Ruba Mahfouz-Alkotob was born in Michigan to Syrian immigrant parents and now resides in the suburbs of Flint with her family. She describes herself as deeply blessed—married to a supportive husband and mother to four remarkable children, with her eldest son married and faithfully visiting each weekend.
Student of the Month – March Read More »
Sarwat Khan was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, where opportunities to formally study the Quran were limited. Growing up in the American South, she carried a quiet but persistent dream: to one day read and study the Book of Allah with fluency and confidence. Today, Sarwat lives in Dallas, Texas, where she is a devoted stay-at-home mother to six children. Alongside nurturing her family, she also works as a writing coach, helping others refine and elevate their written voice.
Student of the Month – February Read More »
My first experience with iʿtikaf was very different from most people. My grandmother, may Allah have mercy on her, would go into iʿtikaf every year in the last ten nights of Ramadan. She would spend the first part of Ramadan sewing a cloth tent out of a beautiful, simple, delicate, breathable material. Inside, she would put a soft prayer carpet, her masbaha or dhikr beads, and mushaf (Quran). When the last ten nights of Ramadan would arrive, she would enclose herself in the tent, and we wouldn’t see her or hear from her until the day of Eid al-Fitr. When the night of Eid was announced, she would emerge from the tent more beautiful and fragrant than I had ever seen her before, and we would adorn her with necklaces of roses that we had made and give her special sweets, all the while congratulating her. Although I didn’t know what it meant at the time, I knew it was something very special, and something to be celebrated.
Iʿtikaf: Spiritual Seclusion with the Divine Read More »
مَبْسُوطَتَانِمَبْسُوطَتَانمَبْسُوطَتَانِ Over and over and over….that is all I could hear and see يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ ۚHe is open-handed, giving freely as He pleases (5:64) In this week of intense grief and loss, every time I was still for even a moment…this is all that would wash over me مَبْسُوطَتَانِ Indeed—that is what
A Tribute in Memory of Anse Saida Abbed-Ahmed Read More »
At our latest Latte and Learn, Anse Fatima walked us through some big-picture thinking about how we work at Rabata, especially as we prepare for Ramadan and expand our offerings with Ribaat University.
From “Workflow vs Project” to Creative Planning Read More »
We are excited to introduce December’s Student of the Month. Dr. Renas Almubarak’s journey is one of devotion—to her family, her patients, and her faith. Originally from Sudan, she immigrated to the United States in 2010 to pursue her dream of working with children. After graduating from medical school, she completed seven years of training in pediatrics and emergency pediatric medicine, living in five different states along the way. Today, she and her family have finally settled in New Jersey, where she balances life as a pediatric emergency doctor, wife, and homeschooling mother of four children, aged seven to thirteen.
Student of the Month–December Read More »
Rabata recognizes the needs of women wanting to pursue education. Women’s stories are unique and therefore, Ribaat University has been developed with that in mind. By women, for women, Ribaat University aims to educate women globally by making education attainable and affordable. For Muslims, education is not just a worldly pursuit; it is a spiritual
Ribaat University: In Pursuit of Knowledge Read More »
Finding divine connection in a world of self-love In a world that constantly tells us to “love yourself first,” the idea of love often begins and ends with the self—how we feel, what we need, what we deserve. But in one warm classroom at Rabata Cultural Center in Minnesota, around twenty women gathered to look
The Light of the Prophet ﷺ through Love Languages Read More »
A fun check-in for Rabateers—and an invite! In her Latte & Learn on “Grounds for Growth,” Anse Fatima asked us: If your personal growth journey was a coffee order, what would it be and why? And then talked about how each one of us helps other women move along the Rabata woman’s journey. In that spirit,
Grounds for Growth Read More »
Our lives are like fields. We sow seeds through our actions, words, and intentions, and what we plant determines the harvest we leave behind. What will my legacy be? The Prophet ﷺ taught us that when a person dies, their deeds come to an end—except for three: sadaqa jariya (continuous charity), knowledge that is beneficial, and the prayers of a virtuous descendant. In a world where so much fades, possessions break, money is spent, and accomplishments are forgotten, these three legacies endure, continuing to send blessings to the believer even after they have returned to Allah. If you are able to produce knowledge and share this knowledge, please do so. If you can publish a book, then do it, but if not, teach something. Create a video. This will stay for you as long as people are benefitting from it. You will continue reaping the benefit from this harvest.
Harvesting Knowledge Read More »
