The Women's Mosque of America

Q&A Discussion Circle with the Imam -- Khateebah Hajjah Abrafi S. Sanyika, who also serves as a Griot/Djelli (preserver of African oral history), takes questions from the congregation and shares many books and resources showing us where we can go to learn more about Black and African history.

In this educational and uplifting khutbah, we get to hear from Khateebah Hajjah Abrafi S. Sanyika, who also serves as a Griot/Djelli (preserver of African oral history). Hajjah Abrafi enlightens us about the parallels between the celebration of Muslims fleeing oppression through their Hijrah (migration) to Abyssinia and of the enslaved Africans (1/3 of whom were Muslim) celebrating their newfound freedom in America through the holiday Juneteenth -- freedom always being a victory for Allah. She reminds us of the Islamic wisdom through which the pre-Islamic practice of slavery was phased out -- a way that did not backfire and lead to persistent racial hatred as it did with the abrupt abolition of slavery in the United States of America. Hajjah Abrafi highlights the many verses of the Qur'an that mandate not only the freeing of enslaved peoples but also of good treatment and reparations to those who were formerly enslaved. B I O Hajjah Abrafi S. Sanyika is a proud native of Chicago, which was founded on the shore of Lake Michigan by an African fur trader, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and listened as a young child to the life-affirming teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Even then she knew that there is only One God, because that is what her parents taught at home. She remembers being “thrown out” of Sunday school at age eleven, because she announced that Jesus (pbuh) was not the “son of God”, but a great prophet like all the other great prophets. She was exposed to many religious/spiritual traditions growing up and continues to honor the beauty in all of them. // Abrafi euphemistically describes her professional career as “eclectic”. She reflects that she is from that generation of women who chose either nursing, teaching, or secretarial work, because other professions were generally foreclosed to women. Originally an anthropology major, she redirected when she got a divorce and had to consider raising two small boys as a single parent. Instead, she obtained a B.A. and M.A. in education. Her M.A. thesis was a study of the cocoa industry of Ghana, West Africa. She first taught at the University of Chicago Lab School, then directed Ujima Family Center, an alternative school in Chicago. Moving to California, she attended UCLA Law School, worked for several attorneys, became a realtor, and eventually returned to professional education. // She is now retired and has published several position papers, including “An Open Letter to the Immigrant Muslim Community.” She co-wrote The Eternal Genetic Presence, an anthology of visual artist Nathaniel Bustion’s incredible talent; and is the author of Makeda, Queen of Sheba, a children’s book written in honor of her daughter, Makeda. She is the founder and director of The Egyptian Repertoire Company, a nonprofit educational foundation that researches, writes, and presents seminars and rituals based on African history and culture, and is currently writing two other books for publication.

Mu'adthinah and singer/writer Medina Tenour Whiteman graces us with a beautifully melodic adthan for The Women's Mosque of America's online jumma'a on Friday, June 25th, 2021. To experience more of Medina's art work, visit: cavemum.com

Q&A Discussion Circle with the Imam -- Khateebah Hala Mohammad answers questions from the congregation about how best to practice dhikr (remembrance) and how to communicate the concept of faith to children. In closing, she leads a live demonstration of how to practice Tasbih Fatima through a guided meditation on the phrases Alhamdulillah (all thanks and praises are to God), SubhanAllah (glory be to God), and Allahu Akbar (God is greater/the greatest).

