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In this episode, Attiqa Syeda answers a question from a local Mom related to discipline and child behavior. This is a first in our new segment “So You Asked?”.
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The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“A person is upon the religion of his best friend, so each person should consider whom he befriends.”
Recently while teaching a class at Sanad Prep and writing an essay, I came across a hadith and story from the seerah that are profoundly insightful in what they offer regarding companionship, communication, allocation of our time and attention, and more. I had read these both before, but what was significant this time was the sequence and timing in which I read them. They spoke to me in a new way.
The hadith we have mentioned above in the preface of this blog. The story from seerah is related to an interaction and conversation between the companion Thawban (Allah be pleased with him) and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came upon Thawban and found him distressed and saddened. He asked about his well-being and what was disturbing him.
Care Enough to Stop
For me, this is one of the most important lessons of this story — that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) didn’t just walk past him. Not only was the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) self-aware, but he was ever vigilant and mindful about the state of others. This he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) expressed with his genuine concern when observed their emotional state. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was compassionate and caring and empathetic enough to actually stop and inquire.
Simply and sincerely asking, “How are you?” How profound an impact it is on the heart when you know someone truly cares about you. It is like an unstoppable feeling of rahma surrounds your heart.
But, let’s look further into the interaction. Thawban replies to him openly, completely, honestly. Before we get to what he says, let us ponder the relationships that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cultivated around him. It was an environment in which the people around him…his family, his children, his grandchildren, his companions, and their families felt at ease, recognized, and listened to. Of note too is that the companions were not all men and the companions were not all old, so the women and youth among the companions were enveloped in this equitable and accessible sincere concern of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
There is a lesson here for our own families and relationships. How comfortable is a child speaking to their parents? How comfortable is a spouse speaking to their partner? How comfortable is a student in sharing with a teacher? What is the quality of our own communication in our various relationships?
To continue with the anecdote, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stops to speak with Thawban and inquires about his sadness. Thawban does not say, “Oh no I’m fine. It’s okay. I know you’re busy.”
God Witnesses
Rather, he shares that his sadness is due to his worry that even if he made it to Paradise, he would not be able to be with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would be at a high maqam or station than him. And, as such, he would not be able to reach him and be in his company (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as he is able to be in this life.
How beautiful is this the whole episode is so far? There are so many layers: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) observed him, asked about his well-being, and then that Thawban felt comfortable to share his very personal concern. A concern mind you that is directly related to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). At times we avoid these types of conversations because they include the person who’s speaking to us.
What happens next is beyond what words can adequately do justice to, but requires our reflection nonetheless. Upon hearing this exchange, Allah sends revelation from the heavens to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who then shares it with Thawban.
Allah reveals:
And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, then they will be in the company of those whom Allah has bestowed His Grace — of the Prophets, the truthful, the righteous, the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are! (Qur’an, 4:69)
What an uplifting revelation? Among the many important lessons here is that when people sincerely and genuinely care for one another and come together for the sake of Allah to uplift one another, it is witnessed and responded to by Allah.
The realization of this is awe-inspiring. It tells us how important those moments are, and not to walk past them.
Whom Will, You Befriend?
Let us now conclude by circling back to the aforementioned hadith and consider it in light of our returning companion, the month of Ramadan.
“A person is upon the religion of his best friend, so each person should consider whom he befriends.”
One of my teachers said this guidance (with balance) can be extended to the context of books, forms of entertainment, organizations, causes, technology, and more. Meaning, we should be mindful and informed of the people and things we are most connected to in terms of our attention and time. And, when possible, consider what is/was the personal state of the people behind the things we interact with. Among the most valuable blessings that we are given are our allotted time, our intellectual capacity, our resources, and our emotional spirit.
So, whom and what will you be with this Ramdan? Let us choose wisely where we spend our time, whom we spend it with. Ramadan comes like a friend, once a year, willing to spend 30 days with us. Are we too busy? Are we going to walk by it without any concern? We have a great example in which the Prophet peace be upon him never did that. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never walked by a special moment or a special opportunity. So, as Ramadan approaches let’s not walk past it.
At Sanad Trust Foundation we hope that we are worthy of your companionship and support. We hope that we can continue to offer something of benefit to you and your family, to our youth and our elders, and to our community and Ummah. We ask for your dua for our sincerity, for our tawfiq, and for our success not just in the month of Ramadan, but beyond, as we try to build a new way forward for Islamic education in North America and insha’Allah benefit humanity for many years to come. We thank you for your time and we thank you for your dua. Allah bless you.
Blended learning as defined by “The Blended Learning Universe” occurs when two or more models of learning integrate creating a new modality. For the model to be truly considered integrated, there must be an instructional shift from a face to face teacher to web based content and instruction. There should be some element of student control over the web based content and instruction. And finally, all modalities of the student’s learning path should be seamlessly integrated creating a rich and comprehensive learning experience. (Maxwell 2016) So when the entire world shifted their education systems online because of Covid-19, they did NOT all transform into a blended learning system overnight. The peril is the misconception that a digital version of the traditional school would be lauded as “blended learning”. (Holland 2017)
At Sanad Prep, for the past 10 years we have offered and cultivated the instructional coaching expertise to be able to create a unique blended learning experience for our students. Our curriculum is all web based content and instruction provided by K12, a virtual public school that is fully accredited. And our team of learning coaches work one on one with students to ensure that they each have personalized active learning experiences. The online curriculum coupled with our highly trained learning coaches and a safe enriching environment make for a winning combination, Alhamdulillah.
