RIS 2005
RIS - (Reviving the Islamic Spirit) conference this year was great! I have to say that each year just gets better and better and I've been to all four - just really nicely organized and run. There were so many people! I was a little upset that the funny comedy guy from last year wasn't there.. but the amazing speakers made up for that! I learned soo much. My spirit has definitely been revived. Has yours?
Day 1: Spent the whole day at the conference from start to end with Zra. Trust me don't ever spend so much time alone with your sister because by the end of it you'll be enemies... we weren't on speaking terms by the end of the night :S
The best speakers on day one (in my opinion) were Zaid Shakir and Malcom X's daughter. Ms. Shabaz had a beautiful voice, I found it so captivating and Zaid Shakir, well him (and Hamza Yusuf) have always been my favourites! I must add I like how he mentioned the fact that so many people have Islamic backgrounds and just don't know it until they research their families.. like Alex Haley (author of Roots one of my favourite books!).
Truth does not change, only our awareness of it -- Zaid Shakir quoting Malcolm X.
Day 2: Went in the evening with my whole family and Sara. Had a little situation that occurred in the bazaar type thing they had.. Now that I look back at it, it's not weird but funny... don't you think Sara :D hehe.. V.. I told you to come!
[By now I had eaten 6 halal rice krispies squares.. .. the guy at the booth even remembered who I was - how embaressing! But then he turned out to be Sara's friend :) I think I gained a lot of weight this weekend. I'm feeling fat from all the eating. But I do deserve a break right? How often do you come across halal rice krispies squares!??! ]
Anyways Zaid Shakir was a bit boring on day 2 but maybe I was just tired. Hamza Yusuf was incredible though! I learned a lot of things about music that I hadn't known before - and his topic was interesting!
Moroccanroll!! -- Hamza Yusuf
Day 3: Went around 2:00 and stayed until 12.. 12! Yeah it ended late but it ended well. Thanks for staying for most of the time Sara! Unfortunately as soon as you left you missed one of the best speakers of the day and some dramatic/shocking events (but you always seem to miss out on these things!). Tareq Suwaidan had a speech that I'm so glad Z got to hear because he kept making soccer references (the references being more negative than positive!), anyways we all got to tease her the whole way home. Hamza Yusuf beat them all again.. I love how he always talks about words and how and what they mean. This is just something that I personally find so interesting. He knows so much!!
The shocking event.. well I didn't think somone would steal money at an event like this.. kinda goes against everything we're learning about but hey everyone coming together and donating money was very uplifting!
Day 4: Went boxing day shopping with Sara in the morning and felt quite overwhelmed by the numbers of people at Square One. Sara got some nice stuff but I didn't get much and I feel like I need to go back :S
We then went to the RIS concert around 2:00 but it still hadn't started even though it was supposed to start at 12:00! We could have spent more time at the mall "Sigh." Anyways when the concert finally did start it was really nice. A bit loud (for my tender ears) but nice. I had a good time and I'm glad we went :D
Native Deen
Sami Yusuf
I met with my parents there and we went to drop my sisters off at the spiritual retreat thingy they're having. It looks like it will be amazing (omg just the hotel looks fantastic lol... my brother and I walked around inside for a bit) .. inshallah they'll gain a lot from the experience. Unfortunately I can't go cause I have my teacher's workshop.. 4 days of well I don't know what to expect...
I've been busy. And I have a busy week ahead of me.. Overall, I'm one tired (but satisfied) girl!
P.S I know my pictures suck.
P.P.S My weatherwoman has her jacket back on!
Day 1: Spent the whole day at the conference from start to end with Zra. Trust me don't ever spend so much time alone with your sister because by the end of it you'll be enemies... we weren't on speaking terms by the end of the night :S
The best speakers on day one (in my opinion) were Zaid Shakir and Malcom X's daughter. Ms. Shabaz had a beautiful voice, I found it so captivating and Zaid Shakir, well him (and Hamza Yusuf) have always been my favourites! I must add I like how he mentioned the fact that so many people have Islamic backgrounds and just don't know it until they research their families.. like Alex Haley (author of Roots one of my favourite books!).
Truth does not change, only our awareness of it -- Zaid Shakir quoting Malcolm X.
Day 2: Went in the evening with my whole family and Sara. Had a little situation that occurred in the bazaar type thing they had.. Now that I look back at it, it's not weird but funny... don't you think Sara :D hehe.. V.. I told you to come!
