The Need To Retreat – Registration Closing Soon for SeekersGuidance Toronto Retreat

Oneness of Love – SeekersGuidance Retreat 2016

In just a few weeks, we will be gathering for this year’s retreat at Bark Lake Leadership Center, Ontario, Canada.
It promises to be another life-changing experience, so don’t miss out!
Register now (registration closes on May 7th): Oneness of Love
Learn about some of the benefits of the 2014 SeekersGuidance retreat from one of the attendees below.

“Awakening The Heart” SeekersRetreat 2014

During SeekersGuidance’s retreat last year, I had the opportunity to sit in the company of learned, God-fearing men and women. In a tranquil forest setting, we spent our days studying under them and absorbing their beautiful character.
They taught us about the importance and virtue of Sacred Knowledge. They taught us about our spiritual lineage: those giants who preceded us in faith and their Seal (Allah bless him and give him peace). And they taught us about God; about loving Him, about trusting in Him, and about giving ourselves back to Him wholly.
The experience continues to be indescribable. So many lessons were learned inside the classroom, and just as many from simply being in blessed company.
As I recount those days, I realize that I’m still reaping the benefits of the retreat. Some of these, I’ll share with you below.

Time for silence

We talk. We talk a lot. Too much, actually. And I don’t think there’s a single person out there who hasn’t regretted something they said, only to find that there’s no way to take it back.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak the good or remain silent.” But to develop the ability to control one’s tongue, one needs practice.
The retreat reoriented our schedules, leaving us less time than usual for talking and filling our days with listening and learning.
As I look back at the conversations I did have, most of them centered around the learning experience, the excellent methodology of teaching masters like Shaykh Ahmed Saad al Azhari and Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, and the knowledge we were gaining during those precious days.
Outside of this, there was little time for useless things and we were given to contemplation.

Time for intensity

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us to be avid for that which benefits.
In another hadith, he said, “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though there is good in both.”
The difference between strength and weakness is often just actualizing potential. We are far more capable – by Allah’s leave – to work hard and do great things for our Lord than we imagine.
The retreat was an intensive learning experience. What this nurtured in everyone was a desire and vigour to strive, to work hard, and to make the most of each moment. No one I met was bored or short of things they wanted to do to benefit from the time there.
We saw our mettle. We had proof of just how much effort we can put into our relationship with our Creator, and we got a taste of the avidness and strength that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) desired for his community.

Time for community

The SeekersRetreat connected hearts. In particular, it brought together people who were facing difficult circumstances. I remember thinking about how utterly broken-hearted so many of the attendees I met were. It was, in fact, a retreat. We were given time away from our problems to recuperate and recharge in order to re-engage.
Tests come in all shapes and forms. In reality, every moment of our lives is a test, and how we respond determines something of our eternal fate.
As well as Muslims know this, we often struggle to find the spiritual stamina to keep going on the right path. When we’re disconnected from people who are moving in the same direction, the journey becomes lonely and tiring. Without true leaders, even the steps become blurred.

Being with a community of Believers lightened our burdens, because we were reminded of the purpose of this life and the promise of the next. This is dunya, I thought, and we’re in it together. We’re here to help one another as we move towards Allah.

Time for God

Allah Most High tells us, “Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do good deeds, and not join anyone in the service of his Lord (18:110).”
The retreat awakened in us the meaning of true service to Allah.mOur days began and ended in His worship. In between, Allah facilitated for us to seek knowledge and do good works – striving for sincerity therein.
We also had the opportunity to reflect and take ourselves to account: how much are we preparing for our meeting with our Lord? How is our relationship with Him on a day-to-day basis?
Our hearts were being cultivated so that in the seasons ahead, we would find the spiritual and intellectual sustenance we need to serve Allah and His creation.
For all the benefits I’ve mentioned, there are a thousand more that are hidden, unknown, or simply forgotten. May Allah reward the entire team who coordinated last year’s retreat and reunite us all this year for His sake, ameen.
VIDEO: This year’s teachers on why you should attend the SeekersRetreat: