.

1:30 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.

– Dr. Ali Dia delivers this sermon at MCC.

1:40 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.

– Imam Bilal ibn Yusuf delivers the sermon at Dublin Library.

12:30 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.

– Imam Bilal ibn Yusuf delivers the sermon at MCC.

Please attend at 12:30 or 2:30 p.m. to avoid heavier second-service congestion whenever possible. Please note that the former HP lot (now Pleasanton School District) is no longer available to our congregation. Please come to the first and fourth Jumu’ah to ease up parking congestion or attend the parallel satellite prayer at 1:40 p.m. at Dublin Library: https://mcceastbay.org/satellite-jumuah-library-update

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

– More Dr. Ali: https://mcceastbay.org/ali-dia

– More Imam Bilal: https://mcceastbay.org/bilal

For parents attending with young children indoors at the main MCC facility, we offer private mothers’ and fathers’ rooms with an audio and visual connection to the Prayer Hall. Parents can watch the sermon and pray while working with 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

Dua for our Brothers & Sisters | Qari Amar Bellaha
2023-11-17 20:00 - 20:30
“The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Join us to supplicate for our brothers and sisters in Palestine on Thursday and Friday evenings. Sr. Amani, a twelve-year student of Qari Amar Bellaha, will lead with a short talk after the Isha Prayers (8 p.m.), followed by Salawaat & Dua Al-Nasri (Prayers of the Oppressed) by Qari Amar Bellaha.

8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. | Friday | Prayer Hall | Join in person or watch live at https://mcceastbay.org/liveIn the enormity of this moment, MCC is responding to our sisters and brothers in Palestine by:

– Our Jumu’ahs are dedicated to our sisters and brothers. Our Khateebs will make dua and encourage worshipers to give generously for humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. MCC will absorb the credit card processing fees and send collected funds to Islamic Relief & UNRWA. Donate at https://mcceastbay.org/palestine

– Our MCC youth are baking goods and selling in the MCC lobby during the Jumu’ahs for humanitarian relief efforts during Jumu’ah.

MCC will cover the credit card processing fees so that 100 percent of our community’s donations go to two reputable organizations providing on-the-ground relief efforts in Gaza. Donate: mcceastbay.org/palestine

The Nasiri Dua is from the pen of the renowned Sufi Shaykh ibn Nasir ad Dari Rahimahullah of the Shadhiliyya Tariqa. Faced with the military power of France, who were bombing villages in Morocco, the Shaykh Rahimahullah wrote this Dua, which was recited in every Masjid in the Maghrib in various different styles. This Dua had such an effect that the French President issued a law banning its recitation. Due to the barakah of this beautiful Dua, Morocco gained independence from France.

The power of this Dua of Imam Muhammad ibn Nasir al-Dar’i lies in its simplicity, its purity, and its sincere supplication. It is essentially a plea to Allah that our transgressions be overlooked, that divine mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that righteousness reigns once again in our lands so that the destitute may no longer be in need, the young may be educated, the animals’ purpose fulfilled, rain restored, and bounties poured forth. It is a plea to be freed from the aggression of foreigners in lands over which they have no right – a plea much needed in our modern world, rampant as it is with invasions and territorial occupations. Ultimately, it asks not to destroy our enemies but simply to halt their plots and the harm they cause. Its essence is mercy, which in turn is the essence of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “And We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.”

PDF copy of the Nasiri Dua

https://youtu.be/rLvq6nyi_w8?si=v6s6IXqHsMZtqOKr

Dua for our Brothers & Sisters | Qari Amar Bellaha
2023-11-17 20:00 - 20:30
“The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Join us to supplicate for our brothers and sisters in Palestine on Thursday and Friday evenings. Qari Amar Bellaha will lead with Salawaat & Dua Al-Nasri (Prayers of the Oppressed).

8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. | Friday | Prayer Hall | Join in person or watch live at https://mcceastbay.org/liveIn the enormity of this moment, MCC is responding to our sisters and brothers in Palestine by:

– Our Jumu’ahs are dedicated to our sisters and brothers. Our Khateebs will make dua and encourage worshipers to give generously for humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. MCC will absorb the credit card processing fees and send collected funds to Islamic Relief & UNRWA. Donate at https://mcceastbay.org/palestine

– Our MCC youth are baking goods and selling in the MCC lobby during the Jumu’ahs for humanitarian relief efforts during Jumu’ah.

