Al-Tazkiya 2024 - Day 3

The final day of Al-Tazkiya 2024 brought sisters together for a spiritually enriching and impactful conclusion to this transformative retreat. From practical workshops to profound lectures, the day was a testament to the power of reflection, self-reformation, and sisterhood. 🌸✨

The day began with a Screen Time Workshop conducted by Sister Ghazala Hussain, encouraging attendees to limit excessive screen use and replace it with productive habits like dhikr and mindfulness. Sisters shared practical tips, such as muting notifications and removing unnecessary apps, sparking meaningful discussions on balancing technology in our lives. 📱✨

This was followed by the Art Workshop led by Sister Hafsa, where participants explored artistic techniques and practised calligraphy. Sisters created stunning artworks, expressing their creativity in an enriching and therapeutic way. 🎨🖌️

In the Education & Employability Workshop, Sister Asima empowered participants with insights into emerging fields such as AI and cybersecurity. She shared tips on building strong CVs, acing interviews, and confidently navigating the job market, leaving attendees inspired to pursue their career goals. 🎓💼

The Quran Journaling Workshop by Sister Ghazala Hussain introduced sisters to the transformative power of journaling as a tool for self-reflection and spiritual growth. By exploring Quranic stories and actionable insights, participants deepened their connection with Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) and the Quran. 📿🕌

The highlight of the day was Dr. Ghazala Qadri's final lecture, "Softening the Heart Through the Love of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)." She began by explaining how the heart, like silver or copper, requires regular polishing through dhikr to prevent it from rusting. She emphasised that neglecting the remembrance of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) leads to hardening of the heart, making it distant from divine mercy.

Dr Ghazala described how Ghufla (heedlessness) and sin combine to create spiritual rust, while dhikr serves as the key to softening and purifying the heart. She highlighted three essential qualities for attaining Allah's love:

1️⃣ Taqwa – Constant awareness and consciousness of Allah.

2️⃣ Adab (Humility) – A true sense of humbleness before Allah.

3️⃣ Abstinence from Nafs – Purification of desires through self-restraint.

Dr. Ghazala beautifully explained the concept of unconditional love for Allah, likening it to a heart overflowing with pure water, leaving no room for worldly distractions. She reminded attendees that the gateway to Tazkiya begins with perfecting Salah (prayer), the ultimate form of remembrance.

She shared profound insights from Hadith about the stages of thoughts entering the mind and how vigilance is required to prevent negative thoughts from taking root. Dr Ghazala stressed the importance of guarding our hearts and doing Muhasiba (self-accountability) to cleanse spiritual diseases and ensure pure intentions. 💖✨

Later in the day, Sister Ayman from Minhaj Welfare Foundation (MWF) shared inspiring stories of MWF's impactful global initiatives. Volunteers spoke about their experiences, motivating attendees to actively contribute to these projects.

The retreat concluded with heartfelt closing remarks by Sister Misbah Wahid, Project Manager of Al-Tazkiya 2024. She expressed gratitude to Dr. Ghazala Qadri for her enlightening lectures and thanked the Minhaj Sisters team and Minhaj Welfare Foundation for their tireless efforts. A moving dua led by Dr. Bushra Riaz, President of MWL Europe, marked the end of this transformative journey.

As Al-Tazkiya 2024 comes to a close, we leave with hearts full of gratitude, tools for self-reformation, and a renewed commitment to purify our inner selves. May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) accept our efforts and make this journey easy for us all. 🌟💖

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