I just returned from the Zaytuna gathering where they made their community announcement. There have been a lot of rumors distributed via emails and forums. So, here are the key points that were mentioned tonight:

• Zaytuna is moving from their present location
• Effective September 1, 2007
• Community classes will continue through December 2007
• Classes will be mobile, held in different locations throughout the Bay Area during this period
• Zaytuna will be working with University of California, Berkeley to achieve accreditation for their courses
• Classes will be shorter in duration (Previously, classes were about 10 weeks long. Future classes will be approximately 5 weeks in length)

Even though not explicitly mentioned, references were made that Zaytuna would be moving to Berkeley, California.

Sidi Yahya Rhodus is currently on a sabbatical, expected to return to Zaytuna in 1 – 2 years, insha’Allah. A new scholar will be joining the staff, Ustadh Abdullah bin Hamid Ali – He is the only American to attend and graduate from the University of Al-Qarawiyyin’s Faculty of Shari’ah in Fez, Morocco. Ustadh Abdullah has also studied traditionally with some of the top scholars of Morocco and other notable scholars in North America. He works as a chaplain in the Pennsylvania prison system, has participated and conducted many seminars, lectures, and classes at mosques and universities in the Philadelphia and East Coast region, and translated several traditional Islamic texts.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdurrahman Tahir, Imam Tahir Anwar, Shaykh Ilyas Anwar, Imam Abdurrahman Anwar, Qari Amer Bellaha were in attendance.