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Reflecting on my experience at Madinah al-Ilm 2010
Updated 16 March 2011
Upon returning from a trip, there is always a sense of shock as we settle back into our routine and mundane lives. The culture shock is that much more after returning from a place like Iran. Now, less than six months since we were sitting in the Holy shrines of Masuma Qum (AS) and of Imam Ali Reza (AS), the experience feels like it was a lifetime away. Yet what a life changing time that was for us. Madinah al-Ilm was to consist of about 15 girls who slept, ate, studied, exercised and even did their laundry (by hand) together. What difference did it make who else would end up going for this camp – those were my thoughts initially. Personally, I was looking forward to just doing my Ziyarat; a glimpse at Hawza and some field trips to explore Iranian culture were an added bonus. How very wrong I was.
During our three weeks in Qum and Mashhad, we sat in classes taught by some very learned individuals, visited some of the most highly regarded personalities amongst the Shia, visited historical sites that are significant to the identity of each individual Iranian citizen and even managed to climb a mountain and explore a cave. But those are all events of the past, details of which continue to evade me with the passage of time. These experiences touched me, some more significantly than others, and changed me in a way I may never be able to track back to my time in Iran. That is not to say the Madinah al-Ilm Course of 2010 was not memorable, but rather it has become a part of who I am. The forgotten details are insignificant if they are solely for memory’s sake, a source of stories for curious friends maybe, something that can be evoked by the many pictures we took throughout our time in Iran. But their lasting impressions: how much there is out there to learn about Islam, the extraordinary beauty of Islam, the nature and aura of a person at peace with life and God, the sacrifices made by a people whose roots go back to the time of empires, the passion for one’s identity and culture, the atmosphere of celebration you find around every street corner on a day like the 15th of Shabaan – this is what has stayed with me, clear in my memory as if it were yesterday.
Still the wear and tear of time, and the completely different lifestyle that we lead in the West provides ample opportunities to forget the many gifts we were given just this last summer. That’s where those seemingly irrelevant people come in. Those people who we spent every moment with, who quickly went from strangers to roommates to friends, are the greatest resource I was given in keeping my memories alive. The time we spent in Iran is what we have in common the most, and it is what continues to draw us together. And as we continue to keep in touch, we discover more and more we have in common. As friends, we remind each of other of the good times we had, and also of the many lessons we learned during our experiences in Iran. We make a three week camp applicable to our lives and not just a chapter in our life that can be archived.
Ultimately, these newly formed relationships, with our fellow campers, mentors, coordinators and respected speakers are what I consider an answer to my prayers. When I finally made my Ziyarat to the Imam toward the end of our stay in Iran, I had many people to pray for, and many things to ask for, but ironically I had fewer things to complain about than three weeks prior. I went there expecting to ask for a solution to my problems. Little did I know I’d been given some of those solutions even before asking.
Written by Zaynab Karim of Minnesota, USA
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