MCC will cover the credit card processing fees so that 100 percent of our community’s donations go to two reputable organizations providing on-the-ground relief efforts in Gaza. Donate: mcceastbay.org/palestine

The Nasiri Dua is from the pen of the renowned Sufi Shaykh ibn Nasir ad Dari Rahimahullah of the Shadhiliyya Tariqa. Faced with the military power of France, who were bombing villages in Morocco, the Shaykh Rahimahullah wrote this Dua, which was recited in every Masjid in the Maghrib in various different styles. This Dua had such an effect that the French President issued a law banning its recitation. Due to the barakah of this beautiful Dua, Morocco gained independence from France.

The power of this Dua of Imam Muhammad ibn Nasir al-Dar’i lies in its simplicity, its purity, and its sincere supplication. It is essentially a plea to Allah that our transgressions be overlooked, that divine mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that righteousness reigns once again in our lands so that the destitute may no longer be in need, the young may be educated, the animals’ purpose fulfilled, rain restored, and bounties poured forth. It is a plea to be freed from the aggression of foreigners in lands over which they have no right – a plea much needed in our modern world, rampant as it is with invasions and territorial occupations. Ultimately, it asks not to destroy our enemies but simply to halt their plots and the harm they cause. Its essence is mercy, which in turn is the essence of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “And We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.”

PDF copy of the Nasiri Dua

https://youtu.be/rLvq6nyi_w8?si=v6s6IXqHsMZtqOKr

Private Event
2023-11-18 12:00 - 15:00
Conference Room

Shukr Celebration
2023-11-18 14:30 - 20:00
“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you” – Surah Ibrahim, Ayat 7

As Converts/New Muslims, we strive to bring the good and beneficial aspects of our cultures with us into the Deen of Islam. Ash-Shukur (the Grateful) is one of the 99 names of Allah (swt), and as Muslims, we should strive to embody and encourage one another toward gratitude year-round.

Join us on a Saturday afternoon as we take the opportunity of the season for our own dinner of Shukr (gratitude) while enjoying some halal turkey and traditional seasonal treats.

Non-Muslim and born-Muslim friends and family are welcome as well.

Saturday, Nov. 18 | 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. | MCC Banquet Hall & MCC Conference Room | For Converts/New Muslims & Family/Friends, RSVP at mcceastbay.org/convert-dinner

– How MCC supports new Muslims: https://mcceastbay.org/convert-care

– Recordings of educational talks for reverts playlist: https://mcceastbay.org/after-shahada

– Shahadah moments at the MCC: https://mcceastbay.org/shahada

Questions? mentorship@mcceastbay.org

Gaza Unbeatable: Anchoring through Atrocity | Dr. Farah El-Sharif
2023-11-18 17:00 - 18:00
How do we make sense of the genocide in Gaza according to Islamic and historical sources? How can we process, support, and uplift one another in these times of immeasurable suffering?

Join us for a post-Maghrib talk with Dr. Farah El-Sharif, who discusses how Gaza is already changing the world for the better and will put into context the Palestinian struggle according to revelation and broader human history.

Saturday, Nov. 18 | 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. | Conference Room | In person only

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

About the speaker:Dr. Farah El-Sharif is a Visiting Scholar at the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies at Stanford University with roots from Palestine and Sinai. She earned her PhD in Islamic Studies at Harvard University and received her Masters’ at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. She is also a graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Her research focuses on Islam and politics.

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
2023-11-19 15:30 - 16:30
Please join us for Interfaith Interconnect’s 9th interfaith Thanksgiving service, offered in collaboration with Livermore-Pleasanton Interfaith Clergy Association, of which MCC East Bay is a proud member. Sr. Heather Conner will be representing MCC East Bay.

The Interfaith Thanksgiving service is from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 19, at St. Clare’s Episcopal Church, 3350 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton.