In this unique khutbah, Khateebah Hala Mohammad does a deep dive into Tasbih Fatima, the Islamic remembrance practice (dhikr) that was given as a gift from the Prophet Muhammad (p) to his daughter Fatima (r) and that Muslims all over the world continue to practice today -- often on prayer beads called tasbih. Hala enlightens us about the many neurological and somatic healing benefits of doing dhikr, and she explains how we can nourish our souls through the practice of Tasbih Fatima, which consists of repeating the phrases Alhamdulillah (all thanks and praises are to God), SubhanAllah (glory be to God), Allahu Akbar (God is greater and the greatest). B I O Hala Mohammad is a Pakistani-American who was born in Saudi Arabia and who has lived, worked, and studied in the U.S., Pakistan, France, Ireland, and the UAE. Growing up as a third culture kid, she is deeply empathetic to causes/spaces where multiple personal identities/perspectives intersect to challenge and evolve into a more vibrant and engaged community that colors the diverse social fabric of our society. As a child, Hala observed her mother & father’s creative streaks in reciting poetry, singing praise songs in the form of ‘qaseda,’ as well as going deep into Sufi meditation retreat after personal losses, and she was always inspired by their community engagement, love for poetry, and volunteering. When she was a newly minted “American Teenager,” she grappled with fortifying her Muslim identity in the aftermath of 9/11. This period led her to go deeper spiritually and see her religious identity beyond the daily ritual/monolith and put her on a path of interfaith and intra-community conflict resolution research and mediation training. Hala Mohammad is a Social/Cognitive Psychologist in training, and the founder of Taskeen Community Initiative — an organization that empowers individuals/families through facilitation, mindfulness training, personality strength awareness, & mentoring to tackle challenges during different seasons of life transitions. Hala did her bachelors in Sociology and Peace & Conflict Studies, and her M.Sc in Human Behavior from USC, with a social psychology research background and work experience in facilitating community wellness/holistic wellbeing programs, family-community mediations/peer counseling, university/k-12 teaching, and academic advising. Her award winning research looked at Muslim Women’s representation in the American media post 9/11 and how it follows a similar theme of exclusion and “othering” as other minoritized women in American history from African American/Native/Latina/Asian women experiences. Her current research focuses on self empowerment vis-a-vis intersectional solidarity of communities and individuals. Hala is passionate about social emotional learning and how it impacts mental health, personal healing, growth, and education. Before becoming a mother to two high-energy kids, Hala worked for Asian Pacific American Dispute resolution center as a community mediator, and managed district programs and taught at the Culver City Unified School District. She devotes her free time to volunteering with Asian American Advancing Justice, LAFLA, teaching at Islamic Sunday School, leading yoga classes, and sisters’ meditation circles. Her work has revolved around doing legal advocacy, community empowerment through soft skill training. She is also a certified Yoga/meditation facilitator and gives mindfulness/meditation workshops for burned-out moms/couples/families. She is a traditional Irish Music fan, and loves singing in a choir as an alto–and sometimes soprano while she can escape the spotlight.

First mu'adthinah Mona Abdulla calls in from the East Coast to deliver the adthan at The Women's Mosque of America's online jumma'a on Friday, May 28th, 2021.

Q&A Discussion Circle with the Imam -- Ustadha Chaplain Maryam Sharrieff leads a heartfelt discussion on how we can navigate moments of heartache in our lives and come out stronger and more connected to Allah as a result.

In this special Ramadan khutbah, Ustadha Chaplain Maryam Sharrieff joins us from the East Coast to deliver her inspiring khutbah on "Healing A Hurt Heart," in honor of her late mentor and teacher Chaplain Imam Sohaib Sultan, who recently passed away. Her message is filled with helpful advice for how we can rely on the power of the Qur'an to restore our spirits during difficult times and beyond. Bio: Ustadha Maryam Sharrieff is an educator, filmmaker, lecturer, linguist, researcher and student of the development of Islam in America. Her recent research projects have examined the African-American Shi’i Muslim Community, Latino Converts to Islam in America, the Legacy of Female Scholarship in Islam and Gender & Its Linguistic Implications in the Qur’an and Torah. Maryam’s research interests also include the Muslim Contribution to Sicilian Society, the Representation of Faith In (& On) film, Homosexuality in Canonical Texts, American Muslim Women’s Leadership, Fundamentalism Across Faiths and America’s Founding Father’s Interactions with the Muslim World. Maryam has studied and conducted research in Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Italy, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. Most recently she presented on Muslim women’s leadership at the World Parliament of Religion’s conference in Sydney, Australia, Salt Lake City and at the annual international Shaykafest. From 2012-2014 she was a Muslim fellow for Hebrew College’s and Andover Newton Theological School’s CIRCLE (Center for Inter-Religious and Communal Leadership Education) program. Recently, she presented on Muslim Women’s Comic Book Heroes at the United Kingdom’s University of Derby’s Muslim Women’s Activism conference. Ustadha Maryam teaches for rabata.org and serves as an adjunct professor. She is dedicated to building and contributing to institutions conducive to the pursuit of human excellence. Sharrieff received her Bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies/Italian/TV & Film from Rutgers University and obtained her Master’s in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. She currently resides in the Boston area and serves as a University Muslim Chaplain.

