SaqibSaab

A Heart Changing Experience

The past two weekends I attended A Heart Serene: Studies In Tazkiyah in Windsor, ON. It was probably the best AlMaghrib seminar I’ve ever been to.

Obviously the topic and subject matter were a given winner. The seminar was a treat on Tazkiyat an-Nafs based on the classical work Madarij-as-Salikeen by the wonderful scholar of the heart, Ibn al-Qayyim. There was also the blessing of Shaykh Riad Ouarzazi as the instructor, who had rave reviews from the students who took the same seminar in Ottawa, ON.

They also posted a video preview of his style that had me sold.

Off the bat, I knew I was in for an incredible spiritual ride.But what was it that sealed the deal with this class? Sure the topic and the instructor were top-notch, but it was the love and ukhuwwa (brotherhood/sisterhood) in the room that really did it for me.

The University of Windsor classroom was nearly packed with 160+ students for two weekends straight. Half of the students were from Michigan, and some drove all the way from Tennessee, St. Louis, and of course Chicago for the seminar. Two of the local houses hosted about 40 travelers, 20 brothers in one house and 20 sisters in another. The result was a mini-family that formed for two weekends.

We stayed together, learned with one another, sped to Tim Horton’s before class and after delicious Somali lunch together, hugged each other, prayed together, laughed with one another, cried on each other, and had an altogether incredible experience with every student present. At the end, the entire room was filled with 160+ Muslims that wanted Jannah more than they ever had in their lives, and they were wanting it together.

That’s what made this AlMaghrib seminar stand out above the other eight I’ve taken or any Islamic event I’ve ever been to; intense and passionate ukhuwwa between people who want to change their lives for the better. Every person in the room was there with an agenda to change, forming about a deep bond unique to anything I had ever felt before.

After the seminar ended I was sad; not just because the beautiful two weekends had ended, but also because I thought of those who missed out on this experience. I thought of so many others from the Michigan communities who could have attended but were busy with other things.

I hope Allah (SWT) allows me to experience something so beautiful again in my life, and pray that He blesses the same for all of my family and friends who missed out.