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for models like Sanad Prep. And it has challenged us to improve, find new solutions and enhance the offering to our students. Let’s uncover the details of this transformative model through the incredible things being produced by Sanad Prep students!
Sanad Prep Students Collaborate School closures and social restrictions have been hard on everyone, especially on the young children among us. Pre-pandemic, our students were given many opportunities to play together at the Learning Center. The Learning Coach for our youngest group, Faiza, would allow them to move and play in between lessons to give them breaks. So, when we went fully online we solicited feedback from all of our students asking them what they think would make their online experience better. Our youngest group wanted more play! So we turned to Google Jamboard to give them a chance to “play together”. Jamboard functions as a digital whiteboard that allows for collaboration. It can be used by business executives to plan strategy or high school students to make concept maps or even by first and second graders to create digital collages, like shown below. This is just one way we use Jamboard, we also turn it into a birthday message board anytime it’s one of our students or staff’s birthdays. It can also be an excellent tool for collaborating between at home learners and in- person learners. (Lyding 2021) At Sanad Prep we are all about finding solutions for our students, and in this case they just love to “Jam on Jamboard”.
“Jamming” with the lower elementary girls
Sanad Prep Students Create
Being inspired by the concept of “Use It or Lose It” from The Learning Coach Approach by Linda Dobson, Fareeza, our upper elementary Learning Coach, understands the importance of students being able to do more than just memorize facts or regurgitate information. She helps students connect what they’re learning to the real world by “creating”. As Linda Dobson mentions in her book, “And as your child’s learning coach you don’t concentrate on giving him more information instead you provide lots of opportunity to use the information he already received. The easiest and most effective way to do this is through providing lots of opportunity for experience and experimentation.” (Dobson 2005)
On any given day, you’ll find Fareeza’s students hunting around their homes gathering materials to create something based on what they’re learning in class. One recent project they worked on was Indian Miniature Paintings from the time of the Mughal dynasty. Students created their own version by drawing an elephant filled with colorful patterns and became Mughal artists in their own right. For the upper elementary students at Sanad Prep, learning becomes more meaningful when they create!
The upper elementary Mughal artists!
Sanad Prep Students receive Coordinated Learning Experiences
At the heart of Sanad Prep is our students. And because we are a personalized and intentionally small Learning Center, we really get to know the whole student, their personality, strengths and challenges. Sanad Prep Parents are an integral part of this relationship circle as they become a part of the Sanad Prep village. The inspiration that “it takes a village to raise a child” takes on a different life when the village dwellers chip in to do their part. Not only do parents have the confidence that their child is receiving a personalized learning experience, they have the ability to become a part of the process through active engagement and involvement in the village activities. Sanad Prep also offers opportunities to a third generation, the grandparents, to give back to the community. This may take the form of tutoring for math, science and other subjects. At Sanad Prep, we are also able to recognize and accommodate students who are beyond their grade level. By carefully considering their intellectual abilities, their emotional and personal maturity, and the available resources within the support system, we make recommendations for them to take advanced classes and or enroll within a gifted or accelerated program. For example, in Middle School we have two students who are taking both advanced Math and English this year as a part of an accelerated program. It is not always smooth sailing when a student decides to take advanced classes. Some critics of advanced classes have said that it slows academic progress. As one educator, Turner, has identified, “We also must pay close attention to student well-being, stress and anxiety as they balance these multiple demands in a changing world.” (Matthews 2019) This is what Ameena, the Middle School learning coach seeks to do. In fact the entire Sanad Prep team is very focused on knowing the whole child and providing support and direction as needed.
A poem by one of our advanced students. Email ameena@sanadtrust.org if you want more! 🙂
Sanad Prep Students Care
Sanad Prep is built on having adab and part of that is having genuine care and concern for others. We attempt to do this practically each week with our high school students. Every week a high school student presents a current event or real-world topic and discusses why their classmates should care about it. Cultivating an awareness of others and promoting empathy in the classroom has been proven to have many benefits such as creating a positive classroom culture and community. It also prepares students to become leaders in the wider community. (Owen 2015) The students choose a topic that is either current such as events presented in the news, either local or global, or relevant, especially as young Muslims living in America. This discussion facilitated by Ustadh Rehan allows them to talk about what’s going on in the world and what is meaningful to them. One of their Learning Coaches, Azad, has said that he appreciates this exercise as it gives him insight into what the students value and deem important. Some of the past topics include the avalanche in Uttarakhand, the Farmer’s Protest in the Punjab, the Presidential election and the attack on the Capitol.
Yasmina, a 10th grader, shared a presentation about The Farmers Protest in Punjab
This pandemic has taught us many things and stretched us beyond our imaginations! Aside from all the technological growth, we have pivoted and found solutions for our students not just academically but also socially and emotionally. Sanad Prep has always been focused on the mind, heart and soul of the children and families we serve. Under the leadership of Ustadh Rehan and Sis Attiqa we have ongoing reflections and discussions about how we can improve. This concept of purposeful reflection happens throughout our Learning Center from staff to students. One project that has been undertaken by our Middle School is to encourage all Sanad Prep students to write letters to their post-pandemic selves reflecting on the lessons they learned and continue to learn as we move through this phase. This project was inspired by an online article about another Middle Schooler in New Jersey whose Mom is a strong believer in reflection and introspection. (Cho 2020) Let’s end with a snippet from Jamal’s reflection.
