As a follow-up to our women’s retreat last November and the second retreat in March, we are ushering in the sacred month of Rabi’ al-Awwal, by examining the Prophetic virtues reflected in the women around the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with a distinguished lineup of retreat speakers: Dr. Haifaa Younis, Dr. Rania Awaad, Ustadha Fuseina Mohamad, Dr. Amina Darwish, Ustadha Maryam Amir, and Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi.
Sunday, September 25 | 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. PST | MCC Prayer Hall | Women only | $25.00/in-person (includes mid-afternoon lunch) or $10.00/person (watch live online)
Register now at https://mcceastbay.org/womanhood
Girls ages 12+ are welcome to register to attend the retreat. No babysitting is provided. The program will begin promptly at 2 p.m. Please arrive at MCC by 1:45 p.m. for check-in. Park in the HP parking lot at https://mcceastbay.org/hp
In-person registration is positively capped at 350 women and closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 24. The online option is only offered after that.
Seminar speakers at “Prophetic Virtues Reflected in the Women Around the Messenger of Allah ﷻ” will talk about:
- – 1:45 p.m. – Sisters park in the HP parking lot and stage and there prior to entering the MCC facility at 1:45 p.m.
- – 2 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Ustadha Maryam Amir — Welcome & Qur’an Recitation - – 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Ustadha Fuseina Mohamad— “Sacrifice Personified: Summayah رضي الله عنه”: —expand on her unwavering conviction & the ultimate price she willingly paid for her beliefs. And the importance of understanding sacrifice for the sake of Allah in the form of being seen as strange, being ostracized, facing discrimination, etc., and welcoming a certain degree of discomfort for His sake. - – 2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi — “Resilience Personified: Asma bint Abi Bakr رضي الله عنه” —expands on her willingness to help protect the Prophet ﷺ when his life was threatened despite her complex condition (pregnancy), the trek she made to the cave, etc. Also, other notable moments, like her immediate submission when he reminded her to cover adequately and the dignity she accepted being corrected. - – 3:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Ustadha Maryam Amir — “Patience Personified: Asma bint Umays رضي الله عنه” –expands on her noble lineage, her embracing Islam early, her losses, and her patience in migrating twice and enduring the hardships for the sake of Allah ﷻ. - – 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Lunch break and tea - – 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Dr. Amina Darwish — “Loyalty Personified: Lubaba رضي الله عنه” She converted through her best friend Khadija. She was the second woman to become Muslim and may have been the second person to become Muslim before any of the men. She birthed a scholar during the boycott in Mecca giving the Prophet (pbuh) hope. She had to hide her Islam for years in Mecca, but never lost sight of her loyalties. Learn more about this great woman - – 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Dr. Rania Awaad —“Devotion Personified: Barakah رضي الله عنه”—expands on her selflessness, dutifulness, & complete devotion to the Prophet’s ﷺ family and him. Also, discuss why such beautiful virtues & gifts are essential to cultivating, especially in today’s self-centered world! - – 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Dr. Haifaa Younis — “Strength Personified: Nusaybah رضي الله عنه”: —expand on all the highlights of her life, from her warrior spirit to her being one of only two women to pledge at Al-Aqabah, mother to two shuhada, etc. An all-around powerful and formidable force who took the initiative readily whenever needed! Also, discuss why in today’s context, we cannot wait around for others to do good works but must be people of action and resolve. - – 6:15 p.m. – Asr prayer in congregation
- – 6:30 p.m. – Q&A with female scholars
- – 7:03 p.m. – Maghrib prayer
- – 7:15 p.m. to 8:20 p.m. – Q&A with female scholars
- – 8:25 p.m. – Closing dua
- – 8:45 p.m. – Isha prayer
Mid-afternoon lunch is provided by Mirchi Cafe Dublin and Falafel Flame Dublin (both HFSAA certified).
The event will not be publicly live-streamed. Public release of the recordings will be at the discretion of each speaker. No guarantee recordings will be released on the media channels for The Jannah Institute, The Rahmah Foundation, or MCC East Bay. Please try to attend the program in person or register to watch live online. The event is taking place in Pacific Standard Time.
