Reflections on ALIM 2007
Imagine being partially blind and going through major
surgery. A few days later, you can see clearer, although
your vision might not be 20/20. That surgery is ALIM. We
all underwent that surgery together and it lasted a month.
Sure, it was painful sometimes...especially when our ideas
were pierced by Imam Muneer's comments. Sometimes we were
left in a state of numbness and confusion when Dr. Jackson
threw his theories at us. Sheikh Suleiman, with his grand-fatherly
personality, kept us sane and passed on his knowledge to
us. But, thru it all, we learned more than we thought we
would. Each new idea left us with a "glazed-like-a-Krisy-Kreme-doughnut
look" OR with a clearer understanding of the issue
under discussion.
For me, ALIM has sparked a passion to help my community,
Muslims and non-Muslims alike. To live with such amazing
sisters from all over the States is a rare opportunity.
I pray that Allah blesses us all, from all our teachers
to the board members and students. Now, we are armed with
strong ideas and our mission is to explore the world that
was previously blurry. The "sight" given to us
is a miracle, but the surgical procedure was a blessing.
~Amna Siddiqui
The ALIM summer program is designed to primarily develop
critical thinking skills in young muslims growing up in
today's modern society. The instructors did a good job of
providing basic knowledge on important topics like fiqh,
aqidah, Qur'an, tajweed, and muslims in America. ALIM shows
the student that each scholar has a unique approach to different
topics. Also, the instructors do a fair job of covering
controversial issues.
~Amal Hassan
I was truly confident in my understanding of the Islamic
Sciences before arriving at ALIM. I even took an intro to
Islam course in order to prepare myself for this intellectual
pursuit. Do not let the course title mislead you. We delved
into the debated issue of the eternal essence of the Qur’an
versus its createdness and analyzed the contributions and
controversies of Avicenna (Ibn Sina). However, even this
strategic step did not prepare me for the emotional, mental
and spiritual endurance that was to ensue. I can still remember
the rush of emotions when viewing Islam in a new lens. We
were no longer outside observers of our rich Islamic history,
instead we became a part of it. As our religion was stripped
bare in front of us, the sugarcoated aspects pushed aside,
I had an urge to cry, to yell or to be left in solitude.
These feelings were only a result of my attachments to our
limited societal understanding.
We’ve become a family, a sisterhood, and devotees
to Islam. We arrived at ALIM with a common purpose; to instill
ourselves with knowledge that would enlighten and empower
us. However, I leave ALIM with a cathartic feeling, a feeling
attributed to a newfound perspective that will last a lifetime.
~Sadiya Ahmed
July 8th 2007: My husband left me on the campus of Madonna
University for the current ALIM summer program in the afternoon.
I felt as if that was the meanest thing he had done to me
notwithstanding the fact that it was my very own decision
to come to learn about Islam.
August 1, 2007: My husband is going to come and pick me
up InshaAllah in the next two days. I am sitting here after
Fajr time on the dorm computer to write the reflection about
ALIM summer program thinking that I’m so glad for
Allah’s intervention in our destinies in the form
of Ontological Divine Will (just learnt that from Dr Jackson’s
class yesterday on Diseases of the Heart).
Being a considerably new immigrant to America, I wished
to understand Islam from the perspective of the people who
were born and brought up here. For their outlook is largely
different than how it is in Muslim countries. Although,
there is no such functioning Islamic state on the map of
this world right now, and of course I mean in terms of its
function (a comment by one of my classmates at ALIM), there
is still a great difference in regards to the outlook and
understanding of Islam. In short I came with the aim of
learning about “Islam in America” and I am so
grateful To Allah SWT and the people who have organized
this program to have given me exactly what I sought out
to learn.
I never expected that at the end of the course my mental
furniture would actually be rearranged as Dr Muneer had
put forward in one of his classes earlier. Generally human
beings are resistant to any kind of change especially in
a new environment. And if I am anything, then I am that
human being. But as David Wechsler said in 1944 “Intelligence
is the global capacity of an individual to think rationally,
act purposefully and deal effectively with his environment.”
If Muslims of America have to do anything right now, then
it is to survive and function intelligently in this new
world.
I feel one of the most crucial things that I learnt here
at ALIM was to understand and discover different perspectives
of the same issue, no matter how varied they may be from
each other. For as Dawud Wharnsby sings “everyone
you know is different, that’s the beauty of it all.”
I have to admit that the rearrangement of furniture and
hearing out different perspectives not only from each other
but from one’s own as well did not come easy. But
the steeper the climb the more accomplished you feel at
the end on the top.
I have come to recognize and appreciate that ALIM is largely
a program of insight. For in today’s fast paced and
connected world, information is readily available on the
internet, and knowledge can be easily found in libraries
and some of the classes that we take in our course of studies,
yet insight is something that can only be taught by individuals
who not only have it but who also possess the sincerity
and passion to pass it on to others. I will always hold
these scholars high in my prayers InshaAllah for they have
given me an insight of Islam and what it means to be a Muslim
in America.
~A gracious student
Sarah Tajammul
Although I came to ALIM expecting something totally different
I thoroughly enjoyed my time here with my fellow Muslim
brothers and sisters, and the amazing speakers. I was able
to commit my self to my deen and strengthening my knowledge
and my relationship with Allah. I have learned life long
lessons that InshaAllah I will always be able to remember
and apply to my life. I built wonderful, life long relationships
with the amazing girls here and thank them for everything
they did for me. I don’t know how I will leave these
girls, saying goodbye will be the hardest part of all the
struggles we’ve encountered at ALIM. I am leaving
with a new diverse, outlook on my religion and have significantly
expanded my intellectual horizons. May Allah reward all
the people who put so much hard work and effort in organizing
this program for us. Thank you.
~Anonymous
ALIM has served as an intellectual outlet that has challenged
us with complex theoretical ideas and asked us to formulate
possibilities for their application. The ALIM scholars offered
us fresh insights on all course topics and flooded us with
provocative ideas that place a new urgency upon our generation's
responsibility in forging the American Muslim identity.
Just a couple of critical lessons we have learned include
the fact that there are multiple intellectual approaches
within Islam to deal with modern issues that our communities
encounter and, also, that there are never any easy answers.
Throughout the debates that transpired, we all were asked
to use more nuanced modes of thinking that upheld our academic
honesty, yet forced us to realize the various shades that
lay between black and white conclusions.
On a personal level, being around the scholars has forced
me to re-evaluate my long-term goals. Their teaching has
also helped me appreciate the breadth of the Muslim intellectual
legacy, which has been so foreign to my education thus far.
Further, the respect and tolerance for a free-market place
of ideas promoted at ALIM is unparalleled in the local masjid-community
experience. It gave me the space to think imaginatively
and criticize my own assumptions within the realm of religion.
These abilities are critical for what ALIM made me feel
a part of a generation of forward-looking leaders. The thrill
of the program was that, while inundated with magnificent
ideas and the tools to analyze them, I was surrounded by
peers with whom I could bounce ideas around. Learning from
my friends at ALIM is one of the best experiences that I
will walk away with.