Jamal, a 6th grader, is another student who is in the accelerated program at Sanad Prep
Almost two years ago in the Spring of 2019, a friend of mine whose first name is my surname Syeda joined me to attend a Rabata Retreat in Tampa, Florida. We drove from Miami early in the morning and made the three hour road trip landing directly at the program that was being hosted at a University Campus. It was my first time attending a Rabata program. We attended just for the day and I made a side trip to visit a classmate whom I was taking a course with at the Harvard Extension School in nonprofit management. It was a short, peaceful and memorable trip. During the day retreat, Anse Tamara Gray introduced a project Rabata had been working on for a few years documenting the lives of Muslim Female Scholars. What stood out about the project were the beautifully produced hand drawn portraits of these women. The sketches pranced out with beautiful vibrant colors capturing the women’s inward and outward beauty somehow, a few in their youth while others in their mature age. The common theme of each masterpiece was the semblance of strikingly simple, ordinary and relatable faces. You could imagine yourself as one of them by simply gazing at the portrait. My mind faded on many of the beautiful women that were discussed except Nana Asma’u. Her portrait, her name and her aura took hold in my heart. It was not the first time I had heard her name but it was the first time I felt connected to her and had a strong impulse to learn more about her life. Just a few days after my return home, I was listening to a series of lectures by Shayk Abdul Hakim Murad on Leaders in Islamic history, and he began highlighting the life of Nana Asma’u. I smiled and listened to the 2 hour lecture in a single sitting. I was captivated. I continued my research on her and read every article and piece of information I could find on her. I ordered a biography on her life by Boyd & Mack2, a rare compilation that attempts to capture an accurate account of her life and contributions. Her biography inspired me so much that I made a silent wish in my heart to be given the permission to visit the library of Timbuktu one day and hold an original book of Nana Asma’u in my hands.
A Life of Tradition, Education & Impeccable Character
Picture derived from Boyd and Mack”, (2013), pg. 26. (*See endnote 2 for complete reference)
Nana Asma’u was born at the turn of the century around 1793 in Degel, West Africa. She began attending school at age 5 that was situated in the large compound built by her father Usman dan Fodio. Usman dan Fodio was a renowned scholar and the head of the Fulanis community in the region known as Toronkawa. Asma’u was a sibling among 9 others in the Fodio household but her father took an intimate and keen interest in the education of each one of his children. In fact, Asma’u and her sister Hadija both would go on to memorize the Qur’an while excelling in other religious and practical sciences. Usman Dan Fodio, also referred lovingly as “the Shehu” by his community was dedicated to his faith and a commitment to preserve the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him through striving for a just, equitable and socially vibrant community. This passion had a deep and profound influence on his children. Asma’u was shaped by her father’s qualities of sincerity, humility, forbearance and an unwavering conviction in sharing and teaching the sunnah of Prophet peace be upon him. It was not uncommon for Asma’u to hear stories from her father about his meetings with Hausa farmers, the wealthy residents, as well as the rulers and officials of local courts. The Shehu believed in progress of his people through education, especially of womenfolk and established schools and places of higher learning to bring his vision to fruition. Asma’u would not only carry her father’s legacy but would create a unique and unprecedented one for herself. Her formative years in mentorship and training by her father, her teachers of religious and worldly sciences and her astute intelligence would guide her into becoming an impeccable leader and influencer in her time and beyond.
A Visionary: Principled & Practical Leadership
Hand produced Portrait of Nana Asma’u by Rabata.org3
Nana Asma’u had a keen eye for observing and understanding the state and condition of the people in her community. She witnessed many challenges that troubled the lives of common folks like cheating and corruption in trade and selling, bribery, bending of rules for the rich and elite, limiting opportunities of education for women, evasion of alms- tax by the wealthy, abuses and mistrust of inheritance laws and property just to name a few. She believed that if women could be educated on ideas of morality, ethics and justice as well trained to contribute with their intellect and skills as productive and equally contributing members of the community, the society as a whole had a far better chance of ridding itself of these moral and material ailments.
Asma’u was fluent in many languages including Aarbic, Hausa, Fulani and other dialects which allowed her to communicate with people from every walk of life. She was brilliant yet affable and remained close to the people and their daily struggles. She was strategic and deliberate but came up with simple solutions to guide the movement of women in her community towards progress. A prominent form of her influence became poetry, promulgating her message in a quick and effective way especially amongst the common people. Many of her poems shared eyewitnesses and accounts of her father’s struggles for the Hausa people with a calling to live by higher morals of justice, peace and excellence.
Her marriage to a prominent student of the Shehu, named Gidado who was a scholar in his own right would only strengthen her mission and her ability to continue her service. In her role as the wife of Gidado, Asma’u would take lead responsibility in managing, coordinating and overseeing the affairs of the womenfolk in her household and of other women in the community. Many of her original poems and translated texts empowered the Hausa women to take control of their condition and work towards its betterment. Although a remarkable writer, Asma’u did not limit her influence through the pen and paper alone. She would visit the women in the community daily, listen to their concerns, help resolve conflict, encourage observance of ethical and moral standards, reinforce the value of education, while condemning cheating, falsehood, gossip, slander and any other forms of behaviour that may lead to moral degradation. Asma’u developed a network for women to ensure control and governance over their lives, decisions related to their children, economics and other social welfare issues. The network would take the form of a sophisticated organization named Yan Taru, with a mission to promote progress, justice and peace through social reform, scholarship and teaching of the Hausa women.
