From Chicago Protests to Ta'leef: A Journey Shaped by the Syrian Revolution
We urge you all to join us this Sunday, December 15th, in Chicago to celebrate 19 years of Ta'leef, hopefully a truly free Syria, and, God willing, a free Palestine soon.
In 2011, at the start of the Syrian revolution, I quickly became involved in leading protests locally in Chicago, as well as nationally, against the injustice that the Syrian people had been facing for over 50 years. Ironically, I was born in Syria but was never allowed to visit. It was early 2011, and I was granted the green light to visit Syria. Suddenly, protests broke out in Syria, and my parents made it clear I couldnt go. With a ticket to Syria already purchased, we mutually settled on that traveling to Turkey for a three-week intensive would be the best option at the time.
From that moment, I was catapulted into the next 13 years of learning and community work. Returning from that trip, I was excited to learn and implement. God placed me in one-on-one classes with the likes of Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia and allowed me to work in the heart of Ta'leef. Thirteen years of working with Ta'leef all started because of the Syrian revolution.
This past Saturday, I was honored to be the keynote speaker for the Bay Area's Year-End Event. The irony of that moment, and what made it even more special, was that on the same day, the Free Syrian Army took hold of Damascus and most of Syria. I stood there in awe of Gods plan.Thirteen long years ago, I was in the streets of Chicago, praying for a free Syria, and now I was standing behind the podium, shocked to utter such words. Gods ultimate golden thread and plan had been revealed, and it couldnt have been written any better.
That is why we urge you all to join us this Sunday, December 15th, in Chicago to celebrate 19 years of Ta'leef, hopefully a truly free Syria, and, God willing, a free Palestine soon.
Dr. Ali Dia
Executive Director
Please join us in the Chicago on December 15th, as we further discuss the need for all of us to hold on to The Golden Thread at this years 19th Annual Year-End Event.
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Kintsugi is a beautiful Japanese tradition that when something breaks, it is mended back together with liquid gold. Doing so, it is able to take on the former form of the object but with a golden seal in all the places it once was broken.
This past year, many of us have been carrying broken hearts with much of what's happening around us in the world, hoping for a moment of mend. Similar to those performing Kintsugi, Ta'leef has had countless broken hearts walk through its doors, Muslim and non Muslim alike.
As our name indicates, we have had success, by God's grace, in mending the pieces together and allowing the hearts of these individuals to find peace. Peace through the pieces, peace through the pain, peace through the trauma, peace with oneself, and lastly peace with God! From them emanates a light unlike before, coming in and through them, resembling gold shining through the cracks. That is why this years Annual Year-End Event is titled, The Golden Thread.
It is human nature to hold on to hope, and The Golden Thread in our tradition is the word and promise of God and his beloved Prophet .
Taleef Collective, 43170 Osgood Rd, Fremont, CA 94539, United States, 510.573.2719