Mu'adthinah Jessika Kenney takes a departure from her usual Javanese recitation style to recite the adthan in a *new* melodic style inspired by Asian popular music at The Women's Mosque of America online jumma'a on Friday, April 30th, 2020.

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #30: "Bibi Titi Mohammed" by Nurjahan Boulden | Today, Khateebah Nurjahan Boulden introduces us to Bibi Titi Mohammed, the trailblazing Muslim woman whose name was deliberately erased from history but whose hard work paved the way for 2021's first woman president of Tanzania! D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America is a volunteer-run, 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Make a tax-deductible donation today: womensmosque.com/donate M O R E F R O M N U R J A H A N B O U L D E N Watch "Returning to Faith After Trauma" Khutbah by Nurjahan Boulden here: https://youtu.be/70XHSa4O8u4 B I O Nurjahan Boulden was 21 years old when she was shot with an assault rifle in an attack that killed the man next to her. That one night changed the trajectory of her life. Even as she moved on to become a teacher and mother of three, she continued to suffer in silence with depression, anxiety, and physical complications from the bullet wound. It wasn’t until ten years later that she shared her story publicly for the first time. It was there that she found the community and support she needed in order to finally recover. Having worked in education and in the non-profit sector for most of her career, she is now the world’s leading coach and healer for shooting survivors who are ready to feel safe again. In addition to individual and group coaching, she is a public speaker, hosts support groups and community resilience workshops, and has been featured in a number of publications, including Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health Magazines. Her most recent project is a collaboration of mental health professionals bringing gun violence prevention and recovery programs to schools and organizations across the country. Nurjahan was born and raised in rural Massachusetts before moving to the West Coast in 2003 to attend Pitzer College in Claremont. With a Tanzanian mother and a White American father, her family was one of only two Muslim families where she grew up. She now enjoys living in a diverse area of Rancho Cucamonga, CA with her husband and three young children. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #29: "Arwa Um-e-Musa" by Fatima Dadabhoy | Today, Khateebah Fatiima Dadabhoy shares her lawyerly love for Arwa Um-e-Musa, the Muslim woman who called on the highest court in Egypt to back the terms of her Islamic marriage contract, and whose example serves as inspiration for Muslim women everywhere to enforce our God-given rights within marriage. D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America needs your help! Make a contribution of any amount today to help us continue our work to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls. Donate now: womensmosque.com/donate M O R E F R O M F A T I M A D A D A B H O Y Watch "Reclaiming Our History and Creating Our Spaces" Khutbah by Fatima Dadabhoy here: https://youtu.be/pPW76pNNrPQ B I O Fatima Dadabhoy‘s three favorite topics are women’s rights, religion – specifically the Constitutional right to freedom of religion and the Islamic principle that there is no compulsion in religion – and cats. Her childhood experience of being bullied for her religion and the post-9/11 backlash against AMEMSA individuals set her on a path to work on behalf of disadvantaged communities. She previously worked as a civil rights attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations and currently works as the managing attorney for intake at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. Fatima’s self-care regimen includes crafting, being out in nature, and watching copious amounts of CW television shows. She one day hopes to open a cat sanctuary. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #28: "Tayyibah Taylor" by Ustadha Chaplain Maryam Sharrieff | Today, our Khateebah Ustadha Chaplain Maryam Sharrieff tells us about a recent historical Muslimah figure: Tayyibah Taylor, the graceful Afro-Caribbean creator of Azizah Magazine -- a high quality magazine for Muslim women, by Muslim women -- whose work was unprecedented during her time. M O R E F R O M U S T A D H A C H A P L A I N M A R Y A M S H A R R I E F F Watch the entire jumma'a on "Healing A Hurt Heart" Khutbah by Chaplain Ustadha Maryam Sharrieff here: https://youtu.be/H6N04K6VOiw D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America needs your help! Make a contribution of any amount today to help us continue our work to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls. Donate here today: womensmosque.com/donate B I O Ustadha Chaplain Maryam Sharrieff is an educator, filmmaker, lecturer, linguist, researcher, and student of the development of Islam in America. Her recent research projects have examined the African-American Shi’i Muslim Community, Latino Converts to Islam in America, the Legacy of Female Scholarship in Islam, and Gender & its Linguistic Implications in the Qur’an and Torah. Ustadha Maryam’s research interests also include the Muslim Contribution to Sicilian Society, the Representation of Faith In (& On) Film, Homosexuality in Canonical Texts, American Muslim Women’s Leadership, Fundamentalism Across Faiths, and America’s Founding Fathers' Interactions with the Muslim World. Maryam has studied and has conducted research in Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Italy, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates. Most recently, she presented on Muslim women’s leadership at the World Parliament of Religion’s conference in Sydney, Australia, Salt Lake City, and at the annual international Shaykafest. From 2012-2014, she was a Muslim fellow for Hebrew College’s and Andover Newton Theological School’s CIRCLE (Center for Inter-Religious and Communal Leadership Education) program. Recently, she presented on Muslim Women’s Comic Book Heroes at the United Kingdom’s University of Derby’s Muslim Women’s Activism conference. Ustadha Maryam teaches for Rabata.org and serves as an adjunct professor. She is dedicated to building and contributing to institutions conducive to the pursuit of human excellence. Sharrieff received her Bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies/Italian/TV & Film from Rutgers University and obtained her Master’s in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. She currently resides in the Boston area and serves as a University Muslim Chaplain. