The Sanctuary
"The Messenger of God upon him be peace said: The world is a prison for the believer and paradise for the disbeliever".[Muslim]
The Sanctuary Retreat will take place twice (biannually) in the academic year – the first one in the winter (December 2022) and second one in the early summer (May 2023). Each retreat is four days and is intended for Micro-Madrasa students, taking place at scenic grounds of Mustafa Mount in Bradford. In the tradition of Islam, the spiritual reality of an entity is reflected in its name, thus the retreat as well as its aims are intended to fulfil the purpose of being a safe haven and a shelter from the lowly world of anxiety, frenzy and constant distraction.
The aim of the Sanctuary is to facilitate an environment wherein one is able to connect to God Almighty throughout the day and the night through the implementation of a prophetic schedule featuring pre-dawn supplications, congregational prayer, wholesome prophetic food, physical activities, classes of knowledge and gatherings of remembrance.
The day is begun with pre-dawn supplications as that is the time where true relationships with the Divine are forged and approved. The moments before the emergence of the dawn is also famously known as a time where all prayers, worldly or other worldly, are accepted.
The Micro-Madrasa classes are continued in the Sanctuary for all students, as the arrangement of classes surrounded by natural creation only serves to enhance the intake of the mind as well as to augment the spiritual experience.
Since the spirituality of food is significant in producing a wholesome body and soul, the students during the Sanctuary are catered with foods that are inspired by the Prophetic diet and are organic and nourishing. The meals which are prepared from ingredients that are wholesome and locally-sourced are prepared with the intention of healing for the body as opposed to merely satisfying one's apetite.
An additional distinct highlight of the Sanctuary is the opportunity to partake in a wide range of physical activities. These include prophetic sports such archery, and grappling and other activities such as beekeeping and sacred geometry.