1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
Alhamdullillah, I had a great time and masha'Allah, I felt the instructor could relate to me and had concern for me. Additionally, I had never been presented with Islamic knowledge in such an organized and in-depth manner. The enthusiasm, and brotherhood and sisterhood of the students were also great feelings.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
I hope that Muslims can make more positive contributions on the national and international level with strength and positive influence. The greatest asset Muslims have is their faith, and if they practice it, so much benefit can be brought to their communities and the world. Learning in general, and with AlMaghrib, will help a person become more complete and whole, guide their conduct, and put them in a position to make such contributions or help others in that endeavor.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation, alhamdulillah?
I need to continually work to remove my ignorance by learning more. Therefore, not taking the opportunity to learn if it presents itself would put me at a loss. I was fortunate and blessed to be in a position to take classes and learn. I pray Allah continues grant that opportunity to me and many others, grants us beneficial knowledge, and protects us from that which does not benefit. Continuing to learn is indispensable for one's faith and well-being in this life and the next.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
A seminar that had a tangible positive impact on my life was the one in which I was introduced to the idea of marriage to the person who was later to become my wife. I had no plans to get married then, I only was there to take the seminar. Allah is the Best of Planners, and I eventually did get married. Alhamdulillah, it has been a great blessing.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
Make dua’a for Him to increase you in knowledge. Ask Allah for knowledge that benefits and seek refuge from knowledge that does not benefit. Try to work to keep your heart sound and clean. Look to the manners and example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Beautiful character done for the sake of Allah will beautify a person, and good character is one thing that will weigh most on the scales on the Day of Judgment. Wish well for your brothers and sisters and for those who are not Muslim. Don't fall into extremism, and care for your health and your body which that carries your faith, knowledge, and manners. Health is a great blessing that that Prophet put second only to certainty of faith. (Tirmithi) Try to take care of the environment and earth.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
Alhamdulillah, I was able to form friendships and bonds with people I may have otherwise never known through the blessed act of seeking knowledge. It has pushed me to learn and seek more education. The words of one of the instructions even contributed to my decision to take graduate level studies. I have and hope to continue to focus more on the Qur'an and Qur’anic Arabic which the instructors encouraged.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
I remember eating with Shaykh Muhammad AlShareef at Douglass Pizza during the lunch break at Fiqh of Da’wah, June 2003 at Qabeelat Durbah. It was the first time I had casually sat and chatted with anyone of knowledge.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
I plan to use my education from AlMaghrib and training as an Ameer, along with my background in software engineering to do a few things. I want to start an education consultancy organization to complement full-time and weekend Islamic schools. I would like to work to develop apps and infrastructure to help the public gain easier access to knowledge, help students enhance their knowledge, and give them teaching opportunities. I would also like to support my local masaajid via delivering Friday khutbahs, giving halaqaat, and organizing programs for the community at large.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation alhamdulillah?
What kept me coming back was the access I had to people of knowledge that I could benefit from on a one-on-one basis and learn from their manners and knowledge. This is also what will continue to drive me to take seminars and to pursue other avenues of knowledge as well after graduation from AlMaghrib.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
I would have to say it would be The Code Evolved: Evolution of Fiqh taught by Shaykh Yaser Birjas. This was my fourth seminar, and it opened up a whole new world to me. I had been involved in discussions of madhaahib, scholars, and ikhtilaaf, and it did nothing but confuse me. Shaykh Yaser cleared all of that up in this seminar, and it really helped me re-focus on studying knowledge seriously rather than getting involved in useless, ignorance-based debates.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
As always, your primary purpose in doing anything is to please Allah. Remind yourself of that before, during, and after doing anything, especially when it comes to attending seminars and seeking knowledge. Gaining true, deep knowledge requires time…A lot of time. Do not expect to take a seminar and for that to qualify you in anything. Seminars are an introduction that will point you in the direction of where to go from there. Do not feel like you know anything from taking a few, or even ten years worth of seminars. At the same time, do not feel frustrated that it is taking so long to gain knowledge or to graduate, because every act you do based on that knowledge increases and enhances it. Implementation and experience are as important as learning in the classroom, and those things take a lot of time. Our goal is not simply graduation, it is to seek the pleasure of Allah by living as Muslims based on the knowledge we gain. Never trivialize anything regarding knowledge. As long as it is knowledge, there is some benefit in it, even if that may not be immediately obvious to you. It is your job to see how it is relevant to you and how it is to others. Even a topic you know inside and out can be shown to have new facets when you sit and learn it again. You likely will have changed as a person since the last time you learned it, and you will pick up new things this time. At the very least, learning it from a teacher will show you how to present the topic the next time you teach it. Never be satisfied with being the same. Every new thing you learn, every seminar you take, and every experience you have should motivate you to improve. Never stand still, always keep moving and improving yourself. If you are not better today than you were yesterday, you need to re-evaluate your implementation of the knowledge. Lastly, with knowledge comes responsibility…Great responsibility. This knowledge benefits you first and foremost, but it cannot stop there. You have an obligation to teach others what you have learned and help them implement it as well. Do not be stingy with the wealth of knowledge that Allah has blessed you with.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
AlMaghrib has pushed me to be serious about seeking knowledge and implementing it in my life, as well as inviting others to do the same. It has helped me re-focus my priorities.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
My first class was Light of Guidance at NYU back in 2006. I never imagined that the day would come when I would be able to learn in a traditional setting face to face with the instructor and with so many other students. I realized that taking classes with AlMaghrib was an experience. One could feel the sense of brother and sisterhood, eating, praying and studying together. For the first time, I experienced a true academic setting on a university campus that cultivated the desire to learn. It also beats the impersonal online or distance learning training. AlMaghrib is an opportunity for the serious student to seek knowledge through motivational experiences.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
AlMaghrib will allow each student to see the true beauty of Islam and the practicality of it, rather than theoretical knowledge. What AlMaghrib has done for me was to link classical teachings with contemporary life and show me how one can go about living their life exemplifying Islam in their community, whether it is at a family or community level. We should all know, for example, how to properly offer our prayers, care for the deceased, interact with both Muslims and non-Muslims, emulate the good character of the Prophet ﷺ, educate youth and adults alike to dispel misinformation about Islam, to educate others about our faith, and to be a true torch bearer for Islam in our community.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation alhamdulillah?
AlMaghrib has provided spiritual fulfillment that is so lacking in many of us who are living materialistic lives. Money alone cannot bring happiness. I realized how little I knew about Islam. Although in the beginning I thought I knew quite a lot, my experiences were very humbling. Although we have reached this point, we have only come to the shores of the oceans of knowledge; we have only scratched the surface. AlMaghrib has brought that realization that seeking knowledge is a lifelong process, and that one needs to strive for it to come closer to Allah. I make sincere du’aa for our Shuyukh who have taken their time and energy in imparting sacred knowledge to us in a packaged form that is easy to digest one weekend at a time, enabling us to develop special bonds with them. I also developed bonds with other students of knowledge who share similar goals. Sitting in a packed audience to better yourself in this life and the Hereafter provides an eman boost and is spiritually uplifting and motivating.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
If I had to pick one, it would be the very first seminar I took: Light of Guidance, taught by Shaykh Yasir Qadhi. It was packed full of information that taught me what eman was, how it compares to a beautiful tree, that it is not static and can fluctuate, how it manifests itself, and the concepts of kufr, shirk and nifaq. These things helped me to put things in perspective. The delivery of that information by Shaykh Yasir Qadhi was the first time I witnessed true academic Islam. It set the stage for my journey in AlMaghrib and humbled me in seeking knowledge. The seminar pointed out how we should not label or judge others as kuffar, taught me tolerance, and established the core essence and the fundamental teachings of our beliefs as Muslims.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
Do not wait to go to a university overseas. As the Prophet ﷺ informed us, the deeds most beloved to Allah are those that are done consistently and regularly, even if they are small. Indeed, after all these years, I hopefully have been able to prove to myself that despite full time employment and family responsibility, I was able to take several seminars and achieve the goal of being able to graduate. The Companions did not go to an Islamic university, they worked as businessmen, agriculturalists, etc, and yet found the time to study verses and learn from one another. They lived practical lives as we are today. If you wish to seek knowledge with sincerity, Allah will make the path to learning easy for you. Don’t live big dreams; take it one seminar at a time. Humble yourself to the knowledge and it was present itself to you.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
