On the importance of being as well as doing…

A literature lesson for one our 5th Graders at Sanad Prep, a lesson for us all.

In From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Claudia tells Mrs. Frankweiler that she should want to learn one new thing every day, she replies,

“No, I don’t agree with that. I think you should learn, of course, and some days you must learn a great deal. But you should also have days when you allow what is already in you to swell up in side of you until it touches everything. And you can feel it inside you. If you never take time out to let that happen, then you just accumulate facts, and they begin to rattle around inside of you. You can make noise with them, but never really feel anything with them. It’s hollow.”

Our current North American education system is based mostly on the Prussian model.

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Islamic schools have mostly followed the North American model. Let’s do the math…

The political motivations of the King of Prussia

Seeking to replace the controlling functions of the local aristocracy, the Prussian court attempted to instill social obedience in the citizens through indoctrination. Every individual had to become convinced, in the core of his being, that the King was just, his decisions always right, and the need for obedience paramount.[citation needed]

The schools imposed an official language, to the prejudice of ethnic groups living in Prussia. The purpose of the system was to instill loyalty to the Crown and to train young men for the military and the bureaucracy. As the German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte, a key influence on the system, said, “If you want to influence [the student] at all, you must do more than merely talk to him; you must fashion him, and fashion him in such a way that he simply cannot will otherwise than what you wish him to will.” [1]

(Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_education_system)

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Reviving Islamic HeArt – A Reflection of His Art

As I read the email with a thorough outline of the details about the art class, the purpose, aims and objectives, and what she aspires to accomplish through the class, the happiness within my heart catches up to my jawbone and I find myself smiling with awe and yet another beacon of hope. Ustadh Rehan sums it up well by writing back to her simply stating “welcome back Ustadah Zaleha”.

As we conclude with the afternoon prayer, Ustadha Zaleha has already stepped into the center settling her things and getting ready to start. We are short on time as class will need to end at 3:00pm so all the kids begin to round up and are excited to start. Ustadah Zaleha begins in the name of Allah, praising him and as she begins to recite the Fatiha, all the students automatically join her in the recital. The sight is not new, but I feel a presence greater than what I am accustomed to in our everyday routine. She continues by probing the students to question the reason for doing this class, and to dig deeper to appreciate why and how everything we do becomes an act of worship simply through the means of an intention. Her address is not to a group of adults, but rather a small student body ranging from a 4 year old to a 12 year old, who call their educational spiritual home Sanad Prep. What distinguishes these students and their families from any other Muslim family you may come across seemingly is nothing, but the secret lies at a place most people never reach nor understand, sometimes not even their own–the hearts.

Ustadha Zaleha smoothly sails through the 45 minutes discussing the concept of infinity in Islamic geometric art and its relation to the unity and eternity of the Creator, all in a manner understandable and relatable to the ones listening. She clearly has a gift for imparting knowledge and facilitating learning to students, may it be protected and preserved by His grace.

My thoughts on education continue to reshape as they are finding solidification in what my mind and heart is observing and witnessing through the Sanad Prep students, my own children and their special learning coaches. I am choosing to call this class Reviving Islamic HeArt. It is a big name for a small step, yet it holds “gargantuas” merit as my son would call it; anything that originates from the heart having a deep concern, care, and desire of well being for another human being deserves at the least that.

– Sr. Attiqa Syeda

Sanad Trust Administrative Director

Zaytuna College Conference Invitation

Sanad Trust Foundation has been invited to present at the Inaugural Zaytuna College Conference: Islamic Higher education in the West, Challenges and Opportunities, April 5 in Berkley, CA. Sanad Trust is honored to accept the invitation. We look forward to extending the work and network of Sanad Trust for the communities, families, and students we serve.

