Box Office opens for Marriage Gems Event

On February 18, 2018March 12, 2018 By muslimwomenmertonIn MWM Events, NewsLeave a comment

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MWM invite you to a unique marriage event …

Today the world is seeing a new era where marriage is no longer considered necessary or even significant for a lasting relationship. Islam has laid down rules and regulations for marriage and has considered marriage an important and essential part of a Muslim’s life. A lack of understanding of the weight placed on selecting the right partner and nurturing the relationship has in itself caused behaviours prohibited in Islam such as deception, sexual relationships/encounters outside of marriage,domestic violence, etc which are increasing.

Hadith 1

“Marriage is part of my sunnah, and whoever does not follow my sunnah has nothing to do with me. Get married, for I will boast of your great numbers before the nations. Whoever has the means, let him get married, and whoever does not, then he should fast for it will diminish his desire.”

[Source: Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 3, Book 9, Hadith 1846]

Hadith 2

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever Allah provides with a righteous wife, then Allah has assisted him in half of his religion. Let him fear Allah regarding the second half.”

[Source: al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ 992, Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to As-Suyuti]

Hadith 3

Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) said:

“Iblis places his throne upon water; he then sends detachments (for creating dissension); the nearer to him in rank are those who are most notorious in creating dissension between husband and wife.. One of them comes and says: “I did so and so.” And he says: “You have done nothing.” Then one amongst them comes and says: “I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between a husband and a wife.” Then Satan goes near him and says: “You have done well.” He then embraces him.”

[Source: Sahih Muslim]

Program for the afternoon

Please select one from two workshops running in parallel

1.Mindful Preparedness

What you need to know/ask and research in your search for the ideal spouse, what matters?

2. Nurturing the Bond

Navigate your way through to a long lasting successful marriage

SPEAKERS

MYRIAM FRANCOIS CERRAH

Myriam Francois-Cerrah is a Franco-British writer, broadcaster and academic with a focus on issues related to Islam, France and the Middle East. Having studied at Oxbridge, Myriam tutors at Oxford and is a Research Associate at the Centre of Islamic Studies (CIS) at SOAS University, where her research focuses on British Muslim integration issues. She also undertakes the centre’s media outreach and research dissemination in relation to its work on British Muslim communities.

HENRIETTA SZOVATI

Henrietta is a life strategist and personal and professional coach, and author of the new book, HeartSmart:One Woman’s Journey from her Head to her Heart. She started her career in the corporate world and after numerous international projects retrained as a coach, founding The Barefoot Institute, where traditional Islamic guidance meets cutting edge psychology and relationship science to help support Muslim relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, siblings and relatives. As a development coach, Henrietta calls for new ways to see, think, connect and lead on personal and organizational levels. She runs her own business and blogs at beheartsmart.me. Her mission is to encourage and inspire others to look at new ways to be in the world-the Heart-Smart way.

WORKSHOP HOSTS

SHAZIA ALI – Nurturing the bond

Shazia is a Laura Doyle Certified Marriage Coach who has been helping women use the Intimacy Skills™ and our Islamic teachings to experience the marriage they truly desire. Shazia comments “I had heard about Laura’s book The Surrendered Wife through an Islamic scholar and after reading it I implemented a couple of her principles in my own marriage. I saw immediate results and I embarked on becoming a marriage coach. During my training I experienced an awe-inspiring shift in not only myself but also my marriage. I’m grateful that Allah guided me to take on this journey and also to be able to help other wives find the peace, love and affection they are seeking.”

IMELDA RYAN – Mindful Prepardness

Imelda is a trainer, runs parenting workshops, a counsellor, and dynamic charity sector worker having found the Muslim Womens Helpline 30 years ago seeing the need to support vulnerable women who require community assistance with issues relating to domestic abuse, marriage breakdown, forced marriage, relationship breakdown, gender identity crises and other issues.

NUZHAT ALI – MWM Chair

Nuzhat is the Chair of Muslim Women of Merton and will be the host of the event. She founded MWM in 2014 committed to empowering and supporting community resilience, through the capabilities of Muslim women. She leads a national portfolio for Government with an aim of making the public healthier and reducing inequalities across the population by promoting healthier lifestyles. Her work was awarded a civil service Outstanding Achievement Award for Diversity and Inclusion in 2017. A clinician with twenty five years of health management and academic experience at local, national and international levels coupled with Masters qualifications in Public Health and Management.

