ICP SUMMER CAMP
We have just concluded our Summer Camp, if you did not attend here is what you missed.
ICP SUMMER CAMP 1430H (2009) REPORT
The ICP Summer Camp for this year was
held for three consecutive days. (June 12 through June
15,
2009) The camp location was at a private and beautiful location called
Tippecanoe Camp in Ohio.
There are between 80 - 100 participants. At least half of the participants
were young Muslim youths of different ethnic groups, namely Africans,
African Americans, Caucasians
(European
Americans), Egyptians, Moroccans, Palestinians, Syrians, Turkish, and
other Arabs and non Arabs.
The theme of this year's camp was "Islam: By Heart not by Inheritance."
The majority of the
participants
this year departed for the camp venue on the very first day at about
4:00pm and by evening prayer time, many of those participants had
arrived at the camp. Therefore, dinner was taken and thus signified the
beginning of three days of educational training and unparallel
fun.
The camp activities included lectures, question and answers session,
Horse Back Riding, Archery, B.B. Range sessions, Swimming, Boa
ting,
Canoeing, Soccer, Volley Ball, and more.
It is worth mentioning that good nutrition was a big part of the three
daily delicious and palatable meals served at the camp. The Islamic
Center made sure that all food, especially meat and chicken served were
not
only
Halal but tayyib in accordance to the Islamic injunctions.
Also, the Islamic rule of moderation and bashfulness was exercised in
the residential and fun activities throughout the camp in accordance to
the Qur'an and Sunnah. By the grace of Allah, this
aspect
of the camp went on smoothly and there was no incident of unnecessary
mixing between the genders, wa alhamdulillah.
The excitements of the participants were extraordinary because the
campers had the companionship of the acclaimed Imam Johari Abdul Malik,
who crowned the first and second day of the camp with his gregarious and
in depth insights about
the role of Muslim youths, and adults in this generation. He also made a
comparison between Muslims in the year 1009 and 2009, and how important
it is for Muslims to be proactive in regaining the great heritage of
Muslims worldwide. And this is what he
termed
"…Personal Proactive, Organized Optimism, Dedication and Devotion." The
participants also listened to other speakers like Imam Atef and Imam
Muhammad Hilal, MD who also advised the campers about righteousness and
devotion to Islam and specifically, the
responsibility of parents in raising their children according to the
instructions of Islam to ensure uprightness and good citizenry in this
country and the Muslim world.
The
participants had the privilege to exercise and display the Islamic
lifestyle before the administrators and staffs of the campsite who are
people of other faiths. This aspect of the camp left indelible marks in
the minds of the Muslim campers and the staffs of the camp who were
mainly
of the Christian faiths; dealing with all Muslim groups for the first
time in their lifetimes.
In conclusion, the overwhelming majority of the campers this year had a lot of fun and can not wait to go back to Tippecanoe campsite. It is indeed a memorable camp this year and the location, the staffs and their services were extraordinarily fantastic.
And our last duaa is alhamdulillah Robil 'alameen.