As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum,
As we launched a major new initiative in June—the 8-week-long Summer Arabic Intensive with 50 students from across the country and abroad—we realized that we have never been busier as an organization than we are now. Reflected in that fact is rapid growth in all of our other major programs, especially the Minara workshops and the online Distance Learning program.
In the midst of this growth and these new initiatives, we also had a second realization: We need to work harder to raise money so we can finance this increased activity. But it becomes more complicated than that—what we need is financial stability so we can have planned growth. And that means developing a base of donors who see the wisdom of giving a regular monthly donation, not just a one-time donation in a moment of generosity.
As you will see in this newsletter, Zaytuna’s scholars and staff are hard at work on a host of programs and activities. The Summer Arabic Intensive, an 8-week program with five hours of classes a day, started June 23 and runs until August 15. We have about 50 students who will be staying at the Westminster House in Berkeley and attending classes there as well.
We are also ramping up our popular Distance Learning program this summer by working with the Deen Intensive Foundation to join forces and offer the educational materials they have from their programs, especially the Rihlas, as part of our online program.
Meanwhile, our ever-popular Minara programs are being held in more and more cities this year. After a successful run in April and May in New York and Chicago respectively, the Minara will be held in four cities in the next few months.
All of this new activity, as we soon realized, requires financial stability, which is difficult for any non-profit that depends primarily on individual donations. So we are asking our donors to become regular monthly donors—whether they can afford $10 a month or $100 a month or $1,000 a month.
But this means we have to earn the support of our donors, not just put out a call for donations. And the best way for us to do that is to inform them of both our vision and our program details so they know exactly what their money supports. This newsletter is one way we achieve this objective.
We hope that after you browse through our summer newsletter, you will feel inspired to become a monthly donor to Zaytuna.
Yours with salaams,
Syed Mubeen Saifullah
President, Zaytuna Institute |
IN THE NAME OF GOD,
THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL
Quarterly Newsletter
Summer 2008 Volume 2, Issue 3
About Zaytuna Institute
Our mission is to provide the highest quality educational programs, materials, and training in the traditional sciences of Islam in the most beautiful way using the most effective tools of our time as a means of serving our Lord and honoring our Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam.
Board of Directors
Hisham A. Alireza, Shaykha Aisha bint Faleh Al Thani, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Liliana (Umm Yahya)
Hanson, Randy Nasson, Dr. Suhail Obaji, Hamed Omar, Dr. Tayyib Rana, Syed Mubeen Saifullah, Imam Zaid Shakir, Ali Jalil Hassan (Board Observer)
2070 Allston Way, Suite 300
Berkeley, CA 94704 USA
WEB: www.zaytuna.org
EMAIL: info@zaytuna.org
PHONE: 510 548 1979
Newsletter Staff
Managing Editor: Najeeb Hasan
Consulting Editor: Safir Ahmed
Copy Editor: Valerie Turner
Photographer: Aaron Haroon Sellars
Cover Photo: Marc Manley
Contributors:
Sidi Khalil Abu Asmaa,
Uzma Fatima Husaini, Sadaf Khan, Rania Shah
Web Development & Design: Omair Ali
Print Design: Ian Abdallateef Whiteman
Copyright © 2008 by Zaytuna Institute
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