Origin

The idea for the Nusaibah Collective came about in 2019 when founder, facilitator and participant, Sr. Nakita Valerio completed a cross-country trek to five different cities, collecting the testimonies and stories of young Muslims for an academic study.*

After asking them about their most profound struggles, several key narratives kept cropping up:

  • A lack of access to Islamic knowledge, mentors, and safe community spaces;
  • Barriers to belonging and accessibility, especially along gendered lines;
  • Excess stress caused by Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism.

The reality is that, for many Muslims in Canada, (especially sisters) the ever-present spectre of Islamophobia combined with various constraints within Muslim communities means that some of our siblings are experiencing serious crises of identity, and even, of faith. A sharp uptick in violent attacks against Black Muslimahs in Alberta from 2020 to the present has only exacerbated these issues.

By Allah’s Will, it is our prayer that The Nusaibah Collective be “a soft place to land” – a place of refuge, of nourishment, and of growth, especially for the soul-weary.

“Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again , come , come.“

Jalaluddin Muhammad Balkhi (Rumi)

Our Program

Members of the 2023-2024 cohort will have access to the following programming offers included in their semester fees:

  • Weekly online live or recorded tajweed theory classes with a qualified teacher
  • Weekly one-hour small group classes for memorization practice & apply rules
  • Weekly khatma sessions to practice reading (with live correction) for slow & fast readers
  • Weekly Quranic Arabic classes
  • Special programming for the month of Ramadan and first days of Dhul Hijjah
  • Group contact through phone app
  • Once monthly reflection session with sisters
  • Growth mindset and action-based support

Please note: All activities for TNC occur online, unless otherwise specified, insha Allah.

*The study that inspired this collective was conducted for the Institute for Religious and Socio-Political Studies (I-RSS) and funded by the Muslim Association of Canada but is affiliated with neither organization & operates independently.

Sister Feedback & Testimonials

Facilitator

Sr. Nakita Valerio is an award-winning writer, researcher, and Muslim community organizer based on Treaty 6 territory, Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, Canada). Nakita is currently a doctoral student in Religious Studies at the University of Alberta where she is studying Qur’anic literacy and Muslimah religious leadership in rural Morocco. She is the former Research Director for the Institute for Religious and Socio-Political Studies (I-RSS), and continues to serve as the Editor-in-Chief for the RSS Journal. Her masters was in history and Islamic-Jewish studies from the University of Alberta and she has been a research fellow with the Tessellate Institute, I-RSS, the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities (ECMC) and Mercy Mission Canada (MMC), among others. Nakita also acts as an academic strategist for graduate students. She serves as an advisor and research fellow to the Chester Ronning Center for the Study of Religion and Public Life, as the Faculty of Arts representative for Alumni Council, and as a member of the University Teaching Awards Committee at the University of Alberta. She is currently writing a novel and homeschools her 2 children. By the will of Allah Alone, she has been Muslim since 2010.

Shuyukh

Sh. Abdulhalim is a Qur’an and Arabic language teacher based in Oman and originally from Egypt. He has been verified as hafidh for twenty-five years and received his ijazat to instruct in the hafs qira (al-‘asim) – both tajweed rules and Qur’an memorization. Sh. Abdulhalim also holds a degree from the Faculty of Education in the Arabic language department from Helwan University, part of Greater Cairo. He has taught over 6000 online teaching hours in the past three years alone to students all over the world. In addition to involvement in a number of philanthropic endeavours throughout his life, Sh. Abdulhalim has devoted himself to opening the world of the Qur’an to any striving students he encounters.

Sh. Mahmoud is a Qur’an and Arabic language teacher based in Egypt. He has been verified as hafidh for fourteen years, is a graduate of Al-Azhar University in pharmacy and Islamic sciences, and is permitted to instruct in the hafs qira (al ‘asim). Sh. Mahmoud continues to study under the tutelage of his shuyukh and is working towards certification in a second qira. He has taught students online from around the globe in over 3000 lessons in the past couple years. Sh. Mahmoud has committed himself to connecting seekers with the Qur’an and prays to come closer to Allah along with them.

Nusaibah

The collective is named after Nusaibah bint Ka’ab al Maziniyyah – an early convert to Islam and companion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Of the dozens of leaders and statesmen pledged their allegiance to the Last Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Al-Aqabah, Nusaibah was one of two women present, testifying to the truth of the Prophet’s mission. Additionally, during the Battle of Uhud, Muslims were on the verge of defeat when Nusaibah, along with her husband and two sons, surrounded the Prophet ﷺ to protect him from attackers. The Prophet ﷺ said in whichever direction he looked, he saw her defending him. Impressed by her valour and commitment, the Prophet ﷺ made the supplication that he would be with Nusaibah and her family in paradise. Upon hearing this, she replied, “I do not care what befalls me in this world.” While this only captures a small snapshot of the incredible qualities of our pious predecessor, it is her forbearance, unrelenting commitment to the truth and unapologetic Islam in the face of oppression that are qualities we strive to embody in our collective journey together.

The Nusaibah Collective is an independent, grassroots project. The original cohort (2021-2022) was made possible through support from The Velma Carter Centre for African-Canadian Women and Sisters Dialogue.