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #25: "Queen Arwa al-Sulayhi" by Mona Abdulla | Today, we hear from Mu'adthinah Mona Abdulla about the Queen of Yemen, Arwa al-Sulayhi, whose example she wants to revive for the women of Yemen today. M O R E F R O M M O N A A B D U L L A Listen to the adthan by Mu'adthinah Mona Abdulla: Womensmosque – A... D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America needs your help! Make a contribution of any amount today to help us continue our work to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls. Donate now: womensmosque.com/donate B I O Mona Abdulla was the very first mu’adthinah for The Women’s Mosque of America in January 2015. As a young girl, she had always practiced calling the adthan in her home, but her friends and family would make fun of her, saying that she was wasting her time because she would never be able to call the adthan in a mosque. As an adult, Mona taught her two boys to call the adthan because she thought she never would have the chance. When she heard about the Women’s Mosque opening in January 2015, she flew out from New Jersey to California to call our very first adthan! Mona Abdulla is the mother of two boys and the daughter of Yemeni-American immigrant parents. She was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and is currently involved in multiple community and entrepreneurial projects. Previously she spent many years working as a Career Counselor. Mona received her Bachelor degree in Psychology and her Master degree in College Student Affairs from Buffalo State. Mona also serves as a Board Trustee for Lackawanna City Schools and loves working for the public. Some of her accomplishments include: being one of the first Yemeni females in the WNY area to attend college and the first Yemeni American female in the United States to hold public office. Also, while in school, she received the Hurculine Guthrie Commitment to Diversity Award. Later Mona received an Appreciation Award from the Yemeni American Merchants Association in NYC. When Mona was a child, she remembers how fun it was to grow up with two cultures. Because of this, she feels she can easily connect with people from various backgrounds. Being able to view the world from different perspectives has given her the passion to be the voice for Muslim Americans, Yemenis, women and minorities. Mona hopes to use this insight to speak out against injustices and to demand change. She would also like to empower women through her work. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #24: "Lady Zainab" by Shourouq Routher | Today, Mu'adthinah Shourouq Routher teaches us about the Prophet Muhammad's (p) granddaughter, Lady Zainab, and the important role her healthy, nurturing childhood home played in forming her into the strong, courageous, intelligent woman we remember her as today. Because of the empowering way she was raised as a young girl, Lady Zainab had the ability as an adult in the Battle of Karbala to turn her vulnerable position as a prisoner of war into a platform to speak up and inspire others. M O R E F R O M S H O U R O U Q R O U T H E R Listen to the Adthan by Mu'adthinah Shourouq Routher here: https://soundcloud.com/womensmosque/a... D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America needs your help! Make a contribution of any amount today to help us continue our work to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls. Donate now: womensmosque.com/donate B I O Shourouq Routher has served the Muslim community in Southern California for many years as the Programs Coordinator at IECOC as well as in interfaith initiatives in Orange County. She is an educator who is currently serving the Bay Area community as an Associate Program Director at the YMCA of San Francisco. Shourouq is also a Yoga teacher and wellness coach. She has been working with disadvantaged youth and believes in the importance of training youth workers and educating families about social emotional learning and trauma informed practices in order to provide healthier environments for youth and children. She believes in the spiritual impact of mentorship and advocacy as tools for a thriving community. Shourouq is committed to always collaborating with other sisters to reinforce the movement of inclusion, diversity, and equity that spaces such as The Women’s Mosque of America bring to the Muslim Community. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #23: “Halimah” by Heba Khan | Today, Khateebah Heba Khan shares the life of Halimah, the Prophet Muhammad's foster mother, and she highlights the important yet undervalued role that caretakers take on -- especially now during the pandemic -- as the backbone of our societies. M O R E F R O M H E B A K H A N Watch "Some Cuts Run Deep: A Bodily Approach to the Spiritual" Khutbah by Heba Khan here: https://youtu.be/Bj_lBXdWHME D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America needs your help! Make a contribution of any amount today to help us continue our work to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls. Donate now: womensmosque.com/donate B I O Heba Khan is Staff Editor at the Journal of Feminist Economics, Rice University. She holds an MA in Religious Studies from Rice University. Her research interests focus on the Islamic tradition and include comparative religion, mysticism, poetry, and gender. She has presented widely among communities and organizations in the greater Houston area on the topics of Islam, gender, and religious tolerance. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #22: "Sayyida al Hurra" by Kifah Shah | Today, Khateebah Kifah Shah inspires us with the life and legacy of Sayyida al Hurra (aka 'The Pirate Queen'), who started out as an Andalusian refugee in Morocco but who soon rose to become the governing Queen; she helped her city fight off invading Portuguese armies and rebuild in the aftermath of war. Kifah shows us how we can learn from Sayyida's and the Prophet Muhammad's (p) example a beautiful way to frame refugees as people who spread light wherever they go. M O R E F R O M K I F A H S H A H Watch "Moving Away from the Multitude to the One" Khutbah by Kifah Shah here: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque... Listen to the Q&A Discussion Circle with Kifah Shah here: https://soundcloud.com/womensmosque/q... D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America needs your help! Make a contribution of any amount today to help us continue our work to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls. Donate now: womensmosque.com/donate B I O Kifah Shah is the Digital Campaign Manager for MPower Change, the largest Muslim-led social and racial justice organization in the United States. She is also a cofounder of SuKi Se, an ethical fashion brand produced by artisans in Pakistan that strives to offer access to technologies that ensure high production standards and inclusive supply chains. Kifah grew up in Southern California and has been organizing since she was 15. She has worked for the Asian Law Caucus, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, Unite HERE! Local 11, and UC Berkeley’s Multicultural Community Center. Kifah also worked abroad in Europe at the Migration Policy Group on issues related in migration, as well as in Pakistan at the Aman Foundation/USAID on issues of health, education, and economic empowerment. She is currently a TED Resident and on the Board of Trustees for MSA West. Kifah holds a Masters in Public Administration (Economic Policy) from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Ethnic Studies from U.C. Berkeley. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque YouTube: click on the red SUBSCRIBE button above!