~Naaima
ALIM has been a really great experience for me. When I came
in I had a different view of what it was going to be. Imam
Muneer and Dr. Jackson are the two scholars who made ALIM
what it is for me. They are the ones who laid out the foundation
for me.
Dr. Jackson’s Sirah class is one of a kind and I
cannot even begin to say how much I benefited from the way
he taught about the life of Rasul (SAW). ALIM is one of
the most beneficial experiences that I have partaken in.
~Fatima Rahman
ALIM has opened my eyes to the breathtaking simplicities
and complexities of Islam. The scholars took me on a ride
that shook me right down to the core, and addressed concerns
that I always fought with. All my life I walked around with
the troubling notion that my deen was to be accepted without
question. This program has made me realize that analyzing
and criticizing is a stapling component of our faith. The
scholars addressed concerns that I had, and instead of throwing
them away as useless; they validated them and delivered
coherent answers. The main scholars, Imam Fareed, Sheikh
Ali, and Dr. Jackson, threw my deen into the air, ripped
it to shreds, and sewed it back together again.
Coming into ALIM, I was a bit intimidated with the idea
that I would have to be around the same girls for a full
month. Fortunately, not only did I find myself able to relate
to almost all the girls, I created friendships that I know
I can carry on for the rest of my life. Friday excursions
helped us escape from the laborious classroom, and worked
to establish a deep sense of comradery among the girls.
Intellectual discourse, visiting mosques, picnics, laser
tag, midnight snacks, and rounds of ping pong proved to
be more enjoyable than any of us could have imagined, and
reminded us how important it was that we could share this
life changing experience with one another.
~Isbah Raja
As I'm getting ready to leave ALIM, I realize the immense
role each scholar has played in my time here and wonder
how I'll take in all their ideas in the years to come. I
can still hear each of their voices in my head; Imam Fareed's
insane enthusiasm for Fiqh and its future. Sheikh Ali's
grandfatherly presence and obvious love for his students.
Dr. Nyang's confidence and encouragement in our great abilities
to write books on practically any topic. Dr. Mattson's insight
about women presented in a light I've never even contemplated
before. Finally, Dr. Jackson's astonishing knowledge that
spans across so many realms of topics that once leaving
his class, it is only in fascination of all the ideas being
churned in our minds.
This is not to mention the immeasurable roles of our counselors
and peers; their enthusiasm, encouragement, and friendship
that made us through 28 days of public bathrooms, suspicious
food, and of course, gender hating politics.
I don't leave here more spiritual, but I leave here more
knowledgeable. More than anything, I leave here knowing
the great expectations that have been placed upon each and
every one of us and our roles as American Muslims. I leave
here more enthused than ever and with high aspirations that
I hope to make reality.
~Anadil Bham
I believe that I was destined to come to ALIM at this point
in my life, so that I can make better, more educated choices
in the future. Critical thinking is as essential as Faith,
in trying to understand and comprehend the wondrous, merciful
nature of Allah and the marvelous religion of Islam. Faith,
I was equipped with, but the critical thinking, reasoning,
logic, and interpretation that I have learned and absorbed
from the remarkable scholars is going to help me negotiate
the confusing, mystifying, situations that I will be encountering
throughout my life.
~Afsha Azeem
I am happy to have found at ALIM the kind of Muslim community
I've been looking for a long time -- deep in faith, but
also deeply critical and questioning of Islam and Muslims.
The amazing scholars at ALIM are most responsible for nurturing
this kind of learning environment, for sharing their vast
knowledge with us and for pushing us to deconstruct our
notions of what Islam is and what it means and has meant
to be a Muslim.
I'm a person who has never felt fully at home in her MSA,
or at her local masjid, or most of the places where Muslims
congregate to talk about Islam. But in the classroom at
ALIM, I was glad to find expression for my realities as
a young woman whose life has been impacted by alcoholism,
who is concerned about domestic violence in her community,
and who sees fighting for justice as a part of her Muslim
faith.
I can't say ALIM has changed my life. But through this
program, I have met people who encourage me to think that
there is a place for me within the Muslim community where
I can be myself and feel at home.
~Asra Syed
As some of us packed our suitcases for Summer ALIM 2007,
we may have slipped in a few expectations amidst our t-shirts
and jeans. My luggage was surely lighter - no expectations
were to be had of a place I wasn’t quite sure why
I was traveling to in the first place.
I can’t recall why I signed up for the program. Perhaps
it was done to make up for the four years of college I just
spent ignoring my faith, maybe I wanted to assuage my guilt
for not exerting efforts towards an Islamic education akin
to the diligence with which I attained a secular one, or
perhaps it was just an opportune moment to traverse the
path of the overly-hyped ALIM Program which would hopefully
cloak me in hayah and vaccinate me against Astray-Muslimitis.
These past few weeks have been filled with moments of bonding
with fellow Muslims; minds racing at thousands of miles
an hour, questions answered, questions raised, minds confused,
minds numbed, hearts placated, frustrated, intellectual
climaxes and maybe even an epiphany or two.
On a very rudimentary level I leave with a strong sense
of helplessness alongside a smidgen of hope.
I feel like a grain of sand in a desert that has spent
its menial existence residing in an immobile state under
the shade of a cactus, comfortable, tranquil and satiated,
its entire outlook on life dictated by its location, the
epicenter of its world. One day, along comes a group of
travelers whom, with each slight of their feet, kick the
grain of sand to a different place in the desert, changing
its surroundings and hence its vision. Now the grain lays
disoriented, vexed and unsure of where it was and where
it actually ought to be.
Though this over-whelming notion swimming in my attic has
confounded me for the better part of ALIM, at the same time
I discover that I am also leaving Livonia with a sliver
of hope that could potentially eradicate my initial sense
of helplessness.
Our faiths are not one dimensional, neither is Islam. I’ve
always felt comfortable with the Islam I practiced, but
even in my deluded reality I was aware that my continually
building disinclination towards reading the Qur’an
was something that should petrify me.
And it did.
The Holy Book lay on my shelf sandwiched between Harper
Lee and Aldous Huxley, waiting until the Blessed Month to
be held. I always had an excuse not to peruse: mornings
were reserved for runs or filled with bouts of sleep, days
were too busy to give the Word of God its right and nights
were far too short to stay awake and risk missing Fajr.
With the onset of my adult life the verses that had once
found an abode in my deepest valves during my secondary
Islamic education evaporated as the vainglories of the world
gave them no room to be. Now, the Qur’an was reserved
for feel-good Ramadhan worship, deaths and academic papers
on comparing the Abrahamic religions.
Here, isolated from a life that I have known only as busy,
somewhere between the 32,400 seconds of the mention of God
saturating my lobes a day I realized that the Quran that
I have been neglecting for so long was MY God talking to
ME. And so I find a small ripple caused by a Tajweed instructor
causing a tide to turn in my heart.
As time runs toward the end and these twenty odd past days
become nothing more than a hazy memory whose gaps I will
fill with starchy food and beautiful weather, I find myself
grateful.
