Read Sabirah`s full experience

My 2012 Iran Camp Experience By Sabirah Shuaybi
In the Name of Allah the Most Kind the Most Beneficent When I first heard about The World Federation Iran Course, I didn’t take much regard as it was never something I had considered doing. However, when my parents truly deliberated on sending me, I took the matter more seriously. As I investigated the details of this camp and what it was essentially about, my inquisitiveness and interest concerning it heightened. But even at that point, I wasn’t contemplating my application into this camp very earnestly. Thoughts about going away for three weeks at only 14 years of age, being without my family, not knowing anyone there, and travelling so far, conflicted with my desire to participate. Then, upon my parent’s persuasion, I provided it more thought and it struck me that not going and refusing this excellent opportunity would be a very foolish choice. It would be an experience of a lifetime. Going to meet the 8th Imam and his beloved sister, Bibi Masuma (AS) is not a meager thing. Although I was slightly apprehensive, I thanked Allah (SWT) for giving me this amazing chance and I knew I was ready. Slowly, all my fears were overpowered and replaced with newfound excitement! Another reason that motivated me to apply to this course was the fact that I was going to be starting High School that year. By going to Iran, I hoped to be able to gain spiritual upliftment and closeness to Allah which would in turn aid me in resisting and refraining from temptations and peer pressures. Soon after a brief interview with Sister Sajidah, a NASIMCO organizer of the camp, I received the wonderful news that I was accepted. This further elevated my anticipation to go to Iran. I couldn’t wait for school to terminate and for summer to arrive! Nonetheless, as the date came closer and closer, we encountered a more solemn matter. Visas. Being a resident of America, we were informed that Iran visas were very rarely accepted. My only hope was being an Indian passport holder and yearned that this would suffice in attainment of the visa. Weeks progressed and still there was no news. We were getting restless. I prayed profusely to Allah for my visa to arrive in order that I may go to Iran. Finally, three days prior to the flight, I received a NASIMCO phone call instructing me to book the tickets as my visa had been accepted. I soared with joy and told my anxious mom. She was ecstatic as well. We embraced and were so happy. I even called my dad at work immediately to notify him of this great tiding as I couldn’t bear to wait. This was unbelievable, I was going to Iran! Alhamdulillah! After all the packing for my trip concluded, we prepared for the 10 hour drive to Toronto, Canada. This is where the NASIMCO (North America) participants of the camp were meeting. And from there it was perceived that we would fly to Qum as a small group. When we reached the airport, I met the fellow participants from US and Canada. After paperwork, tickets and passports were sorted, we all checked in our luggage and got ready to leave. Saying goodbye to my family was difficult. It would be my first time being away from them for this period of time. But my eagerness to travel propelled me forward. We all bid farewell and headed off to board. Flying so far away without my parents scared me, but I was also excited. It was a new experience and it offered me a sense of independence. Also, the fact that I was travelling with my group comforted me. The flight to Amsterdam, the stopover, was tiring and lengthy. And the final flight to Tehran was not much of a difference. But the feeling that overcame me when we landed in Iran outweighed all the difficulty of the travel. It temporarily washed away my exhaustion. I was finally in the land of the 8th Imam, Gareeb‐al‐Guraba (AS). Despite the fact that this was my second time in Iran, the feeling was profoundly different and felt firsthand. After claiming our bags and going through the security, we were heartwarmingly welcomed by some of the mentors of the camp who received us with great hospitality. We filed into a taxi to go to where we would be staying during our 10 day duration in Qum, Jameat‐a‐
Zahra, a strictly women’s university. The NASIMCO boys went into another taxi to go to Jameat‐al‐Mustafa, a men’s university. It took us another hour and a half to reach the howza. Once the gate was opened, we impatiently scurried inside and walked up to the compound we were going to be staying in. There, we were allocated spacious dorms to settle in. It was 1am and I slowly succumbed to a deep sleep after our grueling flight. It was late morning when my eyes opened. I discovered that the other participants from UK, Dubai and Africa had all arrived and most of them were resting. By the time I finished showering and getting ready, many were awake. After breakfast, we explored the beautiful exterior of the Jamia. We had a significant amount of time to get to know each other and shared tons of laughter.
