Friday, April 9th, 2010
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1:10pm–2:00pm
CIMIC
Jummah Topic: Loving Muhammad (s), the Beloved Prophet of Allah (SWT)
Acceptance of the shahadah, the Islamic creed, implies that one accepts and believes in Muhammad (S). Ahadith reinforce this by informing us that our deen is incomplete until our hearts have embraced Muhammad (S). Because the Messenger so dutifully accepted prophethood upon the ordinance of Allah and for the sake of his present and future Ummah, Allah (SWT) intended for him to be the final and ultimate model exemplar for all of humanity. However, simply celebrating and extolling Muhammad (S) as an ornament on a pedestal would fail to do justice to the very reason he was ordained a Messenger of Allah, so it is incumbent upon us to explore what made him human, but so beautifully human. Reminding ourselves of his personal habits, his etiquette, and his unbound grace in his interactions with his community members will allow us to attribute his model behavior to our personal lives and subsequently, multiply our love for him.
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2:00pm–3:30pm
CIMIC
ON-Site Registration
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5:30pm–9:30pm
Activities and Recreation Complex (ARC)
Continued ON-Site Registration
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7:30pm–7:45pm
ARC Multipurpose Room (MP) Six
Opening Comments by Spring Camp Organizers
Roveiza Irfan and Rabia Yaqub, students, organizers of the Spring Camp Conference
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7:30pm–7:45pm
ARC MP
Maghreb at the ARC in room MP6 at 7:30
Followed By
Dinner at the ARC in room MP6 from 7:45 to 8:45
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8:45pm–10:00pm
ARC MP Six
Main Session I: Wisdom of Islamic Law
"Indeed We have sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the balance that mankind may uphold justice..." (57:25)
All schools of Islamic law, both under the Sunni and Shi'ite umbrellas, agree that the sunnah and ahadith of the Prophet (pbuh) serve as the richest sources of Islamic law in terms of clarity and elaboration after the Holy Book. While Allah is ultimately the only legislator (al-Shari), the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (S), was conferred authority by Allah to make judicial decisions in accordance with His will. Through divine inspiration, Muhammad (S) was able to execute the command of Allah; these very judicial decisions played an indispensable role in the later codification of the Shari'ah by various legal schools. What qualities does Islamic law have that allow it to serve as a deterrent to crimes against one's self and society, whether they be of moral or societal nature? This lecture will shed light on the intrinsic wisdom of Islamic law and how the laws are constructed and molded by the wisdom of Allah to help protect us.
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10:00pm–2:30pm
ARC MP
Break for Isha in room MP6
Followed by
Basketball Tournament at 10:30
Brothers: Stay at ARC
Sisters: Tournament will be held at the Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE)
Saturday, April 10th, 2010
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6:00am
CIMIC
Fajr
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9:30am–10:00am
Wohlers Hall
Breakfast and ON-Site Registration
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10:00am–11:15am
141 Wohlers Hall
Main Session II: The Struggles of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Most of us tend to forget the struggles the Prophet (S) endured for the sake of Islam. If there's any one aspect of his life that should bring tears to our eyes, it is what he did and went through for the betterment of humanity and the sake of Allah (SWT). Patience and reliance on Allah were required of him in the hardest times, and that's what made him successful. These two are the most applicable and difficult things from the Seerah that we can take and apply in our lives. What can we learn from the Prophet's struggles and how can we overcome the hardships we face in our lives?
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11:25am–12:40pm
141 Wohlers Hall
Main Session III: The Prophet's (S) Beloved, Al-Tahira, and their Daughters
After Khadijah (R)'s passing, the Prophet (S) entered what is known to historians as the Year of Sorrow for he grieved for his beloved wife. As his first wife and mother of his four daughters, she was also the one to console him during the angst, confusion, and apprehension he experienced after the Archangel Jibril visited him as the bearer of revelation from Allah (swt). While Khadijah (R) was his partner in many of life's milestones, she was also his beloved wife who equipped him with the emotional support and encouragement to embrace prophethood and shed the darkness of jahiliyyah. Clearly, these two individuals formed a dynamic couple whose external strength was matched by an internal love and tenderness. On a similar note, in a time where the Prophet (S)'s counterparts had been burying their female children alive, the Prophet (S) was blessed with the birth of four daughters who would also grow to be pious, exemplary women. In matters regarding his daughters, he exhibited the utmost affection and tenderness, even when engraved traditions of the culture of his people did not facilitate it. This lecture will explore what made Allah's beloved so beloved to Khadijah (R) and the soft serenity exchanged between this husband and wife. In addition to exploring the husband he was, it will also delve into the relationship he had with his daughters and the type of father he was.
