Art of contribution

An intimate evening in with Habib Muhammad Al-Saqqaf (Saudi/Yemen) Henrietta Szovati and guests

Al Manaar, The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, London- Wednesday 21st November 2012

(8:30pm - 11:00pm)

as-Salaam Alaykum, warahmatulllah

May the Peace, Blessings and Mercy of God be with you,

"The greatest threat to religion in any society is not persecution, but rather apathy born of irrelevance.”

Dr Sherman Jackson (USA)

Whilst Islam is constantly under attack, Muslim under close scrutiny and surveillance and Muslim communities around the world face turmoil and uncertainty, there lies arguably a bigger threat; apathy. Persecution and suffering is not unfamiliar to any faith tradition, history is very clear about that, however it is when religion becomes irrelevant that we see the breakdown of societal institutions and the sharp transition away from faith based community and societal organisation. No doubt many communities have fallen into this toxic apathy, and increasingly we see Muslim communities, home and abroad, falling prey to the same errors and thus facing increasingly dire consequences.

Nonetheless Western Muslims are uniquely positioned to offer an alternative narrative. Join us on the 21st of November where we begin to explore Prophetic models on how and why Muslims became so indispensable to communities around the world. What were the ingredients that lead to the 'golden age' of Muslim civilisation? How did traditional Muslim engage with people of other faiths? What did they understand by the concept of 'Dawa' and how should that philosophy be shaped today?

Our guest speaker, Habib Muhammad al-Saqqaf, hails from one of the world leading centres of traditional Islamic knowledge and teaching. Born into a family of scholars and following instruction from some of the greatest luminaries of the past century Habib Muhammad has gone on to to develop ground breaking courses and publications on balancing traditional Islamic knowledge with an open and honest engagement with the modern world. In addition we are honoured to be hosting Henrietta Szovati, qualified professional coach and teacher for her reflections through her personal life journey and her professional work with the Muslim community.

Details and ticket website

Date: Wednesday 21st November 2012

Time: 8:45pm doors open for prompt 9:00pm start - (concludes 10:45pm)

Venue: Al Manaar, The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, 244 Acklam Road, London, W10 5YG

(Directions at bottom of email, nearest Tube Station: Westbourne Park - Hammersmith & City Line).

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/pSWdD

Cost: Tickets £8 (students £5)

Ticket: **Available at the door AND online - details to be released shortly**

**Places are strictly limited, please purchase your ticket online ASAP to secure your place**

We sincerely hope you will be able to attend this distinctive gathering and bless us with your presence, insights and contributions. We look forward to hearing from you very soon. Please do let me know if you have any questions or queries.

Please purchase your ticket well in advance to secure your place!

Many thanks in advance.

Dr Bilal Hassam

Chair - Planting Seeds Forum, The Leaf Network

"Who is Muhammad? Lessons in the Art of Contribution"
An intimate evening in with Habib Muhammad Al-Saqqaf (Saudi/Yemen) Henrietta Szovati and guests.

Venue: Al Manaar, The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, London 
Date: Wednesday 21st November 2012 (8:30pm - 11:00pm)
Tickets: £8 (Students £5)

"The greatest threat to religion in any society is not persecution, but rather apathy born of irrelevance.” Dr Sherman Jackson (USA)

Book Tickets

While Islam is constantly under attack, Muslims under close scrutiny and surveillance, and Muslim communities around the world face turmoil and uncertainty, there lies arguably a bigger threat: apathy. Persecution and suffering is not unfamiliar to any faith tradition; history is very clear about that. However, it is when religion becomes irrelevant that we see the breakdown of societal institutions and the sharp transition away from faith-based community and societal organisation. No doubt many communities have fallen into this toxic apathy, and increasingly we see Muslim communities, home and abroad, falling prey to the same errors and thus facing increasingly dire consequences.

 Nonetheless, Western Muslims are uniquely positioned to offer an alternative narrative. Join us on the 21st of November when we begin to explore Prophetic models on how and why Muslims became so indispensable to communities around the world. What were the ingredients that lead to the 'golden age' of Muslim civilisation? How did traditional Muslims engage with people of other faiths? What did they understand by the concept of 'dawa' and how should that philosophy be shaped today?

Our guest speaker, Habib Muhammad al-Saqqaf, hails from one of the world-leading centres of traditional Islamic knowledge and teaching. Born into a family of scholars and following instruction from some of the greatest luminaries of the past century, Habib Muhammad has gone on to to develop ground-breaking courses and publications on balancing traditional Islamic knowledge with an open and honest engagement with the modern world. In addition, we are honoured to be hosting Henrietta Szovati, qualified professional coach and teacher, for her reflections through her personal life journey and her professional work with the Muslim community.

Date: Wednesday 21st November 2012