Bismillah Assalaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuh Yaa #Muslimaat there are obvious errors in the summary. Please check and make adjustments based upon the actual textbooks and notes from class in shaa’Allaah
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Meeting summary
Key Takeaways
The session was led by Saddiqua M, covering an Islamic study reading group and an English literacy/reading comprehension lesson.
The Islamic study portion focused on the achievements of the female companions (Sahabiyat) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ across religious, military, political, educational, and commercial spheres.
The book being read is titled The Great Women of Islam, Who We’re Giving the Good News of Paradise.
The literacy portion introduced non-fiction reading comprehension skills, focusing on sequence of events, using the texts about Egyptian fruit bats and nocturnal songbirds (warblers).
Students were assigned a vocabulary journal task for the following week.
The next session will continue with the story Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Sarah Fox Davies.
Discussed Topics
Islamic Study Reading Group – Achievements of the Female Companions (Sahabiyat)
Saddiqua M led a reading session from the book The Great Women of Islam, covering the introduction and publisher’s note. The discussion highlighted the wide-ranging contributions of the female companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ across multiple domains of life.
Details
Saddiqua M: The Sahabiyat were described as pure, virtuous crusaders of Islam, active in religion, politics, war, education, jurisprudence, agriculture, medicine, and nursing.
Saddiqua M: In military contexts, a woman shielded the Prophet ﷺ with her body during the Battle of Uthman, suffering a deep shoulder wound and eventually losing an arm after sustaining a dozen wounds.
Saddiqua M: Sophia displayed brilliant military strategy during the Battle of the Trench (Battle of the Treat) in handling a Jewish attack.
Saddiqua M: In the Battle of Yarmouk, Ismael bint Abu Bakr, Om Hakim, and the mother of the believers Juavia displayed extraordinary valor.
Saddiqua M: One companion killed 9 enemy soldiers in the year 28 after Hijra and took part in the attack on Cyprus.
Saddiqua M: Aum Surayy and Aum Salit were proficient at nursing the wounded, and the Sahabiyat generally accompanied the Prophet ﷺ on military expeditions, supporting soldiers and maintaining army morale.
Saddiqua M: Fatima Bent converted her brother Umar ibn al-Khattab to Islam, who became one of the bravest companions of the Prophet ﷺ.
Saddiqua M: Aisha Radiyallahu Anha was the most prominent in preserving the purity of Islam from cultural modifications and innovations; she also brought unity among Muslims of Basra during a period of chaos following the martyrdom of Uthman (year 35 after Hijra).
Saddiqua M: Women led prayers in assemblies of women; New Wanaka turned her house into a place of prayer for women, and the adhan was given by a lady named Muad’Dib for women’s congregations.
Saddiqua M: Khalifa Omar Rayyan frequently consulted a woman companion for her political intelligence and gave her responsibility over trade and commerce affairs.
Saddiqua M: Before the Hijra, Raphael Vince Safi warned the Prophet ﷺ of a planned siege, enabling his secret departure to Medina.
Saddiqua M: Om Hani granted refuge to an enemy disbeliever, and the Prophet ﷺ upheld her guarantee, affirming it as Islamic law.
Saddiqua M: In education, Aisha Radiyallahu Anha narrated 2,210 ahadith and was an exceptional master of Tafsir and Hadith interpretation; Om Salama also had extensive knowledge.
Saddiqua M: Aisha’s verdicts in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) could fill several volumes; the same applied to Om Salama, Sophia, Hafsa, Umhabiba, Tuwelia, Fatima, Om Sharik, and many others.
Saddiqua M: Aisha was well-versed in the law of inheritance and was consulted by renowned companions on its finer points.
Saddiqua M: A companion was expert in making speeches; Omis was famous for interpreting dreams; Rufaidah Aslaniyyah set up a surgery station near the Prophet’s ﷺ mosque in Medina.
Saddiqua M: Notable poets among the Sahabiyat included Safiya, Attica bin Zayi, and bint Akbaraka; Hansa’s book of verses has been published.
Saddiqua M: In commerce, Khadija Radiyallahu Anha was a highly successful businesswoman who sent trading caravans to different countries; Fola Malika traded in oriental oil-based perfumes (ita); another lady operated a leather tanning industry.
Saddiqua M: Agriculture was practiced mainly by the women of Ansar in rural areas around Medina; Muhalji (immigrants/Aslan) also practiced farming.
Saddiqua M: Shifa Abdullah learned to read and write during the pre-Islamic Age of Illiteracy and was celebrated for penmanship and calligraphy; Hafsa and others were literate; Aisha and Umm Salimah could read but not write, yet narrated many authentic ahadith.
Saddiqua M: The daughters of Ansar composed verses and poems for festive occasions; Aum Salemu recited the Quran with tajweed.
Saddiqua M: The session concluded with a hadith from Sahih Bukhari in which Jibril Alayhis Salam conveyed Allah’s greetings to Khadija and gave her glad tidings of a palace in paradise.
Conclusion
The Sahabiyat made profound contributions across all spheres of Islamic and social life, from military service and political counsel to education, jurisprudence, commerce, and the arts.
The next reading session will continue with the chapter on the Mothers of the Believers, beginning with Khadija’s story, scheduled for the following Saturday (Insha’Allah).
English Literacy Lesson – Reading Comprehension: Sequence of Events
Saddiqua M introduced a non-fiction reading comprehension skill focused on identifying the sequence of events, using two informational texts as examples.
Details
Saddiqua M: Explained that sequence refers to the order in which events occur, and that time-order words such as first, next, then, later, and finally help identify sequence.
Saddiqua M: Noted that dates and times also help track the sequence of events, and that understanding sequence helps readers see how events are connected.
Saddiqua M: Read an informational passage about Egyptian fruit bats, which are found in Africa and parts of Asia, live in trees, rocks, and empty buildings, and fly through rainforests at night to feed on fruits and flowers.
Saddiqua M: Explained the pollination sequence from the bat text: the bat lands on a flower → pollen sticks to its body → the bat flies to another flower → pollen is spread → fruit grows.
Saddiqua M: Read a passage about nocturnal songbirds (warblers), which travel hundreds of miles at night from Canada and Alaska to Venezuela and Colombia; they feed and rest during the day, use starlight for navigation, and communicate with chirps during flight.
Saddiqua M: Highlighted that Black Pole Warblers have the longest journey, traveling more than 14,000 miles round trip, potentially from Alaska to Chile.
Saddiqua M: Introduced vocabulary words for the week: nocturnal, effort, doses, swoops, detail, and fluttering.
Saddiqua M: Assigned students to find the vocabulary words in a science book, magazine, news article, or website, and record each word in their vocabulary journal along with the source name or link.
Conclusion
Students are to complete the vocabulary journal assignment before the next session.
The next session will begin directly with the story Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Sarah Fox Davies.
The link to the reading material will be shared in the WhatsApp group.
Action Items
Students
Find the vocabulary words (nocturnal, effort, doses, swoops, detail, fluttering) in a science book, magazine, news article, or website, and record each in the vocabulary journal with the source name or link. (Due: next session)
Saddiqua M
Share the link to the reading material (Bat Loves the Night) in the WhatsApp group.
Continue the Islamic study reading with the chapter on the Mothers of the Believers, beginning with Khadija’s story. (Due: next Saturday, Insha’Allah)
Begin the next literacy session directly with the story Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies. (Due: next week)
Attendees: Saddiqua M Black (Organizer)
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