The Prophet ﷺ said, “Who does not thank people, has not thanked Allah ﷻ.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)
Thank you Rabata Board members for agreeing to get on this roller-coaster ride in 2012 when it looked like we were only going to be arranging tours, and then sticking by me and the work when it grew into multiple layers of projects and programs. May Allah reward you in all the multiple layers of your lives.
Thank you Registrar and Birth-mother of Ribaat for taking an idea and some instructions and turning it into the only interactive, certified, online academic program for adult women. Ribaat is a miracle. It is empowering women, filling minds and hearts, and building community. May Allah reward you with a mind, heart and community filled with love and positive energy.
Thank you all Ribaat volunteers: teachers, admins, coordinators, teacher assistants, and enthusiastic student cheerleaders. I am awed by your commitment, dedication, organization and heart. One of our USA daʿwa leaders asked me how many paid staff I had at Ribaat, and when I said ‘none’ his mouth dropped open. He could not believe that we had such dedicated people. May Allah reward you all by surrounding you with people who help you where you need help, are dedicated to your work, and please your heart.
Thank you Daybreak Press Editorial Director for three awesome publications, incredible effort in marketing our books, and amazing creative ideas and forward vision. Your patience, humbleness, and hard work humble me.
Thank you Daybreak Global Bookshop and Gathering Space general manager for giving up your state, comfortable life and community to come to Minnesota and help build this dream. Thank you as well to our bookshop’s resident volunteer, who has given up her own home, comforts and community to take over my hours and allow me flexibility and the ability to work on the myriad of other projects Rabata is building. Daybreak shop is in its early stages, and it’s sometimes scary and unsettling – may Allah reward your courage, bravery and strength and send you ease, happiness, and stability all the days of your lives.
Thank you to our website team and all of our social media volunteers. The website home page, blogs, online community, Daybreak page, and Ribaat page take a lot of work to keep up to date and user friendly. May Allah ﷻ reward you and make all your ‘pages’ of life beautiful and user friendly. Our What’sapp thread volunteers who keep our regional threads, worship threads, and work threads a place where we can live in the shelter of each other. Our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram posters who keep everyone ‘in the know’. May Allah ﷻ keep you connected with your loved ones, His beloved, and His very Self.
Thank you to our Circles of Light director and team. The work you do has increased the numbers of khitmas read, ṣalawāt said, and tahajjud prayed. The Pilgrims at Home game on its own opened the door to worship for hundreds of women this year. May Allah make you of His greatest worshippers.
Thank you to those who pray for us every day, to those who get up at night specifically to pray for this daʿwa effort. Thank you to those who have bought books from Daybreak, taken classes at Ribaat, participated in worship activities, or just attended an open livestream or live class. May Allah, in His mercy, connect your hearts to Him and answer your fervent prayers.
Thank you to my scheduling team, support staff, and students. May Allah ﷻ bless you with ease and growth. May every day the sun shines be a day that Divine light increases in your lives.
Thank you to those of you who read these little essays, it is your face that I see when I sit down at the computer to write. And today my heart is overflowing with thankfulness to you and to everyone who has stood up and stood by this work over the past three years. Allahu Akbar.
May we learn to be of the truly grateful in all things. Ameen.
