It is said to that live in the Yemeni town of Tarim, you need only three qualities: ‘sabr’ - perseverance - ‘adab’, or good manners, and positive thinking.
Mashallah. I have not been in Tarim for almost 10 years, but your recount took me back like I was there yesterday. May our hearts always be attached to tarim and Ahl Tarim.
Allahu akbar. The entire post reminded me of reading Muhammad Asad’s Road to Makkah. The insights were thought provoking. Made me stop to think about the life I am leading myself while I am living in a Muslim country. Allahu akbar. May Allah reward those people in Dar Al Zahra. Why does it feel like a dream from the 13-14th century? This was remarkable. Would love to learn more. 🌸
Mashallah! That was the first book i read when thinking about converting to Islam. It is such a mind opening, and I believe truly speak to the heart of western educated people like me. About your question, I think the challenges to live a simple life are usually overestimated, modern society is designed to push us to believe we cannot live otherwise but actually we can, and many people happily do. May Allah SWT guide us all toward such an honourable path!
Thank you so so much for writing this. I may never experience such a madrasa environment, but reading about your experience offers truly many insights.
The "men as Oompa Loompa" made me laugh aloud lol. It is fascinating, the many ways in which the world works and could work, the "extremes" that are really just different ways of being.
I hope I can build this idea of what the madrasah represents to some extent in my life. Allah swt takes an oath by time, and here in this modern world, time slips away from us like the rope pulled at breakneck speed by the weight of a massive anchor, and we are left with severe burns in trying to hold onto that rope of time.
May Allah swt bless you, your husband, that Somali woman, your ubaba, and anyone and everyone who has helped you in your journey towards Allah.
Assalamalekum brother, and thank you so much for engaging with my writing. In Yemen they use the term Ubaba for women scholar of the Sayyid community, descendants of prophet Muhammad ﷺ, while they refer to the male scholars as Habib
mā šā’ Allāh! I pray that this amazing account of your experience will be exemplar for many of our Italian sisters and brothers and for all people of the world!
You write so beautifully! It’s so incredible to read, especially as someone working in Yemen. While I will may never visit Hadhramaut, reading your story really reminds me of the short time I spent in Taize, a monatic community in France. Many blessings upon you!
Enjoyed this very much! I have Yemeni heritage but while I have never had the chance to visit Hadhramut, your account makes me feel as if I have a better idea of what happens there. Dar Al Zahra sounds amazing, may Allah bless those who opened up that path for you. I guess one question I have is, what did you take back with you/change about your life after your return?
Many things! Schedule time and find Baraka in it, litanies and ways of organising life and study, and generally an approach of live to which I can hold on and go back every time i shake. I guess though the most important thing is the certainly that it is possible to live differently than what we experience in the modern globalised world. In a society demanding constant present and appearance, i know that there places filled with unique beauty and wiseness, which move independently to all this and to another rhythm. It is a reminder that what we do not see doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, and a different live, world, is indeed possible. Thanks for reading
Mashallah. I have not been in Tarim for almost 10 years, but your recount took me back like I was there yesterday. May our hearts always be attached to tarim and Ahl Tarim.
ماشاء الله تبارك الله
Ya Haidarah, please keep us in your prayer please..
Lot of ♡
Your ustadha♡
Allahu akbar. The entire post reminded me of reading Muhammad Asad’s Road to Makkah. The insights were thought provoking. Made me stop to think about the life I am leading myself while I am living in a Muslim country. Allahu akbar. May Allah reward those people in Dar Al Zahra. Why does it feel like a dream from the 13-14th century? This was remarkable. Would love to learn more. 🌸
Mashallah! That was the first book i read when thinking about converting to Islam. It is such a mind opening, and I believe truly speak to the heart of western educated people like me. About your question, I think the challenges to live a simple life are usually overestimated, modern society is designed to push us to believe we cannot live otherwise but actually we can, and many people happily do. May Allah SWT guide us all toward such an honourable path!
Thank you so so much for writing this. I may never experience such a madrasa environment, but reading about your experience offers truly many insights.
The "men as Oompa Loompa" made me laugh aloud lol. It is fascinating, the many ways in which the world works and could work, the "extremes" that are really just different ways of being.
I hope I can build this idea of what the madrasah represents to some extent in my life. Allah swt takes an oath by time, and here in this modern world, time slips away from us like the rope pulled at breakneck speed by the weight of a massive anchor, and we are left with severe burns in trying to hold onto that rope of time.
May Allah swt bless you, your husband, that Somali woman, your ubaba, and anyone and everyone who has helped you in your journey towards Allah.
(What does ubaba actually mean?)
Assalamalekum brother, and thank you so much for engaging with my writing. In Yemen they use the term Ubaba for women scholar of the Sayyid community, descendants of prophet Muhammad ﷺ, while they refer to the male scholars as Habib
mā šā’ Allāh! I pray that this amazing account of your experience will be exemplar for many of our Italian sisters and brothers and for all people of the world!
Yusuf F B
as salaam alaykum, I recently experience the dowra program and everything you wrote made my heart skip a beat.
This is so beautifully written. May we all be invited to Tarim again.
ماشاءالله تبارك الله
You write so beautifully! It’s so incredible to read, especially as someone working in Yemen. While I will may never visit Hadhramaut, reading your story really reminds me of the short time I spent in Taize, a monatic community in France. Many blessings upon you!
Enjoyed this very much! I have Yemeni heritage but while I have never had the chance to visit Hadhramut, your account makes me feel as if I have a better idea of what happens there. Dar Al Zahra sounds amazing, may Allah bless those who opened up that path for you. I guess one question I have is, what did you take back with you/change about your life after your return?
Many things! Schedule time and find Baraka in it, litanies and ways of organising life and study, and generally an approach of live to which I can hold on and go back every time i shake. I guess though the most important thing is the certainly that it is possible to live differently than what we experience in the modern globalised world. In a society demanding constant present and appearance, i know that there places filled with unique beauty and wiseness, which move independently to all this and to another rhythm. It is a reminder that what we do not see doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, and a different live, world, is indeed possible. Thanks for reading