Three members of the IslamCrunch team were volunteers at this past weekend’s Mawlid and Aqidah events in the San Francisco Bay Area. As we arrived, a long line of people eagerly waited in the cold to gain entry into the Muslim Community Association building for the Aqidah event.

Imam Tahir Anwar began the event by giving the attendees some background information on Imam al-Tahawi, author of the book being discussed. Imam Zaid Shakir was up next and gave us some practical advice to strengthen our aqidah. Ustadh Abdullah Ali was third in the line-up and provided definitions of our creed. Shaykh Hamza Yusuf then delivered a classic Shaykh Hamza lecture. Full of anecdotes, historical examples, important facts, lessons to be learned and several dimensions about aqidah.

As the amazing lectures ended, the team put as many of our friends in our cars and drove off to the Mawlid event. A small crowd had already begun to wait outside. The crowd grew into throngs of people, as they tried to acquire their tickets purchased online, to buy tickets at the door and to find their friends and family. By the grace of Allah, the event was sold out and still people were anxious to get into the venue. It was with much sadness, that we had to turn people away.

We were blessed to have attended to many of the night’s noble guests including Mouley Idris, Shaykh Abdurrahman Tahir, Sidi Aziz Baameur and many more.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a blessed Rabi’u Awal. May all of your gatherings be full of light and blessings. May we all remember to commemorate the importance of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.

To see more photos of the Aqidah event, click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14057667@N05/tags/aqidah/

To see more photos of the Mawlid event, click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14057667@N05/tags/mawlid/

Much thanks and love to Sidi Feraidoon of Rumi Bookstore for coordinating these events and allowing us to be a part of the joy.

Check out more photos at Barakah Life. Khadija O’Connell did an amazing job of beautifying the Aqidah event.