Yes, it’s lesss than 24 hours to go before BeingME starts! A phenomonal weekend awaits you dear sister! If you havn’t purchased you tickets you can do so here. Limited tickets will be sold at the door.

Please do let everyone you know about the event and make dua for its success and acceptance. We look forward to welcoming you beloved Sister!

Directions:

LONDON CONFERENCE: Saturday 2nd June 2012

Address: Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London, W8 7NX

Map: [http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/venuesgeneral/general/find_us.asp#adobe]

Getting There

London Underground

Circle or District Line to High Street Kensington, out through the arcade onto Kensington High Street, cross the High Street and walk straight up Hornton Street approximately 100 yards. The Town Hall Conference and Events Centre is on the left hand side.

Local Bus Routes

(Alight at Kensington High Street/Wrights Lane junction) numbers: 9, 10, 27, 28, 49, 328, C1. Alternatively 52 or 70 at Kensington Church Street. For specific routes and journey planning, please visit: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Car Parking

Standard charges apply. There is a public car park immediately below the Town Hall. Enter Campden Hill Road from Kensington High Street. Turn first right into Phillimore Walk. Turn immediately left down the entrance ramp to the car park. Additional public car parks are also available at the Royal Garden Hotel (Kensington High Street) and in Young Street.

MANCHESTER CONFERENCE: Sunday 3rd June 2012

Address: Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel, Portland Street, Manchester M1 4PH

Map: [http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-8325-mercure-manchester-piccadilly-hotel/location.shtml#]

Getting There

The Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel overlooks Piccadilly Gardens in Central Manchester.

It is just 800 metres from Manchester Piccadilly railway station and 50 metres from Piccadilly Gardens Bus station and Metrolink tram stop. For specific routes and journey planning, please visit: http://www.tfgm.com/

Car Parking

You may be able to find free parking in nearby pay and display parking bays in the surrounding streets if you arrive early. The nearest car park however is located underneath the hotel, with access via New York Street, Manchester M1 4AE. Standard charges apply (6-24 hour tariff is £22) but parking in this NCP will allow you to get your ticket validated by the hotel, to receive 20% off the standard charge.

Be serious about making improvements in your life.

The world is full of opportunity, but sometimes too much thinking can get in the way. Here are a few tips to help you change your life for the better.

1.     Remember the gifts you were born with. When you stop to remember what you have instead of worrying about what you don’t have or may not be getting, it changes your perspective for the better.

2.     Start your day the night before. The most successful people I know end their workday by making a list of what they have to do the following day or two ahead. This allows the subconscious to work on things while you sleep.

3.     Be ready to grow up. Adults have the ability to learn to delay gratification, but we also have a choice as to how to behave when things don’t go our way. If you remember to take the high road, you’ll end up where you want to be.

4.     Drop the attitude. If you think the world owes you a living, you might want to reevaluate your position. It is quite possible that, by feeling entitled, you are pushing away things and people you might like.

5.     Don’t ignore your emotions, but remember that feelings aren’t facts. Emotions need to be honored—they don’t have to be justified—but just because you have a feeling doesn’t mean that you’re right.

6.     Watch out for negative thinking. Sometimes we get into negative feedback loops and don’t even know it. If thoughts of being helpless and hopeless continue to enter your mind, you might just need to take a nap or perhaps talk with someone who can help.

7.     Set up and stick to a routine. We are creatures of habit, and good habits, such as getting regular exercise, make us feel better. Maintaining good habits also helps us feel that we have some control over our lives. Just do it.

8.     Drop your resentments. We all have them. Whether they are toward our parents, partners, or peers, resentments take up too much psychic space to allow us to function properly. By choosing to drop them, you will make your life much lighter. The hardest part is making the decision to let your resentments go.

9.     Know who you really are, and learn to honor yourself. We all fake it from time to time and, once in a while, this can be a good thing, but never compromise your personal values and always strive to be your best self.

10.  Enjoy a part of every day. You can’t always be in bliss-city, so look for those little bright moments that happen all the time but that we often fail to recognize. Make a point of seeing some good in every day, and you will change your life.

Changing your life for the better is about picking a destination and taking one step at a time to get there. If you try to take shortcuts, you may end up making your journey long and arduous. Being serious about making improvements is a great start. Now put it into action.