I bode all well as I traverse back to my domicile with
an arduous desire to clutch the burgundy velvet subsisting
on my shelf into the cool of my palms so I may read the
Words of my Lord and so that I may reflect, Insha’Allah.
~Fariah Amin
I entered the ALIM program brimming with questions and half-formed
interpretations. I left ALIM with ten time the number of
questions and a stronger foundation of interpretation of
faith. ALIM taught me how to critically question my own
and other’s ideas about Islam and to use proof to
answer these questions. Dr. Muneer Fareed taught me how
to change my paradigms of thought and rearrange the furniture
in my head, the rearrangement initially left me disoriented,
I am now able to maneuver around with my ideas to reach
conclusions so much more efficiently that leave me somewhat
satisfied. Dr. Jackson taught me how my preconceived notions
of Islam were, well, preconceived. And Sheikh Ali was just
amazingly patient and kind and knowledgeable.
Critical evaluation of my belief of what Islams beliefs
represented strengthened me rather than weakened my Imaan.
The classes were iconoclastic although often mentally straining
and I learned so much from both the scholars and as well
as my fellow peers. I feel that without my classmates’
varied and as well as interesting insights and questions,
I would never have heard such phenomenal questions and equally
phenomenal answers. The girls I met were amazing, we came
from different colleges and states yet we were all able
to connect. I have established some unbreakable friendships
and have created memories that have been instrumental in
shaping my character. Overall, ALIM has been an unforgettable
experience that I will forever treasure and reflect upon.
~Sana Haider
There are two things that ALIM gave to me, relationships
and knowledge.
ALIM gathers some of the best Muslims throughout the country.
They are inquisitive, intelligent, and just great people
to be around. I’m going to miss you all very much.
Girls, I had a wonderful time with all of you, the birthday
parties, the prayer-scarves at Fajr, and the trouble we
always seemed to get ourselves into. Afsha, I am so glad
they put us together. You were the best roommate ever. How
they knew about my George Costanza obsession with architects
I don’t know. As for my showering-buddies, what was
spoken among us stays among us. Nisleen, it’s been
one amazing ride with you. If going to elementary school,
middle school, and college together, if being roommates,
traveling to Davis and witnessing our drama-filled lives
couldn’t solidify our awesome friendship I’m
almost positive that ALIM did. Remember always think “mud”
until we no longer have to think about “mud”…
InshaAllah. “Serenity Now!”
What drove me to come to ALIM was the inspirational hadith
that we all know and love and constantly make references
to, “Seek knowledge, even if you have to go to China”.
What I ended up discovering at ALIM was that this hadith,
in the succinct and eloquent words of our dear Sheikh Ali
Sulaiman Ali, is “fabricated!” It just goes
to show that the learning process never ends…
…And that is what I learned at ALIM (and maybe a
few other things).
I pray that all of my fellow ALIM-ites thrive in their
educational endeavors. I pray that we all take what we have
learned here and implement it in our lives, disseminate
it among others, and use it to gain even more knowledge
and bring us closer to Allah (SWT). I ask all of my fellow
ALIM-ites, staff, volunteers, and professors for their forgiveness
for anything that I have said or done that was wrong or
offensive, intentionally or unintentionally.
Stay in touch.
~Aisha Wahab
Day 1 of ALIM – the thought process: After settling
in and a sleepless night, class was scheduled for 9 a.m.,
and the lecture, given by one of those ‘self-satisfied’
people - the ones that have figured out what they love to
do and attempt to influence younger generations to follow
in their footsteps, began. The moment he started to speak,
I knew it would be an endless hour. However, I forced myself
to participate in the oration and conquered the bearer of
sleep. Nearly five minutes into the intense lecture my feeble
mind began to drift away, yet a little voice within me whispered
that I must focus, otherwise I would disappoint Allah. So
almost instinctively, I re-established my concentration
upon the presenter. It was during that split second that
my curiosity overtook me (enlightenment), and I began to
appreciate the once useless information. Just as he approached
the nitty-gritty of the topic the counselor mentioned it
was time for a break, declaring lecture’s temporary
termination. Hungry for more information, I joined the herd
of students near his desk, and he answered our questions,
but left us with more.
As I have matured, in a society filled with trivial obsessions,
I began to realize the importance of Islam. I have never
attended an Islamic function before, nor have I been exposed
to Islam in any prospective other than the prized “mama
fiqh”. When I look back at ALIM I remember the motivating
lectures, the extended days, the Friday field trips, Fajr
wake-ups, the precious sisterhood filled with deep discussions…
but most importantly the statement that pushed me back into
the world of Islam (sorry, to each its own).
Alhamdulillah, my family helped lay the foundation of Islam,
and ALIM has contracted its construction.
ALIM 28 days, 224 hours, 13440 minutes at ALIM…priceless
~Aisha N. Kadiri
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from ALIM. But the truth
is that I felt that I had reached a growth stub in both
my Imaan and my Islamic knowledge. Living in a community
where there are very few Muslims provides me with even fewer
opportunities to feed my hunger for Islamic knowledge. I
thought quite hard about coming to ALIM...I thought, and
thought...but there are so many things that I think way
too hard about in my life, so I finally decided to close
my eyes and take the plunge!
I arrived at the University my first day and decided the
campus was undeniably beautiful...the sound of the calm
pond, the sweet songs of the chirping birds, and the cooling
shade under the tall green trees made me realize immediately
how much I had been depriving myself of a direct source
of reflection of Allah's natural gifts to mankind. Best
of all, however, I was surrounded by young Muslims who I
could share both my beliefs and my struggles with. However,
after my first few days at ALIM, I had decided undoubtedly
that my experience wasn't what I had expected. The classes
we were taking were quite unorthodox in comparison to what
I was used to, and instead of getting a spiritual uplift,
my common beliefs were being challenged.
After much thought (and convincing on the part of others)
I decided to be strong and stick it out 'till the end...And
I am very happy I did. Yes, my way of thinking had been
challenged to a great extent, but I am now that much stronger
in my beliefs. I am so thankful to Allah for this experience,
everything I have learned and the people I have met...I
will never forget it!
~Thana Nu’man
To tell the truth, I was feeling pretty low at the end of
this past year, and I really wanted to go to something spiritually
uplifting, you know when you get so down, you don't even
think you have the heart to think critically, you just need
something to bust open your heart. That's why I didn't really
feel like going to ALIM yet- I wanted to recharge, and then
come to this like the year after, so ALIM was last on my
list of programs to go to this summer. SubhanAllah, nothing
that I had planned worked out, and so the very last day
possible, (like six days before the start of the program),
I applied to ALIM.
Alhamdulillah, ALIM was everything I expected intellectually
and more, but even more than that, ALIM was such a substantial
spiritual experience. Really I had forgotten the pure pleasure
that you get from being mentally stimulated, and when you
are mentally stimulated in your deen (in something really
personally important), for me anyways, I got spiritual enliftment
(I'm not quite sure if that's a word…).
