Farewell to Houston.

[Umm Amr]

Salaamu alaikum.
I'm supposed to be at a banquet right now, but I've skipped it, because I'm far too overcome by emotion, and feel I might break down each time a sister asks me for my contact details (it's a sister thing - don't ask). So I've chosen to instead, just sit in my room, and allow my emotions to overtake me, meaning I'm crying buckets as I type this post. Perhaps typing this will help me get a grip on myself, so that I can actually venture downstairs and face my fellow ILM Summiters without breaking down!

Well ladies and gentlemen, this is it. We came here thinking we were going on a really long journey to a faraway place, and before we knew it, the time has passed us by and the faraway place has become a second home. Usually, at the end of a journey, you cannot wait to return to your real home. I seriously cannot say I feel this way, this time around.

I applied for ILM Summit almost as soon as I read it about it on these forums...Alhamdulillah Allah made the process of planning the trip simple, and there were no visa issues.

However about two weeks before I was due to leave, I started to get cold feet, largely brought about by the thought of leaving my three year old behind. I am a single mother, and so we share an extra special bond, and I was feeling a mixture of guilt and sadness, at the thought that he'd be with his grandparents, and no parents.

However, I prayed Istikhaarah, and went ahead with my plans. I left Durban on a cold Thursday morning (Wednesday in the US), memorising every angle of my son's face, playing with his toes one last time, and loading my luggage into my friend's car with a heavy heart.

The flights were longggggg, and the waits at airports were a total drag, long queues, long waits, and some really rude service from airline personnel in New York, which really made me miss the friendly environment of South African airports.

I arrived here at 2am on Saturday, Day One of the ILM Summit. I had flown Durban - Johannesburg - Dubai - New York - Houston and in total, including airport transits the journey lasted around 40 hours.

The most amazing two weeks of my life began about 4 hours later. And you know what - it made it all worth it. Leaving my 'Amr behind (I've bought him exactly what he wanted so he'll be okay in sha Allah), telling the lady at Delta Airlines off and shrinking at the reciprocatory threatening-tone comments she made, the swollen feet, the 4000 dollars I spent to be here, the three hour sleeps every day since - it was all so worth it, Subhaanallah, and I would do it again in a split second.

The knowledge we gained was profound (the word is a firm part of most of our vocabulary sets now I'm sure, as is 'tangent'), insightful, contemporary and interesting, with a good measure of classical complementing it as well.

But Yaa Jamaa'ah (man - I'm going to miss that phrase), the way in which it was transmitted was what really penetrated my heart. The Shuyookh - may Allah Preserve them and their families - were so selfless (I cannot find another word to convey what I mean), SubhaanAllah...they were eager to get through the planned lessons, and then to supplement it with additional information...they always allowed time for questions, even when they apologetically said they wouldn't, they sacrificed most of their dinner and lunch breaks, and always showed up on time to answer our questions, to listen to some of us reciting Qur'aan, to allow us the opportunity to speak to them privately. They always made the sisters feel welcome to interact with them. Their sense of humour and the riveting manner in which they interacted with each other in front of us is simply unforgettable.
SubhaanAllah. I'm going to miss the Shuyookh most of all. Those of you who watched my presentation on South Africa, have probably guessed by now, that we do not enjoy the honour of having people like this in our community. Knowledge and people of knowledge are quite simply not as accessible, or even necessarily present. Brothers and sisters, these shuyookh live amongst you - make the most of them. Benefit from them, respect and honour them and their families, assist them when they need your assistance, and mostly, mostly give them the greatest gift you can - make du'aa for them, sincerely, from your heart. Make du'aa that Allah enters them into Al-Firdaus with their families, without questioning. For Subhaanallah, just like you and I made sacrifices to get here, so too did they - and I have a feeling their sacrifices entailed more than mine did.

Shaykh Yasir, Shaykh Waleed, Shaykh Yaser, you have become a part of our hearts (no deviant aqeedah intentions here)...truly you are our teachers, fathers, brothers and friends all rolled into one, and we shall never forget you, and what you did for us, you are shining examples to us, a source of not just knowledge, but inspiration for 'amal as well. Your company was so beneficial Subhaanallah, and we ask you to forgive us for our shortcomings...for not always pitching up on time, for sometimes asking questions out of turn, for anything we did that was not in keeping with good adab. Moreover, we thank you for your time and sacrifice, and assure you that we will strive to ensure, that from our side, it does not go to waste. We ask you to remember us, and to make du'aa for us...for the road ahead for many of us is a rocky one, and our hearts are filled with apprehension when we return back to our communities.

Shaykh Isam, Shaykh Zubair, Shaykh Nu'maan, Shaykh Muhammad Hassan, Imaam Naasir, Professor Brown, the brother who did the presentation on the media and politics - you complemented the work of the AlMaghrib Shuyookh beautifully, adding diversity to the programme, and giving us a much needed perspective on your specialities. We thank you for taking the time out of what must be a seriously hectic schedule, to patiently put up with our incessant questioning (especially from our brother - hides), and we hope that our paths shall cross again.