Nana Asma’u also played a critical role as a political and military advisor to her brother Muhammad Bello after the passing of their father the Shehu. She had earned a reputation even amongst the men for her sagacious perspective on political and social matters. She was a natural diplomat yet uncompromising towards her principles and values. As political unrest grew in the region, the Hausa community would be forced to migrate and fight against the colonial rule and aggression, threatening their culture, heritage, and the very connection and commitment to their faith. Their great legacy based on education and knowledge of religious and other highly revered sciences will hang in the balance, in fact almost destroyed by the onset of colonialism. Her demise from this world would follow the slow plundering of her community, especially the women despite their best efforts to preserve her legacy through education of women.
Reconnecting the Severed Tie
I have gravitated to different people at different points and times in my life but I know my gravitation and inclination was shaped and influenced by the principles and values my parents disseminated in me. My path constantly crossing with the memory of Nana Asma’u did not feel like a coincidence to me. At one point, it felt like everywhere I looked and turned, I found her name emerging again and again in my life. I spoke to both my children about this strange occurrence and even bought a children’s book to share highlights about her life with them. To me, finding good role models for our children means having good ones ourselves first. A part of the journey for me has been understanding the how and why this connection to our heritage, history and faith has weakened over time. It continues to shape my curiosity in Muslim historical and contemporary figures and why this connection for us and our children must be preserved.
The entire month of February is dedicated to commemoration of Black and African Americans in America; serving as an apt reminder that we can use current traditions to strengthen our understanding of the past. We at Sanad Trust Foundation believe in connecting to this legacy for the children and families we serve. Shedding light on these important figures and their legacies is one way we can honor them, remain connected to them and hope that our children’s path crosses with some of them in the future, as it has for some of us. Another way and perhaps even more important is to continue their legacy by following in their footsteps and taking inspiration from their lives to build our own. My friend and colleague, Ameena Nasir, reminded me what made the Yan Taru movement initiated by Nana Asma’u so successful. By studying and closely examining the characteristic and qualities of the organization, it becomes evident that Nana Asma’u grounded the organization by committing to the following principles, amongst many others:
A sincere intention and concern for the preservation of fitra (the good nature inherent in all human beings),
Dissemination of knowledge that connects one to their faith, culture, heritage and other worldly sciences
Preservation of a healthy, positive and principled environment
Nana Asmau’s approach and establishment of an effective model for teaching and learning focused on two things; Educating and training older women in the community and pairing them up with young girls to receive the same training. The two key areas Nana Asma’u seemed to have focused on was
providing the knowledge and resources that inspire and motivate the mind and heart
Establishing a system based on relationship between Mentor/Coach and Students
We at Sanad Trust Foundation are striving to live by similar principles and guidelines. As one of our taglines states: Have Adab. Share Knowledge. Show Love. We invite you to join this mission or discover ways you or your family may benefit from our services by browsing our website. Remember to subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected, follow us on Instagram @sanadtrust, Facebook (sanadtrust) and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
Before one can lead others with integrity, dignity, and grace he must lead his own heart, mind, and action with sincerity towards a path that is noble, worthy, and good.
At Sanad Prep, the cornerstone education service of Sanad Trust Foundation, we begin every day with the intention inspired and passed down from Imam Abdullah ibn Alawi al Hadad — the sage and scholar of the 12th Hijri century. Its comprehensiveness and brevity inspired us to incorporate it as The Sanad Prep Oath for Teaching and Learning from day one.
After beginning in the name of Allah, praising Him, and asking for the peace and blessings of Allah grace the Prophet Muhammad we say, with Imam Hadad:
I intend to learn and to teach; to remember and to remind; to benefit myself and to benefit others; to serve and to be served (by the knowledge); to encourage observance of the book of Allah and the example of His Messenger (peace be upon him); to call towards guidance; to direct towards the good; to seek (thereby) the Countenance of Allah, His Satisfaction, His Closeness, and His Reward.
Character as Channeled Force
After orienting our intention we must begin building our discussion upon some of the foundational qualities of leadership. For educators and students, the young and old, individuals and organizations, parents and community no audience can be spoken to about leadership without including the imperative of moral etiquette, refinement, and good character — or adab, defined broadly in those terms. Furthermore and within this context, adab channeled, is specifically an even greater achievement and must be a greater encouragement. An individual with adab must know or be inspired to discover what they can do with this quality when it is guided well, thus adab is seen as an ability.
When perceived through this lens we can begin to imagine open-ended questions. What can we accomplish extrinsically with adab as an intrinsic quality? And collectively, if we have individuals of good character, what can this collective accomplish? Then we expand the boundaries of our thoughts beyond the individual level or communal level but, continue to a global level. The impact of people walking on this planet upright with good character — men and women — is what the world calls us to imagine at this moment and at any given time, that’s a goal, to at least imagine this.
