Dreams and Realities: Bayyinah

Assalamu Alaikum. My name is Amrah Arif, I recently got accepted into a nine-month long Arabic intensive program, right here in the United States. Founded by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan, Bayyinah’s Dream program teaches students like myself classical Arabic, focusing its studies specifically on the Qur’an and Classical Arabic texts. Alhamdulillah, I have been accepted into this program and intend to take a gap year to further my Qur’anic education, inshaAllah (God willing). However, I need your help!

In addition to paying the tuition, I need funds for living out of state. Please support my campaign by donating. Every dollar counts!

A Change in Perspective

Three years ago, my life changed.

It was mid-November 2012. It had been almost a year since I started memorizing the Qur’an, but something was missing. The zeal, the initial enthusiasm, and yearning for the Qur’an all were gone, as the days unfolded before me as a mundane repetition – memorization, after revision, after memorization, after revision…and all over again. Somehow, I was forgetting – forgetting everything from the last ayah I had struggled with the day before, to the reason why I was doing it in the first place.  

During that particularly distressing period of my life, I now realize that the Qur’an was always there for me, but I was never fully present for it. Little did I know that this document – revealed over 1400 years ago – would have all the answers I needed in the 21^st century. And it all began that November with one video about the importance of the Arabic language.

I was floored. Having gotten a glimpse into the beauty of the words of this marvelous book, I was hooked onto videos and lectures about the Qur’an. I wanted to learn the Arabic language, and decided from that day that I would exhaust all avenues to learn this language, just so I could understand the Qur’an and apply it to my life.

This intention from three years ago has now brought me into the Bayyinah Dream program. Accepted earlier this year into this program, I now stand at the gates of an ocean of knowledge, but before I dive in, I need your help.

As an out of state student, I need help paying for the program and other costs associated with living in another state.

Your generous support will help me learn the words of Allah, and inshaAllah teach them to others, providing you with a continuous reward for your one-time donation. Every word that I learn, every word that I teach, and every dua’a that I make, will provide you with 'ajr on the Day of Judgement, inshaAllah.

A Little More About Me

My name is Amrah Arif, and I am from California. As an 18 year old, I graduated from high school earlier this year, in addition to completing several years of community college. I am now in the process of applying to universities as a junior transfer student. As a hafidha, I yearn to be able to understand what I have memorized, and therefore decided to take a gap year in my college education to attend the Bayyinah Dream program. 

I enjoy teaching and public speaking, and have worked as a speech tutor in the Speech and Communications Lab in my community college. I have also volunteered to teach students Qur’an as well as academic studies through various programs and schools. On a personal note, I enjoy baking, playing soccer, writing and performing poetry, and exploring the outdoors.

I have also been on the camp committee for MYNA California, and helped organize a week-long camp for the youth focusing on stories from the Qur'an. This camp experience brought me closer to my local Muslim community, as I reached out and interacted with various individuals. 

I have also been involved with the Muslim Student Association on my community college campus, and spoken about social issues and inequalities in campus events. As an aspiring social work/sociology major, I am interested in learning about the Qur'an and the solutions it presents to societal issues. My goal is to learn and teach the Qur'an as well as its beautiful language, and hopefully someday alleviate some of the obstacles that Muslim women face when aspiring for higher Islamic education. I want to spread the beauty of the Qur’an and bring this knowledge that I hope to attain from the Dream program back into my community – back to young individuals like myself a few years ago searching for answers but not knowing where to turn.

What You Can Do

Please help me reach my dream by:

 - Donating through LaunchGood by clicking the orange link above (Note: Please do not donate Zakaat money.)

 - Spreading the word via social media

 - Filling out this order form to claim your gift for donating

 - And most importantly, making sincere dua’a that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala makes me successful in this endeavor and grants us all the highest positions in Paradise. Ameen, and Jazakum Allahu Khairan.