For all attendees (in-person and online-only viewers), the private live event link will be emailed to you one hour before the program begins (12:30 p.m. PST on Sunday). In-person and online attendees will access the unlisted Livestream recording both during the live stream and indefinitely after the event is over.
MCC has a standing policy that financial need should never prevent a person from attaining spiritual knowledge. For a financial-based scholarship discount code, please email scholarship@mcceastbay.org.
Sponsored by the Jannah Institute, The Rahmah Foundation & MCC East Bay.
- – More talks in partnership with The Rahmah Foundation: https://mcceastbay.org/rahmah-foundation
- – More Dr. Haifa: https://mcceastbay.org/haifaa
- – More Dr. Rania: https://mcceastbay.org/rania
- – More Ustadha Maryam: https://mcceastbay.org/maryam
- – More Ustadha Amina: https://mcceastbay.org/amina
- – More Ustadha Hosai: https://mcceastbay.org/hosai
- – More sessions for Muslimahs: https://mcceastbay.org/women
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was such an extraordinary person that he would affect the people around him daily and make them change their lives for the better based on what they saw him ﷺ doing.
Imagine the education, the manners, the beauty, and the taqwa of women who spent their time around the Prophet ﷺ. They lived to see the Walking Qur’an, as our beloved Mother A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, described the Prophet ﷺ. They could watch him ﷺ eat, sleep, and deal with everyday struggles, and they followed him and his practice daily.
Join us in the “Women Inspired: Prophetic Virtues in the Women Around the Prophet ﷺ” to learn more about how the virtues and values of our Beloved Prophet ﷺ affected the lives of the women around him and how those values shaped their identity and the legacy they left behind.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
About our speakers:
Dr. Haifaa Younis is an American Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist with roots in Iraq. Her pursuit of Islamic knowledge was initiated when she began to study with various Islamic scholars from across the United States. At the same time, she simultaneously attended individual courses and lectures on subjects including Aqeeda, Fiqh, usual Fiqh, Hadeeth, and Tazkiyah (purification of the soul). From the United States, she moved to Saudi Arabia, where she graduated from the Mecca Institute of Islamic Studies (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) and Al-Huda Qur’an Memorization School (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), where she completed the memorization of the Qur’an. She is the founder and Chairman of Jannah Institute. Currently, She teaches seminars on the thematic commentary of various chapters of the Holy Qur’an and their practical relevance in our day-to-day living.
Additionally, she offers retreats on critical topics that inspire hearts, combining the inner essence of Islam with an outward expression of practice. Dr. Haifaa is passionate about spreading the word of Allah (SBW) and igniting the love of Islam and the Qur’an through her teachings. Learn more about her at https://www.jannahinstitute.com
Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad, M.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She is the Director of the Muslim Mental Health Lab and Wellness Program and the Director of the Diversity Clinic. She pursued her psychiatric residency training at Stanford and completed a postdoctoral clinical research fellowship with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Her research and clinical work are focused on the mental health needs of Muslims. Her courses at Stanford range from teaching a pioneering study on Islamic Psychology, instructing medical students and residents on implicit bias, and integrating culture and religion into medical care to teaching undergraduate and graduate students the psychology of xenophobia. Her most recent academic publications include an edited volume on “Islamophobia and Psychiatry” (Springer, 2019), Islamic Psychology (Routledge, 2020), and an upcoming text on Muslim Mental Health. She has also produced a toolkit, fact sheet, and CME course and is now editing a clinical textbook on Muslim mental health for the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Awaad is particularly passionate about uncovering the historical roots of mental health care in the Islamic intellectual heritage. Through her outreach work at Stanford, she is also the Clinical Director of the San Francisco Bay Area branches of the Khalil Center, a spiritual wellness center pioneering the application of traditional Islamic spiritual healing methods to modern clinical psychology. She has been the recipient of several awards and grants for her work. Before studying medicine, she pursued classical Islamic studies in Damascus, Syria, and holds certifications (ijaza) in the Qur’an, Islamic Law, and other branches of the Islamic Sciences. Dr. Awaad has also served as the first female Professor of Islamic Law at Zaytuna College, a Muslim Liberal Arts College in Berkeley, CA, where she taught courses on Shafi’i Fiqh and Women’s Fiqh and Qur’anic sciences for nearly a decade. In addition, she serves as the Director of The Rahmah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Muslim women and girls. At Rahmah, she oversees the Murbiyyah spiritual mentoring program for girls. Dr. Awaad is a nationally recognized speaker, award-winning teacher, researcher, and author in both the Islamic and medical sciences. Follow her on I/T: Dr.RaniaAwaad
Dr. Amina Darwish “Imamina” started as the Associate Dean for Religious and Spiritual Life and Advisor for Muslim Life in February 2021. She previously served as the first full-time Muslim Life Coordinator at Columbia University. Dr. Darwish has a decade of professional experience working with the Muslim community. She also brings years of experience building and serving in nonprofit organizations. Dr. Darwish brings a unique blend of understanding of the different cultures within the Muslim community while staying grounded in traditional Islamic scholarship.
