Winter Retreat 2025
After COVID, we finally held our first fully English-driven language retreat, and it truly felt special—like reconnecting with an old rhythm we had missed for a long time.
Collective Silent Reading & Text Study We began with something we hadn’t done collectively in a long time: collective silent reading. Everyone picked up the book and read quietly together. In that shared silence, we genuinely felt our hearts syncing and our minds opening. Afterwards, we studied and reflected on Salah (Prayer) by Hoca Efendi—reading, analyzing, and discussing it together. It became one of the most memorable book-reading sessions we’ve had in a long time.
The retreat was enriched by reflections rooted in lived faith and experience:
- Imam Nail joined the Talks & Experiences sessions, sharing insights shaped by real-life journeys and sincere service.
- Layla Muhammad and Imam Leonard Abdulkhābir spoke on Community Service and Khidmah—touching on homelessness, prison services, and the responsibility of serving society with compassion and consistency.
On Thursday evening, we held a Regaib Kandil program, which became a beautiful spiritual highlight of the retreat. Later that night, Muhammad Sharifuddin offered us a true spiritual gift: he shared his khatt (calligraphy), led Tasbih Prayer, and recited Surah Al-Kahf as a collective mukabele. It truly felt like a spiritual feast. May Allah accept.
On Friday morning, we had a dedicated session with Aisha Othman on Islamic Fiqh.
She walked us through foundational fiqh concepts, clarified common misunderstandings, and helped participants think about fiqh not as abstract rules, but as a framework for conscious, responsible living.
Alhamdulillah, the retreat brought together a beautifully diverse group—African American, African, Black, White, Afghan, Iraqi, Yemenite, Russian, Turkish; young and old.
Beyond the sessions, what stood out most was the home-like atmosphere, sincere companionship, and genuine brotherhood and sisterhood.
If you couldn’t attend this retreat, please feel free to reach out to us. InshaAllah, we hope to organize more English-driven programs—whether in the summer, before it, or afterward.
And please share your comments, ideas, and feedback with us. Your input will help us grow and improve these programs in the years ahead.