Like when Dr. Jackson talked about the seerah, it was just
simply beautiful. And when he talked about diseases of the
heart – ouch! It was like he stuck in a knife and
did a bunch of crazy stuff with my heart. After Imam Muneer's
class I didn't even want to talk to anyone because I was
going over some new huge idea he had brought up in class
– really mulling it over in my head.
I LOVE the girls here, mashaAllah, really, I love them.
One of them is just sitting next to me right now, and I'm
just plain content with her presence, even though we're
not talking or anything.
I also loved the Fridays – every Friday was a Eid,
for real. The masjids were great, every one of them was
handpicked perfectly, and the activities were really fun,
like rowing/paddle boating (I was so into rowing our particular
rowboat that someone said I looked like I was fleeing with
my children back to the village or something ?).
And I absolutely loved the counselors – both Maliha
and Omar. Alhamdulillah we were really blessed this year.
I really don't know if Maliha slept this month, we kept
her up really late, and then she would be up before us the
next day, and she would have meetings when we took naps,
so…caffeine pills? And Omar, mashaAllah, I say guest
scholar for next year's ALIM, he's so trustworthy and well,
there's a certain wisdom to him, I don't know how to explain
it. And don't forget he tells great stories about jinn and
hedgehog-like animals crawling out of people’s graves.
And there's my very brief, choppy, corny, unprofessional
reflection upon my ALIM experience. But for real, when's
ALIM II?
~Hela Kotob
ALIM is one of the few things in my life that I made myself
attend, for a couple of reasons. Aware that I wouldn’t
be attending a spiritual retreat in the mountains and eating
organic food, I was prepared for an academic month of cafeteria
food and non air-conditioned dorms. However, incredible
scholars filled the days with sessions, encouraging dialogue
and provoking thought with earnest students. Controversial
topics of discussion were often delved into as one peels
a grapefruit past sourness to the sweet center. Just as
one nervously flips over a tanjara of Maqlooba, we hoped
the form would stay, that the rice, eggplant, cauliflower
and chicken – all important components of this favored
middle eastern dish - stayed intact and didn’t create
an absolute mess of Mafroota, so that we could enjoy the
sprinkled pine-nuts on top, as a final touch.
I am a firm believer that knowledge is power and we often
tend to underestimate this. When one seeks out the knowledge
found at ALIM, they will have only opened the doors to understanding
Islam and Muslims in America. Towards the end of the program,
the notion of Islam in America was not even a question,
but rather it had become the answer.
This turned out to be one of the most important choices
I’ve made in my life. It has opened the door to many
horizons, to possibilities that previously seemed to be
part of another realm. Sometimes we may be quick to put
our guard up, regarding knowledge that gives us the chance
and opportunity to identify and confirm who we are - Muslims
Americans, no contest involved. ALIM gave me the chance
to face everything, stare reality in the face and just take
it all on.
~Nora Alfaham
When I was getting ready to come to ALIM I wasn’t
quite sure what to anticipate. I was well warned about the
intensity and longevity of classes. Yet, as the month progressed
I realized that ALIM is one of those experiences which you
have to feel before grasping a comprehensible idea of what’s
at hand. I came with the intent of learning topics which
were either taboo or never discussed in Sunday School. I
also sincerely wanted to become a better individual and
implement my faith in more aspects of my life, especially
before college begins.
ALIM as I have come to know, is about opening your eyes,
mind, and heart to new ideas, experiences, and people. There
was something to be learned in just about every experience
and class whether it was Imam Muneer’s insistence
on ijma’a, the Muslim community of Detroit, and even
the rules of kickball. Jum'ah and it’s included trips
were absolutely glorious and unforgettable.
My ALIM experience therefore can best be described as intellectually
challenging, friendship bonds in making, sleepless Livonia
nights, street walking, last-minute lengthy discussions,
brief post-Fajr halaqas, shower pranking days, dorm floor
strangers, and 15 minute break-time naps on the grass.
After following Sheikh Ali’s “Pay attention(s),”
making sense of Dr. Jackson’s drawings, learning to
construct with Imam Muneer’s “f word”(framework)
in order to grasp a topic more comprehensibly I only hope
and pray that I retain and practice that which I’ve
been taught.
As we part ways, InshaAllah I’ll see you again, and
if not here then in the hereafter.
~Maryam Khalid
How do I reflect on a month that has passed by in the blink
of an eye? Yet, when I do, I realize that this month has
given me more than I probably am aware of at this time and
place. I came to ALIM through a journey to seek knowledge
in the path of Allah SWT and by no means is this the end.
Rather, this is a reminder to all of us that time pauses
for no one and that life goes on...So don't be afraid to
step outside of your shell, and don't be afraid of challenges
that you may face in order to seek, learn, live and analyze
the reality in all aspects of this life.
ALIM was definitely a challenge in various ways, but a
challenge you need to face with an open mind and in the
end it all depends on how you look at it, and Insha’Allah
any knowledge you do gain shall only be of benefit to you.
I realize that everyone in this program came with different
purposes, but nevertheless, with the motivation to accomplish
those purposes through seeking knowledge. If anything, I
hope ALIM students will continue to seek knowledge outside
of ALIM and learn and apply that knowledge for whatever
purposes or goals they hold because the desire to learn
is a valuable possession in itself.
Now that we have come to the end of this program, through
the good and the bad, I am still grateful to Allah S.W.T
for guiding me to this opportunity. Through this opportunity,
not only have I met some of the most beautiful people but
Allah SWT has blessed me with their love and friendship
as well. No, we will not get the moments we spent together
in laughter, in contemplation, sometimes in despair, and
even in peace ever again, but I will always cherish them
because the beauty that they hold are of immense value to
me. And in the end, all I have to say is, Alhamdulillah!
=)
~Noorsaba Mehak
My ALIM experience was very interesting. I came into ALIM
expecting a spiritual uplifting by sacrificing one month
for the sake of Allah(swt). I wanted to build my foundation
for Islam and strengthen my Aqeedah. However, what I really
got from the ALIM program was more of an outline for the
foundation of Islam. And with your own individual time and
effort you can expand the outline by gradually adding to
it. As our Prophet(pbuh) said, if a muslim knows the same
amount about their religion today and he/she knew yesterday
then one has wasted a day." In addition, according
to Dr. Jackson, " this is only the box cover of the
puzzle;" therefore, we as individuals need to put the
pieces to the puzzle together! Basically, we now have the
"big picture" and anytime we get lost we have
something to reflect on.
I came into ALIM expecting answers to all of my questions;
and at times I got frustrated when I wouldn't get that from
the scholars or lectures. What I did not realize was that
this program is intended to present the students with all
the different ideas and beliefs and through critical analysis
we should draw our own conclusion. Overall, I feel ALIM
was one of the best decisions that I have made and an experience
that I will never forget!
~Noria Sediq
I've always viewed Islam very much as a personal and individual
experience. I felt deeply connected to a sense of myself
as a Muslim, but not necessarily to the idea of a "united
American- Muslim ummah."
