I am drunk and you are drunk, who is going to take us home?
I told you a hundred times drink a cup or two less.
[Maulana Rumi]
Uh oh… here she goes again speaking about her undying love for SunniPath and how much weight she’s put on after digesting all those chocolates 
No, seriously, that’s what I’m going to talk about as it’s been a year (in course terms) that we’ve been fortunate enough to hover around the SunniPath Office, take in the oudh, and embrace the warmth of how to serve Allah better.
A year makes enough time for reflection… something that Shaykh AbdulKareem always reminds me to do. So on reflection… Alhumdulillah we’ve become more drunk on His Mahabba, less worthy of your affections, and increasingly wary of how much I still want to learn but yet so thankful to SunniPath for helping to lighten the lamp in my heart in seeking knowledge.
A year on and we’d like to think that we’ve matured a lot… ok maybe just a little bit. We know after taking Shaykh AbdulKareems The Lives of Man course we’ve become more aware of how close the timing of death could be and how we need to use our time here in this short life to the best of our ability. Reconnecting to our Purpose in Life Seminar with Usatadha Noura Shamma, Ustadha Zaynab Ansari and Shaykh AbdulKareem Yahya revitalised the XX Chromosome in me whilst taking Ustadha Hedaya Hartford’s Introduction to Menstruation and Related Issues (Hanafi) was an eye opener to how little I really knew. Basic Arabic Reading with Sidi AbuOmar (he Masha’Allah has to be the liveliest teacher on SunniPath alongside Shaykh AbdulKareem) was also an eye opener and yet was fully enjoyed. Shaykh Hamza Karamali and Sidi Farid Dingle’s excellent activities in the Introduction to Arabic as well as short courses such as the Hadith or Fiqh? course and Supplications of the Daily Prayer were exceedingly beneficial. I’ll always remember the day that Shaykh Hamza placed a picture of a donkey on one of the slides to make us think outside of our own confusion. It’s also been beneficial to revisit my notes on The Introduction to Fasting and Ramadhan by Shaykh Sohail Hanif in order to better equip myself for the blessed month. Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and Ustadha Zaynab have done an excellent service in simplifying The 77 Branches of Faith – a course we hope to take again in order to gain more insight Insha’Allah. And this student will never forget the excellent support she has received from Habib Umar (may Allah preserve him) and Shaykh AbdulKareem in seeing that this pauper’s character is improved such that over the last year of me taking and retaking the Attaining Good Character course (mainly out of enjoyment and tazkiyya being a long term plan) I still find mysteries in the course material that I can implement and improve myself further with. Shukar’Allah for the Habaib and the Shayukh.
We’ve made a lot of good friends through this work and we’re grateful to Allah for the gems we’ve been blessed with. I don’t want this to turn out to a “thanks to…” section because am wary that there are a lot of people in SunniPath who make this pauper smile for one reason or another and those memories will be kept in my treasure chest for safekeeping. However, I would like to sincerely thank the CEO Sidi Imran Chowdhury for the opportunity to serve Allah and for being such a fatherly support in the transition this pauper has made. Also a sincere thank you to the Shayukh, the CAs/TAs, and the Masha’Allah efficient SunniPath Administration working in the background who have allowed this lame pauper to just be herself and spread the smiles around the world without thinking (or letting me know) that I’m being a tad bit loony.
What people don’t see of the SunniPath Office is that they’re not only GhostBusters, SuperIT Maniacs, Poetic Painters, and Creative Cooks but they’re also fathers/mothers/brothers/sisters/uncles/aunts/sons/daughters to special people and most importantly they are His servants high on His Mahabba. May Allah be pleased with them all. Allahumma Ameen.
Love you all for The Love of Allah… and we can’t wait for Spring 2008 term to begin (Insha’Allah on 7th February)… Subhan’Allah there’s still some time to register for those courses we want to take in the next term.
Related Article: Why SunniPath?
February 3, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Wa’alaykumus salaam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu
It’s been a huge blessing for us to have you in the SP family. May Allah increase you in barakah and tawfiq in all your endeavors.
Was salaam,
Besim
February 3, 2008 at 7:40 pm
[...] http://asmakarif.wordpress.com/2008/02/03/a-year-on-with-sunnipath-uh-oh/ [...]
February 3, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Salam,
I’m missing SP since last semester…can’t wait till it starts again!
~ Amna
February 4, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Salam.
Alhumdulillah u’ve said it well there.. did u do all those courses in one year??
ur were busy!!
Look fwd to spring semester insha’Allah
February 9, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Assalamu alaykum!
This is such a lovely post. It’s true, every course has its own magic and beauty, and makes you realise that there is so much to know! JazakAllah for spreading your SP enthusiasm around, it is quite contagious!
February 28, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Salam,
About the intro to arabic course at sp, do you really need to know how to write arabic script before taking the course?
(it says you need to know how to read and write, but im thinking whether I can get away with just knowing how to read)
February 29, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Dear “anon”,
Wa alaykum asalaam wa rahmatullah
As long as you can read Arabic you should be fine. SunniPath requires students to convert their keyboard into Arabic script (you’re taught how to do this in the beginning of the course) so when undertaking activities you can “write” in Arabic using your computer. The activities are a must to really understand the language and grammar better so if you don’t know how to write out Arabic beautifully with pen and paper then don’t worry use the course to not only learn the Arabic language but also to perfect your writing/keyboard skills… Alhumdulillah that’s what this student did.
