Al-Isra’ Diaries: 10 Things You Missed… In Pictures
17 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
You weren’t a camper at the BB4Muslimas Al-Isra’a Retreat? Here are the TOP TEN THINGS you missed… In pictures.
10. The girls arrived at the nature center from where the buses were to leave. Despite the smoldering heat, we signed in, received our Al-Isra’a camper bags (pictured below) with a free shirt, miswaak, water bottle, hijab and hand sanitizer, and commenced with a few activities led by sr. Arayati. “What are we here to build?” was our slogan. “SISTERHOOD!” At that moment, all age, culture and background barriers dissolved as a sense of deep affinity began to sink in.
Moments later, we loaded the bus and headed towards what would be the BEST camping retreat ever.
9. Smores. A blazing fire. Roasted marshmallows. Halal-talk under the stars. The list of amazingness doesn’t stop here… In the darkness of the first night, the sisters climbed out of their usual reticence and shared their thoughts and reflections with full trust in one another. The experience left something intangible in our hearts: trust, friendship and love for the Divine.
8. Arts and crafts are an integral part of every all-girls camp. That said, what would Al-Isra’a Retreat be without our share of markers and scissors and coloring crayons?! Saturday morning, each team took a turn in the main lodge where we built banners, strung some bracelets and sticker-ified our water bottles like overly-excited school girls.
Yup. Don’t hate.
Oh and see that photo on the bottom left corner? Each sister gave the banner a touch of her own brushstrokes to enhance the picture. It never occured to me that our campers were all Bismillah Masha’Allah artists at heart…
7. After dhuhr prayer, the campers slumped down tiringly onto the ground and waited for new instructions from their counselors . Instead, sr. Danyal stood up and gave a halaqa on the topic of righteous youth and the shade of Allah. “They say that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world,” she said. “I believe that if we really practiced Islam, it would grow even faster… The same way the Prophet (saw) spread Islam in 25 years. By the time he passed away, he had 140,000 sahabah when he started with one–Khadijah. Why? It was because he had dedicated youth…”
More on this halaqa is available here.
6. We all began camp thinking our diets would suffer with no refrigerator access… That we would resort to starting our own fires and hunting down our own wild turkeys (although for some, it did seem tempting). To our suprise, however, the food provided was amazing–gourmet cooking at its best! Alhamdulillah, all thanks is to Allah for blessing us with sr. Ericka Moses who, for three days, prepared our meals for us. Throngs of hungry campers would settle in the main lodge, drooling at the sight of tables laden with savory food: steaming hot spaghetti, fruit assortments, nutella spread (yup, who woulda thunk it?!), bagels, oatmeal, hand-picked strawberries, fresh salads, gyros, buttered biscuits, and much much more.
However, many of us are still wondering what roasted wild turkey would taste like… *Cough* Team Planeteers *Cough*.
5. So… You think you can climb? Competitions, canoe races and obstacle courses were the highlight of Saturday’s outdoor activities.
One sister noted: “The stories and memories we share with one another are just so Alhamdulillah, Subhan’Allah, Masha’Allah, like WOW!” She then turned to a nearby sister whom she often saw at school but hardly spoke to, and said: “She and I go to the same school and all. We say hi, bye, Assalamu Alaykum, but spending all the time together in a canoe… I never knew how much we have in common.”
4. To a Muslim in the wilderness, a handy dua’a is more than sacred. Each camper was gifted with one of these beautiful dua’a booklets (courtsey of Building Blocks and the volunteers!) to accompany us to our beds, dining tables, sport competitions, canoeing trips, etc. For Allah says in surat al-Ahzab: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا} – “O you who believe, remember Allah in much remembrance, and glorify Him in the morning and evening…”
3. When halal-chilling and engaging in hardcore competition weren’t enough, the sisters treated their eyes to the most magnificent natural scenery: a deck overlooking the lake, where ruffles of water formed with the wind’s gentle push; green plants of all shapes and forms furnishing the ground; a sunset nestled gently over the horizon, painting the sky with hues of pink, purple and gold; stars, stars, stars and even more stars. It’s as one sister put it during our midnight Qiyaam: ”The more we bond, the more beautiful Allah makes the sky for us.”
Allah states in surat al-Mu’minoon: {فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ} - ”Glory be to Allah, the best of Creators.”
2. Upon our return, we were met by parents, siblings and friends that had missed in our absence (or so they had us assume). The campers exchanged e-mails and phone numbers, engaged in some last minute halal-chilling and had one final lunch before returning home.
1. Images, memories and the exchange of words from that weekend will all fade with the passing of time. Yet the one thing that will forever linger is the bond of sisterhood woven between us for the sake of Allah. This bond will keep us together during rough times; it will call us to forgiveness, self-sacrifice and mercy between one another, and the benefits continue even further.
On the Day of Resurrection, when mankind stands before Allah, the sun will be drawn a mile from our faces. On that day, some faces will be darkened, devoid of all light and beauty; hearts will reach the throats and the limbs will be buried in sweat–all except for the believers. Allah will say to them: “أَيْنَ الْمُتَحَابُّونَ لِجَلَالِي؟ الْيَوْمَ أُظِلُّهُمْ فِي ظِلِّي يَوْمَ لَا ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلِّي” meaning, “Where are those who loved each other for the sake of My glory? Today I shall shade them with My shade, on a day when there is no shade but Mine.”
And for that, we are eternally grateful… Walhamdulillah.
