|
Thursday, 09 Rajab 1430 September 30th to October 7th 2009 - Shawwal 11th to 18th 1430
Conducted by Islamic Scholars
Siddiq A. Nasir and Imran N. Hosein
Accommodation prior to commencement of Retreat
All guests who arrive in Trinidad from abroad prior to Wednesday September 30th will be accommodated at the Islamic Center in Kelly, which is located close to the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad. Those who arrive on Wednesday September 30th would be taken from the Airport to the Islamic Center in Kelly.
Wednesday September 30th 2009 (After Salat al-Maghrib):
Welcome dinner at the Islamic Center in Kelly Village. The local Muslim community would be invited to join in the dinner and to meet with guests from abroad. Brief addresses will be presented to welcome guests from abroad and to explain the program of the Retreat. Guests would be informed of arrangements for accommodation, meals and transportation. The organizers of the Retreat will respond to questions concerning the Retreat. A representative of guests from abroad would be invited to address the gathering explaining his or her interest in, and expectations from the Retreat.
Thursday October 1st :
All sessions presented by Imran N. Hosein at the Islamic Center, Barrackpore.
Session 1 (10 am to 11 am):
Signs of the Last Day and the Reality of the Modern World
In introducing the subject of ‘the reality of the modern age’ when viewed from the perspective of the Qur’an and Ahadith, this lecture would explain the concept of the Last Day/Last Age and would emphasize the importance of the subject of ‘Signs of the Last Day’. Both the explanation of the importance of the subject, as well as the methodology of study, would be derived from the dramatic visit of Angel Gabriel (‘alaihi al-Salam) in the last stage of the Prophet’s life (sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). This would lead to a brief explanation of Islamic spirituality (i.e., al-Ihsan), its importance, and how the Islamic spiritual quest should be pursued. The lecture would end with the assertion that ‘the reality of the modern age’ is located in its recognition as the Last Age.
15 minute break for refreshments and relaxation.
Session 2 (11.15 am to 12.15 pm):
Islam’s Conception of the End of History
The lecture will distinguish between ‘end of the world’ and ‘end of history’ and would then proceed to explain Islam’s conception of the end of history in which the world would be ruled from the city of Jerusalem. This destiny of Jerusalem is linked to the belief in a divinely-appointed Messiah who would rule the world with truth and justice while bringing the historical process to its culmination.
Islam, Christianity and Judaism all declare that the Messiah’s rule over the world would validate their respective claims to Truth.
Islam and Christianity both recognize Jesus the son of the Virgin Mary (‘alaihi al-Salam) as the Messiah. The majority of Jews rejected his claim to be the Messiah and, according to the Qur’an, attempted to have him crucified. Allah Most High delivered him from crucifixion and raised him into the Samawat from where he would one day miraculously return. The lecture would end with a brief explanation of the Quranic concept of Samawat.
Break for Salat al-Zuhr and Lunch
Session 3 (1.30 pm to 2.30pm): Reserved for Questions & Answers and a discussion session which would allow further elaboration of the subjects explained in the morning sessions.
The period between 2.30 pm and the time of Salat al-Maghrib is kept free for rest as well as for reflection over the subjects explained in the two morning lectures. Participants may wish to spend some time in getting to know each other as well as in mutual discussions and exchange of views on those subjects. Dinner will be served prior to Salat al-Maghrib.
Session 4 (after Salat al-Maghrib)
Surah al-Kahf and the Modern Age
A brief talk on Surah al-Kahf and the Modern Age, summarizing the four stories/narratives in the Surah. The lecture would dwell at some length, however, on the encounter of Musa with Khidr (‘alaihim al-Salam). This passage of the Qur’an is, perhaps, the greatest in importance in respect of guiding and assisting the believer in recognizing and responding to ‘the reality of the modern age’. Participants may, if they wish, recite Surah al-Kahf themselves individually after Salat al-Isha
Friday October 2nd :
All sessions presented by Imran N. Hosein at the Islamic Center, Barrackpore
Session 1: 10 am to 11 am
Major Signs of the Last Day – Dajjal the false Messiah
This lecture introduces the major Signs of the Last Day as described by Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). The lecture would focus on one of those major Signs, i.e, Dajjal the false Messiah or Anti-Christ, and in so doing would seek to answer the following questions: Who is Dajjal? What is his description? When will he appear? What is his mission? What are his strategies for achieving his mission? What will be his end?