EVENT SPONSOR:

Connect to Sponsor: Haute-Elan Website

LOCATION OF EVENT

Wimbledon Park Hall – click on link for map.

wimbeldon park hall

Free Off street car parking available around venue and easy access via Wimbledon Park Tube Station

STAY CONNECTED WITH MWM

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions presented in the above mentioned event are of the speakers, presenters and do not represent those of MWM. Please check for viruses before accessing the websites of external participants and MWM shall not be held responsible for any damage, loss or liability of any kind suffered in connection from visiting any of the external websites or which may result from reliance on the contents of the visited website and any presentations and advice given.

My experience as a new volunteer

On February 12, 2018February 12, 2018 By muslimwomenmertonIn NewsLeave a comment

Written by Babera Khan

I joined MWM in March 2017 as a volunteer, despite being a busy mother of a large, busy household and a part time primary school teacher. Some days I have my ‘busy mum’ hat on and other days I wear a teaching hat. I enjoy juggling both roles, since it keeps me in touch with the outside world.

Since becoming more involved in promoting MWM within my local community, I have recently taken on the role of the Membership Officer with the aim to recruit more women and channel their skills into relevant projects under MWM.

Volunteering with MWM has helped me realise that a women’s role can be much more than just a mother and wife. It is tough but absolutely rewarding to see you’ve had an impact on young people’s lives. My hobbies include reading, jogging and eating out and I have found that my existing skills are being utilised.

The reason I joined MWM is because of the impact and awareness the group is having on the local community not only as a muslim women but as a group of professionals who have come together and said they want their voices heard. No longer happy to be silent voices in the community we want to make our mark in the local area.

I believe MWM is a very pro-active community group which has takes part in numerous causes and worthy projects such as the Macmillan Coffee morning and Your Health Matters Event ; which saw the participation of health centres, speakers, healthy food challenges and the Mayor of Merton.

My role as a volunteer has been an amazing journey starting with International Women’s day in March 2017 where I was lucky enough to listen to, and meet women with amazing life stories; women who hadn’t been born with a silver spoon in their mouth but had faced a lot of struggles and discrimination not only from the wider society but from within their families. These women were able to prove that despite setbacks and traditional family expectations they could make a mark in their professional field.

My next journey was being part of ‘Your Health Matters’ event in October 2017. I was able to encourage people, as well as the Mayor to make a pledge for change in their physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. The aim was to get people to really pinpoint an area they felt they needed to change in themselves be it even a small change.

I feel MWM has pushed the boundaries of expectations of muslim women in the community. Life has to mean more than just that and we have to seek it otherwise a life of opportunities are lost. We close our own doors to opportunities by limiting our own minds and shutting them down. We need to lift our heads out of the parapet and look around us and see what there is to be accomplished and experienced, only then can we truly experience what life Allah has blessed us with. MWM has helped me experience just that and I am honoured to be part of an amazing women’s volunteer organisation.

visiting stall halders

Let’s make Bread

On February 2, 2018February 2, 2018 By muslimwomenmertonIn MWM Events, TripsLeave a comment

Breadmaking Event at Wimbledon Synagogue,

21^st January 2018, by Hana Bader

On a cold, rainy day, a group of Muslim and Jewish ladies and children gathered at Wimbledon Synagogue, excited to roll up our sleeves and get busy in the kitchen. The aim of the afternoon was to watch demonstrations of bread-making then try to make our own versions, and finally enjoy the fruits of our labour together.

We started with the challah, a slightly sweet, yeasted bread. We learned how it might be eaten on Shabbat (the Sabbath) and would be traditionally covered with a decorative cloth. The plaiting of the strands of loaf was initially tricky, but fun once we got the hang of it!

Next, was the chapatti. We were shown how to roll out pats of dough and tried our best to get them as thin and as round as possible. These would then be brushed with oil and cooked on a hot plate.

The last of our breads were bagels, which were great to make, especially watching how the hole was formed.

However, the best part of the afternoon was eating together – we had our warm bagels with cream cheese & smoked salmon as well as hot chapattis with lots of delicious coconut & corn curry. Our challahs were thoughtfully packaged up for us to take home, still fresh from the oven. Nothing went to waste as we all took home plenty of extra bagels, chapattis and curries.

It was fascinating to be able to watch our demonstrators first-hand, and interesting to talk to one another about our food customs.

group photo

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