Umm Professional blogs

March is Women’s History Month, and what better way to learn about women in our history than rekindle the forgotten life of young Fatima Al- Fihri. Fatima was a well known Tunisian aristocrat in Morocco who spent her inheritance wisely. She built a Masjid and spent her fortune to convert part of it into a university.  The first university that still stands in this world today. Read more about her on http://theurbanmuslimwomen.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/fatima-al-fihri-founder-of-the-oldest-university-in-the-world/. Her story takes me back to my very old friend, Sister Sommieh Flower, the former principal of Islamic school in Michigan, who has now moved on from bringing some food to poor refuge Afghan children in Pakistan to making an all-girls school for these children who have been entirely relying on Allah for some miracle-getting education.

She met them eating rotten apples by the road side, and now they come by her doorsteps looking for leftover dal and rice. Their toys and amusement are hours of playing kitchen with sets made out of broken bowls and branches, making curry with mud. Going to school is a dream for them because they spend their day searching through garbage for plastic bags, batteries, cardboard boxes to sell, so they can buy food (usually a few rotis) to survive.

She decided to take action, and be proactive, “Why should I just feed them, when I can teach them how to not only survive but to grow into productive, contributing, member of society?” She has a plan to open a free school for 30 impoverish girls, and is hoping to expand the school. She ensures all students are given full meals twice a day. And she plans to have teachers teaching urdu, english, and other academics, as well as life and craft skills. She is also planning to have computer classes.

If you would like to support her cause please visit www.sitaraschool.com