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emotional-fitness/201202/10-tools-will-unlock-your-potential

Published on February 24, 2012 by Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D. in Emotional Fitness

The Muslimah Awards is a celebration of the women we know who have made our lives so much more special. It is a recognition of the contributions and services that they have delivered to us, our families, and our communities.

We want to highlight those sisters that are making a difference at the grassroots level and say thank you to the unsung heroes: the mother who became a foster carer, the neighbours who help with the school runs, the youth who care for their sick parents, the aunties who keep the study circles running, the sisters who manage dawah campaigns, the grandmas who we rely on for child minding, and the list goes on. You can nominate just about any Muslimah!

There are three Outstanding Achievement Award categories:

·         12-21 years of age

·         21-40 years of age

·         Above 40 years of age

Nominate a Muslimah today and help us to showcase the Muslimahs of our time and join us for an unmissable event!

Book your tickets now: http://bit.ly/IlUKgR

Whilst reclining in calm candle lit quarters, you can select the treatments and therapies from a menu designed especially for you. Enjoy a massage as plant-extracted essential oils are soothingly eased into soon-to-be uplifted tendons; a feel good facial to flush away impurities, quench the pores, and leave your skin feeling soft and supple; exotic and intricate henna designs for your hard working hands; a cool cut that flatters and accentuates your face; and healing hijama therapies to boost immunity and rebalance the hormones.

The BeingME Beauty Oasis will provide the pick-me-up you have been waiting for! What’s more, is that most of these treatments are free or will be charged only at a nominal fee!

We are offering:

- Hair cuts
- Hand treatments
- Pedicures,
- Head and shoulder massages
- Facials

A selection of the above will be offered on a complimentary basis for all attendees.

So as well as swimming in the seas of beneficial knowledge, drop into the BeingME Beauty Oasis for a holistic experience and a refreshed, re-energised, and revitalised self.

Book your tickets now: http://bit.ly/IlUKgR

Many of us desire to be something or someone better. Our efforts to enhance our lifestyles are limitless. We are constantly looking for new ways to improve ourselves. Ask yourself: if there was someone you wanted to emulate, who would it be? Who would you take as an example, a standard to measure yourself against? Would it be the size zero models of today who don’t even have the sense to realise they are being exploited and disposed of whenever it suits the fashion industry? Or would it be the Hollywood/Bollywood stars, who on a superficial level seem to have it all?
If they are the role models we wish to live up to, then sisters the glitz and the glamour of the superficial world they inhabit will keep us far from the fragrance of Jannah. There is no room for such women in Jannah, for Jannah is for the pure believing women. And that is what we want to be recognised as – believing women, the muslimaat, the mu’minaat, the muhsinaat. These were the titles of pious women before us. Real women. Empowered women. Women with firm belief and unwavering strength. Women who can teach us a thing or two about living and dying. They knew the way to success in the dunya and the akhirah. To find women who are truly worthy of being called role models, we must look into the lives of those who lived before us, preceding us not just in this world but in Jannah. Why were such women promised Jannah by Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds? What did they possess that so many of us, including the so-called female role models of today, lack?

 
There are many sahabiyaat whose lives tell their own story. If we want to talk about the first martyr in Islam, then she is Sumayyah (radiyAllahu ‘anha). If we want to ponder on the battle of Uhud, then we will find it was Nusaybah (radiyAllahu ‘anha) who protected the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) when many men fled from the battlefield. If you want to know who sacrificed her life along with her new infant by jumping into the ditch as mentioned in Surah Burooj, then it was a mother. Extraordinary women. Let us focus on four other women with whom we should be very familiar and to whom we should be in awe of. The four who were promised Paradise by Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). The four who after learning about should propel us to follow their footsteps all the way to Jannah.