She earned a Ph.D. in Chemical engineering before switching careers to follow her true passion for community building. She remains passionate about including ethics, meaning, and service in STEM disciplines. Dr. Darwish strives always to create a culture of openness and consistent kindness in the communities she serves. She earned ijazas, traditional Islamic studies certifications, from the Qalam and Critical Loyalty seminaries, including an ijaza in the ten Qira’at. Dr. Darwish has studied individually under different scholars from different parts of the world and has taught college-level coursework on Islam and Muslims.
Ustadha Maryam Amir received her master’s degree in Education from UCLA. She holds a second bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies through Al-Azhar University. Maryam has studied in Egypt, memorized the Quran, and researched a variety of religious sciences, ranging from Quranic exegesis, Islamic jurisprudence, Prophetic narrations and commentary, women’s rights within Islamic law, and more for the past 15 years. She’s featured in a video series on faith produced by goodcast.net called The Maryam Amir Show. She actively hosts women who have memorized Quran from around the world to share their journeys through the #FOREMOTHERS campaign. She is a SWISS and Hikmah Institutes instructor and has served as a bonus lecturer with AlMaghrib, DiscoverU, and more. Major news outlets, including BBC, NPR, and CBS, have interviewed her for her work. Maryam’s focus on spiritual connections, identity actualization, social justice, and women’s studies has humbled her with the opportunity to lecture throughout the United States and the world, including Jerusalem, Mecca, Medina, Stockholm, London, Toronto, and more. She holds a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and speaks multiple languages.
Ustadha Fuseina Mohamad is a Ghanaian-American student and teacher of Qur’anic Arabic. Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda graduated from the Qalam Seminary Program in 2015. She completed the memorization of the Quran in January 2018. She recently completed ijazah in the Ashara Sughra and Ashara Kubra readings of the Quran. She is currently a student of Hadith at the Critical Loyalty Institute. She holds a B.A. in Computer Science and a master’s in Information Systems. She lives with her family in Texas and works as a Software Developer.
Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi is the co-founder of MH4M (www.mentalhealth4muslims.com), a site dedicated to providing mental health-related content tailored to the Muslim community. She has served the American-Muslim community for over 20 years as a spiritual advisor, mental health advocate, writer/editor, mediator, interfaith organizer, and public speaker, covering a variety of topics, including women’s issues, marriage/family, youth/teen issues, education, self-development, interfaith bridge building, spirituality, etc. She currently offers monthly self-development and spiritual wellness classes with MCC East Bay Masjid, and she offers regular educational workshops for students and teachers at local Islamic schools. She also provides periodic talks throughout California and nationally for the Muslim community on various topics. She enjoys reading, writing, blogging via social media, doing arts and crafts, visiting gourmet coffee shops, and exploring the countless beautiful beaches and state parks throughout California, where she lives with her husband and two sons. Learn more about her at http://hosaimojaddidi.com
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