FEATURED

We are excited to announce our upcoming Weekend Retreat, which will be held on December 13-15 titled On Prophetic Characteristics, a study of Book 20 of Imam al-Ghazali’s masterpiece Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences).

Allah Ta’ala tells the Prophet Muhammad in the Qur’an, “you are truly ‘a man’ of outstanding character.” [Quran 68 :4] When Aisha, radiaAllahu anha, was asked about his character ﷻ, she responded that “his character was the Qur’an.” Even in the darkest moments of mistreatment, such as when he ﷻ was pelted with stones at Ta’if or when wounded at the Battle of Uhud, he ﷻ did not seek retribution. Instead, the noblest of Allah’s creation ﷻ continued to pray for guidance for the unbelievers. Indeed, throughout his life, the Prophet Muhammad ﷻ exhibited the most beautiful characteristics and the most virtuous conduct that serves as an example for all humanity until the end of times.

In Imam al-Ghazali’s On Prophetic Characteristics, he gives numerous examples from the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷻ that illustrate his exemplary manners, his speech and laughter, his etiquette with food, his manner of dress, his courage, his forbearance, his miracles, and much more ﷻ.

We welcome you to join us in learning more about our beloved Messenger’s beautiful example ﷻ, which undoubtedly will increase your love of him ﷻ and yearning to be close to him ﷻ in what we pray will be a weekend filled with abundant blessings as we acquire knowledge and spend time in devotion together.

For more information and registration please click the button bellow.

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UPCOMING PROGRAMS

The Quest for Virtuous Character is a concise yet profound treatise on the virtues of noble character, its defining signs, and the traits that contradict it. Drawing from the works of esteemed scholars such as Imam al-Ghazali, it offers thoughtful reflections on embodying praiseworthy qualities, deeply rooted in Islamic teachings.

This work was authored by Habib Muhammad al-Haddar (may Allah have mercy on him), a distinguished scholar, spiritual guide, and saint from the noble lineage of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Renowned for his profound knowledge, wisdom, and piety, he was a shining light of Islamic scholarship and an exemplar of noble character. Habib Muhammad devoted his life to guiding people to Allah, nurturing future Muslim scholars, and sharing timeless wisdom.

The Quest for Virtuous Character was taught by Habib Muhammad al-Haddar to his daughter, Hababa Nur, who later passed it on to our esteemed teacher, Sayida Hafsa Ba-Alawi.

The Quest for Virtuous Character with Sayyida Hafsa Ba-Alawi will begin on Saturday, December 21st, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm at the Al-Maqasid Green Barn, inshaAllah.

This class will be held three Saturdays each month, with the Wayfarers to God series taking place on the fourth Saturday inshaAllah.

MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Commemorating the Life of
Sayyidatuna Fatimah al-Zahra

On 20th Jumada al-Akhirah we commemorate the life of Sayyidatuna Fatimah (peace be upon her), the day on which she was born.

Here are some episodes on her life, presented by Habib Muhammad bin Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf (may Allah protect him) as part of the series, “The Perfected Women.” He discusses the best women to have ever lived in this world, and shows how Muslim women of today can emulate them.

(Turn on closed captions/subtitles for English translation)

(Via: Muwasala: https://muwasala.org/2016/01/27/commemorating-the-life-of-sayyidatuna-fatimah-2/ )

LOVING THE BELOVED ﷺ

This weekly Majlis includes a recitation of the prophetic biography in poetry form followed by a counsel intended to connect the listener to the Prophet ﷺ and his teachings. The more we know about his life, character, and way, the more we will come to love and follow the one beloved to Allah.

Filling Our Hearts with Light - Yahya Rhodus

الٓر ۚ كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ ٱلنَّاسَ مِنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ
Alif-Lãm-Ra. ˹This is˺ a Book which We have revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ so that you may lead people out of darkness and into light, by the Will of their Lord, to the Path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy— (Quran 14:1)

The Prophet ﷺ himself is described as "a light-giving lamp" (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:46), and his companions embodied this light, spreading it wherever they went. Their hearts were illuminated by their proximity to the Prophet ﷺ and their dedication to the teachings of Islam.

Shaykh Yahya reminds us of the importance of cultivating this light through acts of devotion, sincerity, and service. Prayer, dhikr (remembrance of Allah), and adherence to prophetic character are pathways to nurturing this light. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The hearts rust as iron rusts; and the polish for them is the remembrance of Allah.” (Bayhaqi)

In a world often clouded by darkness, we are called to be conduits of light for those around us. This begins with purifying our own hearts and aligning our intentions with the pleasure of Allah. When we embody this light, we become a source of hope and guidance, helping others find their way to the divine path.

The Umma of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ – Amjad Tarsin

Allah says in the Qur’an:

"You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah." (Surah Aal-e-Imran, 3:110)

Being connected to the Umma of the Prophet ﷺ is one of the greatest blessings a believer can experience. It ties us to a legacy of guidance, mercy, and light, established by the one whom Allah sent as “a mercy to all creation” (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:107). Through this connection, we access doors of giving and mercy that were not opened to any previous prophetic community, by the virtue of our beloved Prophet ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “My Umma is like the rain; it is not known whether its beginning is better or its end.” (Tirmidhi) This Hadith inspires us to recognize the immense potential and goodness present in every age of the Umma, including our own.

Therefore, we should ask ourselves: What do we aspire to? What are we truly seeking from Allah? Are our hopes lofty enough to reflect the boundless generosity of the Lord of the Worlds? Allah's doors of giving are open wider for this Umma than ever before. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized this when he said: “When you ask Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaus (the highest part of Paradise).” (Bukhari)

By attending gatherings of knowledge, remembrance, and worship with sincerity, humility, and good manners (adab), we position ourselves to receive immense blessings. These gatherings are spiritual lifelines that reconnect us to the heart of our faith and allow us to draw closer to Allah.

JUMU’A KHUTBA

Jumu’a khutba - Auzair Khilwati

The weekly Jumu'a, or Friday, Congregational prayer is live streamed from Al-Maqasid from 12:15pm-1:10pm.

RAWHA

The Rawha takes place every Tuesday at 7:00pm EST. During the Rawha, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus will be covering the Hikam (Aphorisms) of Imam Ibn 'Ata'illah al-Iskandari.

Seminary Rawha

Linguistically related to the spirit (ruh), the Rawha is a class centered around Islamic spirituality. It explores the text-based tradition that outlines the spiritual path and aims to inspire seekers to both embark upon it and attain its realities.

The Seminary Rawha takes place Monday and Wednesday evenings

Lectures

Al-Maqasid's weekly lecture series will cover topics that are essential to every Muslim's religious literacy. We welcome you to join us as our faculty members offer engaging lectures on crucial topics such as the way sacred knowledge was preserved, the importance of infusing spirituality into environments of learning, and what a principled engagement would look like in our context today. Each lecture will be approximately 45 minutes long, allowing ample time for questions and discussion.

Elementary Shafi’i Fiqh

Weekly Shafi’i Fiqh class studying the book Sullam Al-Tawfiq (translated by Shaykh Musa Furber as The Ladder to Success) written by the great scholar and caller to Allah, Al-Habib Abdullah bin Hussayn bin Tahir. Instruction will be in English.