Madina Academy Upper School FEB-MAR

Ms. Alaa, our high school Quran & Tajweed teacher, has completed her Teaching and Tajweed Ijaza training through a branch of Al-Azhar in Egypt. This rigorous program involved intensive study and a comprehensive examination, during which she was assessed on advanced recitation skills, including precise stopping points and the modulation of tone in accordance with the meanings of the Ayat. Upon successfully passing this demanding evaluation, Ms. Alaa was awarded this distinguished and honorable diploma.

Alahumma Baarik!

Hartford & Litchfield of Connecticut

Hartford & Litchfield Counties

The College Board National Recognition Program awards academic honors to high-performing students to celebrate their hard work and be seen by colleges. In each school nationwide, students of all backgrounds will be eligible to claim an award based on exceptional performance on PSAT/NMSQT. Awardees are among the highest achieving students in the country, including those from lesser-known high schools, and as a result, colleges are eager to recruit awardees! This year, Collegeboard named the following students for this award:

Ayoub Elamrani

Noora Mahmoud

Sameer Hasan

NHS Fundraiser Success

The Madina Academy National Honor Society (NHS) successfully reached its fundraising goal of $4,500 for a sadaqah jariyah project. With the assistance of Helping Hand for Relief and Development, the funds will go toward building a water well in Uganda, providing clean and safe water to communities in need. This allows ongoing rewards, as people benefit from the water for drinking, daily use, and wudu.

College Visit from Elms College

An admissions officer from Elms College, a private Catholic college in Chicopee, Massachusetts, visited Madina Academy to speak with our high school students. They shared information like academic programs, the campus, and the admissions process, giving students an idea of what the college is like if they are interested in attending or applying in the future.

Guest Speaker

Madina Academy welcomed guest speaker Tariq Faridi, who spoke to students about his career growth and entrepreneurship. With a background in business management, computer science, accounting, and finance, he shared his journey from working in corporate finance to owning and expanding a homecare business. He also answered various questions from students that are interested in similar fields, offering advice based on his experiences. This gave students helpful tips for their future careers and showed the value of hard work to achieve their goals.

As high school students begin thinking about their futures, many are already setting goals and working toward them. As Muslims, having strong intentions (niyyah) and putting in effort is important, while trusting in Allah’s plan. Whether it is the motivating career choices or their developing good academic habits, these students are demonstrating that planning and putting their faith in the plan of Allah can make a difference. We interviewed some students to know more about their dreams, inspirations, and what they are currently doing to achieve the dreams they have.

Student Mahmooda Bey in 9th grade, whom we have interviewed in relation to her future intentions, has shared that she aspires to become a lawyer, explaining that she wants to be “someone who can enforce laws and help people.” She showed much desire to work towards justice and to have a positive impact through her work.

When questioned on the reason behind this aim, she cited her mother as her greatest role model. Growing up, Mahmooda was always fascinated by her mom’s work as a lawyer and admired, “the way she would help people and children.” This experience made her develop an insight into the profession and inspired her to pursue the same.

Mahmooda already takes significant steps towards her future as far as preparation is concerned. She explained that she is currently “working extra hard to keep [her] GPA up,” recognizing the importance of strong academic performance. She has also begun to explore programs and volunteer workshops which can provide her with early exposure to the field. These attempts demonstrate her desire and willingness to become successful in a competitive career.

Another student who expressed interest in finance as her future career in either investment banking or accounting is a 10th-grade student, Rahma Eid, whom we also interviewed. Rahma explained, “I aspire to have a career in finance because I’m interested in money and business,” highlighting what first drew her to the field.

She further explained that her motivation goes beyond interest, adding that she likes “the idea of building wealth, being financially independent, and having a successful career that challenges me.” This mindset demonstrates ambition and vision of her future.

Rahma stressed the necessity of academic and personal development when she was asked about it in connection to the preparation process. “Right now, I am focusing on doing well in school, especially in math-related subjects,” she said. She also added that she is “working on building discipline, managing [her] time better, and learning more about money and finance,” demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility and initiative.

Overall, these students demonstrate that success comes from clear intentions, consistent effort, and trust in Allah’s plan. Whether pursuing a career in law or finance, they are working hard while keeping faith that their efforts will lead them to what is best Insha’Allah.

At Madina Academy, we are blessed to have a Musallah and dedicated time to pray every day, something many Muslims in the US and other countries wish they could have. Our daily schedule is built around Duhr salah and we have accessible wudu areas. For many students in other schools, this is not the case. They struggle to find the time, space, and accommodation to make wudu and pray. For us, what is a huge blessing has become something we find ordinary, and do not fully appreciate.

Before Duhr salah, there’s a lot of laughter, conversations, and distractions. Students treat it like a social space rather than a place of worship. We don’t give the time of prayer and the house of Allah the proper respect and reverence it deserves. Even during salah, students are talking, laughing, and causing disturbances.

We have to ask ourselves honestly if we are truly praying or just getting it over with. Salah is meant to be a pause, a moment to disconnect from our studies and worldly life, and reconnect with Allah. Salah will be the first thing we are questioned about on the Day of Judgement, so it deserves our full attention, effort, and respect.

The blessing of having a Musallah should be more appreciated by all of us. Being in an Islamic school does not automatically mean we value what we have. Sometimes, constant access makes us too comfortable. What others struggle for has become routine for us, which has led to neglect and mistreatment.