We were constantly told by the organizers that this was going to be an action‐packed three weeks and the mentors didn’t hesitate to point that out. Soon we had an introductory session with our six mentors in the big expansive green hall. They outlined the expectations and rules of the trip that we had to adhere to. They also conducted an icebreaker session in order for us to acquaint with one other. Finally we were handed out the Iranian Chador. While I was comparing them and detecting what size accommodated my height, the mentors announced that we were going to visit the much anticipated Haram of Bibi Masuma (as) in half an hour so we should get ready quickly. Excitement surged through me as we rushed out to our dorm rooms. The moment we were all dressed in Iran chadors and waiting out in the courtyard was a remarkable moment. It reminded me of my previous experience when coming to the Iran. I loved the idea of everyone being unified as well as in proper hijab. Everyone was thrilled to be wearing it and we captured the moment in pictures. Then when the time came, I eagerly boarded the bus. The mentor Sr. Aaliya informed us that the three things you ask for when your eyes first land on the dome on Bibi Masuma (AS), Allah promises to fulfill. As we approached the Haram, I ensured to keep this in mind. When we stepped inside, it was a feeling I will never forget. I could feel myself coming closer to my goal of reaching proximity to Allah than I ever had before. There were people sitting on the Persian carpets with their families, praying, reciting the Quran, performing the Ziyarat, and heading towards the Holy Zari. There were children playing in the courtyard around the water fountain where men were performing wudhu. The atmosphere of the haram was so peaceful, soothing and spiritual. Though this wasn’t my first time visiting the haram, it felt like a completely new experience and thanked Allah for giving me another opportunity to do the Ziyarat of this exceptional personality. After performing the Ziyarat, we had to leave quickly due to the hectic schedule of the first day. As I was walking out, I admired the intricate designs that outlined the ceilings of the beautiful haram. From there, we were taken to Dar‐ul‐Zahra, where The World Federation Qum office is based. All the participants of this camp then attended the opening ceremony. Speeches were conducted by some organizers and teachers which were followed by namaaz and dinner. This concluded our busy, but satisfying first day and we headed back to the Jamia. The following day, was a Tuesday so we anticipated going to the Holy Mosque of Jamkaran that night. In the morning, we ate breakfast and headed to Jamia tul Mustafa for an orientation session. The university representatives there presented us with inspiring speeches. I recall one of the scholars telling us to savor and relish every minute here, as it cannot be guaranteed that we will come again. He also stated that each and every one of us had been invited by the Imam and his sister (AS) and that our coming here was no fluke. Following this, we visited the haram for the second time. Here, we were given an adequate amount of time and it was fairly unhurried. I seized this opportunity and attempted to build a strong connection with Bibi Masuma at a personal level. I poured out whatever was in my heart, all my concerns, worries and difficulties. Everything I was struggling with, I confided in her. This soothed my soul as I knew she was listening and could feel her presence. When we returned, we prepared for our first day of classes at the Jamia. We received notebooks and pens to take plenty of notes. Our classes were to be conducted in a different compound in the University so our mentors guided us there, thus next time, we could arrive independently. The girls in the camp were split into two groups for the classes. The Madinah group was ages 18‐24 and the Bab group was ages 14‐17. This was done to accommodate the general maturity levels. Consequently, I was in the Bab group. We were to have three classes every day. Our first class was with Shaykh Safdar Razi who introduced the topic he was going to be teaching, The Journey of the Soul. I was excited to learn about this intriguing subject. The next Bab class was with Sr. Batool Arastu, who I knew very well and was distantly related to. Her class was about the Story of Hazrat Maryam. Our final class was with Sr. Najiya who talked about Women Role Models. From day 1, I loved my classes as they dealt with either critical topics or interesting ones. After classes, we finally prepared to go to Jamkaran. We were going to the place of Imam Mehdi (AS). We entered the place and saluted to the Imam of our time. Knowing that that Imam was amongst the hundreds of people here on this Tuesday night was an unbelievable thought, but simultaneously it was very saddening. Our sins form a veil in front of our eyes that obstruct us from being able to see the Imam. He could be right in front of my eyes and I would be incognizant of it. But on the brighter side, I experienced the