Following the service, there will be a simple reception from 4:30 to 5:00 with light refreshments and the opportunity for attendees and presenters to converse with one another.

MCC is hosting a dinner and program after this event: https://mcceastbay.org/event/interfaith-dialogue/At this time in our world today, we are especially grateful for this opportunity to continue to build on the interfaith relationships we have established since Interfaith Interconnect was founded in 2011 as we strive to fulfill our mission: To enrich, inform, and educate ourselves and others about the great diversity of faiths and cultures in our Valley. There is no cost to attend, but an offering will be accepted to benefit Goodness Village, a local non-profit that provides the unhoused with a safe and supportive community in which to live, heal, and thrive.

Our Mission: To enrich, inform, and educate ourselves and others about the great diversity of faiths and cultures in our Valley. Interfaith Interconnect is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible. Tax ID # 87-4206222. Find them at: http://interfaithinterconnect.weebly.com and: https://www.facebook.com/InterfaithInterconnect/

Questions? interfaith.interconnect@gmail.com

Interfaith Dialogue: Who is Christ? | Dr. Ali Ataie & Rev. Andrew Lobban
2023-11-19 17:00 - 19:30
Join two seasoned interfaith speakers for a Sunday afternoon educational chat that examines the role of Jesus, son of Mary (peace and blessings be upon him), in the Bible and Christian theology and contrasts with his role in the Qur’an and Islamic theology.

5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, November 19 | MCC Conference Room | Join in person or watch virtually at mcceastbay.org/live

Ahead of the holiday season, this event is intended to show that despite religious differences and worldwide turmoil, people of faith can always find common ground.

RSVP for dinner only (not for panel) required at mcceastbay.org/dialogue

– 5 p.m. – Come early at 5 p.m. and observe the Maghrib sunset prayer (about 10 minutes) in the Prayer Hall. We will serve dinner in the Banquet Fellowship Hall from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m.

– 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Interfaith panel discussion with Rev. Andy Lobban and Dr. Ali Ataie

Patricia Munro (Jewish community) & Edlyn Aisha Sammanasu (MCC) will open the program with a few words about the ever-present need to connect faith traditions for mutual compassion.

Sponsored by Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Livermore and the Muslim Community Center – East Bay in Pleasanton.

– More Dr. Ali Ataie: https://mcceastbay.org/ali-ataie – More interfaith events at MCC: https://mcceastbay.org/interfaith – Sign up for periodic community supporter updates: https://mcceastbay.org/community-supporters – More Reverend Andy: https://mcceastbay.org/andy

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service3:30-4:30 p.m. St. Clare’s Episcopal Church, 3350 Hopyard Road, PleasantonSunday, November 19, 2023Following the service, there will be a simple reception from 4:30 to 5:00 with light refreshments and the opportunity for attendees and presenters to converse with one another.

At this time in our world today, we are especially grateful for this opportunity to continue to build on the interfaith relationships we have established since Interfaith Interconnect was founded in 2011 as we strive to fulfill our mission: To enrich, inform, and educate ourselves and others about the great diversity of faiths and cultures in our Valley. There is no cost to attend, but an offering will be accepted to benefit Goodness Village, a local non-profit that provides the unhoused with a safe and supportive community in which to live, heal, and thrive.

Questions? events@mcceastbay.org

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Rev. Andrew (Andy) Lobban has served as the Rector of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Livermore since June 2016. During that time, he has been quite active in interfaith cooperation and dialogue throughout the tri-valley. Andy came to St. Bart’s via Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, where he served for four years as associate clergy, overseeing much of the outreach and social justice programming. He also served as Priest and Chaplain at Good Samaritan Community Services in San Antonio, Texas. Reverend Andy completed a Master of Divinity at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. He also studied at the University of California, Berkeley, and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).Ustadh Dr. Ali Ataie is a perennial student and researcher involved in interfaith activities for over two decades. He holds a Master’s in Biblical studies focusing on New Testament and Biblical languages. He also has a Ph.D. in cultural and historical studies in religion from the Graduate Theological Union. His doctoral work focused on Muslim hermeneutics of Biblical texts, especially the Gospel of John. He lives in San Ramon, CA, with his wife Roya and three daughters.
