Al-Hujjah 2015
Ascension Starts At Home
February 13-15 | $145
Speakers:
Dr. Farrokh Sekaleshfar
Sheikh Ahmad Modarres
Hajj Kauther Khan
Sayyid Sulayman Hassan
Brother Ghaith Mahmood
Sister Noha Alshugairi
Sheikh Ahmad Modarres
Hajj Kauther Khan
Sayyid Sulayman Hassan
Brother Ghaith Mahmood
Sister Noha Alshugairi
Location:
Mentone, California
Ages 18-35 (Some exceptions made based on application)
Retreat:
Home is where you cultivate your heart and soul, strengthen bonds within the family, and lay the foundations to prosper as a community. This year’s retreat will be centered around purifying the self and improving faith within. We aim at establishing strong family ties and developing spirituality within the family to create a footing for the increase of love of ibadat and taqwa. Lastly, we plan on coming together as one community to fortify and improve our society as a whole, and to grow together as one Ummah.
Speaker Bios
Sheikh Ahmad Modarres
Sheikh Ahmad Modarres was born in the holy city of Mashhad. His initial interest in Islamic Studies began when he was eight years old, being motivated to become a hafiz of the Holy Quran and attend the Hawza of Mashhad. He received his bachelors in philosophy and theology in Mashhad. He moved to the United States in 2008 and traveled to different states to deliver English speeches at seminars and Islamic centers. He is currently the resident Al’im of Masjid Al-Rasool in Simi Valley, CA. His main focus is to spread the true message of Islam and the Ahlul-Bayt (AS) and help youth develop a strong Muslim identity.
Hajj Kauther Khan
Kauther Khan is a humble servant leader and community organizer in Los Angeles, he has helped found Yaseen Educational Foundation, one of the most successful Islamic organizations in Southern California. He is a regular community lecturer on a variety of topics, religious, leadership and spiritual. Brother Kauther has offered AMYNA and IMAM strategic direction, especially in developing their mission and vision as an organization. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Dr. Farrokh Sekaleshfar
Dr Sekaleshfar was born in Manchester, UK, in 1973. He qualified in General Medicine at Imperial College, London, in 2000 and has studied Bioethics at Manchester University. Dr Farrokh has been studying seminary sciences in Qum for over a decade and is currently teaching ethics and irfan. His main research areas include jurisprudence and spirituality.
Sayyid Sulayman Hassan
Sayyid Sulayman Hassan was born and raised in Western New York where he attended both school and college. While still in high school, he would attend classes in Arabic and fiqh at the Hawza Ilmiyya in Medina, New York, after which he attended the University of Buffalo and received a bachelor of science degree in business administration in 1997. Immediately after graduating from college, he went to Qum, Iran, to study at the Hawzah. In Qum, he soon studied the standard texts taught within the Hawza and proceeded to the advanced study of fiqh, during which time he also taught several of the standard Hawzah texts and translated several books and articles into English. Sayyid Sulayman is currently pursuing his doctorate at the University of Chicago. He is the co-imam at Baitul Ilm Academy. He is also the founder and president of the Ahl al-Bayt Islamic Seminary and a long-standing board member and content editor of the Islamic Texts Institute.
Ghaith Mahmood
Ghaith Mahmood is an associate attorney in the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins, where he has practiced since 2007. He is a member of the Technology Transactions and Intellectual Property Litigation Practices. Mr. Mahmood is the principal coordinator of the firm’s pro bono work with the UCLA Mobile Legal Clinic, a clinic dedicated to providing legal, medical and social support services for the homeless populations in the Los Angeles area. Additionally, Mr. Mahmood regularly represents worthy nonprofit organizations in the technology industry, and serves as lead counsel on matters advocating for the rights of asylum seekers, abused children and the homeless.
Sister Noha Alshugairi
Noha Alshugairi received her M.S. in Counseling (2007) from California State University, Fullerton, and her B.A. in Zoology (1986) from Rutgers University. She is currently a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy in private practice in Newport Beach, California. In addition, she is a Certified Positive Discipline Trainer. Noha trained in various therapy modalities and chooses which one to utilize depending on the need of her clients. In addition to her formal education with the Counseling Department at CSUF, she continues to enrich her professional knowledge through workshops and trainings.
Dr. Rana Baharloo
Dr. Rana Baharloo is a board certified Naturopathic Physician and Naturopathic Midwife. In high school, she discovered her passion in studying the human body because she felt the closest proximity to Allah within that field of study. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Physiological Sciences from UCLA, a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University as well as certification in Naturopathic Midwifery. She practiced with both licenses in Seattle, WA and she is here to give us a holistic talk about practical nutrition and lifestyle.
Madina Humkar
Madina Humkar, a Southern California native, received her undergraduate degree in communications from UCLA and her Master’s degree in counseling from California Lutheran University. Madina has experience in working in undergraduate admissions, rehabilitation counseling, career transfer center, and being an academic advisor at community colleges. During her time in California, she was an active member of Yaseen Educational Foundation and Al-Hujjah Retreat. She currently resides with her husband in Alabama.