But over my time at ALIM, I've come to think it is important
especially now for Muslim Americans to be present in the
public realm. And the more I think about it, the more I
think what Dr. Jackson says is true – that Muslims
have a lot to gain by carving out an identity for ourselves
in this country, and that we have to be actively engaged
in this process for it to come into fruition.
I think ALIM has better prepared me to be a part of this
process, not by handing me a roadmap but by offering a starting
point.
~Nisleen Montrivisai
Disclaimer about cheesiness and lack of literary skill,
Bismillah...
I am thankful…
For Madonna U., nuns, Taiwanese exchange students, geese,
greenery, pasta from yesterday, rooms without air conditioning,
patient staff and all,
For Michigan its unpredictable weather and surprisingly
rich Muslim American history, central to the indigenous
Muslim story, Arab immigration galore, beautiful Muslim
communities, and masjids that actually look like masjids,
And for the scholars: Imam Muneer, Sheikh Ali, Dr. Mattson,
Dr. Rabb, Imam Magid, Dr. Nyang, Dr. Jackson, and our tajweed
teachers
Thanks for your precious time. You frustrated us, challenged
us, answered some, but most definitely not all our questions,
forced us to think, took some of us waaay out of our comfort
zones, subjected us to rigorous intellectual gymnastic exercises,
leaving us mentally exhausted, nevertheless you had us craving
more.
Thanks for allowing us to squeeze out all the knowledge
that we could during lunch, before and after class, allowing
us to make 15 minute breaks into 20 minute free for all
discussion.
Thanks for bringing us to the brink of tears by telling
us stories of the Khulafa Rashidoon, bringing our beloved
Rasul (saws) to life in our hearts and minds, and giving
us subtle and not so subtle reminders that miswaks in our
pockets, college degrees, blue passports, 10 or even 100
memorized ahadith don’t make us holier than thou.
Thanks for the map/framework you’ve allowed us to
develop in our minds, enabling us the ability to maneuver
our way through post 9/11 drama, identity crises, accusations
of kufr, late night dhikr session, Irshad Manjis, Freeway
& Beanie Siegel, Salafis, Shias, Internet fatwas and
all the rest
And thanks for the phrases that will never again mean the
same thing: Ayna daleel? You don’t get it? Pay attention!
May God bless ya’ll.
I am thankful…
For the brothers. Thanks for opening jars, shaking vending
machines, catching 2nd floor bats, exchanging stairwell/hallway
salaams, courteously letting us cut in the lunch line, asking
a billion and one questions, and your oh-so-eloquently worded
though sometimes so eloquently I had no idea what you were
saying thoughts in class
May God bless ya’ll with that Islamically reformed
kind of muruwah.
And for my sisters— them bright, fiercely intelligent,
beautiful multitalented ones—who could teach Pilates,
carry a tune, break it down on the piano, make you laugh
so hard milk came out of your nose, inspire generosity,
and wake your heart up in the early hours with their tajweed.
Thanks for sharing food, hugs, smiles, affection, kind words,
your thoughts, your lives, and your presence.
May God bless ya’ll 3X!
And for Fridays which in ALIM language meant Freedom, Fun,
Rest, and good food—
Not to mention African dance troupes , deep dish pizza,
Lebanese restaurants Michinganizes that could help but gawk
or raise an eyebrow to a bus load of 50 muslim kids Jum'ah
Mubarak!
And for the funders, organizers, and the counselors of
ALIM, God knows what you do! Dealing with grown folks that
sometimes didn’t act so grown, organizing Fridays
that were really just on point, brought some 50 kids together
from Cali, Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, New York,
Florida—even Iowa and Tennnessee for the sake of Allah.
May God bless ya’ll plenty.
And of course, for the Islam— that throughout the
years has only gotten better
Upon celebrating my 9th year as a Muslim (bida’a?)—
I couldn’t imagine spending it in a better way.
Alhamdulillah.
~Desiree Magsombol
Summer ALIM has been an awesome experience, Alhamdulillah!
I never realized that the perfectionism that so many of
us pride ourselves on is also dangerously self-imposed when
it comes to the deen. I also realize that our search for
validation can sometimes be misplaced and that the more
we seek validation from others, the less we seek it from
Allah. The re-arranging and re-modeling and throwing away
of furniture has been absolutely exhilarating. “There
is no greater ni’mah than having your brain racing
at a million miles per second” and my mind has been
on a wild journey for the past four weeks and the best part
is it has only just begun!
~Rozena Raja
At our lowest moment, in our darkest hour, debilitated with
ultimate despair...it is then that we truly realize our
need for God. The temptation of intellectual autonomy, seething
pride, and our illusion of liberty crumbles at this state
of being. It is the primordial need for Him at the heart
of our essence that we must strive to discover. Our consciousness
of limitation brings us back to our most natural state...a
yearning for meaning and surrender to the Transcendent.
At ALIM, it is clear that the pursuit of knowledge is not
a matter of discovering rays of light, but rather, making
the darkness Conscious. This humble submission uncovers
the secrets of our being, into a peace of total human surrender.
My plea for peace of heart and tranquility of mind is fulfilled
only at this most basic state of humanity...this realization
has been my liberation.
~Noor Najeeb
Walking in with past experiences of Winter ALIM 2003 and
having been armored with previous alumnus’ warnings
of the battle soon to come, I braced myself for the destruction
of core beliefs. My heart yearning for an opportunity to
expand my knowledge of Islam and stimulate my heart and
mind, I was prepared…
My every expectation of the program was fulfilled, and
then some more. Just as my friends had warned, so many of
our core and foundational beliefs were shaken from the start.
Dr. Muneer Fareed made sure of that ? Once the puzzle was
thrown apart, we began to slowly place pieces back together
one by one. The furniture in our minds was rearranged so
that we could better setup the room of our beliefs, perspectives
and aims. Each lecture was phenomenal, often challenging
our beliefs with the hope of making us better understand
the deen, Islam as it truly is.
Given the opportunity to sit with some of the most fascinating
scholarship in our nation, hearing their thoughts and theories-
raw and uncut, is one of the things I value most today.
The scholars sat with us, talked to us, and were open with
us in a way that showed us the benefit of having that barrier
between us and scholarship removed. The program and the
scholars have shed some light in our dark room, and it is
up to us to better illuminate that room.
Alhamdulillah, the outside classroom experience is one
to stay with me as well. Evening tajweed courses helped
me adore and appreciate the words of our Lord even more.
Our Friday trips to various masjids exposed us to the vibrancy
and diversity of Islam and its followers, leaving my heart
overwhelmed with salaam. The bonds with sisters grew as
we shared and grew through our struggles together, creating
lasting friendships.
Coming to ALIM has only strengthened my faith in respect
to love, respect, and devotion. The scholars have opened
our eyes to a new perspective, one that I firmly believe
allows us to one day actualize the Qur’an and Sunnah
as manifested by Allah (SWT). This is only the start of
a long journey, but we took a step towards Allah (SWT) in
trying to better understand our faith, and I can already
feel the effect of His ten steps back towards us.
