PROGRAM
5:00 – 6:30
Registration & Reception
6:10 – 6:20
Maghrib Prayer
6:30 – 7:45
Dinner
7:45 – 7:50
Qur’an Recitation
7:50 – 8:00
Welcoming Remarks
8:00 – 8:20
Keynote Speech
by Shaykh Yasir Fahmy
8:20 – 8:45
CAIR-Philadelphia Dramatic Presentation
with Ibrahim Jaaber
8:45 – 8:55
CAIR-Philadelphia Financial Review
8:55 – 9:15
Stand Up Comedy
by Nadirah Pierre
9:15 – 9:20
Closing Remarks
SPEAKERS
Shaykh Yasir Fahmy
Shaykh Yasir Fahmy began the study of Arabic and Islamic Sciences in his high school years under the guidance of local teachers. At the age of seventeen, he traveled to Amman, where he spent a year studying at the Islamic University of Jordan. He returned to the US and completed a Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University. After working in corporate America for three years in finance, he returned to the Middle East and enrolled in the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo.
After seven years of intensive study, Shaykh Yasir received a degree in Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar and attained numerous ‘ijazas (independent certifications) in the subjects of fiqh, hadith, aqida, usul al-fiqh, sirah, tazkiyyah, mantiq, Arabic grammar (nahu), morphology (sarf) and rhetoric (balagha). Having studied under many notable teachers including Shaykh Ahmad Taha Rayyan (may Allah have mercy on him), Shaykh Yasir Fahmy became the first American Azhari to teach in the renowned Al-Azhar Mosque in 2013. Currently, Shaykh Yasir is the founder of the Prophetic Living Initiative.
Through his teaching, lecturing, mentorship, and religious leadership, Shaykh Yasir aims to foster love for the deen and appreciation of the vast richness of Islamic tradition in new generations of American Muslims.
Nadirah Pierre
Nadirah Pierre is an American standup comedian and social media satirist who fearlessly takes on sociopolitical issues in the Muslim community and beyond. She uses her platform to convey her experience as a Black Muslim woman while boldly addressing wide-ranging issues such as racism, mental health, and relationships with a unique, humorous perspective.
Her outspoken style is exemplified in her catchphrase: “Nobody else wants to talk about it, so I have to talk about it.”
Ibrahim Jaaber
Ibrahim Muhammad Heshaam Jaaber is a former professional basketball player born in Elizabeth, NJ. He played college ball at the University of Pennsylvania where he won the Ivy League Player of the Year in his junior and senior years. A devout Muslim, Jaaber made a watershed stand by forgoing a lucrative career path in European basketball due to the prevalence of suggestive entertainment and advertisement that plagues the league.
Jaaber is an author, spoken word poet, teacher, mentor and student of knowledge. He is currently the youth director at IECPA (Islamic Educational Center of Pennsylvania) in Allentown, PA.
DINNER
Reception from 5-6:30 PM, featuring juice and soda, fruits and vegetables, crackers and cheeses.
Dinner is served buffet-style, featuring:
- Caesar salad
- Roasted halal beef with sauce
- Citrus-glazed salmon
- Wild rice, roasted potatoes
- Pasta with grilled vegetables
- Vegan or gluten-free options are available by request.
- Coffee, decaf, tea
- Rolls and butter
- Assorted cakes and fruit
CHILDCARE
• Children under age 10 are not permitted to enter the main banquet hall.
• Childcare area will be designated by signage.
• Please review COVID-19 and Childcare Procedures
Program: Children will have hands-on experiences through the program. They will have fun making mini egg maracas to use and keep. Ellen Price-Maloy, M.Ed., Children’s Education Chair for the International Spring Festival and an Early Childhood Specialist, will be leading the children throughout this hourlong program.
Childcare services will be provided by the qualified staff of New Medina Learning Institute. New Medina brings a team of professionals with backgrounds in education, family and social services, youth coaching, and childcare. Everyone on the childcare staff has been fully vetted and:
- are background checked and drug tested
- have both First Aid & CPR Certificates
- are over the age of 25
The children will have age-appropriate games and crafts. There will also be appropriate registration and security procedures for the duration of the event.
Meal: Chicken fingers, fries, pasta with marinara. Snacks and drinks will also be available.