AlMaghrib has provided me the tools necessary to deal with the trials of life, whether at home dealing with my spouse, children, and family, in the community, or at work. AlMaghrib has enabled me to put things in perspective and show me what is important. It has helped me not to stress over worldly competition or allow it to distract me from the remembrance of Allah, the One who provides and imparts knowledge. I have tried to be a role model for my children, the Muslim community, and at work through my akhlaaq and my dealings with people. Through Tafseer classes and Ilm Summit, I have developed the desire to try to learn and memorize the Qur’an as much as possible, to recite it with Tajweed on a daily basis, and to try to understand it in order to have more khushoo’ in my salah.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
My first AlMaghrib experience took place in 2005 when I took The Purification Act with Shaykh Abdulbary Yahya. What I remember most was Shaykh Abdulbary’s amazing sense of humor and his storytelling. I remember feeling overwhelmed and confused by hearing all the differences of opinion, but at the same time interested and curious to find out which way was the best and why that was.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
AlMaghrib has helped me realize what my true purpose in life is and how with the right intentions, serving others can be a method to manifest my service to Allah. I hope to use my experiences with AlMaghrib coupled with my experience studying psychology and education at university along with some of my experiences working with youth in the community to pinpoint the best way to contribute to and serve my community, inshaAllah. Having served as a teacher at an Islamic school for the past three years and from my experiences volunteering and working in several other Islamic schools, I hope to bring some positive change to the way Islamic schools function on an administrative level, a curriculum and instructional level, and show how the message of Islam can reach students in a more effective way through each of these levels. I hope to also contribute to local masjid halaqahs and classes, inshaAllah.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation alhamdulillah?
Each AlMaghrib class I attended from 2005 to 2013 was a unique experience, not only because of the content and the instructor, but also because these classes have spanned across eight years of my life. I rook each class during a unique moment or phase in my life. An AlMaghrib class, at times, may serve as the much needed wake-up call, reminder, or an experience that helps to reorient oneself and one’s priorities. I have had several experiences where I felt the positive impact of an AlMaghrib class in my life, bringing about a renewed sense of purpose and practical change in my life. Because of this experience, I have felt the need to continue taking classes when able. Alhamdulillah, even at times when I felt it was impossible to take a class, Allah would make a way for me to take it.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
Although so many of the seminars have had such a deep and meaningful impact in my life, one of the classes that seem to stand out is The Evolution of Fiqh, taught by Shaykh Yaser Birjas. I took this class twice and both times it served as an insightful and thought-provoking experience. This class was an amazing step by step journey which gave a brief glimpse into hundreds of years of scholarship, careful preservation, and critical thought used to safeguard the principles of Islamic law from the time of the Prophet ﷺ to present day. Understanding the ups and downs and the various trials faced by scholars of the past gave me a deeper and more mature understanding of differences of opinion and the various methodologies and reasoning behind the Islamic rulings we follow today throughout our daily lives. For this reason, I felt this class was one of the most important classes for me, in that it removed some of my own naïve tendencies to oversimplify Islam and Islamic differences. It helped me to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the Islamic Fiqh we follow today.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
For those students who aspire to eventually graduate, my advice is to never consider graduating from AlMaghrib a goal in and of itself. Rather, always consider it to be a means to strengthen you and help you continue along the straight path to serve Allah. Realize that learning Islamic knowledge can become a test for you if it is not coupled with an internal struggle to purify yourself from all types of spiritual diseases and weaknesses in character. If you would like to become a student of knowledge, realize that this comes with having etiquette and having a particular method or order of learning that must be learned and implemented. Don’t expect that taking an advanced course in a subject has made you an expert. Always renew your intentions and ask yourself if what you have learned will bring about positive change. Realize that it may seem very easy to gain extensive knowledge about a subject, but what is more difficult is gaining wisdom and the proper understanding of how and when to use that knowledge. Finally, understand that your journey of learning and self development should never, ever stop at graduation.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
Alhamdulillah, AlMaghrib has definitely been a driving force in creating a positive change in my life and directing me towards the straight path. It has helped me consistently reorient myself and my priorities according to what Allah describes in the Qur’an and Sunnah within my personal everyday life, and within my future aspirations and goals. AlMaghrib has helped me to realize what my true identity and purpose in life is: Being a servant of Allah. Through the various topics of each class, it has taught me ways to understand my role and how to fulfill it. This change in perspective motivates me to continue learning and working towards fulfilling certain goals that help me to continue serving Allah in the best way possible.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
My first class was Fiqh of Da’wah, taught by Muhammad Alshareef in Montreal, Canada in 2005. It was one of the first seminars taught when AlMaghrib launched in Canada. Looking back, what stands out most is the bonds of sisterhood and brotherhood that formed among some of the first AlMaghrib students in Canada during that time, to the extent that many of us are still in contact years later. On a lighter note, this answer wouldn’t be complete without recalling my first exposure to AlMaghrib’s trademark tradition from that time: “Thumbs up, elbows out, yeaaaaah!”