I pray that Allah rewards the organizers and founders of
the program as well as the attendees for their diligence
and dedication to the program and its cause. They have planted
the seed and the roots have begun to grow. It is up to us
to continue to nurture and tend this process so that Islam
can flourish in its best form. ALIM reaffirmed and enhanced
my desire to learn more and do more to benefit the greater
community until the day I die. I pray that every American
Muslim is given the opportunity to go through ALIM, and
therefore feel so honored and blessed to have gone through
a complete and utterly priceless experience.
~Ala’a Wafer
ALIM is an exceptional program and I am proud to have been
a part of it. The scholars were fascinating and engaged
my mind every day. The counselors and administration provided
effective guidance and leadership. Finally, my fellow students
created a supportive and dynamic learning community.
I think that the program is fundamentally sound but could
improve in terms of logistics. I would highly recommend
that ALIM find a new venue for the program. There are a
number of problems I have with the venue. The dorms lack
air-conditioning. The quality of the food was substandard.
Also, when we went to the library, there were not enough
computers for everyone to use.
I have grown considerably during the course of the ALIM
2007 Summer Program. My critical thinking skills have been
sharpened. Also I have benefited from the rigorous discipline
of the program. Overall, I am glad that I chose ALIM and
I would highly recommend it to others who are prepared for
an intellectually demanding course of Islamic study.
~Asad Jaleel
“ Do you understand what I’m sayin’?”
Sitting in the ALIM classroom, the whir of fans creating
a monotonous din which is only broken by the speaker’s
voice, I try to wrap my mind around his words. The blank
look on my face does not conceal my confusion. He launches
on in a story attempting to explain the idea, and only after
several such tales do I begin to truly comprehend his talk.
Frantically, I try to type out his argument, hoping that
the meaning is lost in my words, but, by the time I have
finished writing my sentence, he’s already launched
in on a new concept, a novel idea that once again challenges
by preconceived notions, another drop in the gulf that separates
what I thought I knew from what actually is.
I came to the ALIM program expecting that the speakers
would bolster my knowledge in the faith. Like many, my knowledge
of Islam extended to the proverbial Sunday school education
and the random books that I had picked up at the Islamic
bookstore. I had believed that, although my knowledge was
not complete, it would be enough for me to “get by.”
What was supposed to be a bolstering was more like a bazooka
blast. From my very first class on Fiqh with Dr. Fareed,
I expected we would be undergoing a brief and clear lecture
on the ritual practices of Islam; instead, I was faced with
a discussion challenging my notions of my faith. This process
would continue with Sheik Ali, Ingrid Matteson, Imam Magid,
and Dr. Jackson. In the end, I was intellectually battered.
But, this was a battering that led to betterment. This
was a confusion that led to comprehension. This was an exercise
that led to enlightenment. Only through challenging our
notions can we be expected to grow, both mentally and physically.
By coming to ALIM I became associated with the nuances and
complexities of Islam. I realized that easy answers are
often the most erroneous and that only through critical
thinking can we become better able to contend with major
issues facing Islam and Muslims today.
This realization was not easy, and, like ripping off a
band-aid, my pre-conceived notions were painful to remove.
When you become entrenched in a way of thinking, it is difficult
to try a new path and even more arduous to become set in
these new modes. Yet, another aspect of the program is its
ability to foster a fraternity that allows you to discuss
the issues. This brotherhood is crucial to building a literate
Muslim community. The nights of basketball and the evenings
of Frisbee were diversions amongst days of mental jousting,
but these activities cemented a fraternity amongst the brothers,
another crucial requirement of being a Muslim in America.
~Anonymous
I sit now in my lonely dorm room (where’s my roommate?
I miss him because we’ve grown close throughout this
month), fans blowing away at full speed (I don’t know
how I can manage to hear the Fajr wake-up knocks through
this; imagine trying to hear orders from your lieutenant
while in Vietnam in a hot zone as the copters chop away
just above you… well, it’s nothing like that),
the heat has even penetrated my laptop (my wrists are burning…
perhaps I should’ve listened to my typing teacher,
who said to never put my wrists on the keyboard). Ugh…
my stomach doesn’t feel too good. That turkey we had
for dinner, too dry. I miss my mom’s cooking and my
mom and my whole family. =(
Mmm… Arabic food… yea, now that’s some
good stuff! Talk about fattening food and for those of us,
who don’t drink pop (soda, for you non-Michiganders),
there’s… well… there’s water…
I think Joyce would be proud… I’m tired because
I can barely sleep at night with all this scorching heat,
I wish I had more time to chill with the brothers and just
bond, and I’m really going to miss them. =(
Ah… regardless of all of these things and my situation
after almost a month of seclusion from society as I know
it, I’ve still come to appreciate my greater understanding
of my self, certain concepts, history, Islam, like…
many things! I mean, Alhamdulillah, don’t get me wrong,
but I wish I didn’t have to go through this entire
struggle to gain some knowledge. In the end, it was most
definitely worth it. Honestly, I’m afraid to begin
writing about my experience when it comes to my change in
thought, knowledge, outlook, etc. because it’s just
so expansive that I’d just go on for days, citing
all my notes (and I should have the equivalent of 11 subjects
filled out by the end of ALIM, InshaAllah). I’m going
to review those notes, listen to the lectures, read the
books, and this whole process might take a year. Memorizing
these facts… man, this is going to take a while. When
I talk to friends and family members about ALIM and the
material, ha-ha, I just get talking and it’s really
difficult to just organize my thoughts. =)
Yea… I just need some time to recover from being
bombarded with HEAVY material, a total paradigm shift in
my understanding of Islam, of Islamic history, of…
wow… many things. It’s with meditation, serious
reflection (and I don’t mean 30 minutes before the
official “reflection” is due), and just sitting
down and reviewing everything that I think the positive
effect of ALIM will take place. Do I even need to follow
the rules of grammar, of syntax, of organizing one’s
thoughts, which society has deemed fit as a means of communication?
Nah… I don’t think so… =)
How about that for a challenge? ;)
~Tammam Alwan
Coming to the ALIM Summer Program has got to be one of the
best decisions I have ever made. From the material that
I learned to the friends that I made, it was possibly the
most benefit I have ever gotten out of my time and money.
After coming here, I found out how little I know about
my religion, and I’m not talking about facts. Even
when learning about things I have studied before, I learned
lessons that I had never thought of before. Out of the things
I learned here, what I value the most is the ability to
think critically. The scholars here provide us with the
tools to do so.
The core scholars of ALIM are great in and of themselves,
but the three of them come together to form an amazing combination.
I learned to love three completely different styles of teaching.
Dr. Jackson fills the room with powerful enthusiasm. Dr.
Fareed has his way of breaking down what you thought was
sound knowledge and then building it back up for you again.
And Sheikh Ali brings the tranquility and compassion of
a grandfather figure.
ALIM has provided me with a certain degree of Islamic literacy
and the tools that I need in order to further my Islamic
education InshaAllah.