[By now I had eaten 6 halal rice krispies squares.. .. the guy at the booth even remembered who I was - how embaressing! But then he turned out to be Sara's friend :) I think I gained a lot of weight this weekend. I'm feeling fat from all the eating. But I do deserve a break right? How often do you come across halal rice krispies squares!??! ]
Anyways Zaid Shakir was a bit boring on day 2 but maybe I was just tired. Hamza Yusuf was incredible though! I learned a lot of things about music that I hadn't known before - and his topic was interesting!
Moroccanroll!! -- Hamza Yusuf
Day 3: Went around 2:00 and stayed until 12.. 12! Yeah it ended late but it ended well. Thanks for staying for most of the time Sara! Unfortunately as soon as you left you missed one of the best speakers of the day and some dramatic/shocking events (but you always seem to miss out on these things!). Tareq Suwaidan had a speech that I'm so glad Z got to hear because he kept making soccer references (the references being more negative than positive!), anyways we all got to tease her the whole way home. Hamza Yusuf beat them all again.. I love how he always talks about words and how and what they mean. This is just something that I personally find so interesting. He knows so much!!
The shocking event.. well I didn't think somone would steal money at an event like this.. kinda goes against everything we're learning about but hey everyone coming together and donating money was very uplifting!
Day 4: Went boxing day shopping with Sara in the morning and felt quite overwhelmed by the numbers of people at Square One. Sara got some nice stuff but I didn't get much and I feel like I need to go back :S
We then went to the RIS concert around 2:00 but it still hadn't started even though it was supposed to start at 12:00! We could have spent more time at the mall "Sigh." Anyways when the concert finally did start it was really nice. A bit loud (for my tender ears) but nice. I had a good time and I'm glad we went :D
Native Deen
Sami Yusuf
I met with my parents there and we went to drop my sisters off at the spiritual retreat thingy they're having. It looks like it will be amazing (omg just the hotel looks fantastic lol... my brother and I walked around inside for a bit) .. inshallah they'll gain a lot from the experience. Unfortunately I can't go cause I have my teacher's workshop.. 4 days of well I don't know what to expect...
I've been busy. And I have a busy week ahead of me.. Overall, I'm one tired (but satisfied) girl!
P.S I know my pictures suck.
P.P.S My weatherwoman has her jacket back on!
posted by 'liya @ 11:18 p.m.
19 comments
19 Comments:
At 4:59 p.m.,
Squeeky said…
Assalaamu Alaikum :D
You had a great time! Aww I'm so glad, alhamdulillah I did too. And it's so nice to know that your sis is attending the retreat. Do let us know how it went for her, I wish I could go too :(
At 6:38 p.m.,
Nauman said…
When you're at a conference like RIS, sometimes, you have to be a bit careful of what you're listening to and what you're NOT listening to... looks can be deceiving but sounds can be far worse.
At 7:25 p.m.,
'liya said…
Squeeky: Will let you know how it went for them. The house is so nice and quiet with just me and my brother :D
Nauman: Which is why I don't believe everything I hear. Plus Sara made sure to point out everything that didn't make sense anyway! Too bad you didn't come, I think you could have found SOME things that you would have liked!
At 8:07 p.m.,
sara said…
Liyaaa I had fun. I'm glad we can spend three full days together without getting sick of each other! I actually found it to be the opposite, I had more and more fun each day. We still have to go to that shop to buy an entire box of rice crispies. Also there's a South African dinner on the 1st after how many years now? We HAVE to go, yes HAVE TO. And Vicky can't come. Did you tell Vicky I ate the rice crispy you were saving for him?! And Nauman, different scholars have differing opinions and certain things, so you're free to discriminate, BUT as long as you're basing it on what you think is factual and NOT just ignoring stuff you don't want to believe
At 8:47 p.m.,
Squeeky said…
Yea I agree with Nauman, even though the speakers are great, there is always something that makes you go, "umm, huh?" I felt that a bit during the conference for a couple of things but it wasn't like last year! haha I don't remember who the speaker was but the things he was saying was confusing me. I couldn't understand how they allowed him to speak. Allahu Alim :)
Btw Aaliya ... Pilly makes me want to go outside at this time!