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
On an educational level, one of my goals for the community is to raise the standard in terms of knowledge level in order to empower Muslims with a solid basis in the teachings of their faith. As a teacher in the Muslim community, the seminars I have taken with AlMaghrib have allowed me to help spread some of this knowledge throughout the broader community to those who are unable to attend AlMaghrib seminars themselves.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation, alhamdulillah?
AlMaghrib Institute pioneered the movement of offering professional Islamic studies courses taught in a manner and format which is accessible to and resonates with university students and professionals in North America (and of course, now in many other locations around the world). I have always been eager to learn about Islam, and I have found that the program offered by AlMaghrib is one of the most effective ways to gain knowledge of the basics in many areas of the religion (theology, Fiqh, tafseer, etc.) while maintaining a full-time study or work schedule.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
While perhaps not strictly a seminar, I would have to choose IlmSummit, AlMaghrib’s annual intensive 10-day retreat. The topics that are taught each year, as well as the environment that is created among the students and teachers, pushes you to excel not only in knowledge, but also in implementing that knowledge in practice. IlmSummit is also where I first met my hifdh and tajweed teacher, Shaykh Uthman Khan, under whose guidance I completed the memorization of the Qur’an.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
Have fun at the seminars, but also take them as a serious opportunity to learn. Take notes, take the exams and challenge yourself to excel in the material being taught. As with any long-term commitment, perseverance is the key.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
A lawyer by profession, I recently returned to graduate school to pursue an LLM (Master of Laws), specializing in Islamic law as it relates to modern legal practice. In this field, which blends Islamic studies with other academic areas, I regularly make use of the knowledge that I have learned in AlMaghrib classes. The base that I have gained through AlMaghrib seminars in the Islamic sciences has also encouraged me to continue seeking knowledge through other mediums to further my knowledge of Islam. I am actively involved in studying and teaching Qur’anic recitation (tajweed and qira’at), an area that I had preliminary exposure to via AlMaghrib programs.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
My first class was The Code Evolved: Evolution of Fiqh taught by Shaykh Yaser Birjas in September, 2004. The excitement of being able to learn from a scholar in person was so immense that I hardly slept that weekend. Of course, I also remember the Ferrero Rocher chocolates that the Shaykh rewarded us with when we got answers correct.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
My goal is to set up an educational center for sisters to help them improve their understanding of the sacred texts of Islam. The academic standard and teaching methodology of the instructors at AlMaghrib have definitely shaped my approach in my teaching of sisters and youth.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation alhamdulillah?
