Event 1

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim

POETIC PLANNING EVENT 1: NEW HORIZONS

This event took place over the course of a few days during Winter 2024. There were no fees. Below are photos from the event, that you can click to enlarge.

Opening Prayer The opening prayer was held online. We recited Surah al-Fatiha, Surah Yaseen, As-Salaatu Ibrahimiyyah, the fifth part of Dalailu'l Khayrat of Imam Muhammad bin Sulayman al-Jazuli (Naf'anallahu bih). We also read from an article about Dalailu'l Khayrat which is itself, the first major book of salawat. We concluded with du'a (supplication). Poetry Analysis We read and discussed the title poem "From One Loneliness to Another" by Syed Hamid Yazdani saheb. Translated into English from its original Urdu by M. Salim-ur-Rahman saheb, this poem's structure stands out, in that it takes you from a day, to an evening, to a night, to dreams, and beyond. Natural surroundings are vividly described, with an inspiring use of personification. Some wonderful lines in this poem are, "the moonlight feeling shy, in the night's presence, withdrawing into itself". . Hiking We had a refreshing hike along the Nith River in Ayr Ontario on a sunny winter day. Warm clothing, walking, and vanilla chai helped keep us warm. The atmosphere was very still and peaceful, and every so often, the trail opened up to a new fresh scene. With a drone, we got a bird's eye view of the surroundings. We also read the Intentions for Going on Trips and Outings from The Book of Intentions by al-Habib Muhammad bin Alawi al-Aydarus (Naf'anallahu bih). One of these intentions is "to bring joy to your companions". Astronomy Research In this online event, we researched the star Bellatrix, its properties, significance to various cultures, and more. Visible to the unaided eye, Bellatrix is the 25th brightest star in the night sky and is the third brightest star in the constellation Orion. In Arabic, this star is known as al-najid (the conqueror). Our curiosity was sparked and one topic quickly led us to another and another. We reflected on magnitude of celestial objects and the vastness of the universe. (Glory be to Allah!) Cooking/Baking This time, we baked sugar cookies. We pray that Almighty Allah bless all those have cooked and baked for us, Amin! We hope to carry on the tradition of cooking and baking for others, and we pray for Allah's Enabling Grace. We thank Almighty Allah for blessing us with a successful event, may He accept it from us. Al-Fatiha!