At 10:47 p.m.,
'liya said…
Sara, I had fun too :D Hmmmm about that dinner, well the 1st isn't too far away.... do my parents know about it? I'll ask them tomorrow. Remind me if I forget!!
Squeeky, I don't know what is wrong with her! She's wearing a t-shirt and it's only 1C outside -- that's not SO warm right??!! I'm going to have a talk with her cause I don't want her to get a cold!
At 5:12 p.m.,
'liya said…
She has her sweater back on now :D I had a talk with her!
At 12:30 a.m.,
Nauman said…
Aaliya:
No thanks... after organizing the conference for the first two years, I got more than my fill with that. I spent time talking with several of the 'scholars' and speakers and that was more than enough to help me with that.
Sara:
There are several things with RIS that ultimately drove me away but my opinions on certain speakers is based entirely on my conversations with them and with their Islamic teachings/principles. You'd be surprised at some of the things I know on that and probably disturbed at certain things that RIS stands for... I won't elaborate any further on that at this time however.
At 10:29 a.m.,
sara said…
Nauman, I think i'm misunderstanding you because you can't possibly be saying you're more knowledgable than scholars you 1) understand arabic, and 2) have been studying islam for God knows how many years.
At 3:23 p.m.,
Nauman said…
Sara: I think I may have miscommunicated what I was trying to say there... I don't think I know more than any scholar but what I do know is that there are certain beliefs and interpretations being taught by certain scholars that are not in line with the beliefs of other scholars.
I don't want to mention any particular names here but what I can say is that several of the speakers from RIS the last few years are preaching certain things which are not correct Islamically. In Islam, Muslims are taught to seek the truth and to seek guidance. I suggest you not take everything you hear from a "scholar" as entirely accurate when many scholars have debated certain things against each other and found others to be in stark contrast.
There are many people out there, including several in our own city of Toronto, posing as scholars or as knowledgable people who are teaching things that are in direct conflict with what the Quran and the Sunnah teach. Again, I suggest you investigate the matter for yourself and base your conclusions on that. Each of us is responsible for our own deen so I leave it to you to determine what you feel is right.
At 7:10 p.m.,
'liya said…
Nauman I said "SOME" things... there are SOME things you MIGHT have liked. For example you might have liked the halal rice krispee squares! Then again, maybe not! I'm not saying to believe everything that is said, which is why I also said "I don't believe everything I hear" ...
and I really don't think Sara was believing everything she heard since I said she "made sure to point out everything that didn't make sense anyway!"
:D
At 12:07 a.m.,
sara said…
Lol. Ya, but that was when I was in my "religion is stupid" phase. I got into it after a few hours and after you looked at me like I was the devil and said "lets leave the bazaar now and go listen to some lectures". Nauman, I hope you're not talking about Hamza Yusuf cause I luuuuuuurve him and believe everything he says! *sigh* I'd hate for him to be wrong cause I never question what he says!!!!
At 12:08 a.m.,
sara said…
p.s. dont the RIS people have a huge responsibility that would make them make sure they get only the most knowledgable scholars? I always wonder about that.
At 7:14 a.m.,
'liya said…
LOL Sara he IS talking about Hamza Yusuf, he gave me a huge lecture on the phone last night (the same lecture he gave me from a year ago!) Anyways I just say take the good from each speaker and leave the bad out. You have a brain and can decide what the good and bad is!
At 7:38 p.m.,
Nauman said…
RIS, along with other conferences, has an interest in promoting those speakers who's views are in line with their own. Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is one of them though he's one of several "scholars" there that are propagating a view that is inconsistent with certain things in Islam.
(small example: book signings... when did that become permissable in Islam?)
At 11:43 p.m.,
'liya said…
Hey Nauman guess what I went to another Hamza Yusuf lecture tonight! Thought of you :D
At 12:38 a.m.,
sara said…
Um I'm sorry what?! When did wearing socks become permissible?!
At 12:22 p.m.,
sara said…
Um, why is my comment not visible on your main blog?! Blogger is stoopid! Nauman (if u can actually see this!) I'd like to know what the deal is with Hamza Yusuf, inform me please!!! It doesnt have to be on here, you can get my email addy from 'Liya or Pilly when she come back inside.
At 1:31 p.m.,
'liya said…
I wear socks :D
I'll give Nauman your email so he can inform you with his lectures!
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