These four women were rare jewels with unique qualities. Aasiyah’s (‘alayha salam) story is one of immense courage, conviction and constancy. The believing wife of the disbelieving Fir’awn, she was married to a tyrant whose kufr knew no bounds. She managed to convince Fir’awn to keep Musa (‘alayhi salam) and to bring him up in their kingdom, despite Fir’awn’s cruel massacre of baby boys. Whilst her husband was declaring to be the Lord Almighty, she was affirming her faith in the One True God. She did not cease to believe in Allah although she knew the consequences would be severe if Fir’awn found out. She did not fear her husband for her heart was full of taqwa of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) there was no room for fear of a tyrant ruler. She did not even cower when it reached head on confrontation with Fira’wn who tortured her mercilessly because of her belief in Allah. Such was the status of this woman that Allah mentions her strength in the Qur’an by quoting her as supplicating under torture:

 
“And Allah gives an example for those who believe: the wife of pharaoh. (Remember) when she said, ‘My Lord! Build for me a house with Thee in the Paradise, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his deeds; and deliver me from the unjust people.” {At-Tahrim:11}

 
This brave lady, in the face of death, started laughing under torture because she was shown her place in Jannah. She knew her Lord was pleased with her; what more could she want? This worldly life did not matter to her; she was leaving a kingdom of power and glory behind to be in a better place, a place closer to her Lord. Her emaan had raised her ranks with Allah and that is why she is one of the four women promised Jannah.

 
Now let’s learn a lesson of piety and purity. Where in history will you find a woman as chaste as the mother of prophet ‘Eesa (‘alayhi salam). She came from the noble family of Imran who hold the honour of having a surah in the Qur’an in their name. Maryam (‘alayha salam) was a devout worshipper and was rewarded by Allah for her sincerity. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala ) provided her with sustenance from sources we cannot begin to imagine. He made sure this devout servant of His was properly taken care of.  These incidents we find mentioned in the Qur’an:

 
“So her Lord, accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariyya. Every time he entered Al-Mihrab to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said ‘O Maryam! From where have you got this?’ She said, ‘This is from Allah.’ Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit.” {Al-Imran: 37}

 
SubhanAllah, a true blessing from Allah. She was able to keep herself away from the fitnah of worldly desires. Thereafter came about the miraculous birth of the prophet ‘Eesa (‘alayhi salam). Allah did not just choose anyone; He chose the best of women for the great responsibility of bringing this noble prophet into the world. When the angel Jibreel (‘alayhi salam) came to her with glad tidings of a son, her first reaction was to screen herself, such was her hayaa. She was able to say, “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?” {Maryam: 19} No other woman has this honour and that is why Allah chose Jannah as Maryam’s place of eternal residence.

The third woman of Jannah is our dear mother, Khadija (radiyAllahu ‘anha), the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). What can we say about the first woman to submit to the deen of Islam? A woman with her wisdom and insight, she was able to comfort and advise her husband when he (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) came to her shaking from his first experience of revelation. Her constant support and words of encouragement helped him in his mission to spread the word of Allah and to remain strong in the face of opposition to his mission. She struggled alongside the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), she felt the pangs of hunger he did. Such was the love for his God fearing wife, that the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) visited her friends even after her death. How can we not want to emulate the character of Khadija (radiyAllahu ‘anha) when the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said this about her, ‘I have not yet found a better wife than her. She had faith in me when everyone, even members of my own family and tribe did not believe in me, and accepted that I was truly a prophet and a messenger of Allah. She converted to Islam, spent all her wealth and worldly goods to help me spread this faith, and this too at a time when the entire world seemed to have turned against me and persecuted me. And it is through her that Allah has blessed me with children.’ The deep rooted faith of this believing woman granted her Jannah, an exchange she earned for the hardship she faced as a result of her support of Islam and her husband the prophet of Allah (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

The legend of Khadija (radiyAllahu ‘anha) lived through and was brought to life by her daughter Fatima (radiyAllahu ‘anha). How can we expect anything short of excellence,when her father was the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and her mother was Khadija (radiyAllahu ‘anha). She didn’t enjoy the riches of this world nor did she make demands on her parents as many of us do now. Yet she was given the best of life, as her father taught her how to make dhikr of Allah in times of difficulty. Also the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) married her to the best of men – ‘Ali (radiyAllahu ‘anhu). This kind, sweet and gentle woman was immensely loved by the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). She was the first to defend her father if he was hurt or ridiculed. It was this little girl who came running to her father whilst he was in prostration and removed the filth and dirt which had been dumped on the back of the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) by the disbelieving Quraysh. For this, her reward was not only paradise, but she is to be the leader of all women of Jannah, the glad tidings of which her father brought to her in his last days. Not only that, but she is the mother of the two youths who will be the leaders of all the youth in Jannah, Al Hasan and Hussain (radiyAllahu ‘anhum).