Allah knows everything. His knowledge is complete and unlimited. He knows everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen. Allah’s knowledge does not force us to behave or act in a certain way. He knows what choices we will make. To understand this better, it can be said that knowledge and force are two different things. For example, a teacher knows a student hasn’t prepared well and will fail the test. The teacher didn’t force the student to fail. The student chose to fail. In Islam, humans have free will. This means we have the power to make a choice between right and wrong. Because of this, we are responsible for what we do. Allah is just, and His justice is perfect. This means Allah does not hold a person responsible for what he or she was forced to do. On the other hand, Allah knows us better than we know ourselves. Because of this, it is evident that although Allah knows everything, we are responsible for the choices we make in life.

Allah judges people with complete justice and complete mercy. Yes, Allah judges good and bad deeds by weighing them on a scale. He also judges them based on sincerity, hard work, and repentance. Allah loves small good deeds done for His sake. Even if people make mistakes, they can also be forgiven for them. Good deeds compensate for bad ones, especially if a person tries to become good and turn back to Allah. He is Ar-Rahman (most merciful) and Al-Adl (most just). This means that Allah will never be unfair to anyone. He knows everyone’s struggles, conditions, and intentions. This is why, even if a person has sinned a lot, they can still be forgiven if they repent sincerely.

Forgiveness is very important in Islam because it is a characteristic Allah loves and encourages. Even though it can be very hard to do this, especially if the person has wronged us in some way, forgiveness does not mean that what they have done was right. It means that we have to forgive them and trust that Allah will make things right in the end. It is best to think of it like this: if you want Allah’s mercy, you should be merciful towards people. Forgiving someone also has many personal benefits for us. It can actually hurt us if we don’t forgive someone who has wronged us. Forgiving them will bring us peace and will allow us to move forward in life. It will prevent us from being stuck in our pain. It will also bring us personal forgiveness from Allah. This is important because we are all going to make mistakes in our lives.

Yes, Allah answers all our dua’s, but not necessarily in the way we expect or hope for. Often, we may ask for things that we think will do us some good, but Allah is Al-Hakeem (most wise). He knows that those things may not only harm us, but may not be right at that particular time. In such situations, not getting what we prayed for may actually be for our own good. There are various ways in which our dua may be answered. It may be granted immediately, at a different time, in a better form than what we prayed for, or it may be rewarded in the Hereafter.

One of the hardest aspects of life to understand is suffering, but in Islam, there is a larger meaning. Suffering can be a trial that helps strengthen one’s faith, gain patience, and help them grow. Suffering can also be a way of seeking forgiveness for one’s sins or of bringing someone closer to Allah. On the other hand, there are also aspects of suffering where people make decisions that have a negative impact on others. Allah’s mercy does not mean that there will be no pain and suffering in this world. Rather, the pain and suffering has a meaning and that there will be justice in the end, especially in the hereafter. This understanding of Allah and the world has a great effect on our faith and helps us have patience and hope. This strength comes from knowing that this world is not the final destination and that justice and rewards are in the next life.

A: You’re definitely not the only person who feels this way. Many people struggle in class because they are too worried about drawing attention to themselves. To be honest, if you’re confused, there are probably at least a few other people who are just as confused but also don’t want to ask.

If you don’t want to begin asking questions suddenly, you can try starting small. You don’t have to raise your hand all the time, but once you start asking questions, you’ll realize it’s not as big a deal as it feels in your head. Many teachers appreciate it when students ask questions because it shows you are engaged and actively want to understand the subject.

Another thing to think about is that learning is way more important than being scared about whether you look dumb or not. Everyone comes to school for the same purpose: to learn. Asking questions is a step of the education process, and it’s how you improve instead of staying unsure.

If you’re still too anxious, you don’t have to ask during class. Talk to the teacher after class or send them an email. Teachers are there to help you learn, and they don’t expect you to be an expert at the subject after just hearing about it once. It’s a teacher’s job to answer your questions, not leave you stuck.

At the end of the day, asking questions doesn’t make you look dumb. Staying confused is the only thing you should worry about when there is an effective way to solve it. Everyone is learning, and no one will judge you for wanting to learn properly. Is it really worth not understanding just to avoid looking dumb?

If you have any questions you want an answer to, don’t be afraid to reach out to @nooram@madinaacademy.org!

Hadith of the Month

Aisha (RA) narrated:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are consistent, even if they are small.’”

— Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim

Why this hadith?

After Ramadan, it is easy to slow down or stop completely. This hadith reminds us that what matters most is not how much we did during Ramadan, but what we continue after it. Small, consistent actions are more valuable than short bursts of effort.

Reflection of the Month

Ramadan may be over, but your relationship with Allah is not. One of the biggest mistakes is thinking that we can return to old habits as soon as the month ends. Ramadan was meant to train you, not temporarily change you.

During Ramadan, you proved to yourself that you can pray on time, read the Qur'an, and stay away from distractions. That version of you is real. The question now is whether you choose to keep it.

You do not need to do everything you did in Ramadan, but you should not leave everything behind either. Growth is not about being perfect. It is about holding onto what you can and building from there.

Let this month remind you:

The habits you keep after Ramadan matter more than the ones you had during it.

Consistency, even if small, is what keeps your faith alive.

The real test begins when the environment of Ramadan is gone.

Carry something with you. Do not walk away unchanged.

It:

Keeps you connected to the Qur’an after Ramadan

Builds a simple and consistent routine

Makes it easier to stay disciplined

Turns a small action into long term growth

Even on busy days, do not skip it.