warmth and presence of him. After praying, the amaals for visiting the Jamkaran were performed inside the mosque. We then came back outside and selected a spot to lay the carpets in the courtyard. Here we sat in the cool, refreshing breeze and ate dinner. Finally, Dua‐e‐Tawasul began. Thousands of voices joined as one while reciting this spiritually stirring dua under the dazzling night sky. Tears streamed down our faces. I was ashamed of my countless sins, and begged for forgiveness. I prayed for the reappearance of the Imam and asked to be ready for when he arrives. I asked Allah for help in guiding me so that I am one of his companions. I prayed to be amongst those who laid the foundation of his arrival and not be from the ones who prevented it. It was an extremely beautiful and spiritually uplifting experience, one of the highlights of my whole trip. The next morning, after Fajr nammaz, we got ready for our first Iranian culture excursion to Kashan. We were all sleepy from our late night at Jamkaran but also excited. After travelling on the bus for an hour, my stomach began rumbling. We had left early leaving no time for breakfast. Fortunately we stopped soon to have a picnic breakfast outside in a park. It was fun and relaxing. We sat on the ground and ate bread and cheese, the traditional breakfast cuisine of Iran. We talked, joked and laughed until it was time to leave. After breakfast we went to Nayasir Hills, where there were beautiful waterfalls and magnificent scenery. Though the details of this Iranian excursion are slightly hazy, I remember visiting the shrine of one of the sons of Imam Baqir (AS). We were informed by Shaykh Kumail that Imam Sadiq (as) has said that whoever visits this brother, it is as if he has done the ziyarat of Imam Hussain (as) in Karbala. Knowing this entirely changed our perspective of this ziyarat and I was grateful for this opportunity. After visiting some historical sites and eating delightful food at an Iranian restaurant, we headed back to the Jamia after a long, but eventful and satisfying day. Regardless of my exhaustion, I still found energy to go for swimming at the Jamia. Swimming was a scarce occasion for me back in America so I did not want to let go of this opportunity. For this reason, I cherished every moment in the pool and had tons of fun with the other girls. We even relaxed in the sauna and jaccuzi. When the time came to finally go to bed, we slept like logs. The next day was relatively relaxing and I was able to catch up on my sleep. We had our first reflection session with the mentors. During this time, we discussed what our expectations of this trip were and what goals and aims we were striving to reach by the end of these three weeks. We all contemplated on ways to maximize our Iran experience in order to gain spirituality. Later in the afternoon, we had our second set of classes. In our first class, Journey of the Soul, Shaykh Safdar raised a very thought‐provoking question. Should we take the meaning of the Quran literally or metaphorically? The answer provided was that the Quran should in most circumstances, be taken literally unless its meaning cannot be accepted or if there is evidence diverting it elsewhere. And in that case, the meaning should be taken metaphorically. I thought this was a note‐worthy point and can be handy in counteracting people’s misinterpretations concerning the Holy Qu’ran. During the next class concerning Bibi Maryam, Sister Batool told us about how Hannah, Bibi Maryam’s mother, dedicated wholeheartedly her child to Allah. She had conceived a child after many years and therefore this was not an ordinary act. The lesson this teaches us it to always put Allah first, and when devoting something in his name, give your best. Just like she did. The story of Habil and Qabil applies here as well. Qabil’s sacrifice to Allah was a meager amount of dried wheat stalks while Habil sacrifices an entire sheep. Consequently, his selfless gift was accepted. In our last class, Sister Najiya’s words had a significant impact on me. She showed us comparisons of people who are “role models” to society yet essentially, they have done nothing. They are simply famous for their money, looks or acting skills. She compared this to real role models, ones whose behaviors are truly incredible. And what they have accomplished is a true success as they have made an impact on the world and its injustice. Her lecture in a sense woke me up. I realized how foolish it is to hold these American celebrities as role models when all they are doing is obscuring the media and deviating society from real world difficulties. I learned a vital lesson; we have to use our intellect to find and follow the proper role models. The next morning, we had to leave immediately after fajr namaz to climb Mount Khizr. It took a great extent of willpower to force ourselves to get up after an insufficient amount of sleep. This mountain was fairly easy to climb, but considering the fact that we were sleep‐deprived, chador bearing girls and in the early dawn oppo
osed the sim
mplicity of it. We were to