The Imperative to Preserve
And this is one of the things that we try, or rather we have an intention for, as I can’t say that we are always successful … only Allah knows, but it’s one of the things that we attempt to do at Sanad Prep with our students. That is, to cultivate and create an environment where our students and even our staff, who are also, in one regard, students of knowledge, can preserve their good character and imagine their positive impact on the world around them. Most K-12 learning environments and social settings, in general, today exhaustingly and incessantly challenge this effort of maintaining the attributes of adab (moral etiquette). The reality is that our learning and social environment can disfigure our character. Our life space can (and should) also be inspired and cultivated and beautified and made better and improved upon, and in turn, have this influence upon us and our character as well.
Youth Must Know Who They Truly Are
There is an idea that we talk about with our students often and we share this with all youth. It may not always be meaningful and that’s okay. It may not always seem important and that’s also okay. The truth is that we’re all still growing and we’re learning what our priorities are, what is important, and the definitions of things. As educators at Sanad Prep we’ve always been okay with that process of growth, it never deters us from continuing to remind our students about these concepts. We know that our students are the most important part of what we do.
The idea is that we all are important. We mean something and we must matter in the effort to serve and uplift humanity. It is critical to consistently remind students about why they are so important in this regard, why they are so loved, and why our work for them is so important. The reality is that they are ‘the tomorrow’ and within them is the environment that we’re hoping for in our world.
What we remind youth about and the culture we help them cultivate within themselves is what will impact the world. In 5, 10, 20 years many of our students today, who are young adults already, will be in positions of influence and leadership. At Sanad Prep perhaps we have an extraordinary amount of hope, but when we see our students — and I hope that every educator feels the same way about their students — we truly see the leaders of tomorrow. We expect our students, every one of them to be a leader in their own regard, in their own respect, in their own personality, and in their own qualities. It doesn’t mean that they have to give speeches on the top of a mountain but we certainly expect them to be leaders of character. Their refinement and ihsan should manifest in their words, actions, good decision making, and wisdom. We expect them to lead in those qualities, many of which are inward qualities.
A Conclusion for Youth and Adults
In the end, what we remind any youth who may be reading this, whether they’re a Sanad Prep student or not, is that what you may see in the world of disorder and chaos and political turmoil and environmental issues, those are all things that are unfortunately waiting for someone to change them. As Dr. Suess wrote amongst the last lines of The Lorax, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” So, if you’re a young person looking around at the world today, don’t be dismayed, and don’t be depressed, and don’t be saddened. Rather, be motivated, be inspired, and know that those are opportunities waiting for someone with good character, perhaps like yourself, to change them, address them, and improve upon them.
Any conclusion to this discussion that does not center some of the responsibility upon us as parents, as leaders, as educators, and as institution-builders to really believe in this ideal first and foremost within ourselves is void. With this ideal in hand, we then must try our best to create the space, the environment, and the inspiration within young people to believe this potential in themselves. If we’re having a hard time expressing and communicating to the young people in our lives how important they are, how much they are loved, and how much the world is in need of their potential … then we have failed.
A Prayer
I end with a prayer that wherever a student may be learning today, whether it’s a public school, a private school, a faith-based school, or a homeschool that they feel first and foremost loved; then, that they are important; and finally, that they know they have the potential to change the world around them. No matter how young you may be, you have that capacity in you. I pray that you’re in a learning environment that cultivates that awareness and inspires that. And I pray that you are in a family environment and a community that does this as well.
May God give us the himma (the aspiration and motivation) for not just completing our academic life and work with success in this regard year after year, but for the entirety and the balance of our lives. May God enable us to be inspired and grace us with the ability to inspire others insha’Allah.
Know that for those of us who strive to live by faith-based principles, and specifically the principles of Islam and the character of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that we have all of the tools that we need.
There should be no doubt in our minds and hearts that great leadership is built upon humility and good character.
“Since this year has been hard on everyone, we should do something to make people happy.”
And so, Project S.M.I.L.E. was born. This beautiful sentiment expressed by Sara, one of our Middle School students, caused a stir in the classroom as everyone started suggesting ideas and making plans. This discussion was part of a plan to find our new khidma project.
For the past few years, Middle Schoolers at Sanad Prep have undertaken khidma projects- projects to serve others for the sake of Allah only. Inspired by the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him), “The best among you are those who bring [the] greatest benefits to many others.” We have adopted a tradition of thinking beyond the curriculum and ourselves to do what we can to serve those around us.
And after several meetings and tweaks to the project, they finally decided how we can achieve our goal. In their words, “Project S.M.I.L.E, a project dedicated to making the lives of humans better around the world! S.M.I.L.E, because Sanad Makes It Lively Everyday!” Masha Allah! The project is essentially a personalized message to a person of their choosing in hopes of making the person smile. And of course their first message was to a beloved mentor who holds a special place in each of their hearts- Ustadh Rehan Mirza.
There are many benefits to smiling but none more noble than following the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). So, it was very fitting that we began this project at the start of the blessed month of Rabi- al- Awwal. May Allah allow these youth and us to always be as cheerful and bright faced as our Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) and to continue serving others for His sake with a smile. Ameen
As a new husband and father nearly a decade ago it was important to me that my family make a concerted effort to remain close to one another and to God. I saw how this effort was made by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and our righteous predecessors for ages. My wife shared this belief alhamdulillah, so together along with a few other families, we began an effort to come together to remember Allah and the example of His beloved messenger (peace be upon him). This included both the reflection on the words of scholars and dhikr from the Quran and Sunnah.