Firstly, subhanAllah, the reality of knowledge is such that one never feels satiated with what they have. The more you learn, the more you realize that there is so much you don't know. Secondly, the learning experiences, interacting with the Shuyukh, and learning from their manners and knowledge kept me coming back for more. Thirdly, it was the bonds of sisterhood/brotherhood that you make. I used to wait for the next class to come so that I could chill with my fellow students and benefit from them, their work, and their reminders.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
I would choose Torch Bearers with Shaykh Waleed Basyouni. MashaAllah, in this class I learned how to approach history, the lives of scholars, and the different benefits we can extract from their lives and apply to our situations.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
Never give up. Raise the bar. Set high standards for yourself. Become a volunteer in your Qabeelah so you can reap the rewards of your knowledge and the students you help to gain knowledge. Pay zakah on this knowledge by benefitting yourself, your family, and your community. Internalize the knowledge such that it shows in your actions and manners.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
Yes, indeed. It has made me strong in my beliefs, helped me improve my acts of worship, and helped me improve my manners. Alhamdulillah, my Qur’an memorization and recitation have improved, and I received an ijaazah in the qiraa’ah of Hafs ‘an Asim. At Ilm Summit, Shaykh Uthman Khan motivated me to study the 10 ways of recitation, and I am now learning the recitation of Warsh ‘an Nafi’. My Arabic studies also have advanced significantly, alhamdulillah. InshaAllah, I hope and pray to be able to benefit from the vast ocean of Arabic literature that the Shuyukh often quote.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
Alhamdulillah, my first AlMaghrib seminar instilled a strong passion for knowledge in me. This passion caused me to sacrifice even the most beloved things to me like sleep and sports. I could never imagine myself making AlMaghrib notes all night long. I wasn’t the same me anymore.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
I have always believed that the success of the ummah lies in the spiritual wellbeing of each individual Muslim. My focus has always been to contribute in whatever way I can to benefit everyone in the community regardless of age, nationality or gender. My long term goal is to do something super cool by combining my Software Engineering skills and religious academics inshaAllah (like my recently launched website for Islamic Inheritance Calculator).I also find my skills more suitable to teaching, and would thus inshaAllah like to get involved with Sunday school for kids and halaqas for adults in the masjid. What I teach is mostly from what I learned from AlMaghrib.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation, alhamdulillah?
Every time I took an AlMaghrib seminar, I found myself a better Muslim than before. It’s a great eman rush. There are many avenues to acquiring knowledge, but the great akhlaaq of the AlMaghrib Shuyukh, the professional techniques used during the seminars, and the competitive exams always kept me coming back to AlMaghrib Institute, alhamdulillah.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
I would choose my first seminar, Light of Guidance. Though it appears to be just an aqeedah class, it was taught so well that it touched almost all areas of our spiritual life. It made my aqeedah super strong, increased my appetite to worship more, helped me understand how to disagree with others, and also the importance of excelling in everything we do.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
I advise students to plan their studies very well, do not rush things, and give due rights to your family. If possible, prepare for classes before taking them, and always remember that graduating is not a goal, but one of the means to reach your goal.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
Alhamdulillah, AlMaghrib has helped me in all areas of life including worldly, academically, and spiritually. It has increased my thirst for knowledge like never before. It has taught me how to balance my life, how to multi task, how to go about searching for more knowledge, and above all, it had taught me the true meaning of humility.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
The realization that learning Islam can actually be exciting!

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education contribute to that?
I want basic/introductory knowledge of all Islamic Sciences to become widespread among Muslims the world over, and hope that my time spent at AlMaghrib Institute will help me take necessary steps to fulfill that ambition.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation, alhamdulillah?