After a 15-minute break for refreshments and relaxation the lecture will continue in a second session.
Session 2 : 11.15 am to 12.15 am
Dajjal’s most dangerous weapon is Riba (Pt 1)
The lecture will recognize Riba to be Dajjal’s most dangerous weapon with which he seeks to enslave mankind in a universal economic and monetary dictatorship akin to slavery. The lecture will define Riba and explain why it was prohibited in Divine Scriptures. It will do so while trying to unravel the blessed Prophet’s enigmatic prophecy that “a slave woman would give birth to her mistress”. This session will be devoted to explaining Riba as that form of usury which occurs when money is lent on interest. It is Riba which explains the reality of an economy which has today imprisoned most of mankind in permanent poverty and destitution while fraudulently enriching the modern Judeo-Christian West and its non-European clients with permanent and ever-increasing wealth. That fraudulent unequal distribution of wealth plays a strategic role in facilitating Dajjal’s quest to rule the world.
Salat al-Jumu’ah at the Barrackpore Islamic Center followed by lunch
Session 3 : 2 pm to 3 pm
Dajjal’s most dangerous weapon is Riba (Pt 2)
The lecture will explain that form of Riba which occurs when bogus and fraudulent non-redeemable paper currencies are used as money. The lecture will describe and define ‘Sunnah Money’ and go on to anticipate a day when Sunnah money will replace today’s fraudulent international monetary system. In the process the lecture would examine the subject of ‘Islam and the Future of Money’ while responding to the contemporary money meltdown with suggestions of how we can return to Sunnah money.
Session 4 : 3 pm to 3.30 pm
Questions and Answers as well as a discussion session based on the day’s presentations.
The rest of the afternoon and evening after Salat al-‘Asr is free for rest, relaxation, getting to know each other and building bonds that will endure beyond the Retreat.. Participants may also wish to spend some time in mutual discussions and exchange of views on the subject of the day’s presentations.
Saturday October 3rd :
All-Day Public Forum for presenting Islam’s Response to the Challenges of the Modern Age. Venue is the Convention Center of the Center of Excellence, Macoya.
Non-Muslims as well as the Muslim community of Trinidad and Tobago would be invited to attend this Public Forum and to meet with and greet guests from abroad. We expect a very large gathering Insha Allah, and we hope to welcome prominent members of the non-Muslim Trinidadian public.
Session 1: 10 am to 12 noon (The first session will commence at 10 am rather than 9 or 9.30 am in order to allow time for guests from abroad to mingle with and get to know members of the Trinidad and Tobago Muslim as well as non-Muslim communities.)
A public lecture presented by Islamic scholar Siddiq Ahmad Nasir, on the topic:
‘An Islamic Response to the Intellectual Moral and Spiritual Challenges of the Modern Age’.
12 noon to 1.30 pm : Break for lunch, Salat al-Zuhr, and for guests to again mingle with local Muslim community as well as with local non-Muslim guests. We may also be able to arrange a bazaar for shopping.
Session 2: 1.30 pm to 3 pm
A public lecture presented by Islamic scholar Imran N. Hosein, on the topic:
‘An Islamic Response to the Political and Economic Challenges of the Modern Age’.
Session 3 : 3 pm to 5.30 pm (with a break for Salat al-‘Asr)
Open Forum
Open Forum featuring responses to the two presentations as well as for questions/answers and discussion. Prior to the questions/answers and discussions based on the presentations, a few prominent Trinidadians - Muslim as well as non-Muslim - as well as a few prominent guests from abroad, would be specially invited to give brief responses to the presentations.
Participants would have dinner at the Convention Center before boarding their buses to travel back to Barrackpore.
Sunday October 4th :
Drive to Cedros/Icacos - which is located at the very end of the south-western tip of the island of Trinidad and is close to Venezuela - to view one of the possible sites of the proposed Muslim Village. Attendance restricted to guests from abroad, organizers of the Retreat, and the local Muslim community of Cedros/Icacos. However those in the local Muslim community who are interested in the project of the Muslim Village would be allowed to participate in this drive and subsequent Picnic-lunch at Cedros/Icacos.