We knew that it was critical for every member of the household to be a part of this gathering. Our spiritual growth as a family required us to, at least in part, walk a shared spiritual path. This halaqa as it was and now as it is in the form of the Neighborhood Halaqa gives us this opportunity. It has been a beacon, calling us back to a well-lit path.
The pandemic forced us all to retreat in so many ways, but this effort should never be neglected. That’s why we are so excited for relaunch of the Neighborhood Halaqa at Sanad Trust Foundation. It means that our children can resume the epic tales of adventure and learn about their spiritual potential through the original children’s story read at the beginning of the Neighborhood Halaqa; and our teenage nephews can hear beneficial words from youth leaders and mentors inspiring their spiritual growth; and that my friends, my mother, my wife and I can be reminded to aspire for a better a version of ourselves. And all this in the same gathering that ends with the dhikr of Allah.
I’d like to think this is how the gathering of families of the companions and the righteous predecessors felt like in some small way. My family and I are looking forward to the Neighborhood Halaqa and the good company of family and friends, new and old. I hope you will join us insha’Allah.
Recently I spoke to Sanad Prep students about loss of life that so often occurs due to oppression, and the lack of accountability and justice that so often follows. The following is an edited summary of this talk.
Whenever there is a loss of life due to any form of oppression and justice is not served, then people of conscience and dignity are rightfully pained. When this happens systemically, spanning generations and geography, there must come a moment for every member of humanity living in that time as a witness tolook deep in their soul and heart and determine where each stands in relation to the oppression they see. When we all do this, we may give ourselves a chance to connect, to understand, to empathize. And God always knows best.
There are communities and individuals that haven’t met even though they’ve been next to each other for a very long time. As a result, there are many people today that are in pain and there are many others that don’t really understand that. Many of us have never learned to appreciate the state of emotional pain in an ‘other’. And that’s a big problem, that’s a big divide. Once you have that breakdown you can’t do the things that need to be done to uplift one another. You can’t appreciate another person essentially and you’re going to have a hard time valuing them. You’re also going to have a hard time building something together with that person.
As Muslims we have a great example in our Prophet (peace be upon him). He was able to see everyone in his community, he was able to empathize with them, he was able to understand their pains and their hardships. He was able to help them help themselves and also help them directly.
The need to get out of our psycho-social digital boxes
To our older students, I really wanted to make the point that we really need to get out of our psycho-social digital boxes and expand our cognition, compassion, and awareness. We must really start to see more of one another and strive to understand. We must inquire and be informed about other people and other situations, and begin to value those things. We can then begin to build something good within ourselves and with others.
All of this is so that we leave this world in a better way than we receive it. That we improve it while we’re here. I believe that this is an important conversation for us to have within our own selves, but also with one another and especially our youth. There is tangible benefit in this effort if done with ikhlas (sincerity). We must not be negligent of our responsibilities towards a people, or a cause, or situation in which there are individuals who are hurting and who are in pain. And we can not pass this air of negligence down to the next generations either.
We must feel as much as we can. Whether it’s a refugee crisis overseas, or a situation of poverty, or an environmental situation with the wildfires on the west coast, or a situation related to systemic racism…we must feel and raise our children to feel.
Caring enough as individuals and organizations to ask a question
One way we can help ourselves is by breaking this effort down into its simplest parts. It begins by caring enough to ask a question. It begins with inquiry and learning about another person, another cause — learning about the environment and climate change, learning about racism and issues affecting members of our community, learning about poverty, and global issues.
Ask questions and be informed about the nature of things and the nature of people, and how these interact. If enough of us do this — i.e. care to ask the questions inspired by genuine concern — then we can build something good together; something within ourselves that is informed, that is compassionate, and that is caring God-willing. With this core base, we can expand to build an organizational culture collectively as individuals that lifts each other up and allows everyone to be a leader in their own way and contribute to our collective success.
This, in fact, is part of the mission of the Sanad Trust Foundation. It too began with this inquiry and intention. All of our services and what we offer as a team to those around us is built upon empathy, genuine concern and identifying our shared needs. Whatever role Sanad Trust Foundation and Sanad Prep can play in this effort of awakening for the students and families we serve, we hope that we can continue to do so. At minimum we hope that we inspire our students to grow and to be leaders in their own way, to be intelligent, wise, compassionate, and empathetic. Furthermore, as a Muslim-led organization we understand there are certain principles that we must umcompromisngly reflect. Among others, these include being ethical, being moral, and fiscally responsible. This also means that we care about doing things with excellence (ihsan), whether it’s in education or in other aspects of our work.
I pray that everyone who may read this is in a good state and making the situation within themselves and around them better. I ask that God give you and I, our children and our organizations, success in this.
I remember it like yesterday. I was giving a talk at a local Masjid. It was one of those talks we shared our heart and our hope of what Sanad Prep could offer our children. We never knew how the audience would respond, but we had a good idea. Usually, it was silent and we left as quietly as we arrived.
This time was different.
At the end of that talk, as we gathered our belongings and headed for the exit, a woman rushed to catch me in the doorway. She had a young child on her hip and sincere concern on her face.
She said, “How can my kids come to your learning center? They have to.” It was that glimmer of hope that I feel like we both needed at that time — her for her children’s future and me for the Foundation’s future.