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #21: "The Iron Lady of Islam: Hajarah (Hagar)" by Dr. Debbie Almontaser | Today, find out about the woman whose journey became a central part of the 5 pillars of Islam, and whose footsteps millions of Muslims retrace during the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages every year. Dr. Debbie Almontaser shares why she draws her personal inspiration from Hagar (Hajarah), The Iron Lady of Islam -- not only because of what this incredible figure went through, but because of *how* Hajarah relied on God with full trust to get through the most trying of tribulations. D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America needs your help! Make a contribution of any amount today to help us continue our work to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls. Donate now: womensmosque.com/donate M O R E F R O M D R . D E B B I E A L M O N T A S E R Watch Dr. Debbie's pre-khutbah bayan (speech) "The Legacy of Believing Women in Islam" here: https://youtu.be/ufcsUgFqbiw Watch the full jumma'a service "Jumma'a w/Dr. Debbie Almontaser & Gail Kennard: Legacies of Believing Women & Black Muslims" here: https://youtu.be/v4q5WdYcdkU B I O Dr. Debbie Almontaser is an internationally recognized, award-winning educator, entrepreneur, speaker, authority on cross cultural understanding and author of Leading While Muslim. She is an influential community leader and the Founder and CEO of Bridging Cultures Group Inc., a for-profit business that provides professional development and coaching for companies, universities, firms, and K–12 education personnel. Dr. Almontaser was the founding and former principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn, NY. A twenty-five-year veteran of the NYC Public School System, she taught special education, inclusion, trained teachers in literacy, and served as a multicultural specialist and diversity advisor. Currently, she is the Board President of the Muslim Community Network and sits on the boards of Therapy and Learning Center Preschool, 21in21, EMGAGE National, and ADC National. She frequently lectures, serves on panels, facilitates teacher and public workshops on cultural diversity, conflict resolution, Arab Culture, Islam, Muslims in America, interfaith coalition building and youth leadership at schools, universities, libraries, museums, faith-based organizations, churches, synagogues, as well as national and international conferences. Dr. Almontaser is also known for her leadership role in organizing the historic Yemeni Bodega Strike Rally and I Am a Muslim Too Rally. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #18: "Rufaida Al-Aslamia" | Did you know that nursing used to be considered a primarily male profession? Today, learn from Mu'adthinah Aliya Yousufi about the first female nurse in the Middle East, Rufaida Al-Aslamia, who is considered to be the mother of modern nursing because of the methods she introduced into the field and taught in her nursing school. D O N A T E Help The Women's Mosque of America expand our team this upcoming year so we can lay the groundwork for the next phase of our movement to uplift the Muslim community by empowering women & girls! Make a tax-deductible donation now: womensmosque.com/donate M O R E F R O M A L I Y A Y O U S U F I Watch Adthan by Aliya's Daughters -- Mini Mu'adthinahs Ameena & Ruqayya here: https://youtu.be/l4gl5O3XQ4U Listen to Mu'adthinah Aliya's past adthans here: https://soundcloud.com/search?q=aliya... B I O Aliya H. Yousufi is a graduate of UCLA and USC Law School. She is an attorney and housing advocate. She is a muadthinah for The Women's Mosque of America and a mother of two daughters, whom she has also trained to call the adthan. She currently resides in Yorba Linda, CA. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque YouTube: click on the red SUBSCRIBE button above!