~Fahad Haque
Converting to Islam was the best decision of my life, but
I must admit I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
I had to formulate a new state of mind, get rid of bad habits
and integrate myself into the Muslim community. Alhamdulillah,
I was able to overcome all of these challenges a new Muslim
faces, but I was not so quickly able to overcome what I
felt was an “information overload,” which I
saw in my new life as a Muslim . For example: “Should
a Muslim follow a madhab?” “Which scholar should
one listen to?” “Can a Muslim live in the Western
world?” “Is Sufism a correct form of Islam?”
Although I could find decent answers to my questions, new
ones would quickly come in their place. I decided to do
an intensive study of Islam to increase my understanding
to a point that I could break down any new material that
I read on the internet or in people’s speeches in
and around the masjids. After listening to many lectures
and reading many books, I felt that I had done a good enough
job. But after a while I knew there was something missing.
This “something” was an environment in which
critically thinking was not only encouraged but also necessary
in order to avoid cracking under the pressure that the information
applied to your old notions. As Dr. Muneer put it, “ALIM
aims rearrange your mental furniture.” So, even though
I might have had all this information, without a way to
break it all down, I was just a parrot digesting information
and spitting back out when I needed to.
Another, although unrelated to the former, aspect of ALIM
is the bonds of brotherhood I formed here. I have truly
found something I liked in all the brothers at all ALIM.
And because of that little something, I grew to love all
of them.
~Derrick Peat
When you study too much, what you study gets under your
skin.
Take Arabic for example: as a consequence of studying the
language of paradise, what is usually thought of as the
last page of a notebook ostensibly becomes the my first.
So, even in English, my writing begins at the back of the
book where others either end or never reach, and I end or
never reach where most people begin.
My ALIM notebook begins with a old tercet by my aunt translated
by my father and me:
My eyes closed in someone's remembrance
death came
swallowing my deception.
I always wonder whether I am sincere in what I do; from
my writing to my prayers, I wonder if they are at all acceptable,
or if--by a sudden taste of death--I will find that I was
in constant self deception. Maybe this is an aspect of our
"double consciousness". Maybe living between two
places and two peoples has a neutralizing effect of placing
us nowhere.
The intensity of the ALIM program has succeeded in getting
under my skin, but I have no idea what the effect will be.
InshaAllah, I hope for something more than aesthetic and
more than momentary. The beginning, middle, and end of the
change to come are still muddled in my mind--but the change
is certain. May Allah grant us tawfiq in all our future
endeavors.
~Oliver Khan
When I first read the instructions for these reflections
I was intimidated. I had to write one to two pages on what
I achieved or benefited from while at ALIM. It wasn’t
the length that was daunting, rather, how was I supposed
to synthesize ALM into words on a page, when I could barely
fathom the depth that my thinking has shifted since I landed
at the Detroit Metro Airport.
I didn’t know how to prepare myself for ALIM. I knew
it was intense (This was stressed in the application process),
and I knew it was different. The only advice I received
was from an ALIM graduate, “Bring food, and bring
utensils. I was forced to eat ramen with two pencils.”So
coming into the program I brought my laptop, a notebook,
and a supply of Cup-A-Noodles. Fortunately the food was
not nearly as bad as was implied and I also brought with
me an open mind
The start of the program hit me like a cannonball. I was
mentally catapulted across the room. Things in my religion
that I took for granted suddenly were called into question.
It was often quoted that ALIM “rearranged the furniture
in your mind.” I suppose that’s true if you
presume a tornado in your brain can be considered “rearranging.”
But the trail of destruction from the tornado called Dr.
Fareed didn’t obliterate everything in my head. Instead
my synapses started to click together in new ways, and my
convictions were strengthened as the other scholars like
Sheikh Ali started their repairs.
As I said before, I really can’t quantify how much
I’ve gotten from the program. Who knows how I’ll
react the next time someone asks me “aeyn al-daleel?”
But I do know that I’m far better prepared to engage
people and spar in the arena of intellectual discourse.
What I can say is that I’ve greatly enjoyed myself
and appreciate the camaraderie that developed between the
students.
~Zakariya Dehlawi
For me, ALIM was more than attending class daily and being
flooded with knowledge. It was more of a track to open my
mind and help me think more critically. When you sit with
brilliant people for 8 hours a day, naturally you start
to think like them. Coming to ALIM not knowing what to expect,
I was able to leave my mind open and free to new ideas and
new ways of thinking. ALIM was more than just a spiritual
experience. I personally believe that I benefitted more
from the different aspect and style of the context that
was taught.
Imam Muneer Fareed started the program off with a great
surprise and presented ideas that could be used in our own
communities. The first class was Fiqh and it was almost
like every other until he presented his own ideas that could
potentially benefit the Muslims in America. Classes dealing
with Fiqh have been taught at Sunday schools throughout
the country but most of them, if not all just present the
“mama Fiqh”. The ideas Imam Muneer Fareed presented
were fresh out of his head and it seemed like we were the
first to hear them.
I still don’t think I am fully aware of the change
ALIM has had on me. I know that I am changed but I don’t
think that these changes will appear instantly as I leave
ALIM. In my opinion, I think the scholars at ALIM are trying
to instill us with a mindset that will help us become “American”.
I believe that ALIM has brought me up spiritually and increased
my knowledge about Islam. I know I still need to learn more
and learn as long as I am able to. Besides just learning,
ALIM was a path for me and let me meet many new Muslims
around American, young and old. I think I now understand
where these people’s ideologies were coming from and
ALIM helped me accept other ideologies instead of straight
up rejecting them.
The ALIM program ended with a bang with Dr. Jackson teaching
Seerah. This was hands down my favorite class because I
have taken other Seerah classes when I was younger, but
none have presented the same knowledge the way Dr. Jackson
did. He taught the same knowledge from a different perspective.
Most of the time when we learn Seerah, we learn it from
the present to the past. Dr. Jackson on the other hand taught
it from the perspective from the past to the present.
I was a high school graduate coming into ALIM. I am going
to be a freshman in college after I graduate from ALIM.
ALIM has prepared me for future conflicts that I may incur
throughout my college career with Muslims and non-Muslims.
I personally believe that there should be more occurrences
of this program throughout other regions in the country
so other Muslim high school graduates can be exposed to
Islam the way it was meant to be understood. If every single
Muslim high school graduate is exposed to ALIM before they
enter college, I believe that many of the problems Muslims
in America in college are facing today would disappear and
become obsolete. For me, ALIM wasn’t a program you
“just do over again”. It is a program that you
do yourself while growing and InshaAllah I will be able
to “do” ALIM myself throughout my life.
~Afnan Adam
So, I came here because I wanted to increase my knowledge
of Islam in order to be a productive member of the American
Muslim community. The environment here is unlike anything
I've been apart of, where people come together to learn
for a month with no incentive other than the knowledge itself-
no grades, credits, and degrees. Basically, we were all
very thirsty (thirsty for knowledge, you see), but didn't
want to mess around with any pop or soda. We just wanted
to quench that thirst without any of that fancy, artificial
stuff. We wanted water, you know? And the ALIM scholars
were the water fountain. Good thing we weren't very hungry,
because the food wasn't all that great.