We met at the intersection of concern and hope.
I think there are a lot of mothers like that mother I met many years ago. I think there are a lot of fathers like her as well. Sometimes I think we feel overwhelmed and at a loss because we feel there isn’t anything we can do about it.
Sanad Prep, the learning center powered by Sanad Trust Foundation, was built to meet us all at this intersection. It was built from the inside out…personal, sentimental, sincere and practical, thoughtful, scalable.
Sanad Prep’s latest effort, Sanad Prep Online, hopes to be a bridge to those who, for whatever reason, were unable to consider our on-the-ground full-time program. Now, you have an option that can come to you.
Very limited enrollment is currently open for the Sanad Prep Online: Sacred Sciences program. Your child can join us after their school day and be part of the learning environment our full-time students get to share every day. Together, they can connect socially and in their spiritual growth.
Sanad Prep Online integrates technology, books, and teachers for families that want something safe and well-thought-out for their children. No model and program is going to be perfect, but we should strive to do things with sincerity and excellence.
We hope that you consider your child’s spiritual education this academic year and learn more about how Sanad Prep Online can meet this critical need in their development. For more information and to sign up, visit www.sanadtrust.org/sponline
Deadline is September 21 and limited enrollment is first come, first serve.
Can’t join the program? You can support us by making a donation and receive a perpetual reward!
It’s easy to get caught in what our summer wasn’t during this 2020 pandemic. After all, it wasn’t a lot of things. It wasn’t a summer of travel. There are no new magnets to add to our “National Park” themed fridge collection. It wasn’t a summer full of family reunions, play dates, and sleepovers. This past summer we haven’t left footprints on hiking trails far and wide, took snap shots on breathtaking mountainous ranges. Instead we’ve trodden back and forth on our familiar home tile floors, our unruly backyard grass, and our neighborhood scenic walking paths. This summer our footprints were left more locally and closer to home.
Fresh air and the outdoors have been our life-line in this pandemic. Almost daily family bike rides around our scenic neighborhood path quickly became a family ritual. We’d stop in a favorite spot, where the kids spot fish in the lake, try their luck at opening clams, sharpen sticks to make “spears”, or climb up a tree to read a book from the branch they claimed as their own. During our daily round, we’d smile and wave at friendly passersby, this was often our only social interaction for weeks.
This summer the kids left a trail of muddy footprints in our patio floor as they spent the morning kicking a ball, throwing a Frisbee, chasing a dragon fly, or fishing in the pond. They left a trail of broken bobbers, tangled fishing line and misplaced pliers. I can confidently claim that I spent a good portion of my summer untangling fishing line and reattaching hooks. They’ve caught (and froze) enough fish over the weeks to warrant a fish and chips family “feast” as they later referred to it.
At home, they’ve left a trail of misplaced sofa cushions and mangled throw blankets as they cuddled and consumed their summer reading books. This was definitely a summer for reading, whether in the form of a family read-aloud or diving individually into our own adventures. This summer we’ve felt how books can take you far and wide, back in time, or on adventures that leave you inspired to embark on your own.
This summer we dabbed our fingers and brushes into watercolors and acrylic painting. You’ve got to love step-by-step YouTube tutorials. We have a few proudly displayed art pieces to show for it. In the kitchen, they’ve left sugar and flour trails on the counters as they baked recipes and learnt to cook simple meals. They’ve also learned to wipe counters and mop the floors afterwards, which they’ve enjoyed far less, I must admit. But not all life skills are created equal in terms of level of fun, and you must learn them all.
A bit further from home, we’ve spent Saturday mornings on sandy beaches, explored board walks of local nature centers. We’ve played hide and seek with crabs camouflaging on mangrove branches or scurrying timidly into their holes. We’ve kayaked on local ponds and rivers, and wondered if we’d run into a friendly local alligator (we didn’t).
This summer was different, not as grand, but not any less memorable. The slow-paced, quiet (well as quiet as a house full of 3 rambunctious kids can be anyway- which is not at all) relatively lonely, “living in our own bubble” summer isn’t something we’ll soon forget. Many of our summer days felt like they lasted forever, and I couldn’t wait for the day to end. Yet the summer as a whole passed us by as quickly and playfully as a refreshing breeze, here one second, gone the next. We are thankful to Allah, for every minute we were granted and every footstep we were allowed to take, together as a family, enjoying our health and the blessings Allah bestows upon us, today and always. الحمد لله دائما و أبدا
Who I am as a person, what I believe in and how I interact with the world around me. These questions are all fragments, small parts of a bigger whole that makes up me. Like pieces of a puzzle, there are parts of me that interact and live with so many other parts of myself at a micro level and even more parts of the society at a macro level. Just like the small fragments reflect a bigger picture of me, individual portraits of each of us makes up our communities and our world. They are all interconnected,intertwined and intermingled with one another. Nothing exists in silos.
Conventional understanding paired education and character development under one umbrella. In fact, the function of education was in part character development. Education meant that a person was being afforded the opportunity to learn, develop and grow emotionally, personally, and spiritually. Education would result in a positive transformation for the individual who would continue to give back to the bigger whole of society and this cycle would continue. The cycle, however, has been disrupted. And we need to be aware of its implications for you, me and us…AS A WHOLE.