Sr. Attiqa Syeda, Sanad Trust Foundation Administrative Director will be presenting, “Mismeasure of Education: Understanding the Purpose of Education, Success, and Contentment in Light of Islamic Ethos”. Br. Rehan Mirza will be presenting, “A New Sanad: The Interconnectedness of Communal Endeavors”. They will be joining others from around the world.
More information about the conference, including schedule, bios, and registration for the free live stream can be found online here: http://zaytunacollege.org/event/april5

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ISLAMIC HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE WEST

The Inaugural Zaytuna College Conference

The steady increase of Muslim presence in the West over the past thirty years—a trend driven primarily by negative economic and political factors in the Muslim world—has caused tremendous strain on the community’s intellectual, economic, and professional resources, which now support over 2,200 mosques, 475 schools, and a vibrant non-profit sector. While this growth poses profound challenges, it also presents extraordinary opportunities. One area marked by both challenges and opportunities is the effort to establish Islamic institutions of higher education in the West.

This inaugural Zaytuna College conference seeks to examine the emerging conversation about institutions of Islamic higher education in the West with an eye toward the challenges facing the community.

Register – Free Event

Watch Livestream

Date & Time

Saturday, April 5, 8:15 AM – 7:30 PM PST

This conference is co-sponsored by the Center for Islamic Studies at the Graduate Theological Union, the University of California, Berkeley Center for Race and Gender, and the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Initiative in the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah for guiding our paths to Sanad Prep.  Many times, one fails to remember a mere thought is an intention, and putting that thought into action paves the path of our lives.  It was always my intention to ensure my children were given a proper education and in an environment which teaches the Islamic fundamentals according to our deen.  Today  my heart is profoundly satisfied for having that intention.

I have had the pleasure to attend and listen to the children’s morning assemblies at Sanad Prep and wanted to share a briefing from the first assembly.  This assembly addressed the importance of having a pure intention and applied it to the reason of why they are there; to seek knowledge.  Br. Rehan explained to the students that seeking knowledge is solely for the pleasure of Allah.  He explained to them that seeking knowledge is a part of our duty and also to retain and share that knowledge.  The children were astonished to also learn how angles lower their wings to them as they journey towards seeking knowledge.

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What are your current needs?

As we are aiming to develop great human beings, we need great supporters and patrons. We need our Abu Talib(s), Abu Bakr(s) and Khadijah(s) to step forward and stand by our side long-term, just as the actual Abu Talib, Abu Bakr and Khadijah (and others) did in their lifetimes (may God be pleased with them all).

We have been working tirelessly for three years on Sanad Prep, and in fact its probably been more like 5 years if the dreaming, brainstorming and research is included. We’re now at the precipice of determining how much longer Sanad Trust can work toward its goals, including Sanad Prep, as a full-time endeavor. I honestly believe we will know within the next 1 month if Sanad Trust will continue for the next generation.

Currently we are looking to: (1) establish a substantial endowment to facilitate the study of Sacred Knowledge and to give us long-term stability, (2) locate a feasible and logistically viable new home for Sanad in South Florida, and (3) have an enrollment of 20 students for the 2014-15 academic year. If these thresholds are met, we feel confident moving forward. If not, we accept that in the end–always–Allah is the Best of Planners.

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Rehan Mirza is Founding Director of Sanad Trust Foundation. He holds a Masters degree in Organizational Psychology from the Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. His extensive travel and study, has taken him to work with United Nations in Geneva, allowed him to sit with scholars in desert valleys, and complete doctoral classes in Neuropsychology. His recent effort with Sanad is motivated by concern for his children and leaving a lasting legacy of good. Learn more.

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Can you clarify, why you are not an ‘Islamic’ School?

We must put to bed the paradox of Islamic schools once and for all. I’m sure he will not remember our chance meeting over a decade ago, nor the impactful words and company he shared with me, but I learned something from Dr. Sherman Jackson one evening over dinner. I was a student of psychology at the time and I asked if we should Islamicize psychology and stuttered explaining how perhaps we could formulate our own therapies using ‘Ghazalian’ precepts. He simply asked why there would be a need to Islamicize anything? Then he turned the question–and me–by saying, just be a Muslim. In other words allow knowledge to exist in its form and move toward it in your form, as a Muslim–period.

So the notion of an Islamic school to me is a used idea that lacks creativity or innovation. We have “Islamicized” schooling when schooling was already the problem. It’s like non-alcoholic beer or working hard to make something permissible or tolerable just because working on ourselves is too hard. This has inhibited innovation (for lack of a better word) in the way we teach children, not just in Muslim communities, but in society at large. Every few years there is a new national approach addressing the same fractures in the education system. Muslim communities should be the vanguards of establishing safe and effective learning models based on the Prophetic and Divine templates we have.

