SaqibSaab

Meeting Umar Lee at MAS-ICNA Conference 2007 – pt. 1

I found myself last weekend looking for some sort of Islamic escape. My plans to drive down to Houston, TX for Texas Dawah Conference XI were laid to rest so that left me stuck at home. Christmas weekend weather in Chicago was gloomy and there was nothing much to do. Family from Michigan was due in town, but weren’t all coming in until Monday morning. I found myself bored.

Real bored. So bored, in fact, that I fell asleep at the computer after Maghrib and woke up three hours later on my bed. A post sunset nap on a Saturday evening? That’s a sign that I needed to get out.

While checking my Email and various blogs 8,000 times to pass the time, I saw Umar Lee posted that he was in Chicago for the weekend. Was he here for the MAS-ICNA convention at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare? Had to be. I Emailed him and he replied.

Umar Lee to me

was, I am at the MAS convention in Rosemont by the airport. Are you near to this area? I will be free tomorrow… wa salaam, Umar

There it was. The perfect escape that I had wanted for the weekend. Read more »

Two “cute” boys and Dawah at Tim Horton’s

A sister on the AlMaghrib forums posted a story about an experience of hers during the last seminar in Windsor. From the sound of things, it seems as if the is actually talking about Waasiq, Saad, or Humza, my brother, cousin, and friend, respectively. That Saturday morning I took them to Tim Horton’s right before class and got them some hot chocolate.

If it really is about them, I’m guessing one of them was standing in line with me, while the other two trailed behind and were in front of this sister who wrote the following story… Read more »

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. Read more »