Anyways, the brothers and sisters here were awesome. It's
a blessing to be around so many diverse people with similar
goals. Being around so many thirsty people just makes you
even more thirsty. And guess what? I'm still thirsty, sheesh,
I might even be thirstier! I just got a taste of the water,
and I like how it tastes. Now as soon as I leave here I
plan to continue my quest for water, one cup at a time.
I also look forward to staying in touch with my thirsty
brothers and sisters to tease each other with the purity
and goodness of water.
~Rizwaan Aziz Akhtar
ALIM is one of the few, if not the only, programs that has
both an honest and critical understanding of Islam. ALIM
offered a profound understanding of *American* society and
history and it is without doubt a necessary first step for
any Muslim serious about *truly* understanding Islam, America,
and paving the way for Muslims in America.
~Mohamad Ahmad
ALIM challenged me to look at Islam with a new different
understanding then what has been taught in Sunday School.
It had me look at my faith and try to answer the tough questions
that we all face.
~Aihab Hassan
ALIM has been a wonderful experience. The amount of knowledge
that I learned was invaluable to my development as a Muslim.
Although, the knowledge was not spiritual I feel that I
became more spiritually enlightened because I learned about
my religion. The best part about ALIM was the teaching of
Islam from an academic perspective.
I have never experienced that before because all that I
learned about Islam was sugar-coated in Saturday school.
However, learning about Islam from an academic perspective
furthered my passion for pursuing Islam as one of my majors
in college. Dr. Fareed set the bar high with his first week
of Fiqh and Usul-Al Fiqh.
In Saturday school I was never exposed to the different
madhabs and learning about them for the first time was interesting.
However, Dr. Fareed’s analysis on the Islamic intellectual
history was just fantastic. I loved his critical thinking
and the way he challenged the class to think outside the
box. Sheikh Ali’s knowledge with regard to the Khulufah
and Hadith was also unprecedented. I learned a lot from
him and he also challenged to think about the history of
Islam and the Hadith in a different way.
Imam Majid’s analysis of the Quran was also interesting;
however, it was a little boring for me because I already
learned most of that stuff in Saturday school. Nonetheless,
he presented many ideas about the Quran that I never learned
before and any new knowledge in the Quran is invaluable
in life. Dr. Mattson’s feminism was also interesting.
I enjoyed listening to woman’s point of view when
it came to women in Islam. She raised many interesting issues
with regard to women that I never thought of before.
Dr. Nyang was nothing short of brilliant. It was like I
was listening to a book. Any question that we had he answered.
I have never met a more knowledgeable man before in my life
and I feel that Dr. Nyang was invaluable to my understanding
of Islam in America. He also forced me to think about what
an American Muslim identity means in this country. That
is crucial to my development as a young Muslim in America.
And last, but most certainly not least, was Dr. Jackson.
There are no words to describe his Sirah. He was nothing
short of excellent. His Sirah, and the way that he applied
it today, is one of the highlights of ALIM. Also, his style
of teaching kept me awake and interested. Dr. Jackson was
just awesome. Furthermore, the discussion we had with him
during lunch and dinner were also very enlightening.
All in all ALIM was a good experience. I would not hesitate
to recommend this program to anyone thinking about attending.
~Wasim Nasir
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
As I sit at my computer pondering my ALIM 2007 experience,
I can't help but ruminate over the state of humanity today,
let alone the state of Islam. When armed hostility is the
preferred solution to every global dilemma, you know there's
a problem. When the world's 225 richest people have wealth
equal to the income of the world's 2.5 billion poorest people,
you know there's a problem. And, when Sunnis and Shias are
torn asunder with cancerous ferocity in Iraq, you know there's
a problem.
And so I entered ALIM in a precarious state, wondering
precisely why Islam is depicted as the bane of the globe
and more personally, why my Imaan fails to provide answers.
I had little idea of what to expect coming to Livonia, Michigan
for the Program but I had hoped for simply something that
would not waste my time (and my $). Even as I was proceeding
through the Program, enduring its intensity to the fullest
extent possible, I was unsure of what I was attaining from
our teachers.
And then, at some point midway through the month, ALIM
sunk in.
The moment was during a phone conversation with a Muslim
friend when I realized how much I had really gained. The
combined efforts of our scholars, particularly Imam Muneer,
Sheikh Ali, and Dr. Jackson ("the ALIM Trio")
had provided a remarkably sound base of knowledge. Despite
the initial fear of the unknown and hesitance for the cafeteria
food, the class lectures were remarkably instructive. ALIM
not only provided facts and figures but forged in its students
an ability to think critically. I've realized it is difficult
to sift the major problems we as Muslims face today as a
community from the minor, peripheral ones given that secondary
issues often worsen and cloud primary ailments. We confuse
the symptoms (such as extremism) for the disease (such as
sociopolitics) all too frequently.
I therefore believe that among the major problems facing
Muslims today lay the need for education – we do not
know our history and we do not know our deen. We are the
heirs to a rich intellectual and religious history, but
our Islamic illiteracy prevents us from enjoying it. And
that is precisely what ALIM strives to remedy – to
provide a firm foundation in Islam to which we may affix
more advanced scholarship. Even more admirably, it does
so in thirty days.
One month later, I'm sitting at this computer and am still
as precarious as ever. But now, I feel empowered to proceed
through today's entangled realities.
~Adeel A. M. Khan
ALIM has managed to cultivate an atmosphere where 50 Muslim
students from around the nation can eat, sleep, and breathe
issues of facing the greater Muslim American community.
How much of this is due to the fact that their only other
recourse is eating bland cafeteria food, sleeping on mattresses
without box-springs, and breathing hot, humid Livonia, MI
air is still to be determined. Nevertheless, what ALIM is
doing is truly unprecedented, and every day that passes
you realize how important their work really is.
ALIM doesn't give you all the answers; in fact, it'll often
give you contradictory ones. But what separates your experience
here from any other institution for Islamic learning is
that it will give you the tools to find the answers on your
own. Each ALIM student should leave with an understanding
of how to approach, frame, and direct discourse on Islam
in America. And furthermore, each ALIM student should not
be afraid to leave with more questions than he or she came
with.
~Sami Hasan
Being a Muslim in America is an interesting thing. We are
a group facing a plethora of challenges while being given
an infinite amount of opportunity. For most, growing up
in such a framework is often a struggle of identity, ideology,
and balance. To operationally define the essential teachings
of Islam, for how we are to live our lives, poses a serious
challenge for some. The journey for knowledge thus becomes
inevitably imperative. Programs such as ALIM aid in this
quest for knowledge. It begins to equip Muslims with the
intellectual tools to approach our world in light of our
tradition. It is, without doubt, a unique and necessary
experience that brings this discourse into the familiar
comfort of a classroom.
~Zahid Ahmed
