2004 Winter Suhba in LA

**IlyasLahoz** · 13-10-2004, 03:03 PM

The Southern California Suhba Organizing Committee is honored to present the 2004 Winter Suhba in Los Angeles, CA December 23, 2004 to December 26, 2004.
The details of the the Winter 2004 Suhba are now available!

http://www.casuhba.com/index.php?cmd=home

**ilm_seeker** · 20-10-2004, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by AlexLahoz

The Southern California Suhba Organizing Committee is honored to present the 2004 Winter Suhba in Los Angeles, CA December 23, 2004 to December 26, 2004.
The details of the the Winter 2004 Suhba are now available!

http://www.casuhba.com/index.php?cmd=home

As sallamu alaikum

Dear brother, what exactly happens at these Suhbas? I've heard about them, but don't actually know anything about them.

**IlyasLahoz** · 20-10-2004, 07:27 PM

I've not been to one myself yet, but from what I understand the suhba is essentially a gathering of the Shaykh's murids and others interested in tasawwuf, when the the Shaykh visits the country (about every 6 months). The main activites are durus taught by Shaykh Nuh and dhikr/qasidahs.
You can find a recording of the 1998 suhba in Virginia at the following address:
http://suhba.org/tasawwuf/2004/public/

**UmmIbrahimIsa** · 20-10-2004, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by ilm_seeker

As sallamu alaikum

Dear brother, what exactly happens at these Suhbas? I've heard about them, but don't actually know anything about them.

assalamu alaikum wr wb

Everyone gathers in an islamic center, mosque, or hall depending on where they have it. They would usually have it in Virginia in an islamic center, then it went to a camping site in Maryland, and a few times it has been around there. lately though it's been in Buffalo in the summers and in California in the winter. Either in LA or San Jose...
This past July 2004 it was in Buffalo and in Dec it'll be in LA.

Brothers sit up at the front of the hall, and sisters in the back. Out of respect to the shaykh and the other mureeds the sisters are asked to dress modestly and also wear hijab, (and even niqab) Because you're going to learn not to check out the other side....

Starts off with dua'ahs and some sort of topic, whatever is on ppl's minds, any ?s they might have. Most of the time its a reminder of what Tasawwuf is, and how to get closer to Allah swt. Breaks are taken in between the sessions, with qasidahs.

Usually ppl also have their bazaar muslim businesses during the breaks that you can go and check out. Sisters have a sisters only session with either the shaykh or his wife or Ustad Hedaya Hartford on any women issues they might have.

It usually runs from 10am until the evening though the breaks are for dhuhr, lunch, asr, maghrib, dinner, isha.. and the night time before sleep. They meet up for Fajr, pray together and read qur'an together brothers with brothers and sisters with sisters. Meals are provided there.

Back in 98 they didn't have proper children facilities, it was difficult to take children. Either you stayed home and listened to the tapes or took shifts to benefit. That was when there was only 2-3 couples that had children and the rest were single.

But, now that 6 years have gone by there are more than 20-30 couples that have children so a children's program has been set up with children activities and trained sitters to look after the children as well as parents volunteering a bit to help out.

Alhamdulillah it makes it easier and kids are less cranky and parents really get to benefit. They even have rooms for mothers with young babies that they can sit in and listen to the dars, and I think they will be providing the same one this year for the brothers (fathers) to sit in and watch their kids too.

That's all I can say about the Suhbas. I'm not in the tariq, my husband is and I've attended a lot of suhbas and found them to be a real spiritual retreat experience.

Sometimes with all the stuff going on in your life, you need something like this as a reminder to get closer to Allah swt, and a chance to remember Him. You meet many ppl from around, many ppl that came from afar just for this experience... It's amazing...
a good way to bring the community together to remember Allah.

someone said how can you do that? i said well ppl gather for many things, ppl gather to go to the mall together, concert, movies, and idle chit chat partying. And no one finds it a problem nor does anyone make it a big deal, saying that's fine..

yet if it's to have a gathering to remember Allah and discuss your deen, gain knowledge, and know your faith, ppl end up finding it wrong to gather for that complaining how boring it is to know your deen or how unnecessary it is or how wrong it is to gather for such things when it's not.

It's better to gather for this as it brings the community together as one, rather than ppl fighting over useless things that wont benefit the heart or help you, this is for a true experience of spiritual retreat, a sense of calmness, peace and serenity as you make dhikr and remember Allah.
It is like yoga where you meditate, ppl find this peaceful and nothing wrong with this... yet if you hold gatherings of meditation of dhikr it's like

but subhan'Allah you get tons of reward and benefit.
Alhamdulillah we have that opportunity and chance to have this.
some dont have this and we do..we should be thankful and grateful instead of making it a big deal when it's not.
Allahu Alim

**IlyasLahoz** · 21-10-2004, 02:41 AM

Originally Posted by UmmIbrahimIsa

assalamu alaikum wr wb

Everyone gathers in an islamic center...

...Alhamdulillah we have that opportunity and chance to have this.
some dont have this and we do..we should be thankful and grateful instead of making it a big deal when it's not.
Allahu Alim

for the detailed explanation