The desire to learn more! Truly, I didn’t understand the extent of my ignorance until I became a regular AlMaghrib student.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
Without a doubt, it has to be my first AlMaghrib Seminar ever; Love Notes with Sh. Yaser Birjas in New York City, back in February, 2007. That was the first time I realized that Islamic knowledge can be taught in such an academic yet, engrossing manner.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
Even though AlMaghrib Institute is geared toward learning your deen ‘part-time’, make AlMaghrib Institute your ‘full-time’ endeavor. Build the rest of your life around these few, precious seminars you get to attend throughout the year.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
AlMaghrib has helped me learn to control and reign-in my tongue. Alhamdulillah, I utilize it now to memorize Qur’an & Hadeeth, engage in dhikr, and review what I have learned.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
My first experience with AlMaghrib was in the summer of 2005. The class was Light of Guidance, taught by Shaykh Yasir Qadhi. I was thoroughly impressed with the organization and the flow of the material. At that time we were given our notes in a 3 ring binder. I was surprised at how professional the class was. MashaAllah, the volunteer crew at Qabeelat Durbah was amazing. There was even a person who accepted Islam because of how organized Thuhr prayer was.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
I believe that one of the most important changes that needs to occur in our communities is that we need to become more open and accepting of other Muslims, especially those whose differences are based on valid Ijtihaad. This can only be done when the community as a whole becomes more educated about the fundamentals of our religion and its sources. The curriculum and methodology developed by AlMaghrib in the different sciences of Islam give us a guideline for this important task. One of the main groups of Muslims that needs to be accepted in the masajid are the youth. Our elders have tried to protect the few individuals attending the masjid by alienating those who are truly in need of a place of guidance, comfort, and acceptance. The AlMaghrib model provides an environment where everyone is accepted, no matter their religious knowledge or practice. This model desperately needs to be translated to the masajid. The sense of camaraderie, volunteerism and purpose developed through the AlMaghrib experience will allow us to take our communities to the next stage of Islam in America.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation alhamdulillah?
My main reasons for sticking with AlMaghrib for the past eight years is the quality of the Shuyukh, their knowledge and ability to explain difficult and complex topics, and the professionalism of the volunteers and instructors at each class.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
I would choose Light of Guidance. There is always a special attachment to the first class that you take. This was the class that showed me the joy and pleasure of studying Islam in an organized and systematic manner. It was my first exposure to the depths and implications of the Islamic sciences. Throw all of that together with the first chapter of the class being the importance of knowledge, and you end up with the recipe for the addiction to Islamic knowledge.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
Commitment and planning are important tools. There will be many events that can take up your time, and unless you plan ahead and give precedence to learning, you will never be able to progress. There will be many other events where you will feel that your presence is integral for the success of the program. That might be true, but with the knowledge you gain from each AlMaghrib class, you will have gained authentic knowledge that will allow you to be more effective in other programs, inshaAllah.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
Alhamdulillah, AlMaghrib has instilled a love of learning in me. Because of this, I have attended many other classes, both online and onsite, to further my Islamic Studies. Through programs like AlMaghrib’s Ilm Summit, I have also increased in my love for the Qur’an and its sciences, such as Tajweed and Qira’aat. I am in the process of completing my memorization of the Qur’an, and inshaAllah will be finished soon.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
My first AlMaghrib experience was when two brothers came back from Light of Guidance at Qabeelat Durbah and relayed to me the unbelievable experience of travelling to seek knowledge, especially learning about knowing Allah and how to worship Him. Their enthusiasm and my regret for not going drove me to experience the next class which was Islam Invulnerable at Qabeelat Durbah taught by Dr. Ashraf Ismail. This was my first exposure to Islamic knowledge in such an appealing package. It got me addicted to every seminar thereafter. Our great history was brought to life with Dr. Ismail’s professionalism, strength, and outspokenness. It was as if we were on a journey travelling through different ages and different continents. I was completely taken by the fact that all this Islamic knowledge was being taught in English and with such professionalism and level of detail that nourishes both the mind and soul. It was as if I was living a dream and I felt so uplifted and mesmerized. The experience was further magnified by the overly hospitable and lively environment; I was so happy to be a member of this amazing body of students of knowledge.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education contribute to that?
Growing up in a community of mixed ethnic backgrounds, it was easy to get lost in cultural differences that caused frustrations. Our youth group was different, however. We didn’t have a strong attachment to culture and just treated each other as brothers. Our youth group leader emphasized that we can’t speak about religion without knowledge and if we do, we have to present proofs from the sunnah. We were taught that we have to follow our religion upon proof and certainty. Learning through proof and certainty along with the need for finding our Islamic identity as youth living in America were both the driving forces behind me wanting to further my Islamic education. I made a lot of du’aa asking for Islamic knowledge and applied to Madinah University, but was not admitted. Little did I know that Allah answered my du’aa when He sent me to AlMaghrib! This provided me with authentic Islamic education taught in English which covered the needs of the American Muslim community. It was a dream come true, alhamdulillah! AlMaghrib has allowed me to actualize my dream and allowed me to benefit myself, my family, and my community. It has been one of my goals to connect my community to their deen by learning about Allah, loving Him, and learning how to correctly worship Him. Uniting the community comes through knowledge and brotherhood; and AlMaghrib taught me both, alhamdulillah.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation, alhamdulillah?
