The Lighthouse Project
A MAS Tarbiya Department Initiative
The Lighthouse Project is a new tarbiya initiative offered by MAS's National Tarbiya Department (MTD). This project aims at dynamically interacting with MAS members and their surrounding circles. This interaction is in the form of comprehensive messages to help MAS members succeed in their endeavors. These messages will allow MAS members to:
- Grow intellectually and spiritually
- Overcome challenges and defeat temptations
- Develop certain character traits and nurture particular skills
- Be cognizant of important issues and events
- Share a common vision and understanding throughout the nation
MAS members will receive the Lighthouse messages periodically, often quarterly, from the MTD. These messages will help achieve the aforementioned goals through: engaging with the reading material, participating in local and national discussions, attending web seminars, and carrying out some practical assignments.
What is the Content of the Lighthouse Messages?
The Lighthouse Message is a document, but a document of light. In this document, there will be a comprehensive set of subjects with a main theme which will contain a plethora of resources and media. The objective of the message will be aimed at a set of specific objectives, such as coping with a current challenge, or properly handling a recent event. It may promote a particular direction or foster a culture change. It may simply bring awareness to a forgotten or neglected issue.
Generally, the Lighthouse messages will be accompanied by one or more national web seminars where a national speaker will interact with all MAS members through the internet and provide a forum for more discussion.
The content of the Lighthouse Document may include:
- A description of the subjects
- Objectives behind the message
- A list of discussion points
- A list of resources
- Announcements for events such as web seminars
- Practical tarbiya assignments
- Ways to give feedback and join national discussion
- Promotional material such as video trailers and brochures
- A guide explaining how to plan and allocate time for discussion and practical assignments (as an example)
- Forms for follow up and feedback when applicable
Generating Light
Ideas for the Lighthouse Messages come from the Lighthouse team. The Lighthouse team gets the ideas for the Lighthouse messages through:
- A specific request from MAS leadership
- A plan to serve MAS Five Tarbiya Objectives of the term
- Suggestions from local leadership
- Suggestions by MAS members
- Contemporary issues and recent events
Every time a message is sent, it is evaluated against the five objectives (God conscious, movement oriented, team players, exemplary citizens, bearers of a message) and the necessary resources are collected or developed. The team also designs the necessary discussion points and recruits speakers and experts for the message subjects. A comprehensive document is prepared to explain the message and its subjects, specify the objectives behind the message, list resources, announce events such as web lectures, and advise MAS members on the practical assignments they need to take in response to such a message. Information will also be provided on how to give feedback and participate in the national discussion.
What do we expect MAS Members to do?
MAS members in general, and our local tarbiya team in particular, should take this message very seriously. It is a requirement that all MAS members engage with the messages of the Lighthouse Project. The message will foster discussion during our weekly and monthly meetings and action items in the message should be followed up with locally.
Our mailing lists and blogs should start reflecting the discussions and comments vis a vis the current message, our public speakers should share this message with their respective audience, and our families should be touched by the spirit and the content of this message.
As a MAS Member you will be required to:
- Read the Lighthouse Document
- Read/Listen/Watch the material
- Plan to attend web seminars or workshops
- Record your own thoughts
- Post your thoughts on the designated blog or through the specified email (specified in the message)
In your weekly meeting (MAS Usra or MY Connects) you will be expected to:
- Initiate discussions about all the subjects (you have at least 3 months to discuss things). Distribute the discussion evenly throughout the time. (An example guide will be sent)
- Document the discussion especially points you would like to share
- Distribute action items and practical assignment suggested by the message
- Follow up on these assignments in future meetings
- Share the outcome of your discussions with the rest of MAS members through blogs and emails
As a local tarbiya director:
- Select one of more monthly meetings (or MY revives) to focus on some subjects of the message
- Invite a local speaker or initiate a discussion during that meeting(s)
As a public speaker (Friday Khutba or otherwise):
- Share some or all of the message with your audience
- Encourage your audience to share with their circles
- Collect feedback and share it with the rest of MAS members and the Lighthouse team
As a family member:
- Bring this discussion to your family
- Make it easy for the youngsters to understand
- Encourage them to participate in the practical assignments
Can I help the Lighthouse Project?
Yes, of course you can! There are several possible ways to help the project. The first, and most important one, is to interact with the message and promote it among all MAS members in your locality. Also, take the spirit and the content of this message beyond MAS members to your family, your community, and the society at large. Give us, as well as all MAS members around the nation, feedback by summarizing the discussions in the form of emails and blog entries to the Lighthouse Blog.
You can also suggest particular issues for future Lighthouse Projects, or, specify resources such as speakers and study material for them. You can form a team and take charge of preparing resources for a future message that you are passionate about and have local resources for. We can work with you in selecting the message, approve its content, and make it in the queue of the Lighthouse messages.
The Lighthouse Project - The Name
Light is often used throughout the Qur’an to exemplify the guidance Allah sends down to humanity. The Qur’an is a light, the Messenger (pbuh) is a light, and Allah guides to His light whomever He wills. Whomever Allah deprives from His light has no light.
MAS members are on a journey, a journey to please Allah and serve Him and His creation. In this journey, MAS members face challenges of collective Islamic work as well as traps and temptations, and need guidance to make decisions and arrive at correct choices.
As the lighthouse guides pilots and navigation in the sea, marks dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals and reefs, and guides to safe harbor entries, The MTD Lighthouse Project helps MAS members safely and effectively navigate through their journey to Allah.
The First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah
Praise be to Allah Who has created Time and has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, in a sense that rewards are multiplied many times than the case in other periods of time. This reflects Allah's overflowing mercy towards His servants, and it encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply himself in readiness for the Day of Judgment.
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