The Event

The Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center (IECRC), a non-profit, non-political, 501(c)(3) community service organization based in Northern California will hold its 2nd Women’s Naat Poetry Recital gathering on June 21, 2008 between 2:00-6:00 PM at the Smedberg Jr High School at 8239 Kingsbridge Drive, Sacramento, CA 95829.

The term Naat refers to the practice of reciting poetry in praise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad – born 570 CE, peace be upon him). This noble act became the hallmark of the Great Companion, Hassaan bin Thabit (may God shower His mercy on him) when he used to praise the Beloved Prophet of God during his most trying times. Eloquently recited metered poetry ever since became a means of peacefully and lovingly informing the believers of the noble characteristics of the Prophet (pace be upon him) and for uplifting the spirit of those in despair and depression, irrespective of their faith.

For young girls and women, the recital of such poetry holds a special place as it is performed in the tradition of the young girls of Medina who came out into the outskirts of the city and recited poetry with the traditional Duff (a musical instrument commonly used among Arabs, Persians, Kurds, and Turks) as the Beloved Prophet emerged on the horizon, during his migration from Mecca.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is believed by Muslims to be the final Prophet of Almighty God sent as a “Mercy to all the worlds.” But this reverence does not end here. Muslims believe in and love all the Prophets of God including Prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jesus, and Moses (peace be upon them all). The Pure Mother Mary (may God have mercy on her) is one of the four perfect women in Islam.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in Arabia at a time when it was steeped in the depths of oppression and shackles of abuse, especially of women. The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) arrival heralded a new era – one in which women were to be considered the equal and committed partners of men in the Path to God with the recognition that at the spiritual level, all humans, both men and women, have been created from a single soul [The Holy Quran, 4:1]. There is an entire chapter dedicated to women‘s rights in the Holy Quran, believed by Muslims to be the last Divine Text from God confirming the previous original heavenly books such as the Torah and the Bible.

This year’s Naat recital is dedicated to the great Muslim Saint, Baba Fareeduddin Ganj Shakr (may God shower His mercy on him - d. 1267), a great personality loved by many including those outside the faith of Islam, especially adherents of the Sikh religion. His simple and deeply-piercing poetry of True Love (Ishq-e-Haqiqi), a theme common in all deeply spiritual traditions, earned him the respect of all God-loving people. He was known for his humility, perseverance in extreme hardship, tolerance for the other, and piety. His life, message, character and contributions are an inspiration for those in service of humanity. The resting place of this great Saint is in Pak Pattan, Pakistan, which is still visited by throngs of devotees who seek to have their prayers answered by God by means of his rank (waseela).

Among those confirmed to present their naat recitations are Ms. Syeda Shagufta Ahmad, Ms. Bushra Chaudhury, Ms. Mumtaz, and Ms. Aaliya Gilani from Bay Area; Ms. Naila of Woodland; Ms. Benazir and ensemble, Ms. Nazia and Ms. Saima of Yuba City; Ms. Fatima Sharaaz Qadri and Ms. Farnaz Bi of Sacramento. History of Naat recitation will be presented and a talk on the life of Baba Fareeduddin Ganj Shakr (may God have mercy of him) in dedication to his Beloved (may God be pleased with him) will be delivered by Ms. Syeda Zille Humma Ayyaz Qadri, from IECRC. The event will be in diverse languages including Urdu, English, Farsi, Arabic, and Punjabi. The focus on the poetic contributions will consist of compositions of Great Muslim Saints from various parts of the world. There will be much young talent on display in the children’s performances which are a part and parcel of all IECRC events. Attendance is expected from Sacramento, its surrounding areas, the Bay Area, and beyond.

We invite all women regardless of religion or race to join us for an evening of spirituality, knowledge, poetry, community building, and friendship.

For details and directions of the gathering, call Ms. Fatima Sharaaz 916-687-7547, or Ms. Syeda Zille Humma 510-648-9525, or visit www.maulud.org

Admission is free and the event is open to all women.

Refreshments will be served throughout the event.

Child care is available.

Please arrive on time for timely completion!

General Agenda
SUBJECT TO CHANGE (Final Agenda to be distributed at Conference)

Part I

Part II

Adult Women Poetry (Na'at) Recitations
History of Naat Shareef (Powerpoint Presentation)
History and Services of IECRC (Powerpoint Presentation)


Part III

Keynote Address
Closing, Salutations to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him - Salaam) and Supplications (Dua)
Dinner

Directions to Location

• Coming Soon...

Contact Us

Media Contacts:
Sister Fatima Sharaaz Qadri: 916-687-7547
Syeda Zille Humma Qadri: 510-648-9525

Organizational Contacts:
Ayyaz Yousaf, Qadri, Co-Founder and Director, IECRC: 510-475-7867 - ayyazy@yahoo.com
Sharaaz Khan, Qadri, Director, IECRC: 916-687-7547 - sharaaz2001@yahoo.com


General Email : info@iecrcna.org
Website: www.iecrcna.org and www.maulud.org

Previous Conferences

The 5th Annual IECRC Milad Shareef Conference
Respecting Cultural Values: A Criterion for World Peace - May 25, 2008, Newark, CA

3rd Annual Women's Milad Shareef Conference
March 16, 2008

Urs Shareef of Hazrat Badshah Mian Qadri/Mehfil-e-Samaa
Sacramento- July 21, 2007

1st Annual Women's Mehfil-e-Naat (Sacramento):
Dedication to Hazrat Amina (ra) - May 5, 2007

2nd Annual Women's Milad Shareef Conference:
Dedication to Syeda Zaynab bint Ali (ra) - April 22, 2007

The 4th Annual IECRC Milad Shareef Conference:
The Eternal Light of Truth and Guidance - July 8, 2006

1st Annual Women's Milad Conference - May 6, 2006:
Dedication to Bibi Fatimah Zahra (ra)

The 3rd Annual IECRC Milad Shareef Conference:
Creating Spiritual & Social Harmony for Humanity

The 2nd Annual IECRC Milad Shareef Conference:
Creating a Culture of Peace and Tolerance for Humanity