Ijaaza Celebration In Atlanta, Ga... Ustadh Khalil Abdur Rashid

Risala has its first Ijaaza Program, (9 Shaban 1432 A.H.) and there are 14 recipients of different levels of scholastic

USTADH KHALIL ABDUR-RASHID....NEW YORK MUSLIM

achievement. Seven of the recipients are women and the other seven are men, who have sacrificed their time and resources to achieve this level of study. This program is important in so many ways, Islam is beginning to take a very serious foothold in the American society, and therefore it is very important that we establish institutions that reflect that level of growth. The Ijaaza program is one such program that certifies the knowledge level of the individual, and that knowledge can be traced all the way back to the Prophet Muhammad. (pbuh) Not only is it a process of certification, it is a process of training scholars that will be familiar with the culture of the American society, and will be able to apply the Islamic fiqh according to the needs of this society.

The program begins with the recitation of the 99 names of Allah by Imam Suliamaan Hameed of Commerce, Ga. Once the stage is set for this auspicious occasion, Sheikh Khalil Abdur Rashid, and the recipients come into the Musalla. Sheikh Khalil opens with the traditional praising and thanking Allah, and sending prayers and blessings on our Beloved Prophet Muhammad. Sheikh Khalil reminds us that this is the first ceremony of its kind in the city with the majority of its recipients being born in America. This in and of its self is a milestone. He reminds us that he is standing here performing this service because of those who came before him, who’s shoulders he was able to stand on. Just to mention a few who he called by names, Imam Munir Kashlan, Ajir Bilal Mahmud, Sheikh Dia , Ustadh Dr. Abaas, of the department of Islamic Studies at Georgia State University, and last but certainly not least Ustadha Zaynab Ansari. He thanked Allah and them for making this possible. He also reminded us that we are witnessing firsthand the traditional method of passing on the sacred Islamic knowledge from one generation to another. This method of transmission is the life line for the preservation of the Islamic way of life. As Ustadh Khalil went on to explain the the Ijaaza is a license or a permission to pass on the Islamic knowledge. In Islamic academia it is the highest form of certification that is traceable all the way back to our Beloved Prophet Muhammad. He reminded us that the certification that the west now uses and depends so heavily on was derived from the Islamic Ijaaza process. So, once again, the West has much to thank the Muslim world for. He also reminded us of the importance of educating our wives, sister, and daughter, because they have been the primary source of all of our knowledge down through the years. Most of our first teachers were our mothers. In the Islamic culture the institution of Ribaat was established to insure that this process continued among the women of the Muslim Ummah.

In the closing of the program Ustadh Khalil traced the Isnad of each of his teachers all the way back to the Prophet Muhammad.

Click Here: OPOW Slide Show

OPOW NEEDS YOUR HELP

If you like this article please consider donating to : Oppressed Peoples Online Word

Mission Statement Of Oppressed Peoples Online Word

O.P.O.W. Email: oppressedpeoplesonlineword@gmail.com

World News Up-dated : Mosaic World News

Recipients are :

Men Women

Atiba Jones Sabura Griffin

Ahmad Ferguson Huma Faruqi

Azaibi Tamin Slma Shelbayyah

Jamal Hysaw Fatimah Abou-Harb

Tariq Ameer Hafsa Abdul-Hakeem

Muhammad Mendes Mariyam Abdul-Hameem

Rami Abdoch Jameelah Abdur Rashid