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #17: "Aisha" | Today, in honor of Aisha (r), who passed away on the 17th of Ramadan, we are learning from Khateebah Dr. Showkot Rahman about Aisha (r), the 7th century fierce and fearless Islamic scholar who was described by her contemporary scholars as being the source of half of all Islamic knowledge. She earned this distinction from her decades of teaching men and women of her society after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (p) and from sharing her vast quantity of intimate knowledge about him, his character, and the Qur'an's application to our daily lives. D O N A T E Help The Women's Mosque of America expand our team this upcoming year so we can lay the groundwork for the next phase of our movement to uplift the Muslim community by empowering women & girls! Make a tax-deductible donation of any amount today: womensmosque.com/donate M O R E F R O M D R . S H O W K O T R A H M A N "Patience While in the 'Cave'" Khutbah by Dr. Showkot Rahman: https://youtu.be/XyvhUGXGVxA "Begum Rokeya" by Dr. Showkot Rahman | #HistoricMuslimah Ramadan Series: https://youtu.be/j1ou-BzWnmY B I O Dr. Showkot Ara Rahman, mother of four, daughter, sister, friend, and pediatrician, was born and raised in the city of Magura in Bangladesh with her six siblings. She grew up in a household devoted to family, the community, and Islam. Spending early mornings reading and reciting Surahs of the Qur’an, she completed her first full reading of the Qur’an by the age of six. Islam has been a mainstay in her life, a curiosity she has spent her life cultivating through constant and conscious application. After graduating from Rajshahi Medical College in Bangladesh, she gave birth to two boys, immigrated to the United States, parting ways from her childhood friends and family, had two daughters, and attained the U.S. Medical License and Board Certification in Pediatrics, accomplishing her dreams through patience and perseverance. Dr. Rahman has been a dedicated medical and public servant to underserved communities since her beginnings at The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, followed by Kaiser Permanente with simultaneous volunteer work at Umma Community Clinic and raising four children. Her relentless values of faith, hard work, and optimism were not only unhindered, but spread through any means possible. She is a devoted pediatrician, a role she does not take lightly and recognizes as her way of expounding her genuine care and dedication to the wellbeing of children and their future in the most underserved area of Los Angeles. When she is not doting on her children or filling out patient charts, Dr. Rahman enjoys spending time with her children, cooking, knitting, visiting museums, attending musicals, watching Jeopardy, traveling, catching the sunrise and sunset, and dancing on grassy hills. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female...

