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Taqwa: How to Believe in Allah – February 23, 2012 -  Throughout our journey of purification this Tazkiya Month, we have been blessed with a variety of lectures which have shaken our hearts and brought tears to our eyes.

We learned about the various diseases which threaten to overtake the hearts of even the most pious believers, discussed how to make the most of our short time in this life and even examined how to take an Islamic approach in mending the discords of our lives.

All of these events have brought us closer to our destination and prepared us for the final and most crucial element of purification, “Taqwa: How to Believe in Allah.” Taqwa is the key with which our hearts are opened to purification.

InshaAllah, this Thursday, we will be joined by the renown Al-Maghrib scholar, Shaykh Yaser Birjas, for a powerful lecture on how best to attain and preserve Taqwa in our hearts.

Shaykh Yaser Birjas studied at the International Islamic University of Madinah, where he graduated as Class Valedictorian with the highest honors from its College of Sharee’ah (Islamic Jurisprudence). He has also studied among some of the worlds most well-known scholars in both Madinah and Jordan and has been largely involved in various relief agencies and organizations internationally.

To have such a speaker in our presence is an honor you cannot miss! Be sure to arrive early and remind all your friends to attend as well.

Mending the Discords – February 14, 2012 - This TUESDAY, no not Thursday as usual, we will be continuing our journey to purification inshaAllah. After learning about the “Diseases of the Heart” and how to “Make the most of our time” in this world, we are now attempting to find a means of balancing the responsibilities of this world and the hearafter.

We are honored to have as our guest and mentor on this subject Dr. Rajab-Ali. A respected Bay Area Dentist, dedicated father and powerful speaker, Dr. Rajab-Ali never comes up short when it comes to finding unique ways of conveying his message to the youth. Whether sharing life lessons drawn from his own personal experiences or lecturing on Islamic teachings, every moment is filled with suspense.

If you have yet to hear Dr. Rajab-Ali speak your in for a real treat come Tuesday. So do your best to come out on time. Bring your MSA notebooks, all your buddies and enjoy what will surely be a memorable event.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/110281772430560/

The Soul Between the Dunya and the Hereafter: Making the Most of Our Time – February 9, 2012 - Alhamdullah, last week we set the stage for our journey to purification by acquiring knowledge from Imam Mohamed Abdul-Azeez regarding “Diseases of the Heart.” What many of us thought was a simple issue was put in terms that made us all realize just how threatening of a “disease” even by medical definitions this really was. We learned its symptoms,its causes, and the therapy to treat it. If you missed the last event you don’t want to miss this one.

This week, we are honored to have sister Maryam Amir-Ebrahimi with us to discuss how to implement the lessons we have learned thus far in our daily lives.

Maryam Amir-Ebrahimi is a passionate advocate for social justice and has a strong background in leadership. In high school, she was simultaneously the Associated Student Body President and Muslim Student Association President and was personally recognized as Student of the Year by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In college, at San Jose State University, she served as the vice president of her MSA and continued to serve two consecutive years as the MSA President. While doing so, she worked as an AmeriCorps member, interned for CAIR and was involved with numerous community projects.

Upon graduating Magna Cum Laude, with a BA in Child and Adolescent Development, Maryam traveled to Cairo and studied Quran and classical Arabic for about a year. Upon her return, she entered the field of education. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and is a Master’s candidate in the school of Education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Maryam writes for suhaibwebb.com, holds a second degree black belt in tae kwon do and speaks four languages. Maryam is an outspoken proponent of women’s rights and justice for minority communities within the fields of education and civil rights.

Please arrive on time for this event and don’t forget to bring the new Tazkiya Month MSA notebooks.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/152055061577781/

ISF CAREER COUNSELING AND COLLEGE MAJOR FORUM

Feb 18^th, 3pm-6pm

The History Corner of Main Quad, 450 Serra Mall, Bldg 200, Stanford University

FREE EVENT-Open to High School, College Students and Parents.

ISF’s goal is to encourage students to pursue degrees in fields that impact public policy and influence public opinion. We aim to bring about long term change by providing academic scholarships, facilitating internships/fellowships, and offering career counseling to students in order to support the future Muslim lawyers, politicians, writers, journalists, film makers and academicians of the society.

The program aims to:
• Discuss and offer solutions to current issues affecting American Muslims in regards to Muslims’ underrepresentation in professions that influence public policy and public opinion.
• Introduce college and high school students to majors in the Social Sciences, Humanities, Liberal Arts and Law.
• Explain career options available for the aforementioned fields of study.

Distinguished panelist of professionals will represent each of the fields listed below:

Film & Media–Michael Wolfe (UPF), Anser Hassan CBS5/IILUME)
Law and Public Policy–Zahra Billoo (CAIR), Ash Kalra (Councilmember, District 2 City of San Jose)
Journalism & Creative Writing–Zaki Hasan
Religious Studies–Dr. Munir Jiwa (GTU), Imam Tahir (SBIA/Zaytuna College)
Political Science–Dr. Farid Senzai (Santa Clara University)
Moderators: Dr. Hamid Rezapour (ISF), Dr. Mahan Mirza (Zaytuna College)

ISF scholarship recipients will share their experience in relation to their school, the admission process, and student life.

Please contact us for more information at contact@islamicscholarshipfund.org or 650-995-6782

Diseases of the Heart w/ Imam Azeez – February 2, 2012 - Tazkiya Month invites you to open the door to your heart. Join us as we venture with our honored guest, Imam Mohamed Abdul-Azeez, to the first stop along our journey to purification.