From August 2nd to August 5th, 2024, we had the honour of participating in the “Sitting with the Scholars” event at Bradford Muhammadi Masjid, Alhamdulillah. It was a blessed gathering featuring esteemed scholars, students of knowledge, and the members of the local community.
The event was filled with lessons and discussions that spanned from Fajr until Isha every day, with breaks for prayers, refreshments, and meals.
Setting Up the Stall
Our UK Outreach & Event Coordinator, Brother Hasib Bin Saleh, arrived early on the first day to set up our stall at the entrance of the masjid. We received the location from the masjid authorities, which turned out to be perfect for us.
As it was during the Asr Salah break, it allowed the students and attendees to easily visit our stall and learn more about our work.
From the start, we had a steady stream of visitors. Many attendees recognized our app logos and eagerly approached to find out more. While they were familiar with our apps, they weren’t aware of the broader work of GTAF.
Meeting them in person was a delight, and they expressed their appreciation for our efforts. Although we set up our stall for only two days instead of the full four days, the engagement was highly successful.
Connecting with the Community
We distributed various free gifts, which were well-received. In the future, we plan to add a small sign or a printed table cloth saying “Collect Your Free GTAF Goodies” to make it clearer, as some visitors initially thought the items were for sale.
During our interactions, we received valuable feedback. Many suggested adding more books to our Seerah app and expanding the language options in all our apps.
Some brothers expressed a strong interest in contributing to our work. While we couldn’t offer official vacancies, we encouraged them to consider volunteering. Others shared their ideas for collaboration and mentioned they would follow up.
On the sisters’ side, Hasib’s wife volunteered to distribute business goodies, which were warmly received. The sisters appreciated the gesture and offered their Duas and well-wishes in return. Many attendees found our notebooks and pens especially useful for taking notes during the lessons.
A Short but Fruitful Visit
We only stayed for two days, but we accomplished our outreach goals. Our presence allowed us to connect with the community and build a deeper relationship with the masjid. Additionally, we had the honour of presenting Shaykh Latif and Shaykh Muhammad with our business notebooks and pens as a token of appreciation.
Moving Forward
The event at Bradford Muhammadi Masjid was a great success. It provided us with the opportunity to engage directly with our users, receive their feedback, and strengthen our connection with the masjid. We’re excited about the potential for future collaborations and look forward to participating in more events like this, insha’Allah.
May Allah Azza Wa-Jalla bless our efforts to serve the Ummah through technology and community engagement, Ameen.
