Come and drink from the ancient holy sites of Sufism and Islam.
We will be voyaging on a journey to Jerusalem, and to the holy land of Morocco. Let your heart expand to absorb the beauty and majesty of the ancient world of Islam, and follow a path of Sufi treasures guided by Kamila Shenmen, Salima Adelstein, Fawzia al-Rawi, and other beloved community leaders.
Each trip will be worth 10 credits. These credits can be used to make up for missing credits in a student’s transcript, where programs are marked incomplete. Space is limited and is assigned on a first-come first-served basis.
Journey to Morocco
Cost: $1000 USD Deposit
2000 EUR paid upon arrival
Trip dates: Oct 23 – 30, 2020 (Arrival on Oct 22, Departure on Oct 31)
Morocco is a country which has been blessed by many of Allah’s great beloveds and by many different faces of Sufism and Islam. To come to Morocco, and in particular to the city of Marrakesh, means to deepen one’s understanding of spirituality and to experience it in everyday life.
Our journey will take us to the Seven Holy Men who protect, hold and inspire this city and its inhabitants, and to the outskirts of the desert for meditation and contemplation. We will also experience the joys and the beauty of the hammams and the art of henna. Last but not least, we will visit zawiyas and embed ourselves in the rhythm of the prayers. Teachings include a deeper understanding of the Quran, the Divine Names and Qualities as well as traditional healing methods.
Together we will get a taste of Dervish whirling and of healing rituals, visit traditional herbalists, read the history of the people through their art of carpet weaving, and enjoy the beauty of the vibrant, lively and wonderful city of Marrakesh.
Fawzia, daughter-in-law of our guide Sidi al-Jamal, will guide your inner and outer journey as you explore the many faces of Divine Love. Experience the light of Morocco and taste the spirit of its Sufi traditions and Islamic heritage.
On this trip, you will taste:
- Delicious Moroccan meals on a rooftop terrace with a view of the snow-topped Atlas mountains
- The experience of the light and essence of Marrakesh
- Teachings by Fawzia & others, including sacred dance, music and healing with the Divine Names and the Arabic alphabet
- Many other activities to be chosen by the group after arrival
- Time for sightseeing and shopping in colorful “souks” (bazaars) for clothing, perfumes, scarves, rugs, jewelry and handicrafts
Tuition includes accommodation and meals in Marrakesh, and travel in and around the city (does not include airfare to and from Morocco).
Any questions? Contact Salima at murshidasalima956@gmail.com.
Journey to Jerusalem
Cost: $1000 USD deposit
2500 EUR paid upon arrival
Trip dates: May 13 – May 20, 2020 (Arrival on May 12 Departure on May 21)
Travelling to Jerusalem is a pilgrimage for the soul, especially during the month of Ramadan. Jerusalem is the Rose of Cities. It symbolizes the heart of us human beings and the state that humanity is in.
When we travel to Jerusalem, we come to heal our hearts from sorrow and despair, and by filling them with awareness, peace and gratitude, we heal, thus contributing to the hearts of all human beings. We heal our hearts from our fear of the future and from the sadness of the past, and, inshallah, we become true servants of love and peace, carried by knowledge and wisdom.
It is a pilgrimage in search of the truth we carry, the truth that Allah has put into us.
The holy month of Ramadan is a month when we seek our inner light, our true nature and our true humanity.
Allah has given us three cycles in this month. The first ten days are days of mercy, the following ten days are days of repentance and the last ten days are days of purification. We will spend those last ten days together and have the honour of spending Laylat al-Qadr together.
During those ten days, we will deepen our understanding of the Divine Names and Qualities, how we can use them for our spiritual growth and how we can heal and support humanity and the whole of Creation in these special, challenging times. We will practice, together and in solitude, in the Holy Haram Mosque. We will visit several holy places to drink from the Light, we will visit families to gain a deeper understanding of the situation and of life in this blessed and wounded country, and we will break our fast with the food of thankfulness. Thankfulness means to discover the gifts that Allah has bestowed upon me and to use them in the most beautiful way – for myself and for the whole of Creation.
Jerusalem needs our prayers and our presence, for when the heart is healed, the whole body, indeed the world, can heal and awaken again to Oneness, beauty and harmony. So come, come, whatever state you are in, come and drink from the Source of Mercy. Fawzia, daughter-in-law of our guide Sidi al-Jamal, will guide your inner and outer journey as you drink from the light of this Holy City.
Previous trips have included jumu’ah prayer and tarawih prayers at the Dome of the Rock, breaking fast in the African zawiyya near the Holy Mount, as well as at Sidi’s home on the Mount of Olives. We have visited many holy sites within Jerusalem – Rabi’ah’s tomb, the Garden of Gethsemane, the tomb of Isa and Mary’s tomb, the Dome of the Rock and the cave beneath the rock from where Muhammad (pbuh) made his night journey, the Gates to the old city.
Earlier trips have also included a selection of day trips by bus outside of Jerusalem, to visit and pray at the tomb of Musa, the tombs of Ibrahim and Sarah in Hebron, the cities of Jericho and Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, the site of the birth of John the Baptist and Mary’s spring, the oldest Shadhiliyya zawiyya in Palestine, the Palestinian city where Sidi was born and his family’s farm, as well as breaking fast with Palestinian families in some of these places.
Note: It is necessary to have taken the shahada to join this trip. The holy site where the Dome of the Rock and al Aqsa mosque are located is closed to non-Muslims during Ramadan, so we will be asked by Israeli and Muslim guards whether we are Muslims and will also be asked to prove it by reciting well-known surahs, such as al-Fatihah or al-Ikhlas, or describing wudu, and other Muslim practices.
Tuition includes accommodation and two meals per day in Jerusalem, and travel in and around the city (does not include airfare to and from Jerusalem).
Any questions? Contact Kamila at cshenmen@comcast.net.
