7 Comments Add your own

• 1. Amira Um Juhde  |  October 21, 2009 at 2:32 pm

  MashaAllah, I’m very proud of my MAS collegues for all of the very hard work and dedication they have shown in the latest event, TAM East Zone. MAy Allah reward every single of you and bless us all the benefits of the Jama3ah and grant us all Jannah el Ferdous..ameen ameen

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• 2. Wael Hamza  |  October 21, 2009 at 3:47 pm

  Here is one
  http://lecturesnthoughts.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/the-making-of-the-laser-beam-tam-09-thought-2/

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• 3. Wael Hamza  |  October 21, 2009 at 3:47 pm

  And another
  http://lecturesnthoughts.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/you-do-not-have-to-be-a-speaker-tam-09-thought-1/

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• 4. Rami Kawas  |  October 23, 2009 at 11:15 am

  Salam alakum.
  I must say first and foremost jazakhallah khair for all of the organizers, speakers and all behindthe scenes folk for such a great weekend. I think this yearly syncrinization (if that’s a word) of our members understanding of our movement will pay off greatly in years to come. The ability to hear concerns, thoughts and ideas of our brothers n sisters from around the nation is a unique experience subhallah. I pray Allah blesses all our efforts and carries our momentum from TAM to our daily work and workers in our localities. Barakhallahu feekum.

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• 5. Sharif Aly  |  October 23, 2009 at 3:17 pm

  Assalaamu Alaykum,

  It has been only a few short days after the TAM East and I find myself remembering a few thoughts expressed, a nice reminder that was given or missing the atmosphere that was present. I like what Rami mentioned very much. The synchronization of our mission amongst our brothers and sisters in moving to fulfill this heavy mission we have been blessed to carry will benefit in the years to come from the inspiration of this TAM.

  What inspires me is witnessing all the brothers and sisters present at the meeting that feel the same obligation and passion to fulfill this mission as I do, if not even more than I. I hope that Allah increases our Iman and purifies our intentions so that we are capable of shouldering this honorable message.

  What I hope and expect from all of our brothers and sisters who experienced this great atmosphere and this great opportunity, is that we build on it. We build on the inspiration. we build on the information, and we build on the team spirit that has been fostered at this meeting. I’m urging myself and our brothers and sisters not to go back to our chapters without an increased passion to pursue Allah’s pleasure. In fact lets use this TAM as a milestone in our path to build our efforts to please Allah SWT.

  Jazakum Allahu Kheiran.

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• 6. Abu Ibrahim  |  October 24, 2009 at 8:55 am

  In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
  May He Bestow Peace & Blessings on our Beloved Messenger

  Assalam alaykum wa rahmatullah wa baraktuhu

  I read one of Br. Wael’s reflections and was reminded of the Qur’anic passage “wa ma ya’ lamu junuda rabbika illa huwa” which approximately translates to “No one can know the soldiers of Allah except Allah. May He reward all those hidden soldiers who have heeded His Call and given their time & wealth for His sake through MAS.

  I am particularly fond of TAMs in relation to other MAS meetings, conferences, and conventions because it focuses us explicitly on an area that I think defines us as an Islamic movement in the US – tarbiya.

  I personally found TAM09-DC beneficial on several dimensions:

  1. Individually
  - Br. Ehab’s khatira which encouraged us to think more about how we as American Muslims and servants of the Dawah connect to all members of American society particularly the homeless & the poor has moved me to reflect & further evaluate how I can make my everyday encounters more meaningful and connected to some tarbiya objective.
  - Br. Abdelrahman’s khatira which challenged us to think more critically about how we fill our stomachs and to remember those who have so much less to eat has had me thinking twice for the past week about that second portion or snack I think I need.

  2. On the family level
  - My wife and I were particularly grateful to the TAM-DC organizers for sending out the “Things to Do When Traveling” document. We used it for ourselves and the children on our road trip to DC.
  - We as a family (including the kids) felt that the activities for the children were excellent Alhamdullilah.
  - We made plans for future activities and outings with MAS families and were grateful yet again to Allah (SWT) for being part of the MAS family.

  3. On an organizational level
  - It was important to build & improve the ta’aruf between MAS workers from across the Eastern region.
  - It was important for members and the current leaders of MAS to sit & discuss face to face topics critical to the future and effectiveness of organization, Alhamdullilah.

  May Allah (SWT) accept from all of us & continue to guide us to serve His Dawah in the best ways possible.

  Wa salaam alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

  Abu Ibrahim Musaddequr-Rahman

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• 7. Lana  |  October 28, 2009 at 1:17 pm

  TAM this year was a real inspiration for me, on so many levels. The first thing that comes to mind is how I was really pleasantly surprised with the organization (timeliness, same session, amazing child care). Though I’m SURE that some things went wrong and some problems occured, the organizers smoothed over it amazingly well. If there were mishaps, we didn’t know about it. I know this may seem shallow, and a waste of blog space, but anyone who has been to other events (locally or nationally) must know what I’m talking about, and how distracting it can be to have constant disruptions or distractions, including worrying about your kids. OR event worse, considering not attending because no consideration was made for the children, because they are not really welcome, because they are merely tolerated at best, because we seem to forget in midst of everything that they are the future of the movement. I think it was a real tarbiya experience not only for me but for my boys- the older one (4 1/2) HATES babysitting, and the younger one (16 months) has never been babysat. To have my child say, “can we PLEEEEEASE go back to the hotel babysitting” long after we’ve gone home gives me a sense of reassurance. It gives me the feeling that I do NOT have to compromise. I do NOT have to wonder what makes me a worse Muslim- dropping my dawa duties or not catering to my kids?!

  On the lessons learned side, though many things have stuck with me and have given me renewed vigor, the concept that stuck with me was the concept that br. Ayman started with. It’s the word that resonated in my mind, that woke me up each morning, that kept me going throughout the weekend. And insha’Allah it will be the driving force that will keep me going, that will pick me up each time I feel I have hit a brick wall, and every single time I am frustrated for some reason or other. It is the concept of getting over myself and my feelings of “sacrificing” for Allah’s sake, because, as br. Ayman put it (rephrased from Dr. Ahmed Alkadi may Allah have mercy on him), there is not one mention of the word “sacrifice” in the Quran. Sacrifice has an end, because sooner or later one will feel that they’ve given all they can.

  Instead, it is about the “deal” we make with Allah SWT. Once we realize that we are not sacrificing, but are very much overcompensated by Allah SWT for what we do for His sake in this finite world, only then will we rise to this responsibility and prosper. So what’s my plan? Reform. For myself, my attitude, my outlook. Whether it’s in my dawa, dealing with my husband, raising my children, being a good American citizen, daughter, neighbor… whatever it is I do in each moment of my life, realizing WHY I do it will impact HOW I do it.

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