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12:40pm–1:50pm
Most restaurants are located on Green Street
Lunch
Discounts will be given at certain Green Street restaurants, coupons can be found inside folder.
Followed By
Dhuhr (at 1:40) on the South Quad
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2:00pm–3:00pm
123 David Kinley Hall (A) OR 120 Architecture Building (B)
Workshop Option A: The Qualities of a Good Leader
Prophet Muhammad (S) was both a prophet of Allah and a statesman. His leadership was most comprehensive and dynamic. He was the paragon of virtue and spirituality. He was a noble and compassionate teacher, guide, and reformer. He was a family man. Indeed, he was also a political leader. As a political leader the Prophet (S) unified the Arabian peninsula, established a great state whose capital was Madinah, defeated his enemies, and had successful military expeditions. However, his real political leadership was in the realm of morality and spirituality in which he conducted himself perfectly in situations of weakness as well as strength. What can we learn from the qualities of Prophet Muhammad and how can we apply them in the leadership roles we hold?
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Workshop Option B: Spiritual Revivification through Art.
Panel: Aja Black, Samir Zamundu (The ReMINDers)and Savera Iftikhar
Art encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression. Creating art is a dynamic process that mirrors the artist's culture and world view. This process allows an artist to uncover, reflect and express their thoughts in an innovative way. How can art encourage Islamic values within us? How can we implement the lessons learned from the discipline of art into our lives?
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3:10pm–4:25pm
114 David Kinley Hall
Main Session IV: The Framework of the Muslim Family
"All of you are shepherds and each one is responsible for his flock. A leader of a people is a shepherd and responsible for them. A man is a shepherd over his family and is responsible for them. A woman is a shepherd over her husband's house and his children and she is responsible for them..."
Tribal prejudice in pre-Islamic Arab society gave rise to a spirit of tribal loyalty and profound kinship resulting in insoluble bonds among members of a tribe and its branches. However, this fidelity towards upholding a tribe's honor and dignity spurred a fight-them- to-the-death mentality, igniting bloodshed and vicious, cyclical retaliations. Amid bloodshed and seething vengeance, Prophet Muhammad (S) exhibited diplomacy and subdued it. In the place of internecine warfare, and by Allah's guidance, he planted the seeds of brotherhood and sisterhood and facilitated its blossoming. He defined brotherhood and sisterhood to mean that we wish for another what we wish for ourselves, so family was no longer limited to simply blood relations, but friends, community members, and wayfarers. Because the most fundamental unit of society is the family and because the relations amongst a family ripple outward to affect the community, a family that exhibits boundless love for one another and for Allah is ultimately, the most serene and most successful of families. This, in turn, makes for a serene and successful society. This lecture will address the challenges faced by Muslim American families with adolescent and adult children. In addition, how can those challenges be subdued by creating households of taqwa? What can be drawn from the sunnah and the life of Muhammad (S) as a father and husband to ameliorate these challenges? -
4:30pm–5:45pm
114 David Kinley Hall
Main Session V: Finding the Straight Path: Former Rappers' Journey to Islam
The Prophet (PBUH) also said, "Each child is born in a state of "Fitrah", then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian, the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any that were born mutilated?" (Bukhari and Muslim).
