Reviving Islamic HeArt – A Reflection of His Art
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
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