Moving on to the woman who the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was not shy to say that she was the most beloved to him. ‘Aishah (radiyAllahu ‘anha), the great scholar of Islam. The woman in whose lap the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) lay his head in his last moments. ‘Aishah (radiyAllahu ‘anha) was held in high esteem by all. Known for her intellect and sharpness, she taught us a great deal of this deen. Allah came to ‘Aishah’s (radiyAllahu ‘anha) defence when He sent down revelation to clear her of slander propagated by the hypocrites. The Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was told by Jibreel (‘alayhi salam), ‘She is your wife in this world and the hereafter.’ (Tirmithi) And insha’Allah, if we commit ourselves to Allah the way she did then, we may be blessed with her delightful company in Jannah.

All these women who lived either before or during the time of the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) were never to be matched but that doesn’t mean we cannot take lessons from their lives. Their legacies extend beyond their lives and deaths so we can follow them and share their courage, chastity, wisdom, sincerity and devotion. In fact it has been proven that such women have existed in our times. Zainab Al-Ghazali is a prime example; her strong belief in Allah and commitment to the da’wah was met by pain and struggle but that did not stop her from spreading the message that the Prophet (sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) bought to us. Her words penetrate through the hearts of those who want to tread the straight path, those who won’t rest until the word of Allah is made uppermost. In her own words to her husband, she said:

‘…but da’wah will always remain rooted in me…I know that it is your right to command me and that it is my duty to obey you, but God in our souls is greater than our souls, and His da’wah is dearer to us than ourselves.’

If we comprehend her message then we will realise how much work we have to do with ourselves and those around us, for we are servants of Allah with a message to convey.

Such work is being carried out even now, by our dear sisters in Islam. Masha’Allah, Allah has blessed us with personalities such as sister Yvonne Ridley, who is no stranger to the Muslims or non-Muslims. Her story is awe inspiring as many would agree. Look around you, there are people still striving in the way of their Lord. Our mothers, sisters, and daughters around the world are suffering to enable us to worship Allah properly. They are our role models. But do we appreciate their efforts? What do we give them in return? At least let us remember them in our du’aas.

So sisters, we know exactly where to look for role models. In our history pages and in our own hearts. Because somewhere in yourself, there is your faithful companion: your emaan. It just needs to be nurtured with the prophetic guidance and righteous deeds and insha’Allah you will be amongst those women of Jannah.
“O the one in complete rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord – well pleased (yourself) and well pleasing (unto Him)! Enter you then among My (honoured) servants, and enter you My Paradise.” {Fajr: 27-30}
You can catch Roshanara at this year’s BeingME conference. Book your tickets now: http://bit.ly/IlUKgR

There are two types of CV, There‘s the here’s-a-list-of-jobs-I’v-had kind that is essential for a straight job application, And then there’s the altogether more interesting kind: the one that sums you up as a businesswoman. Akin to a mini biography. they‘re a more persuasive format for a pitch document or business plan when you’re bidding for a contract, going for funding or securing an opportunity like a speaking engagement or network membership. Here are my 12 fail-safe rules on how to create one:

1. Keep it simple  this is purely a statement of who you are: your professional identity, your achievements, and your professional back story.
2. I prefer to stick with the traditional ‘CV’ as a heading but if your audience is very international, call it a resume if you must!
3. Present yourself in paragraphs. Running copy and with sparse use of bullet points.
4. Open with a winning statement that sums up your professional status and why you’re an exciting proposition right now: “…is an award­ winning marketing professional with an eight year track record of game-changing strategies and proven results.”
5. Don’t shy away  shouting about all of your achievements and media recognition and the awards you have in your trophy cabinet. Be proud of them.
6. Summarise your past experience as you might want to read it in an obituary (truly!) so that it tells a story of how you’ve
   become the business person that you are today. So mine would explain how 10 years as a journalist on women’s magazines
   plus eight more in marketing and advertising. Then seven years of entrepreneurship adds up to a fair understanding of what it takes to launch, build and market a business aimed at women.
7. Avoid a  list of dates and roles (and every exam you ever took) at  all costs, instead grouping similar experiences and projects.
8. In your mind (or in a note to yourself) make sure that your history adds up.  one thing not to list the detail in date order, another to fudge and fumble it if questioned. Lost years and inconsistencies never look good.
9. Use the third person: “Sarah Jones is…” (not “I am…”). It suggests you’re important enough to have someone represent you.
10. Be brief- one page is plenty.
11. Skip the hobbies and the full-clean-driving-license-part. Not relevant, unless you run ultra marathons or speak five different languages.
12. Typos are just insane.  Check again and again.

