From the Washington Post App

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Washington Post: At Muslim LGBTQ retreat, attendees try to reconcile their faith and sexuality

We  made the front page of the Washington Post's Lifestyle Section. May 31, 2013!

At Muslim LGBTQ retreat, attendees try to reconcile their faith and sexuality

At the retreat, women and men prayed side by side, rather than in separate quarters as is customary. Some people found potential partners. Others wept in workshops when they talked about their family's reactions.

Under a blue sky, the final prayer took place on Monday. A woman was allowed to lead both the call to the prayer and the prayer itself.

"At the end of the retreat, many people spoke of feeling like they were finally home, among family," said Tynan Power, 42, a co-chair of the retreat.

Full article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/2013/05/30/169b9c2c-c7ac-11e2-9f1a-1a7cdee20287_story.html

Co-Chairs

Faisal and Tynan

Bye Bye Philadelphia

Bye bye Philadelphia. And then there were 3. Until next time. #LGBTMuslims Retreat lgbtmuslimretreat.blogspot.com

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Praying without Hijab

"Thank you for welcoming me and allowing me to be in this safe space, without wearing hijab. I haven't prayed in over a year; I feel at peace today." - Participant at #LGBTMuslims Retreat on last day. 

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Welcoming and Inclusive Islam

Last day of #LGBTMuslims Retreat ends with mixed gender prayer led by a woman. History, Divine power witnessed by 85+ people from 4 countries. THIS is the vision and future of an inclusive and welcoming Islam. No barriers, only love. 

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Re:

My Darlings, my loves, my sweethearts, my lights.
This Freedom - it is yours. Grab hold of it. Claim it. Freedom belongs to you.

You deserve to be free. You, a child of the Divine, are worthy of it.
Reach out. Take it. Claim it. Freedom is yours.

We go forward from here.
-F2B

Re:

My Darlings, my loves, my sweethearts, my lights.
This Freedom - it is yours. Grab hold of it. Claim it. Freedom belongs to you.

You deserve to be free. You, a child of the Divine, are worthy of it.
Reach out. Take it. Claim it. Freedom is yours.

We go forward from here.

My dear ones.
If your hand wishes to talk, then my hand will listen.

If your foot wants to speak, then my foot will hear.

And when the evensong rises from your heart, whether it is lifted on
rising joy or escaping from overwhelming grief, then my heart will
sing with yours.

This is love. And my love is with you.
-F2B

Sakina Khaki

Sakina Khaki performed "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" at LGBTQ Muslim Retreat's Talent Show. :-)

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Talent / No Talent Show

I love how the #LGBTMuslims Retreat Talent / No Talent Show includes everything from spoken word to art to poetry to drag... And... someone spelling English and Spanish alphabet backward. :-)

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Planning a Workshop

Soooo.... apparently organizing a workshop 1 hour before its happening with a co-facilitator who also has ADHD is a little difficult. :)  We start planning, and then check email, respond to texts, zone out for a while, get up and get coffee / scones, come back... forgot what we were talking about... and then freak out because its time for our session. :) #LGBTMuslim Retreat

--
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Faisal Alam
alam.faisal@gmail.com

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

Mid Day Prayer - Zuhr

Mid day prayer (Zuhr) at #LGBTMuslim Retreat. Men and women praying next to each other; come as you are; Allah loves His/Her creation as they are. 

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Hearing a discussion about the politics of wearing the hijab within the context of an LGBTQ space

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Trans Imams

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Intergenerational Dialogue Plenary

Imam Daayiee Abdullah and Tynan Power speaking at plenary on Intergenerational Dialogue #lgbtmuslims #masgd 

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Re:

My Darling, My Love:
My hand is empty without yours ensconced therein,
Chakras meeting, Auras mixing,
Fingers sweetly expressing Love
In sacred caresses.

My hand is empty without yours, my Love.
-------------------------

The Pinings of a Love-seeking Cuddler

Re:

Oh my Sweethearts,
The birds are singing and twittering. Earth Herself is alive. Come,
rise from your restful slumbers; and taste the sweet goodness of the
Morn.
-Your Resident Early Bird

Oh, my sweethearts. Talking about my thoughts on gender with strangers
is so nerve-rattling. Thank God for trees.

Wound and Light

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”

― Rumi

tags: brokenness, healing, scars, suffering

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Healthy Communities

What does a socially and spiritually healthy & sustainable (LGBTQ Muslim) community look like? 

Me: " A queer Muslim commune in Wisconsin... Or an island " :-)

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Workshop 1

Workshop 1: Healthy Body and Soul, Religious Diversity in Islam, Writing Our Histories. Follow the retreat blog at lgbtmuslimretreat.blogspot.co. 

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Break Between Sessions

Progressive Muslim Mosque Spaces

El-Farouk Khaki discussing formation of progressive Muslim mosque spaces in 4 Canadian countries. 300+ people now attend annual Ramadan Iftaar dinner in Toronto!