This post would be incomplete without a heartfelt expression of gratitude to Brother Haytham, and his team of brothers and sisters. You guys did go out of your way for us. I got two packs of digestive biscuits, a 2 litre apple juice, a 5 dollar phonecard and some seriously good chocolate for free from Hosnatality - Jazakumullahu khayran, and that speaks volumes to me. This was the first ILM Summit, I'm sure there were hiccups, but it's a learning curve for us all, and it was fantastic, and will become easier as the days go by. Organisers usually have a hard time, as they are generally targeted by everyone who is disgruntled. If this happened to you, realise that it was not personal, and please forgive us.

And finally, yaa jamaa'ah, my brothers and sisters in Islam...my classmates...you are amazing ma sha Allah, and definitely have the potential to impact greatly on this Ummah. Your burning desire to acquire knowledge, coupled with your dedication and your intelligence (based on the questions you asked), as well as your advices to me, have been truly inspiring and motivating, as has been the visible spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood. To the brothers and sisters who came up to me with donations and offers to assist me in my work back home, to the student who de-virused my laptop at an unearthly hour, to the sisters who fetched me a bottle of water, to the sister who took us to Walmart, I say Jazakumullahu khayran. Small though they may seem, your deeds made me feel more secure in a foreign environment, and you will be rewarded for them in sha Allah.
If I seemed preoccupied at times - please forgive me for this, as well as for any other shortcomings on my part. I pray that Allah will re-unite us all some day, if not in this world, then who can complain if it's in Jannah? (Whilst we work towards Jannah, why don't we start an E-group based think thank?)

I ask you all to make du'aa for me. The journey ahead is not an easy one, both literally as well as figuratively. I don't mind the flights, the airports, etc, and of course, I cannot wait to play with Amr's toes again, but what lies beyond is daunting as you can well imagine, and I wish I could take you all with me to make my task easier. I request that we mention each other in our prayers, especially in sujood and especially during Qiyaam Al Layl (come on, how difficult is it to say, 'the other brothers and sisters from ILM Summit?!!'), and perhaps this will in sha Allah maintain a connection between us.

And with that I bid you farewell, and remind you all that yes, this might sound final...remember, we never know what could happen tomorrow.

Innee uhibbukum fillaah.
wassalaamu alaikum.
Fatima Asmal.

[safa_709]

MashAllah, Ya Fatima!

That has gotten to be the best farewell speech ever written. Its like you read all our minds and posted the thoughts.

And with that I bid you farewell, and remind you all that yes, this might sound final...remember, we never know what could happen tomorrow.

Innee uhibbukum fillaah.

Wanahnu nuhibbukee fillah. (And we also love you in the sake of Allah)

Although, it will be very difficult to retire back home and resume our lives, our sadness is only natural. But Alhamdulilah, Alhamdulilah, and Alhamdulilah for all the knowledge, brotherhood, and memories we can take back with us.........

Feeamanillah ukhti.......we'll keep you and all our ilmsummiteers in our duaas.
May Allah make your journey easy and full of barakah.

Wasalamu Alaikum.
Safa

Jazakillahu khayran and we wish you a safe trip back to SA.

[Umm Amr]

aameen wa iyyaakum

well-said mashaÁllah! may Allah make all your endeavors successful.

[alikhlas]

SubhanAllah..I'm getting choked up and didn't even attend the Summit. May Allah make it easy for you, make for you a eman haven in SA, and bring everyone there closer to their Deen.

[Ifteen]

I underestimated the difficulty of this farewell. This morning I selfishly stayed in my room because I couldn't bare to see you sisters go. Please forgive me for my rudeness what can I say I am only human and mashallah you all are amazing and wonderfully inspiring.

[Abdullah~]

may the One for Whose sake you have loved us, love you. and jazakum'Allahu khayran, your presentation was so interesting and your work is truly inspiring. may Allah bless you in your travels and return home, ameen.
asalamu alaykum

[HaythamSoliman]

Jazaki Allahu khayran Sr. Fatima ... I pray and hope that you make it safely to your destination.. may Allah accept from you and bless you and the knowledge that you learned here in Sheraton Brookhallow, Houston Texas August 1st - August 16th... 15 days that we will never forget... 15 days of nothing but pureness and eeman ...


Humbly, I thank Allah, that I was a part of it

[Samar_H]

I think I have spoken with you plenty about the things you mentioned, so in a nutshell, YOU ROCK, masha'Allah. Keep up the amazing things you do. =)
If Allah subhana wa ta'aala ever brings me to SA, seeing and working with you will definitely be my top priority insha'Allah.