old it is reported that thee flag of ourr 12th Holy Im
mam will bee hoisted from
m a white mo
ountain outsside Qum, an
nd many believe it to bee Mount Khizzr. We all atttempted to climb the mou
untain as quickly as possible because
e everyone lo
onged to waatch the sunrise from the top. It waas manageable at ffirst but I gott tired as we
e climbed up
p and up. Nonetheless, I was the thirrd one to reaach the summit. I ploppe
ed down to ccatch my bre
eath and gulped water w
while waiting for the resst. When eveeryone had pantted and gasp
ped up, we aall enjoyed th
he breath‐taaking view. TThe land of Q
Qum stretch
hed out in alll directions as diistant as the
e eye could gglimpse. Being thaat it was a Frriday mornin
ng, along witth the fact thhat we weree in a place tthat had a sttrong th
association with the 12 Imaam, there w
was no betterr time to reccite Dua Nud
dbah. We reccited this touching dua overrlooking the magnificentt mountains.. Shaykh Safdar Razi alsoo briefly talkked to us on how to strengthen and main
ntain our con
nnection witth the Imam
m. The next day was the
e first day off the Holy month of Ram
madhan. We didn’t sleep
p until after FFajr namaz, talking, joking, e
eating junk fo
ood and, waandering around each otther’s dorm rooms the eentire night. Our classes were to be conducted at 9am in the morning during these days of Ramadhan so we only got a few hours of sleep before having to get up and attend class. Although we were weary and fasting, our teachers really knew how to keep us awake. The subjects we discussed in class were engaging. I enjoyed Sister Batool’s class because even though I was considerably acquainted with the Story of Hazrat Maryam, I liked how she presented us with the actual ayats and the lessons that can be obtained from them. I learned that even though Bibi Maryam and Bibi Fatema (AS) were two of the four best women on earth, there was a significant difference between them. Bibi Maryam was chosen over all the woman of her time while on the other hand, Bibi Fatema was chosen over ALL the woman to ever exist. Later that evening, we had the opportunity to head out and go to the Ansarian Publications Bookstore. I left carrying piles of books in my hands which I hoped to benefit from in the future. After returning to the Jamia, praying salat and finally breaking my fasts, it was a wonderful feeling. We all rushed out in the courtyard, down the stairs and into the big dining hall for our meal. Being accustomed to breaking my fasts with my family and eating my mom’s food, it was a new experience. All the girls quickly bonded with each other creating strong friendships despite our origins from different cultures and backgrounds. Living together at the Jamia swiftly formed unity between us as we experienced all the wonderful things Iran offered us. We then sat down for beautiful recitations of Quran and Dua Iftatah. This concluded our day. Just kidding, after that we stayed up the whole night fooling around, sharing much laughter and having an absolute blast!! The days that we stayed in Qum preceding this were considerably the same. We would go to classes in the morning, come back, read the afternoon prayers and most of us would go back to sleep since we would have stayed up the whole night talking. After that we would go visit some great scholars, or perform ziyarat of honorable personalities. After Iftar, we usually went to the Haram of Bibi Masuma Qum for dua iftatah and every time, I felt my connection further strengthen with her and every day I looked forward to pouring out my heart to her. We often had reflection sessions in the big hall or engaging debates. We debated about marriage, zanjeer matam and peer pressure. Once for Iftar, we all went out to a fast food restaurant and ate delicious shawarmas and additionally, we were treated with refreshing ice cream. As the days progressed, we gained a lot from our daily classes. I learned how important our human intellect is. Shaykh Safdar Razi stated, “If we abuse our intellect, then we have the ability to become worse than animals but is we free our intellect and allow it to soar, we can obtain a higher status than the angels themselves.” Also, another aspect of Sister Batool’s class that I really appreciated was the fact that she often presented our class with the comparisons between what the Quran says on the Story of Bibi Maryam and what the Bible claims. Furthermore, we were reminded of the two main duties of the Ahlul Bayt (AS) 1) To prompt mankind about Allah and his Ma’rifat 2) To teach the people how to become closer to Allah by teaching the duties and responsibilities to help them achieve that purpose. I truly enjoyed attending my classes; we all did. But sometimes, our fast and shortage of sleep got to us and we couldn’t refrain from occasionally dozing off in class. (: Due to the excessive heat of Qum and the black chadors, abayas and hijabs we had to wear outside of our compound, our fasts were hard to endure at times. But our teachers never failed to remind us of the multiple benefits fasting provided us. 