Just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has put in nature, his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah (SWT) is his Lord and Creator. The inherent nature of a child is subjected to the influences of what nurtures him. Because of that child's inherent innocence and lacking maturation of the intellect, the child's parents and caretakers inculcate him with a particular faith and values, and a set of scruples, or lack thereof altogether. The course of life events also shape and modify what was initially inculcated by parents and caretakers as a child becomes older. This lecture will explore what drives one to seek Allah, the personal challenges entailed when striving for deen over dunya, and what aspect(s) of the Prophet's sunnah that served to be most inspiring to Brother Mutah and Brother Amir. -
6:00pm–7:45pm
ARC, then Illini Union (South Lounge)
Asr at 6:00pm at the ARC MP6
Followed By
Dinner at 6:15 at the ARC MP6
Followed By
Maghreb at the Illini Union South Lounge
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8:00pm–10:00pm
Illini Union Courtyard Cafe
Main Entertainment
FeaturingThe ReMINDers,Khalil Ismail (accompanied by Danya Thompson and Steve Dobias), and Zain Lodhia. DJ Skills provided by DJ Man-O-Wax
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10:00pm–10:15pm; Tournament: 10:30pm–2:30am
Illini Union (South Lounge) and ARC
Isha at 10:00pm at the Illini Union South Lounge
Followed By
Brothers' Basketball Tournament at 10:30 at the ARC
OR
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
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6:00am
CIMIC
Fajr
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10:00am–10:30am
CIMIC
Breakfast
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10:30am–11:45am
CIMIC
Main Session VI: Muhammad (PBUH), The Praiseworthy: Mercy to Mankind
While expectant with the Prophet (S), Aminah had a vision of a shining, white light silhouetting the castles of a southern kingdom [refer to Martin Lings book to clarify] and was thus divinely inspired to bless her child with a most honorable name--Muhammad. Muhammad is he who is praised; those of the past and of the present have witnessed people from all walks of life praise him. Even his enemies could not deny his excellent qualities. When his enemy, Abu Sufyan was summoned by Heraclius to his court and questioned about the Prophet (s), he was forced to admit his virtues. Even the Jews and those who did not believe in his message would come to him for arbitration in their disputes due to his justice and honesty. He was named “Al-Ameen’ ‘The Trustworthy’ and ‘As-Sadiq’ ‘The Truthful’ by his contemporaries. The Jews and Christians alike of pre- Islamic Arabic prophesied the coming of a final and ultimate messenger of God for all people. This prophesy was actualized by Allah when He bestowed the prophethood upon Muhammad (S) and conferred him a mercy not only for the Arabian peninsula, but for all seven continents. On another note, we know that the oneness and exclusivity of the one God, Allah, was not a new or unknown creed to the people of Arabia and to the people of the world, but it was the Prophet Muhammad (S) who was deemed by Allah to be the Seal of the Prophets because he completed the deen. Without this completion, imagine how exponentially challenging it would be to be a practicing Muslim without a resource and example to refer to. Imagine Allah evaluating us on the Day of Judgement without having provided the Prophet (S) to us, but because Allah is merciful, He conferred prophethood upon Muhammad (S) as a mercy to us. Thus, this lecture will explore how the characteristics and qualities of Muhammad (S) as a prophet, as a family man, a friend, and a statesmen left a treasure trove of guidance for humanity and delve into how Muhammad (S), as the Seal of the Prophets, was a mercy.
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12:00 Noon–1:15pm
CIMIC
Main Session VII: Community Building and Pluralism in Islam
The Muslims of Mecca mass-emigrated to Medina, where the Ansar were paired with the Muhajirah, cultivating altruism and brotherhood. How did this established social infrastructure help to promote community building and cohesiveness? On another note, the Prophet made a covenant of mutual obligation between his followers and the Jews of the oasis, forming them into a signal community of believers but allowing for the differences between the two religions. How did this exemplify pluralism? Examining and understanding the models delineated by the profound brotherhood and sisterhood in Medina, and the pluralism advocated by Muhammad (S) both serve as models that lend rich insight to our contemporary Muslim societies. -
1:15pm–4:30pm
CIMIC then AMBUCS Park
Dhuhr at 1:15pm at CIMIC
Followed By
BBQ Picnic at AMBUCS Park
MAP