What kept me coming back for more was my desire to learn and further my Islamic education, the blessings of seeking knowledge, good companionship, and being a volunteer with Qabeelat Tayybah.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
I have many favorite seminars but if I were to choose one, I’d have to say it is the Light of Guidance course. Learning about Allah, how to believe in Him, and how to worship Him through authentic proofs changed my life altogether and made me a stronger Muslim, Alhamdulillah.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
My advice would be that this knowledge is precious and the AlMaghrib experience is something unparalleled in the world at large. The opportunity is comes to you, you don’t have to travel far to acquire knowledge and be with like-minded Muslims who want to further themselves and their communities. We have it easy compared to all the earlier generations. Take this matter very seriously because it is the deen of Allah, and you need it more than it needs you.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
AlMaghrib has inspired me to initiate PPN or Project Professional Notes tayybahinscriptions.com with an amazing group of volunteers who worked tirelessly before and after the seminars to preserve the jewels of knowledge in the best possible written format.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
I remember both the professional and warm environment. The entire learning experience was fun. I was relatively new to the community when I attended my first AlMaghrib class, and the sisters were very welcoming and friendly.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
I hope that my AlMaghrib education will help me to benefit the community by spreading a basic level of Islamic knowledge.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation, alhamdulillah?
The entire experience! MashaAllah, the instructors are all truly inspiring and sincerely care about educating their students. I learned not only from the material they taught but also from their adab (manners). Once I started attending AlMaghrib classes, I realized how little I knew and how much there was to learn and grow. At every class, whether local or in a different city, I could feel the bonds of sisterhood and the encouragement to grow on a personal level and to benefit the community.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
I would choose Light of Guidance. This seminar gave me a clear and strong foundation in the basics of‘aqīdah.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
Keep going and take advantage of the blessing of these seminars! These seminars only come a few times in the year, so take advantage of the opportunity to learn and plan your schedule around them. Use the time between seminars to put your knowledge into action and benefit yourself, your family, and your community.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
AlMaghrib has helped me come closer to Allāh. My personal ‘ibādah has improved greatly. I’ve become more conscious of how I spend my time and try to utilize it in ways that will bring about the most benefit. It pushed me to make efforts to improve my tajwīd and memorize more Qur’ān.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
My first AlMaghrib experience was ten years ago with Shaykh Muhammad AlShareef. He was teaching the Fiqh of Da’wah seminar. It was my favorite class. It was a course about Da’wah and how to invite others to Islam. That course was giving Da’wah to me. I had not seen Islam being presented the way it was presented by the Shaykh during Fiqh of Da’wah. Ever since that course, I have been taking almost every course at AlMaghrib and giving myself Da’wah.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
One of my goals was to start a Hifdh Program. I started a Hifdh program at our local masjid about a year ago. It has been growing by the will, grace and power of Allah (swt). The program has grown to 25 students.
Another goal was to learn Arabic. As I am an intermediate student of Arabic, I am teaching basic Arabic at the Foundation for Knowledge and Development in New York.
My AlMaghrib education has contributed to my spiritual growth. It has allowed me to prepare simple Friday Khutbahs, hold Halaqas in the local masajid, and teach Arabic and memorization of the Quran. I have a plan to learn the classical Arabic and to read all of the great books in Arabic and understand it without translations.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation Alhamdulillah?