Special Interest Activities
Late afternoon and evening would be kept free for guests to avail of the opportunity to engage in special interest activities such as women’s gathering, youth gathering, sight-seeing, shopping, sports, etc., as well as to enjoy the full moon in the picturesque Barrackpore Islamic Center grounds while having a.Bar-b-Que dinner in the moonlight.
Monday October 5th :
All sessions presented by Imran N. Hosein at the Islamic Center, Barrackpore
Session 1 : 10 am to 11 am
Dajjal and the Feminist Revolution: ‘An Islamic Response to the Modern Feminist Revolution’.
.
In order to explain the Sign of the Last Day of a “slave woman giving birth to her Mistress” the lecture will expose the modern feminist revolution to be a strategic means through which Dajjal would seek to overturn the natural male-female order as ordained by Allah Most High. In doing so he would cause women to lose both their femininity - and this contributes to homosexuality, and their fertility – hence the need for a slave woman to act as a surrogate who would bear babies for the infertile. His feminist revolution would bring about such collapse of the family unit and social order that violence, chaos and anarchy would bedevil the poor masses in particular – and that would make it much easier for him to impose an elitist dictatorial rule over them.
15 minute break for refreshments and relaxation.
Session 2 11.15 am to 12.15 pm:
Questions & Answers on the lecture as well as Discussion on the subject of the lecture.
Salat al-Zuhr and lunch
Session 3: 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm
Major Signs of the Last Day – Gog and Magog in the Modern World (Pt 1)
The lecture would attempt to summarize the recently published book: ‘An Islamic View of Gog and Magog in the Modern World’.
Break for refreshments and relaxation 2.30 pm to 3 pm
Questions & Answers and a discussion session on the subject.
Session 4: (3 pm to 4 pm)
Major Signs of the Last Day – Gog and Magog in the Modern World (Pt 2)
Session 5: (4 pm to 5 pm)
Questions/answers and discussion of the subject of Gog and Magog.
The rest of the afternoon and evening after Salat al-‘Asr kept free for participants to engage in private discussions and to build bonds with each other.
Tuesday October 6th :
All sessions presented by Imran N. Hosein at the Islamic Center, Barrackpore
Islam and the Political Order
Session 1 : 10 am to 12.30 pm
In order to explain the universal Shrik in the political secularism of the Modern Age, today’s study session will not only describe the Khilafah State as well as Pax Islamica or the Islamic Conception of an International Order, but also present a very brief historical review of events that led to the abandonment of the Islamic Caliphate. In place of the Khilafah State Dajjal was able to substitute the modern State with its blasphemous claim to sovereignty. Dajjal was also able to substitute nationalism in place of supreme loyalty to Allah Most High.
The subject of Gog and Magog in the Modern Age will be used to explain the destruction of the Caliphate.
The lecture will argue the case for the return of the Islamic Caliphate while explaining the advent of Imam al-Mahdi. An attempt will be made to use Surah al-Kahf of the Qur’an to argue the case for ‘withdrawal’ to remotely-located Muslim Villages as a means of surviving with faith intact, the evil storm blowing through the world. This withdrawal is meant to prepare the way for participation in the struggle to liberate the Holy Land – a struggle that is guaranteed to end in success at the time of the advent of Imam al-Mahdi and the return of Jesus (‘alaihi al-Salam). The session will end with a description of the Muslim Village project as a practical response to the godlessness and decadence of the Modern Age
Break for Salaat al-Zuhr and lunch
Session 2: 1.30 pm – 2.30pm: Questions and Answers and discussion session.
Farewell dinner after Salat al-Maghrib
Farewell Dinner at Barrackpore Islamic Center after Salat al-Maghrib. Participants will be invited to evaluate the Retreat while presenting their observations for improving subsequent Retreats planned for Cape Town in South Africa and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. All participants will prepare a written evaluation to be submitted at any time after the second session of the day. Some participants would also have an opportunity to make brief oral presentations on the subject during the Farewell Dinner.
.
Wednesday October 7th
Departure.
Some guests depart for the sister-island of Tobago while others depart for home. Imran N. Hosein and his wife will join the group traveling to Tobago for a stay of one week. There will be no lectures in Tobago during that week. The entire time will be devoted to informal meetings and discussions while taking time off to do our own cooking and to touring the enchantingly beautiful island.
|
PROGRAM OF FIRST INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC RETREAT IN THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF TRINIDAD
