Shadow Puppet Show: Prophet Yusuf `Alayhis-salam

Twelve cool Masjid students (Class Hawa, level 2!) put on a shadow puppet show depicting Prophet Yusuf's story of injustices and brotherhood. One hundred and twenty students never paid this much attention in mosque!

Ingredients
We recycled a large TV box for our 'theatre', sellotaped a sheet of white paper on the front, used an overhead projector as our light source and reused scrap card for all our props, as well using drinks' stirrers as puppet handles.

Below are excerpts from the story we wrote but if anyone wants the entire script, comment below and I'll send you a download link. NB: Our version includes the Urdu language.

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I'm Jumping Out Of A Plane

Insha-Allah this #RamadanSeason on 21st June 2014 I will be taking a skydive for Save The Mothers Trust(SMT). Click to Retweet this

It's a jump for charity and a leap of faith. If this doesn't kill me I'll pray Salatul Shukr. All the money raised will be sent to the Ramadan Food Appeal by SMT in Asian countries, African regions and Syria, so this is my request for your ongoing du`a' and help.

If you cannot donate financially (ya`ani recession), please support the skydiving event by Tweeting the donation page link:

https://www.justgiving.com/zaufishan-skydive

Click to Retweet this

Forward the link to your family, grandparents, news sites, professional circles, social media sites and email!

Help ME help THEM. Jazakallah ehsaan! 
Now I need to finalise my will...

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Poster: Almost Every #Tajweed Rule

I'm about to commence Arabic exams. I'm freaking out. My all-in-one visual poster of almost every single Tajweed rule has become by comfort blanket. Alhamdulillah (all praise belongs to Allah).

That should be "Madd", not "Maad". -straightface-

Make du`a' for me and my tribe!

More Qur'an Love:
Infographic: Surah Al-`Alaq
Useful Qur'an Checklist
'How To Speak' According To Allah

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'Mary, Woman of God', Ustada Najiba

#IlmyNotes from Ustadha Najiba's seminar at Huddersfield University.

Ibn Razzin said of Maryam `alayhas-salam (peace be upon her), daughter of `Imran and mother of Prophet Jesus,

"Maryam has the qualities of the perfect woman. As one of the four greatest women mentioned in Qur'an, she has reached a degree of prophecy only entitled to mighty men." [paraphrased]

We study the life of Maryam from the same angle that we study the Anbiya (prophets) because as women, although we cannot always identify with male prophets, it is easier to relate to Maryam. She connects to our lives today in the 21st century much more than the male prophets.

The Great Maryam
Scholars have debated for aeons over who is The Greatest woman in history. Unlike the unshiftable status of Prophet Muhammad as the greatest man, there is contention between choosing Fatima az-Zahra bint Muhammad, Khatejah tul-Kubra, Asiya wife of Firawn and Maryam bint `Imran as the best of women-and rightfully so. These women are our mothers, they are paradigms for women and superior role models that would collapse the contemporary view of women.

It's a fact that Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her, is the leader of heavenly women. And Maryam was chosen by Allah to be a mother of Prophet Jesus!

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