Alhamdulillah, the drive to be closer to Allah allowed me to continue to attend the courses at AlMaghrib seminars. I always asked myself how can I say I am Muslim and not know the basic tenets of my own faith.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
Preservation of Hadeeth - Chain of Command was the greatest course ever. The preservation course solidified my spiritual life. I realized that when there are valid differences of opinions, it is based on the grading of the hadeeth. I simplified my life by researching and attaching myself to the safest opinions of the great scholars of Islam. I believe that if we can teach one course to the Ummah, it should be the preservation of the hadeeth course. This course will simplify the majority of the issues of our Ummah.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
The journey of studying your religion is a lifelong one. Take your time and make a firm commitment with yourself that you will learn the praiseworthy knowledge for the sake of Allah (swt) in accordance with the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S).

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies.
My spiritual life has changed. I have a stronger connection with my Lord. I memorized the Quran when I was very young. It has given me the drive to learn the other sciences in Islam. Specifically, I am trying to perfect my Arabic so I can have a complete understanding of the Quran and Hadeeth through classical, authentic Arabic sources.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
My first AlMaghrib seminar was Breach of Covenant with Shaykh Muhammad AlShareef. It was the most spiritual and enlightening experience I had ever had. To this day, I remember the eman rush I got from the tafseer of the Qur’an.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
I want to take the knowledge I've gained and impart it to the community, not just through halaqas, khutbahs, and speeches, but by training the youth to become da'ees and leaders of their communities.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation, alhamdulillah?
More than the desire to graduate, I kept coming back because of the knowledge and the Shuyukh. There is no other organization that provides quality knowledge and professionalism to the degree that AlMaghrib does.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
It’s not a seminar, but the first IlmSummit had the greatest impact on my life. Being able to personally interact with the Shuyukh one-on-one basis was truly a motivation and a source of encouragement for me to take seeking knowledge seriously and to push myself to excel in my Islamic studies.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
AlMaghrib has helped me realize the importance of seeking knowledge and that one should strive to gain knowledge through any means. Alhamdulillah, it was through AlMaghrib that I met and began studying under my Qur'an teacher, Shaykh Uthman Khan. I am on schedule to finish my hifdh with him in July, inshaAllah. I also plan to continue my studies and pursue a Masters in Islamic Studies.

1. What do you remember the most about your first AlMaghrib experience?
I remember that it was freezing cold, there was a snow storm which caused one day of our class to be cancelled, I was sick, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Even though Fiqh of Love is about marriage, I fell in love with the Prophet ﷺ. I had never heard anyone talk about him personally the way Shaykh Yaser Birjas did in that class.

2. What are some of your visions/goals for the community and how will your AlMaghrib education will contribute to that?
I hope and pray that our community can realize that practicing Islam is not something extreme; but it is the moderate way of life that people should follow in order to be successful. That is the way I was brought up, and AlMaghrib in general has done an amazing job helping people to realize that practicing Islam isn’t contrary to being beneficial and productive members of the community. It should drive people to be the best they can in their communities for the sake of Allah. I hope that I can not only exemplify this in my own life, but also instil this realization in my children and the students that I teach.

3. What is it that kept you coming back for more over and over again until you reached this point of graduation alhamdulillah?
What kept me coming back was the dedication of the teachers and the careful, professional way in which they presented knowledge. The atmosphere of the classes in general was also a factor because the bonds made between AlMaghrib students is amazing.

4. If you had to choose one seminar that had the biggest impact on your life, what would it be and why?
I love every class which are all incredibly amazing, but if I had to choose one I’d choose Light of Guidance. Shaykh Yasir Qadhi’s clear and detailed explanation of the core of our beliefs put things into perspective and showed me that life should be lived for Allah.

5. What is your advice for current AlMaghrib students who aspire to eventually become graduates?
I would advise them to remember that knowledge is first and foremost from Allah. Make a lot of dua and sincerely dedicate yourself to Allah, and see every situation, whether an obstacle or an opportunity, as a chance to grow closer to Allah.

6. How has AlMaghrib helped you excel in your personal life? Has it pushed you to memorize more Quran or advance your personal studies?
AlMaghrib has taught me to always strive to be better in everything I do. Working with Qabeelat Durbah especially has taught me to aim to be the best. Additionally, all of our teachers have always emphasized the need to be connected to the Qur’an, so that pushed me to study the Qur’an and focus on tajweed and memorization.