The Youth
Archived under Personal Ramblings .
Assalaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullaah
I hope that all my readers (if there are any left!) are in the best of health and eemaan by the Will of Allaah.
Many of my projects and 'out-the-home' activities have been halted for the time-being, but a project that I've managed to hold on to is the 'Sisters' Youth Network'.
As I was born in the 1980's (shock-horror!) I am kinda still seen as being part of the youth; although being married and a mother kinda pushes me out a little - oh well.
So... I've got a few things in the works inshaa`Allaah. I recently had a meeting with the Management Commitee of our affiliated masjid to dicuss the ideas that are all in my head (and on paper) and mashaa`Allaah they were quite impressed with all the paperwork I've done (being an ex-Law student has proved to be of some use). They've decided to take most of it on-board for use on the brothers' youth side. But my main problem is thinking of a weekly activity for the younger sisters (11-15). We're going to start an open-debate programme for our older sisters (16-25) which will touch upon sensitive issues, but it's not really kitted out for the younger sisters.
So what can you do?
Well, first off, you can give me some ideas. Do you run a youth project? Do you attend a youth 'club'? Do you know of younger sisters that can give me some ideas?
I know you're thinking: "Why don't you ask your intended audience?" I'm one step ahead: I've got their ideas down, but frankly, we can't go clothes shopping every week, can we?
So... bring on the ideas!
Was-salaamu 'alaikum
~ Umm Junayd.
Your Thoughts
We seem to be on the same kind of wave (or thought) length. We've got a whole load of activites that we shall be doing inshaa`Allaah. But they are mostly 'once-in-a-while' things - a literacy arts project is on the list.
Do you have any ideas for activities that could be done on a weekly basis?
With the youth organisation you're starting up, what are you looking to be doing? I mean, what are your objectives?
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem.
As salaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu.
I'm not at all experienced with organizing or taking part in these things, but I think I know what would help me, so I'll suggest those, insha Allaah.
You can do discussions of ahadeeth every week, where the participants share what they've learned lately, prior to coming to the discussions. Also, there's a du'a for everything. You can have circles of du'a where people tell each other different du'as and when they are to be recited, what they mean, how they will help etc. You can hold meetings where they can come and tell of one good thing they've done that week, NOT for show off, but to encourage others better themselves; plus, also talk about one bad thing they've done in public (since we're not supposed to go telling people of the sins we commit in private) that they regret and promise not to do that again. And finally, you can have read outs of stories of the prophets, peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them all, the sahaaba, may Allaah be pleased with them all, and the waleeullaah, may Allaah have mercy upon them.
These are some thoughts I just got, but Allaah knows best and may He arrange for whatever is best for them. Aameen.
Do make du'a for me, I'm badly in need of them.
May Allaah Subhaanahu help you succeed in all your good actions and grant you a good life here, and in the hereafter. Aameen.
Wass salaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu.
P.S. I think HTML tags are not working for the comments; can you please check? Jazakallaah.
wa 'alaikumus-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barkaatuh akh Hassan!
Mashaa`Allaah tabaarakAllaah! You've posted some very good ideas. I'm not too sure about the 'exposing your sins' idea though. At the end of the day we should be regretful about that which we commit, have made tawbah and leave it at that - even if it was committed in public.
All your ideas have been noted down and I'll be presenting it to some of the sisters inshaa`Allaah to see what they think.
Our aim amongst many things is to provide them a halaal alternative to the haraam that's out there, so I guess we can have sessions when we simply have fun, no?
JazaakAllaahu khairan akhee - much appreciated!
Wassalaamu 'alaikum
~ Umm Junayd
ps. I've intentionally made some of my comments in bold to prove that the HTML tags are working.
Hmm... my suggestions are pretty much limited to the literary related ways of sharing ideas and conveying information.
The discusion/critique of the al-Hadeeth suggested by Bro Hassan sounds like a good idea. Since your purpose has an Islamic theme it would be an excellent way to gets the ladies aquainted to viewing the world through the lense of Islam.
But I would suggest you go deeper. To not just tell, but to have plausible reasons. I find many turn away from Islam for the very reason that people can't give them convincing reasons as to why a certain thing is why it is, or why, as a muslim, should they continue to do that particualar thing.
Oh, the suggestions are there Sis, but its really up to your creativity to make it interesting. Any lady who can handle six screaming children in one room without splattering her brains on the wall will have no problem there, hehe... *grin*
About my organization, I plan to be the brains behind the initiative. I'm quite a hermit with limited social skills. What I hoped was to begin online and then proceed with a monthly newsletter to let people know the possibilities that abound; after that online base has been properly installed.
My objectives was to come up with an objective value based system as a solution to the Nigerian quagmire.People always shout that our problems are insurmountable and so, I choose to take the smallest unit of society, the individual, and educate him/her on the possibilities that a more purposeful sense of life is all that is needed to overcome our so called problems.
A lot of poeple don't take me seriously because I'm only 22, but I'm not about to change who I am just so what I say will go down well with their ego's. Truth need not have an overflowing white beard hunched over a walking stick.
If theres anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate. :D
Wasalam.
Assalaamu 'alaikum.
I kinda forgot that you had made a comment that needed a reponse!
Right...
With regards to 'telling', we won't be doing that necessarily. One of the key activities that we'll be running, inshaa`Allaah, is an open debate/ discussion programme, where problems and real-life scenarios will be presented to the group and we have to come to a common agreement on how it could be solved and how it could have been avoided. With this, the sisters will have to use THEIR judgement and we'll be sitting back, letting them take control.
Inshaa`Allaah we hope to hold conferences etc.. but I want to steer away from the heavy "do this and that's HARAAM!" 'cos they get this day-in, day-out. As our moto says, we want to 'bridge the gap' - that looming gap between the youth and Islaam.
We hope to have some literary activites to help them bring out their creative side and I found that writing poems, in the past, helped to release the stress of my family problems (alhamdulillaah I didn't turn to anything drastic!).
Was-salaamu 'alaikum
~ Umm Junayd.
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Great initiative Sis! May I suggest book reviews and critiques... it's always a great way to share knowledge and exchange ideas. Everyone gathers round in a circle to talk about a particular book... ooh, that's toe tinglingly interesting, hehe...
Oh, you could have writing competitions, essays maybe.
My ideas are limited to writing and books, as you can see, hehehe...
I do not run a youth project, but I'm spearheading an organization I call the Nigerian Progressive Youth in response to the problems plaguing youths in the country. Still in the formative stages though.
Good luck with it, :-)
Salam.