Updated 14 March 2012
by Zainab Zulfikarali Alimohamed, Tanzania
The Madinah and Bab Summer Courses of 2011 were definitely an experience I believe each one of us would call life-changing and one that I cannot thank Allah (swt) enough for. Being special guests of Imam Ridha (as) and his sister, Sayyida Masumah (as) was something that I am sure I wasn’t deserving of. But yet, I was called.
On arrival in Qum, the girls were housed at the renowned Jamiatuz Zahra. Ziyarat of Sayyida Masumah (as) was eagerly anticipated by all of us and the moment we stepped into the grand haram I felt so fortunate to be among the few who were selected to be in the presence of this remarkable lady, that I could not control the tears that flowed. I knew one thing for sure, that each of us had been called for a purpose and I was eager to find out the reason for which I had been called. Qum was amazing, particularly the visits not only to the haram but also to Ansariyan bookstore, Ayatollah Musavi Lari, meeting Ayatollah Sayyidi and climbing Mount Khizr. On Tuesday, we had the special opportunity to visit Masjid Jamkaran where we were honoured to be in the presence of The Imam of our time (ATFS) and all of us had one desire, to meet him (ATFS). Reciting Dua Tawassul in such a holy place under the open sky was definitely a spiritually awakening experience.
Apart from visiting holy places in Qum, we had lectures that proved to be very inspiring, informative and helped answer many of the questions that we had asked ourselves for several years. One of the most enlightening sessions was the one held at Jamiatul Mustafa where we got a chance to discuss about Zionism, an issue which is very much neglected in our communities. This session awakened us and the speaker explained to us the importance of looking at media in a critical way rather than using it as a source of mere entertainment.
Although we were all eager to visit the 8th Imam in Mashhad, leaving Qum was painful as we did not know if we would get an opportunity to visit Sayyida Masumah (as) again.
On our way to Mashhad we visited Nishapur and several places of Islamic significance. Once in Mashhad, visiting Imam Ridha and conveying his sister's salaams was an overwhelming experience that will be treasured forever. Just looking at the magnificence and beauty of the shrine of Imam Ridha fills one with awe. All of us tried to make the most of this unique experience, asked for our hajats and Imam’s intercession, and repented for our sins. Mashhad had its own set of activities too which included lectures, a tour to the museum, and so much more. Fasting in the holy city was beyond words and it definitely made our journey a lot more spiritual. In the end, we left with a promise to the Imam of becoming better Shias in the future.
This course gave us a chance to bond with our fellow Shia sisters from other parts of the world, learn more about Islam, and most importantly visit two very holy personalities. It made us value our religion more and encouraged us to set out as Muslim missionaries to illuminate others’ lives with the truth. I will forever remain indebted to all those who put in their efforts to make this course one of the most memorable experiences ever. I hope that this course impacts our lives in a positive way, enables us to prepare for the coming of our saviour, Imam Mahdi (ATFS) and makes us worthy of being among the foremost to help the Imam (ATFS) when he reappears, Inshallah.
View additional information on the Madinah and Bab Summer courses