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Builds willpower Disciplines you Teaches you to sympathize with the poor & needy Equality: Everyone is thirsty and hungry whether you are rich or poor Prepares you for the Day of Judgment Teaches you to be patient Strengthens and refreshes your connection with Allah Yet, these are only a meager portion of the ample amount of things we gained from our stimulating classes. And before we realized, our time in Qum was coming to an end. We went to the haram for the last time. It was a very sad feeling, not knowing if I was ever to come back and be able to visit this great personality again. The only thing that made it easier was knowing I was going to be visiting her brother, Imam Ridha (AS). With heavy hearts we all had to also say goodbye to the lovely University we were staying at. The facilities, food, rooms and services were superb. The entire compound was beautiful. That night we packed our bags and got ready to go to Mashhad to meet our beloved 8th Imam (AS)!! Before flying to Mashhad, we were to have a brief, one‐day stopover in Tehran. After arriving in Tehran a few hours later, we performed the ziyarat of Imam Musa al‐Kadhim’s son, Shah Abdul Azim, and also Imam Zaynul Abideen’s son, may Allah (SWT) bless their souls. We also had the honor of visiting Imam Khomeini’s shrine which was in renovation. I felt immensely grateful to have the chance to visit this amazing personality, the leader of the Islamic Revolution. Our next stop was Beheshte Zahra, a graveyard dedicated to honoring the martyrs of the Iran‐Iraq War. We were humbled to see the hundreds of men who sacrificed their lives for the sake of Islam. After departing from the cemetery, we were given a wonderful surprise, one that, as long as I live, I can never forget. We were going to go pray behind Ayatullah Khamenei!! I was stunned. Slowly, excitement seeped into me as I came to the realization of really how miraculous this opportunity was. After arriving, we restlessly waited in a long line to enter the mosque. Preceding this, we had to be go through four security checks for the safety of Ayatullah Khamenei. At last, we entered the praying area and prepared for salat. Even though there was ample time left for adhan, the masjid was already half‐full. The women were situated above and for this reason, we all tried to get places as close to the railings as possible. Sr. Najiya, who was accompanying us to Mashhad, had told us, that when the Asr salat terminates, to run to the railings to view Ayatullah. She reminded us that this is one in a lifetime chance and to not to take it lightly. Reading the namaz behind him was one of the best namaz I’ve ever read. The feeling was inexpressible, beyond comprehension. Then, adhering to my teachers’ words of wisdom, as soon as the salaam was finished, I rushed to catch a glimpse of him. This was not an easy task as there was a huge crowd of ladies attempting to do the same. I was pushed and shoved but Alhamdulillah, on my tippy‐toes, I managed to see his back as he exited the mosque. The experience was overwhelming, leaving me in tears. From there we were taken to a museum that used to be a prison for the Iran‐Iraq soldiers. These prisoners were tormented with various, gruesome tactics. We were given tours of the entire prison and shown video clips of the torture methods as well as the horrible living conditions. It was especially disturbing for me to see as I normally have a low tolerance for violence and blood. Men were hung upside‐down and whipped. Women were dragged up and down the stairs by their hair. There used to be approximately 30 people imprisoned in each miniscule cell. After seeing all of this, I felt ashamed. These brave individuals took a stand against injustice and endured these atrocious hardships in order for Muslims to have the right to be able to practice Islam freely. Yet, I never appreciated it and even complained at times for always being so different in school and standing out due to my hijab. After this, our stay in Tehran was brought to an end, and we headed to the airport for our flight to Mashhad. We were taken to an elegant hotel and designated rooms to stay in. There were 3‐4 girls assigned to each room. Our exhaustion prevented us from staying away further and we all crashed. Our hotel was located 5 minutes walking distance from the haram and, we were given permission to go whenever we wished as long as we were in small groups and provided that, there wasn’t anything else planned. We ate breakfast and left to visit a hospital where injured, but surviving veterans of the Iran‐Iraq war lived. Even after these years, many were still in therapy. Various parts of their bodies were paralyzed. They were so kind to share their story and experience with us. As we listened intently, I observed how