We must focus ourselves and our children on Allah and seeking (all of) His knowledge, not schooling. This begins–without any distraction of educational theory or dogma–by teaching adab. Then focusing on the standard and scared sciences with the Greatest goal in mind. At Sanad Prep we try to focus on education of the inward and outward, and seek the best way to facilitate this–period.

And Allah knows best.

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Rehan Mirza is Founding Director of Sanad Trust Foundation. He holds a Masters degree in Organizational Psychology from the Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. His extensive travel and study, has taken him to work with United Nations in Geneva, allowed him to sit with scholars in dessert valleys, and complete doctoral classes in Neuropsychology. His recent effort with Sanad is motivated by concern for his children and leaving a lasting legacy of good. Learn more.

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What is Sanad Prep?

I would answer this question by saying what Sanad Prep is not. Sanad Prep is not simply an ‘Islamic’ School. Sanad Prep is a model way of educating children. It is based on the understanding that every child was and is a soul before it was a body. It is a soul-centered approach that leads all of our efforts and truly makes Sanad Prep a place of “higher learning”.

The practical application of this is through uncompromising emphasis on Adab (moral etiquette). Beyond this, there is an understanding that for students of knowledge at Sanad Prep there is a clear and consistent expectation of academic ihsaan (excellence) and academic integrity.

We focus on individual mastery versus group monotony; meaning that the student only progress forward after they are well grounded in the material currently at hand. With emphasis on mastery versus grades and understanding over competitiveness, students are dependent on their own inward himmah (aspiration/motivation) and personal achievement potential. Thus, Sanad Prep requires a special type of student (and family).

Both the standard sciences and sacred sciences are taught. Our standard sciences curriculum is state of the art and empowers parents to be the guardians of the children’s education. They can see, in real time, student achievement and also, with confidence, easily work with their children at home. The curriculum gives them all the resources and tools to be Parent Learning Coaches. We believe this helps develop and strengthen the bond between parent and child. More and more parents of our Sanad Prep students begin to see the learning potential of their children when in our program. As students progress in our model, they become self-guided learners. This is why we are honored by this partnership and truly believe that “a self-directed child is a wonder to behold.” (L. Dobson, The Learning Coach Approach).

Our sacred sciences curriculum uses authentic and pioneering resources primarily from Iqra Publications. We are use advanced books and online, specially selected, for our upper level students. Our greatest asset though is the way our learning coaches teach. We focus on our students to have empathy and honor for the seerah, as well as sound comprehension and appreciation for fiqh and aqeedah.

In the end we hope families choose Sanad Prep for the values we espouse, the quality of curriculum, and the great human beings we aim to develop.

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Rehan Mirza is Founding Director of Sanad Trust Foundation. He holds a Masters degree in Organizational Psychology from the Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. His extensive travel and study, has taken him to work with United Nations in Geneva, allowed him to sit with scholars in dessert valleys, and complete doctoral classes in Neuropsychology. His recent effort with Sanad is motivated by concern for his children and leaving a lasting legacy of good. Learn more.

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Sanad Trust Foundation has commissioned a short film to tell the story of Sanad Prep, our full-time learning center. We feel it will help us convey our dream and positively impact our work, insha’Allah.

We are hoping to raise $3000 this week to help Sanad cover costs associated with the film.

Everything we collect in the next 7 days will go toward to film insha’Allah. Donating by check/cash would allow 100% of the donation to go toward the cause. However, donating online is always available and convenient.

We have included the link to our donate page here: https://old.sanadtrust.org/donate/

We thank you wholeheartedly in advance. And Allah is the Best of Planners.