Sophie is MD & Co-Founder of notonthehighstreet.com. Book your tickets now: http://bit.ly/IlUKgR

If you haven’t signed up for tickets yet, there’s still time. The whole purpose of BeingMe is to try and create a safe and inclusive environment where one Muslimah can inspire another Muslimah.

Every Muslim woman is unique, and has her own challenges and aspirations. The human experience is a shared one.  We want to bring together sisters, daughters, aunties and even grandmothers.

So come and contribute by signing up for tickets here: http://being-me.org/uk/tickets/

Zohra, who is flying in from Indiana, USA, is a coach, entrepeneur and international speaker who has an assortment of publications under her belt. Her strengths lie in helping individuals to achieve their goals and working with them on resolving specific challenges within their lives.

Take advantage of our Early Bird offer and get an exclusive e-book courtesy of Sister Zohra Sarwari. Hurry though as it’s just for the select few who get there first!

‘The Key Strategies That Can Make Anyone a Successful Leader’ usually comes at a cost of around £15. So take advantage of the Early Bird Deal today to get your complimentary gift.

Book your tickets today: http://bit.ly/IlUKgR

Ustadh Musleh Khan

Musleh Khan was born in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. He was raised and is currently residing in Toronto, Canada. At college he studied computer programming and then went to work as a Fraud analyst. ​In 2002 ustadh Musleh was accepted at the Islamic University of Madinah where he completed a diploma in Arabic followed by a BA in Islamic Law from the faculty of Daʿwah and Uṣūl al-dīn. ​Upon graduating in 2011 he has returned to Canada and has plans to pursue a Masters at York University, Toronto. He has been very active in the Toronto vicinity for more than 10 years, having conducted sermons, classes, lectures and conferences, as well as various Intensive Islamic programmes in the United States. Ustadh Musleh has been counselling and offering spiritual support to sisters for almost 10 years. In this time he has dealt with numerous domestic abuse cases, and provided care to homeless sisters. He has also acted as an official spokesman for the Muslim Women of Toronto, and has conducted several sisters only classes/intensive courses on several topics including: The Complete Muslimah, A Muslimah & her husband, and Women & Politics. Ustadh Musleh enjoys long-distance running and basketball in addition to spending time preparing for classes in Toronto, where he and his wife reside.

Zohra Sarwari (Exclusive UK Debut)

Acclaimed author of no less than 10 books, speaker, entrepreneur and life coach, Zohra is an inspiration. She adds value across  multiple   paradigms  and  heads  a  number  of successful commercial  endeavours.  At  the  heart  of  her  portfolio  is  her  family,  and  she home-schools  her children  and  has  done  so  to  such  a  standard  that  they  are  typically  several  years ahead of their peers. The programme she has matured for her own children has allowed  them  to  follow  in  their  mother’s  footsteps  becoming  authors  whilst  being  as  young as five!  Zohra has appeared on CBS and FOX News, and often delivers seminars at some of the best Colleges and Universities in the United States of America, and will be debuting in the UK for BeingME.

Saiyyidah Zaidi

Saiyyidah is a business coach with a creative and business consultancy background in strategy, change management and process thinking. Often described as practical and pragmatic Saiyyidah’s clients say one her biggest strengths is the ability to get to the heart of the issue and enable them to gain extra insights through appropriate and timely questioning. Her aim is to help individuals rediscover the richness that life has to offer and work with them to move through the critical points of transition.

Saiyyidah’s background as an architect offers a creative, innovative and unprecedented opportunity for individuals, groups and organisations to recognise and develop their strengths and use of skills enabling perceived obstacles to be unlocked. Saiyyidah has over 20 years’ experience in the public and private sector organisations and has delivered across a range of regeneration, change management and business life cycle stages. Saiyyidah writes Work Focus column in The Muslim Weekly, the Muslimah Business Profile for Sisters Magazine, has appeared on Channel 4, Iqra TV, Islam Channel and Radio 4. In addition she has published in BMJ, Psychology Today and professional journals.