Insha’Allah that helps answer your question. If not, please don’t hesitate to let me know how to serve Allah better.
Keep smiling and wasalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah
March 1, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Thanks for your help
April 14, 2008 at 7:16 am
[...] Alhumdulillah in Summer 2006 I graduated from University and started life in the working world but pursued my wish to learn more about my deen and take my studies seriously. So I took a 6 week course to ease me in and thereafter I’ve Alhumdulillah stayed. For those wondering what courses I’ve previously done then please feel free to refer to my earlier blog post: A year on with SunniPath (uh oh) [...]
April 19, 2009 at 4:33 am
Bismillah
Al-salaamu ‘alaikam Sr Asma
How hape you progressed in your second year at SunniPath? What other courses have you take there? And which would you say are favourites?
Jazakhillahu khayran
a pauper in need of duas
April 19, 2009 at 8:11 am
Wa alaykum asalaam wa rahmatullah,
Alhamdulillah it’s now the start of the third year of SunniPath (started way back in Fall 2006).
There’s many courses on SP so it’s hard to pick the favourites.
Would most probably say that we have thoroughly enjoined and gained loads from all of Shaykh AbdulKareem’s courses (apart from the Shafi’i fiqh courses which we’ve not taken as this student is a Hanafi) and we also like the way Shaykh Hamza Karamali teaches. As a woman, this student has greatly enjoined studying under Ustadha Zaynab Ansari and Ustadha Hedaya Hartford as there’s certain things we feel more comfortable asking them than a shaykh so courses under their care are of high benefit.
Hmmm not really giving you a precise answer (afwan) – maybe applying the principle of “a bit of this and a bit of that” will help. This student always finds that if she’s taken too many courses in sulook then we’ve made sure we’ve taken fiqh courses for the next term in order to achieve balance. “Progression” in my opinion comes from Allah so we hope we have progressed in our studies though will leave it to Allah to Judge. Ya Latif.
As usual if there’s any other queries please don’t hesitate to ask and we’ll do our best to answer.
Take care, keep smiling, and wasalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah
April 20, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Bismillah
Al-salaamu ‘alaikam wa rahmatAllah Asma
Did you apply for a degree programme? If so how is it? Also what do you advise a students who has done portions of the Seekers Degree and wants to do the Ijazah level?- have been told there’s no way to pass out. Do you think its worth repeating texts in order to progress?
Have you taken any of the tafsir courses? How are the Arabic courses? Have you taken the Sibaway level classes?
Jazakhillahu khayran
In need of your duas.
April 25, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Wa alaykum asalaam wa rahmatullah
Forgive me for the delay – been working on Kitaba (www.kitaba.org).
This student has applied for a Degree Programme and is still working towards it though am wary that I’ve unfortunately not been doing enough to “complete” it due to other commitments. Nonetheless the best advice I’ve sought from teachers is that no knowledge is real knowledge without implementation and I personally don’t want to fall into the trap of only doing a course to get a certificate at the end. Rather utilise the knowledge and if that means later this student can seek ijazat from teachers to go ahead and teach then that’s a bonus. For that reason, unfortunately I wouldn’t be the best person to seek counsel from in re: to going onto the Ijazah level as I’m far away from that (maybe you could ask SunniPath HelpDesk or the other TA’s who are more outstanding students than this lame student)… I will, however, say that from experience repeating a text/course in order to progress can never be wrong. We often perceive a ruling on first glance but on constant reflection and review do we find the element of the teaching.
As for the Arabic courses – where do I start?! In all honesty, they are in a league of their own and I would recommend anyone learning Arabic that it’s best to concentrate on one course per term rather than two courses together in one term. The Arabic courses really require a lot of ones time, memorisation, and commitment. This has been my own experience though once again the other TA’s would be better to advise you on this as no doubt they’ve done a lot more than this student.
Afwan for my lousy reply but hope there’s some benefit in it somewhere. May Allah grants us Tawfeeq and baraka in our time. Allahumma Ameen.
Take care, keep smiling, and wasalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah
June 14, 2009 at 1:25 am
Bismillah
Al-salaamu ‘alaikam wa rahmatAllah Sr Asma
Hope all is well.
Just wanted to ask what the (Hanafi-Quduri)fiqh classes were like on SP? How are they conducted? Are the students generally at the same level or are there advanced students in the same classes as new seekers? Is there a high level of participation from students? Are they required to do a lot of preperation- or is all thats required delivered in the lessons?
Jazakhan Allahu khayran katheeran
Wa afwan minkun
June 21, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Wa alaykum asalaam wa rahmatullah,
Forgive me for the delay in replying. It may be best if you directed your questions pertaining this to the SunniPath Helpdesk (support @ sunnipath.com – without the gaps) as they’ll be able to give you more information as to the logistics of the class. This student hasn’t taken the seekers courses as of yet. Jazak’Allah Khayrun for your patience. Please forgive me for any inconvenience my delay has caused.
Take care, keep smiling, and wasalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah