A Review of ISNA 51 - Detroit Organization/logistics: 7/10 Speaker choice: 2/10 Location/building: 9/10 Food options and prices: 4/10 Hanging out with good friends: 10/10 Overall: 6.4 Credit is given where credit is due. The work that was put forth by volunteers to set up a huge conference successfully is amazing. There were hundreds of hard-working volunteers, many who ran around all day to ensure a smooth conference, and many whose names are not known to the public, but Allah (swt) knows and rewards generously. Thank you for your efforts. Speaker Choice ISNA is constantly attacked by the extreme-right due to its past and due to its lack of diversity, so its understandable that ISNAs direction is to prove those claims false going forward. However, this does not justify the invitation to certain speakers, whose life mission is to attack the Sunnah and the main references of the Sunnah (Bukhari & Muslim), and who support the genocide of innocents overseas, or who spend years attacking the Sunnah and in one, private statement, are suddenly accepted because they renounce genocide. It was difficult seeing people I know attend the lectures of deviant speakers, but it also raises another issue: if the people with the correct methodology and credentials are not speaking up, then those sessions will be filled in with those who are deviant. This happened at least thrice at ISNA Detroit, excluding sessions that I did not attend. ISNA needs to be courageous and firm in its decisions, and realize that no matter what it does going forward, it will *always* be attacked. You cant please those who want you to stop being Muslim, no matter what you do. A lot of apologetic Muslims dont realize that (and Im not referring to ISNA). Choose the qualified speakers who are good role models in society, who exemplify the Quran and Sunnah -- which is sufficient as a great role model for all of mankind -- and who speak against evil and falsehood wherever it takes place. Diversity is not a justification for deviancy. I gave this a 2/10 because of some great speakers whose lectures were phenomenal and really impacted the masses. Location/Building The COBO Hall is an enormous, roomy building, and a great choice for a convention like ISNA. I did feel that it was emptier than other conferences -- maybe due to the sheer size of the place. The river outside and the downtown area made the location choice more appealing too. The prayer area and the bazar did not feel crowded as in some other conferences, Alhamdulillah. Food options/prices I was not the only one to notice that the options available were ridiculous and the prices moreso. I understand that sometimes its out of the organizations control, but to bring people to Southeast Michigan (read: Dearborn) and not have a great choice of food is strange. The food-trucks were also useless as they served tiny finger portions for absurd prices. People came from all over the country for ISNA Detroit and I believe this couldve been executed better. Hanging out with good friends This is self-explanatory. Overall, it was a light, well-intended weekend with good people and a positive atmosphere all around (and a lot of single people looking for spouses). The people who put in work to make it happen cannot be thanked enough. May Allah (swt) allow us to see the truth as truth and the ability to follow it. May He allow us to see the falsehood as falsehood and the ability to abstain from it. May He protect us from the gatherings of the deviants and the inability to accept sound advice. #isna51detroit This is my personal opinion; youre entitled to yours.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 21:03:44 +0000
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