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Safe sex kits!

Thank you @atticyouthcen for providing us these fabulous safe sex kits for #LGBTMuslims retreat in Philly. 

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Remembering Our History

Plenary on LGBTQ Muslim History. Remembering our roots; 1997. Can't believe how far we've come. Leaders of our community recalling stories, history...

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Day 2 Begins

Day 2 of LGBTQ Muslim Retreat Begins. This morning: Organic wholesome breakfast, Yoga, Writing Circle, 12 Step & Recovery Meeting and How to Pray 101. Follow the live updates at lgbtmuslimretreat.blogspot.com

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The end of isolation

@kamalfizazi: The end of isolation occurs in human interaction. Prayer
& dhikr do it too. But being in community, gathering, is part of it.
@faisalalam

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Highlights of Day 1 - Part 2

Highlights of Day 1 - Part 1

Divine Energy

Day 1 of 2013 LGBTQ Muslim Retreat over. Nothing like seeing 2 queer people of the same ethnic background meeting each other after thinking they were "the only one." 80+ folks. More than a dozen ethnicities, 3 countries. Awe inspiring. Allah is with us this weekend. 

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Lotas!

Um, someone brought loots!  Google it ;-) #LGBTMuslims

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LGBTQ Muslim retreat will not be complete without the lotas

40 people here...

40 people here; 45 to go :) 2013 LGBTQ Muslim Retreat

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Imaam Daayiee does khutbah at the LGBTQ Muslim retreat

Imam Daayiee Sermon

Friday Prayer

I Can't Wait, To See You Again

What's that you say? I've been waiting to attend this retreat for a year, what is another hour? While relatively speaking an hour doesn't matter much in the span of a year, but an extra minute of anticipation feels like a lifetime. So, relatively speaking, I've been waiting a lifetime to see you again.

Last year was my first at the retreat, bringing with it a rebirth of sorts. Last year I found a new family, a new sense of belonging, and I rediscovered myself. I was once a smiling, trusting, loving young person. But years of received cruelty and disillusionment changed me into someone I hardly recognized. Someone who was so cynical that she never went out of her way to make friends anymore. Someone who I didn't like at all.

Four days at the retreat changed all that. Four days, and I rediscovered this hopeful and energetic part of myself that I had locked up out of pain and frustration.  It all started when I met you.

This year has been difficult. My contract at work ended, my mom's cancer resurfaced, and I had to leave my chosen city to return to live with my folks and take up the mantle of responsibility. It was you who helped me through it. You sent me prayers, love, light, laughter, and happiness. You made me cry regularly with how sweet and supportive you were. You probably wouldn't recognize me in a crowd, you only really remember my name because of Facebook – but that just makes it so much more beautiful. You don't know me, but you recognize me as a sister on the same path of self-discovery and acceptance, and that's all that matters.

So I sit here, my flight delayed an hour, and it's killing me because it's an hour less I have with you. The first five minutes of last year's retreat started me down a path that changed my life. Just imagine how I feel being deprived of your company for a whole hour.

Program Book Cover

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Calm before the storm :)

Rainy and Cool

Rainy and cool here in Philadelphia, but it'll soon be sunny and warm with 85+ LGBTQ Muslims. :-) #LGBTMuslims 

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Good Morning Retreaters

Welcome!

And so it begins :)

7 am. Texts begin. 7 folks from Michigan have driven 10+ hours to attend #LGBTMuslims Retreat. Early check in anyone? And it begins... :-)

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We are in our final leg of fundraising! Tomorrow, May 24th, our third Retreat will gather a record 86 people for a unique opportunity to experience affirmation and community as LGBTQ Muslims and partners. For those of you who are observing from afar and support our work, please consider making a small donation (well, we won't turn down large, either...) All donations help us provide the much-needed scholarships that make this Retreat possible for youth and others with financial need. www.lgbtmuslimretreat.com/donations.php

8 here! 75+ to go!

8 of us here. 75+ to go. See you soon at the 2013 LGBTQ Muslim Retreat! Follow us on twitter #LGBTMuslims and at lgbtmuslimretreat.blogspot.com:-) 

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The Night Before

The night before the retreat and the quiet seems so odd. In just hours dozens of LGBTQ Muslims will be noisily crowding onto these couches and making bonds that will last a lifetime!

Photocopying / Laminating Away

Holding You in the Light

Our Quaker hosts are now "holding us in the light" as we enter 24 hours before the retreat. :-)

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Quote of the Day

Quote of the day comes from Kamal Fizazi:

Me: "We'll tell our step grandchildren about this one day (insanity of organizing an LGBTQ Muslim retreat).  Maybe they'll make a movie about it.

Kamal: "LOL, Ok, but as long as Keanu Reaves plays my character." 

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Follow the Retreat through our blog and through Twitter #LGBTMuslims

See you soon Philadelphia!