Straight from the fingertips of one of our NYM iNK Sisters here at the Imancipation Project, a testimonial about Camp Sunnah! With only ONE WEEK left before the early bird deadline to submit your application, we want to encourage all of all sisters to apply ASAP insha’Allah!
“If someone were to ask me what my favourite part about Camp Sunnah was I would, without a doubt, have to say it was the congregational prayers.
It seems like such a simple and small part of the camp in comparison to the live lectures and the outdoor activities. Yet, for me the few times a day when everybody stood together to pray salah was something that was absolutely fulfilling. As we all stood together in salah, it hit every time that that this is what it feels like to be part of the Ummah. That this is what it was like for the people at the time of the Prophet SAW. The sense of community and the sense of being one Muslim nation was never as overwhelming as it was for me in those few moments.
It made me realize that these are the moments we need to cling on to when we get caught up once again in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. Yes, we do appear “strange” and “different” to the average member of society, but within the Muslim nation there is a sense of belonging as we are all striving towards the same goal: to please Allah SWT. Recall that, “The believers, in their mutual mercy, love and compassion, are like a (single) body; if one part of it feels pain, the rest of the body will join it in staying awake and suffering fever.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari)
This hadith only further serves to remind us the true meaning of what the Ummah is and what the Ummah should stand for. Camp Sunnah is an experience that never failed to remind me of what it was like to be part of an Ummah.
Often, when living in a society that so readily disregards religion, I think back to those moments at Camp Sunnah and I remind myself that it’s okay to be different or strange. Moreover, I’m reminded that there’s nothing wrong with being strange and taking that step towards Allah SWT. Allah SWT’s mercy will never fall short upon a member of the Ummah, surely. Allah (swt) says: “Take one step towards me, I will take ten steps towards you. Walk towards me, I will run towards you.”
However, you have to be willing to take that one step towards Allah SWT and Camp Sunnah can be that step.”
