I just finished six hours of class- possibly the best class I’ve ever taken- called The Unfolding Dream with Shaykh Sajid Umar. It would not be correct to say it is the Tafseer of Surah Yusuf- because Tafseer only scratches the surface. Six hours… and we’ve covered thirteen ayas. I came to class with five hours of sleep and wasn’t in danger of falling asleep at any point. I have had such an amazing, spiritually refreshing, and emotionally satisfying day that I cannot remember for the life of me why I only attend classes like this once a year.
I tell myself it’s because I work and have three children, but the truth is that my heart gets complacent and makes excuses to not be challenged, polished, or re-stoked when the spiritual hearth grows cold. It’s not life’s fault I stay away from classes, it’s mine.
Shaykh Sajid Umar is a very funny, very interesting, and very smiley Imam from Zimbabwe who’s managing to keep people awake, engaged, and enthused about things they never knew they could be enthused about. I learned the difference between Makki and Madani surahs today, and I realized most of my favorites are Makki, and I figured out why. Alhamdulillah.
I’ve been live-tweeting the class all day, so if you’re interested in some of the gems, follow me on twitter @zebasez. If you’re in Dubai and have even half a chance of making it to Day 2 at the Islah Center at 9 am tomorrow- try. It’s well worth the effort.
May Allah reward the people at the Kalemah Center and Shaykh Sajid Umar for making this happen, and of course- all praise if for Allah who blesses us with the sweetness of Iman and knowledge when we seek it. 🙂
Woah! 13 ayahs in six hours! You must have learnt so much. HISTOOPID YOUTUBE BAN! I’ll try searching it on google then put it in the proxy.
I have a friend who goes and attends Jum’a Khutbah of different masajids + lectures + Quran classes. I ENVY her so much. Because, mujhay toh koi Eid Gah bhi nahi leker jata. 🙁 Would you believe me if I tell you that I’ve NEVER been to Eid Gah? Or Taraweeh? Yes. :/ BUT! That very friend helped me! She told me to listen to these lecture series by Ustadh Noman Ali Khan on Quran and its tafseer. I’ve started on with smaller surahs. And I find it quiet helpful as well as reviving, as Dr. Israr Ahmed’s is a little too difficult to understand. Alhamdulillah for internet.
Noman Ali Khan is seriously awesome, MashaAllah. And if you can find stuff by Yasir Qadhi it’s also inspiring and very educational. Alhamdulillah 🙂