Ramadan #HistoricMuslimah #16: "Rabiah al Basra" | Today, Khateebah & Mu'adthinah Jessika Kenney enlightens us about the true nature of Rabiah al Basra, the famous Muslimah that is most known for re-introducing the concept of Love back into early Sufi Islamic teachings. Jessika shows us how the gendered way that Rabiah is usually mistranslated is very harsh; however, when one goes back to the original text, we see a much warmer depiction of Rabiah, one that is rooted in love and ecstatic joy. Jessika treats us with a beautiful recitation of the original Persian poetry of Farid Din Attar as he describes Rabiah in 'The Conference of the Birds.' D O N A T E The Women’s Mosque of America needs your help! Today we are at $3,310 of our $24,000 Ramadan goal to secure our women-led jumma'a services for the coming year. Make a contribution tonight: womensmosque.com/donate M O R E F R O M J E S S I K A K E N N E Y "Singing A Shining Steed: The Mystical Origins of the Buraq" by Jessika Kenney https://youtu.be/6j8fo4CPsB0 "Exploring Wudu, Water, and the Concept of 'Purity' in Islam" Khutbah by Jessika Kenney https://youtu.be/flrQ9md8nsU Adthans by Mu'adthinah Jessika Kenney: https://soundcloud.com/search?q=women... B I O Jessika Kenney is a vocalist, composer/improviser, and teacher. Jessika's singing can be heard on Ideologic Organ, Black Truffle, Weyrd Son, SIGE, Present Sounds, and other labels. She performs regularly with writers/scholars Red Pine (Bill Porter), Fatemeh Keshavarz, and Anne Carson. At international festivals, Jessika has performed her own compositions as well as music of Annea Lockwood, Hossein Omoumi, Morton Feldman, Giacinto Scelsi, and others. In 2015, her LP ""ATRIA"" (based on writings attributed to Sunan Kalijaga, who brought Islam to Java in the 15th century CE) was released alongside a sound, calligraphic score, sculpture, and video installation filling five rooms at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle. Jessika taught from 2007-2015 at her alma mater, Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. She has studied sindhenan with many great musicians of Javanese gamelan in and outside Indonesia, particularly the late, great pesindhen Nyi Supadmi (d. 2015). She has studied Persian radifs with Ostad Hossein Omoumi (UC Irvine) since 2004. Kenney received the 2014 James Ray Distinguished Artist Award, and for collaborations with her husband Eyvind Kang, the 2015 Stranger Genius Award. She is VoiceArts faculty at California Institute of the Arts and lives in Pasadena, CA. In 1997, Jessika had her first masjid experience in the Kauman neighborhood of Surakarta, Central Java, and she has been involved in Islamic and Sufi culture ever since. S T A Y C O N N E C T E D Do you want to find out about The Women's Mosque of America's upcoming women-led & co-ed events? Sign up for our newsletter here: https://us9.campaign-archive.com/home... A B O U T The Women's Mosque of America is the nation's first women-led Muslim house of worship and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The Women's Mosque of America strives to uplift the entire Muslim community by empowering Muslim women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership. The Women's Mosque of America provides a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It complements existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn, and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities. The Women's Mosque of America provides women-led Friday jumma'a services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, The Women's Mosque of America provides programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality. F O L L O W U S Instagram: @womensmosque Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomensMosque Twitter: @womensmosque