I read a book on the life of Mahatma Gandhi at around age 13. I remember many things from that book but one thing that resonated the most is the quote “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” This impacted me deeply even then but I would come to understand its reality much later in life. To date, I have a frame hanging in my 10 year old son’s bedroom that reads the same quote. It’s almost intuitive to put something up on the wall, as if a part of us believes that if we looked at it enough, we may become that. That’s not why I have it there though. I interact with that quote everyday. Especially when it gets hard and sometimes, it gets hard but the frame serves as a reminder of why I need to push through and move onward. These words don’t just live inside of me, they are a part of who I am. It is shaping the upbringing of my children, in how I interact with my husband and family, in how I treat my neighbors and what contributions I make to the lives of students around me. Small parts that make up a big whole. It is the small things that matter a lot; like having family dinners together, having tea with your spouse, or stopping everything to just watch the butterfly your little toddler is mesmerized by. These small things have big value. They translate into meaningful moments and really add up to beautify your life as a whole.
We do not see ourselves as fragments. We see ourselves as a whole. And from that angle, our flaws and our strengths sometimes fade. We lose our balance and because of it, a way to stay grounded in the middle. We dwindle on the polar extremes of the spectrum, bouncing from one end to the other without any virtuous field that can magnetize us back to the middle and be the guide as our true Northstar. This imbalance particularly becomes an issue when we don’t appreciate the value of the small fragments that make up the whole. As small pieces, our strengths may shrink when we need to hold on to them most and our flaws expand when we need to contain them within parameters. We fail to see our faults at all or only see our faults and nothing good. These are polarized extremes and we all seem to be getting pushed towards embracing these extremes. Sometimes by choice but mostly by ignorance and oblivion. The vast majority of us were raised to value virtues of honesty, integrity, generosity, and justice. They are no longer values but rather static attributes that we like to hang in frames on our walls. They signify to our friends and family that we believe in good values as we make lip service to their presence in our lives. In reality though, they are just token attributes that wane very quickly against the backdrop of our daily actions. These universally held values act like forces that bind us together in our humanity. When they no longer remain universal, society as a whole is threatened. Our fragments are different but they combine to make a beautiful whole because we understand the value of each piece. If we devalue each piece, the whole collapses on itself. This is precisely what the modern world has done to our value system. It has become a footnote that we may occasionally mention but mostly leave it at the bottom, just as a reference point in case the need arises to access it.
Education is a big part of society. Character education is even bigger. And makes society what it is. An invaluable conduit that disseminates knowledge and prepares the next generation to take their place in the world. If smaller parts of this big force are infiltrated and become corrupt, the bigger picture begins to lose its form. In a society driven by race for trends, modernity and consumerism, it’s hardly a surprise that we are being subsumed by these forces more than pursuing them freely by our intentional will. Things that used to have substantial meaning and purpose are being questioned or doubted in the name of reason and science. Values that were once seen as universal phenomenon are voraciously debated. The world I see for myself and my children is more expansive, more tolerant, and more meaningful. A world that tugs and pushes towards polarizing one another pushes itself to its demise. I want to show my children that my curiosity, doubts and struggles do not amount to devaluing things around me. Rather, it teaches me to learn the real value of things and strive to find their right place. In this world and the universe. A society that affords us the freedom to question and doubt faith, should also offer the same right to affirm it and hold on to its essence. Reason, logic and science are central to education because they are its brain power. Faith, values and ethics are central to education because they are its heart. They work together to form a complete whole.
The agencies and mechanisms that cultivate virtuous character traits in us have drastically changed. In modern times, the education system is not designed to teach my son or daughter to be honest or dishonest. It’s designed to teach them mastery of subject matters like math, science, english, etc. Our children may be recognized as honourable citizens through stickers that read “Your child did the right thing” when they display a virtuous act but that may be the extent of character development in most cases. Character development is an active science that needs to be taught like math, english and science. It needs to be cultivated in a human being with diligent, active and concerted effort. It is our communinal right and responsibility to be aware of this first. Only then can we begin to evaluate the options we are choosing for our children.
This is not a small matter but requires each of us to look closely at our small daily choices and actions. Until we commit to that with honesty and sincerity, our intentions, efforts and capacity to educate our children in the way and manner that follows prophetic guidance will remain incomplete at best and risky at worst. For their life here and the next. May Allah guide our hearts and minds to His messenger’s light, his way and practice. May He give us the enabling grace to instill in them good adab with Allah, His messenger peace be upon him, and His creation. If we can preserve adab, we give ourselves a good chance to not just preserve good in all humanity but also the hope in humanity. Our prophet peace be upon him was sent to perfect good character. Adab is the way of achieving that good character. And through it, being the change we wish to see in the world.
View our exciting NEW series “Linkups, 15 min chats that go a long way”. We’ll linkup with people in the community just like yourself – parents, professionals, leaders, activists, friends! Listen to their thoughts and opinions on topics that affect us all. You never know who might be our next guest – it could be you! This month we are taking on an issue that’s on everyone’s minds as schools make plans to re-open (or not) in the Fall- Schooling and Moms.
In this episode, Attiqa Syeda interviews a Mom of two boys and our Sanad Prep Coordinator, Fareeza Ghani Ali. Listen to her positive schooling experiences and what she felt were the important outward aspects when it came to her children’s education.
Join us weekly on Thursdays at 6:30pm EST for more engaging interviews. Find us LIVE on Facebook and YouTube @sanadtrust
