This year, I challenged myself to attend the BMAF retreat by myself. I was a part of Sister Rukayat’s ”Anti Blackness in the Muslim community” class this Spring, and since then, I’ve been looking forward to this weekend.
The person I was when I stepped on Camp Cullen was different than the one who walked out. On Friday, I came feeling timid, scared, and nervous. Although I was happy to be there, I’ve never attended a retreat on my own. Imam Mendes told the group at dinner that although we are all guests, we are also here to serve one another. And that was exactly how I experienced my time at the BMAF Retreat 2025. From the lectures, to the tahajjuds, talent shows, activities, roommates, to arriving at and from camp, everyone was just so giving of themselves. Giving of knowledge, giving of assistance, giving of sisterhood and brotherhood, giving of love.
My family and friends keep asking me how the retreat was, and I tell them, “It’s one thing to say you’re Muslim, and it’s another to embody Islam within your character and how you treat others.” That’s how the retreat was. Everyone carried out the essence of Islam. And I just felt so safe there. It was my first time in my life, I didn’t experience feeling othered. I was just safe to be me.
Thank you AHAD community for this heartwarming experience.
My name is Sofiya Idris. I am a first generation Somali American who was raised in Seattle. I come from a family of 10 and have always been raised around my cousins. You can always find me engaged in different activities. I enjoy poetry, writing, podcasts, and creating content for my cooking channel.
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Sofiya Idris is a first generation Somali American who was raised in Seattle. She comes from a family of 10 and has always been raised around her cousins. You can always find her engaged in different activities. She has a double major from the University of Washington in 1) Society, Ethics and Human Behavior, and 2) Health Studies—with a minor in Education and Society.
A current grant recipient of Seattle Arts and Culture, Sofiya has put together community panels on her podcast “Ilm an Amaanah” to discuss controversial topics that are normally shyed away from such as addiction, divorce, tribalism, and more. She has always had a passion for working with others through the form of storytelling and conversation. Nowadays, you can find her performing poetry, braiding hair in the community, and being a caregiver for her brother, Ali. She also enjoys creating content for her cooking channel.