happy and peaceful they were. Losing a body part is not a meager thing, yet they were so content. They said that sacrificing whatever they had for the will of Allah gave them deep satisfaction. But what really touched me was when one of them explained that even in this state, he was ever ready to struggle in the name of Islam. My eyes were brimming with tears as I listened to their heart‐wrenching words. When we returned to the hotel, I, at last, found time to go to the haram of Imam Ridha (AS). I left with a small group of my friends. I couldn’t wait. This was a moment I had been anticipating since I started packing for this trip. The haram was ten times more crowded than Bibi Masuma’s. It was also ten times more beautiful. The designs were intricate and spectacular in every part of the haram. Touching the actual shrine of the Imam was an impossible feat, especially for a girl my age. Thankfully though, we found a substitute. There was a shrine positioned downstairs also, where it was much less populated. Realistically, this shrine is actually closer to the actual body of the Imam, as it was buried underground. Therefore, it was a perfect place to do our zziyarat. This spacious, caarpeted, and
d bright hall became ourr abode for tthe remainder of our tim
me, throughout the ffour days in Mashhad. Similar to
o Bibi Masum
ma of Qum, I voiced to m
my Imam eveerything thaat lay in my h
heart. I wholeheartedly prayyed for my paarents. With
hout them, I wouldn’t haave even beeen here. Notthing can suffice for all tthat they havee done for m
me, but the le
east I could d
do was pray. I also prayeed for my brrothers, gran
ndparents an
nd all my relattives. I also d
didn’t forgett to pray for my commun
nity membe rs, especiallyy those who
o requested tto keep them
m in my prayyers. I begged for him to intercede fo
or me with A
Allah to forggive my immeasurable amount of sins. It was humiliating stand
ding before this pure soul, knowing how sinful I was. But on
n the bright side, it prop
pelled me to better myse
elf. ht, we ventu
ured on a brief field trip tto an astronnomical institute. It was exceedinglyy That nigh
enteertaining. I enjoyed obse
erving lively e
experimentss, chemical rreactions, an
nd intriguingg scientific eq
quipment. I had tons of fun w
with the oth
her girls as w
we fumbled w
with all thesee cool statio
ons. We also w
went shopping a numbe
er of times, aanother highhlight of the trip. I couldn’t resist bu
uying many thinggs and ended up with a ponderous ssuitcase. It w
was a new exxperience, trrying to com
mmunicate w
with the shop
pkeepers using my broke
en Farsi and laughing at my friends w
when they ttried using ridiculous sign language.
The last tthree days aat Mashhad w
were distributed betweeen classes, sshopping, sigght‐seeing and of th
courrse, at the haaram of our 8 Imam. During my staay at in this hholy city, no
o matter how
w much timee I spent at the h
haram, it pro
oved insufficcient. I never wanted to leave. But ssadly, the tim
me did comee when I had
d to bid farew
well. n my suitcases were finaalized, I After dinner on our last night in Mashhad, I ssat down to pack. When
decid
ded to devote the entire
e night at the haram and
d return afteer the morniing prayers. Though thiss would be sacriificing sleep,, I knew whe
ere my priorities were att this point. I could alwaays catch up on sleep latter, but who knew
w if I was to ever see myy 8th Imam aggain. For this reason, A nnumber of m
my friends an
nd I spent our final night at th
he haram. It was bittersw
weet. I cherished every m
minute spennt near the vvicinity of hiss shrine. At the hotel, our entire luggage was loaded into a big bus which we eventually boarded for the 14 hour journey back to Tehran. Most of us drifted to sleep due to our all‐nighter. But we also used this long trip to spend time together as after this, we would all depart in our own ways. Making these amazing friends was undoubtedly and undeniably the best part of the whole trip. During these eventful three weeks I had formed life‐lasting bonds with them. Departing from them was agonizing and distressing but we vowed to keep in touch. There was no way I would ever forget them. There is no way I can ever forget this trip. The knowledge I gained was extravagant. I am so thankful and I would not hesitate one second to do it all again. I will cherish this experience in my heart for as long as I live. And I truly hope others will have a chance to participate in this camp. Lastly, I would like to sincerely thank the wonderful mentors who always put us first, our teachers who worked hard to formulate engaging lectures, and especially Shaykh Kumail for his endless preparations in making this trip memorable. This journey would not have been possible without any of them. I will forever be grateful for all their efforts. The End.