Tarim::Darul Zahra…
…Darul Zahra, the sister Madrassah of Darul Mustafa, is the white building at the end of this street…taken from the place we stayed…to the right just after that pile of dirt is Darul Mustafa…
…there is no rubbish collection in Tarim as such…goats do the job of disposing of perishables …sadly all else is left for the winds to play with…these friendly goats wander near Darul Zahra, the white building top right…this gives an idea of the environment surrounding the Dar…it has been said that if Adam Alaihis salam were to return to earth that the only place he would recognize would be Yemen as it has not changed…Allahu ‘Alum…
…the summer climate is unrelenting…with constant power outages, although now a generator system from Darul Mustafa is capable of tripping in for local residents and Darul Zahra, Alhumdulillah…
…inside has a ‘resort-type’ feeling…two spacious central courtyards…gardens tendered by the girls studying there…as is the cleaning and maintenance regime SubhanAllah…
…the aims and philosophy of Darul Zahra reflect traditional Islamic sciences which are blessed with the rich history of scholars from the noble lineage of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…
…Tarim sits not only physically at the heart of the Mubarak Hadhramawt valley…but also the heart of where the highest concentration in the world of Sayyids are…past and present…and Insha’Allah all future ones…
…daily programs revolve around classes based on all traditional Islamic sciences, (following the Shafi’ Madhhab), Tahfiz, litanies, worship…many of the students also sacrifice time for teaching classes for the local ladies and children…and Da’wah is an integral part of the curriculum with regular classes conducted in nearby towns and villages where the students are taken by bus…it was said that some village people barely know the Kalimah so Da’wah programs are essential…
…swimming provides a recreational activity which they can access at times…
…many lessons are directly connected to programs from Darul Mustafa and are streamed from there…at the moment a series of lectures are being delivered on the Fiqh and virtues of Hajj as dozens prepare to accompany Habib Umar for Hajj…
…looking into the Musalla…Masha’Allah, it is beautiful…spacious and meditative…Hababa Noor has a small Khalwa built into one of the corners where she often spends time in solitude…she also leads Salat the times she is present…an inside photo of the musalla here…
…Hababa Noor also conducts classes for the sisters of the community who are there while their husbands/sons study…this is quite a substantial group and by what I was blessed to see they are so united in their love of our Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and following his Sunnah and in their thirst fro knowledge…while there they were one lesson away from the khatm of Imam Ghazzali Rahmatullahi alaihi’s Minhajul ‘Abideen, (the complete volume online of the Iqbal Hussain Ansari translation) or The Path of the Worshipful Servants (the far superior Muhtar Holland translation) which Hababa Noor had been teaching for the past five years!!!! …SubhanAllah…sometimes the students are able to attend these classes as extra curricular time with needed for translating for Hababa Noor…
…there are regular excursions to all the main Maqams for the students…the annual Nabi Hud Alaihis Salam being the major one…more in a following post InshA’llah…
…the general atmosphere is one of peace and tranquility…all students follow a modest and humble dress code…long simple, but very colourful long sleeved dresses, hijab and natural ‘makeup’ from their Wudha, Alhumdulillah…all I met and saw glow with the Noor of their seeking knowledge, Masha’Allah…huge smiles were on every bright face…not surprising considering one of the aims of pursuing Islamic studies is to purify the heart and soul and refine one’s character by adorning the practice and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu alaihi wasallam through spiritual wayfaring…naturally, muffed giggles and light sharing time is also part of the atmosphere…
…a very special place…where one felt like waking through air pulsing with Allah Ta’ala’s Barakah…
…all main meals arrive from Darul Mustafa…the kitchen mainly used for cleaning up after meals and the students when they feel snackis …currently the enrollment exceeds all other years with a maximum number of students…I believe nearing three hundred full time students…
…students are from many different countries from around the world as well as from other parts of Yemen…
…there is a well stocked shop within the Dar supplying all the little extras students may need…and local sisters come to set up ‘shops’ selling clothing, hijabs, prayer outfits etc…
…currently the enrollment exceeds all other years with a maximum number of students…I believe nearing three hundred full time students…
…the surrounding mountains are awesome…standing as sentinels protecting the blessed town of Tarim…they seem to echo the non stop recitations that flow from the Dars and from the homes of all associated with the Dars…one seems to be in a cocoon of Ibadah when there, SubhanAllah!…
…may Allah Ta’ala continue to give all involved, both teachers and students, success and the Himma to achieve the best for the entire Ummah, Insha’Allah, Ameen…and to bless the lineage of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and continue to raise their station and bless their secrets…Ameen…