– The Sanad Trust Team

“This is an idea long overdue, we have lost so many of our generation already.” – Guardian of Sanad

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On September 14, a group of seniors and elders of the community gathered at the Sanad Prep, the learning center established 3 yrs ago by the Sanad Trust Foundation. We intended to meet and talk about our needs and plan for future meetings.  It was decided to go ahead with the name chosen by Sanad Trust Founding Director, Rehan Mirza, and call our ourselves The Guardians.  To start the evening there was a brief introduction by Rehan.  This introduction included several Quranic quotes and hadith with reference to the regard needed to be shown to one’s elders. This was followed by input and discussion from the elders themselves.  Then was time for maghrib namaz, and of course we shared a very important item of the evening – dinner.  Now every one was ready to relax. It was time for some fun with a great quiz.  The trivia questions included Urdu poetry, American life and general knowledge.  The younger ones also seemed to enjoy this and did come up with a few answers.

Several ideas were put forward as to the future plans.  Most likely there would be something going on every two months.  Insha Allah, as you may have heard by now, we plan to have a picnic for The Guardians and families; everyone is welcome.  It will be on Saturday, October 19 at Miramar Regional Parkway Park.  Details are available by email, Facebook and personal contacts. The picnic of course will be a fun activity for seniors as well as younger ones.  Whenever grand kids and our own grown children are happy we are thrilled too.

However, on a connected note, it is all too clear that there are serious issues related to our age group., especially in reference to health, finances and social needs.  So, insha Allah the next meeting will be related to health issues.  Perhaps a session of physio therapy or an informal discussion with a medical doctor.  Once the day, topic and venue are finalized it will be announced on the Sanad website and by email. Perhaps  somewhere in the future we can take on matrimonial introductions between families, as there seems to be a need for that!

Let us hope we can continue this beautiful initiative by the Sanad Trust Foundation.  It is a show of respect for all elders.  As always, input of any kind is welcome and needed.  If you are able to volunteer for anything also please contact us at info@old.sanadtrust.org

Nigar Mirza
Sanad Guardian

Sanad Trust Foundation with MCA of South Florida and IMAN of Nova Southeastern University was honored to host Shaykh Faraz Rabbani May 17-19. Shaykh Faraz is the Executive Director and Senior Instructor at SeekersGuidance.org. The weekend included Jummah Khutba at Miami Gardens Masjid in Miami; a full-day seminar on lessons from the Quran and Sunnah that encourage people to seek knowledge of Allah and to strengthen their faith; a family night lecture discussing hadith related to the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) family life and character; and an amazing, filled-to-capacity, parenting workshop at Sanad’s Learning Center.

Throughout the weekend there were excellent opportunities for questions and answers, as well as an opportunity to the benefit from the company of people of knowledge and seekers of knowledge. If you follow Sanad on Facebook and/or Twitter, then you were able to benefit from live posting and tweeting throughout the weekend. Below are a few pictures from the weekend.

We remain ever grateful to Allah and you for your support. Even if you were not able to attend, please consider giving a donation so that we can continue to offer the services we do. God bless you.

– Sanad

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4.17.13 Blog Top

Assalamu-Alaykum, my dear ummah of Muhammad (PBUH). The very blessed month of Rabi-ul-Awwal has passed us by; it is the month of celebrating The Mercy to Mankind, Muhammad (PBUH). How do we celebrate the beloved of Allah (SWT)? By loving the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his example. How do we love him and his example? You love him by knowing who he is and what he did.There is an ayah in surah Ahzab: verse 56 stating, “Verily, Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you who believe! Send blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy salutation.” That is one of our goals as students of knowledge in Sanad.

During the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, every morning in assembly (between 8:30 and 8:45) we covered a portion of Darul Hikmah’s text, A Day with the Prophet (PBUH). In this text a detailed summary of the Prophet’s (PBUH) entire day was accounted for. It took us about a month to complete the text, but we learned what he used to do when he woke up to what he did when he went to sleep. For example when he woke up, he would wipe his eyes with his palms and when he went to sleep, he read ayahs from the Qur’an and recited the supplication for sleeping. He would always be in a state of remembrance of Allah, even when he was sleeping. What I mean by that is that he would have Allah in his mind every moment. We can do this by constantly making dhikr.

After a whole month of time traveling with the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the students have gained insight as to the character of The Beloved (PBUH). They have written and decided how they would like to spend their day with The Prophet (PBUH). They have learned to better themselves and grow closer to Allah, through His Prophet (PBUH).

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-Nazmul Haq (Grade 9),  Ali Rashid (Grade 5), Ustadha Maryam

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