Hafizah Ismail

Hafizah Ismail is the founder and director of Children of Jannah, the only organisation set up to offer support to grieving Muslim families following the loss of a child. She has authored ‘Sorrow to Serenity’, a book which provides powerful steps to help a mother find peace through the pain of child loss. In less than one year Children of Jannah has attained registered charity status and has grown from strength to strength with over 23,000 fans. As a certified Grief Recovery Specialist , Hafizah supports people through grief of all kinds, and actively promotes the need to address the topic at a more comprehensive level.

Hafizah comes from a background in education, and works as an Education Consultant to empower schools with the skills to raise standards and maximise the potential for all students.  As a public speaker and life coach, Hafizah focuses on helping people to achieve their goals and resolving specific challenges within their lives.  Hafizah is currently in her fourth year on the Students’ Guild Islamic Studies programme and is studying Qur’an with the Al Manhal Institute. She is married and resides with her husband in Manchester, where they hope to adopt a young sibling group as approved adopters.

Amal Stapley
Amal is the founder of the SuperMuslimah Project, a coaching project that supports, motivates and encourages Muslim women to step forward in their lives with confidence.

She accepted Islam in 1992, while working in Malaysia for Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) with people with learning disabilities. Amal then went on to graduate from the International Islamic University of Malaysia in Psychology and Islamic studies. Following this, she lived overseas in Jordan, the USA and Egypt for 20 years, working with a number of Islamic organisations, including the American Open University, Harf, Iqra TV and the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America, among others.

Amal finally came back home to the UK three years ago, partly to help her mother nurse her father through the last stages of his cancer. Since then she has been rebuilding her life, once again. She recently accepted the position as Chair of the Sheffield New Muslim Project, enabling her to share her experience and education to offer help and support to people who have recently converted to or are interested in learning more about Islam.

Alaa El Syed

His motto is “whatever it takes” and his work for Mercy Mission is characterized by that passion for this vision. Whether it be recording video content for Ramadan TV, or fundraising for Mercy Mission Canada, or speaking to a packed audience at the Mercy Mission Annual Islamic Conference in Australia or losing his voice teaching the sell-out course “Home Sweet Home,” which has been delivered to thousands of students across the globe. Sheikh Alaa was born in Cairo and lived in Egypt until he was 15 years old. Sheikh Alaa has studied for his Bachelors in Shari’ah from the American International University, and has earned a scholarship from the Shari’ah Academy in Egypt/Florida.  Sheikh Alaa has assisted in raising awareness about crimes against women in Calgary. He has also supported in planning a course to educate police officers on how to handle domestic violence. In his local masjid in Toronto he conducts a weekly class for women only and he has over 20 years of experience in marital counselling.

Fatima Barkatulla

Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Fatima has had a rich Islamic education at an early age thanks to her parents.

Fatima began her Arabic and Islamic studies in Egypt at prominent institutes such as Al-Fajr Center, Qortoba Institute and Al Azhar University.

Fatima has contributed to many documentaries and live shows which have been broadcasted on stations and channels such as BBC Radio 4, the World Service, as well as BBC Television and Islam Channel. She also regularly contributes to discussions on London Radio stations such as LBC and BBC London.

Additionally, Fatima has written for the national newspaper The Times as well as contributing to Times Online’s Faith section, on topics promoting understanding of Islam, and has contributed to a number of Muslim publications such as Al-Jumuah Magazine, Emel Magazine, The Muslim Weekly and am a columnist for SISTERS Magazine.

Currently Fatima is an instructor and lecturer for iERA.

Khafayah Abdulsalam

Khafayah is a mother of four beautiful gems. She is also the founder of UMMUKA, an organisation which sets out to empower mothers using Islamic principles and practical solutions to become the mums that they want to be, and make parenting fun.  Khafayah is a certified Mummy Coach, Master NLP Practitioner, Writer and Public Speaker.

With over 5 years of relevant coaching experience, bags of real life ‘coping as a single mum’ know-how, Khafayah is in insipiration to all mothers out there. Having raised four kids on her own, whilst earning a living, studying for professional qualifications and Islamic studies, alongside her Dawah activites. Khafayah understands the real life pressures for Muslim women today and is passionate about sharing her practical solutions to help all mums to overcome their everyday obstacles.