“Sacred spiritual poetry is intended to soften our hearts and remind us of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. We have the opportunity through this blessed collection to resemble the Companions who recited poetry directly before our Prophet ﷺ...” Shaykh Yahyha Rhodus
Breezes of the Elect is a new collection of classical qaṣā’id (poems) that was launched in Ramadan 2023. The collection was intended to make classical poems accessible using clear English, to help increase our love for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
We are honoured to present the first Breezes of the Elect Retreat at Azahara.
The Sacred Sounds Retreat intends to deepen connection to our Prophet ﷺ by studying and learning the sacred poems that can be found in Breezes of the Elect, delving into the meanings, working on pronunciation of the songs, learning how to use the traditional daff frame drum, and poetry workshops.
This year's retreat is for women (minimum age 18); we plan to organise for more audiences in future.
The programme includes:
7 nights with accommodation and meals at Azahara International.
Lessons on the daff and qasa’id.
Lessons on tajweed and pronunciation of the Arabic qaṣā’id.
Poetry workshops.
Gatherings of remembrance covering; The Burdah of Imam Busiri, The Shimmering Light Mawlid by Habib Umar, Poem of Our Lady Khadijah (ra) by Habib Ahmad Midhar and more.
Day trip to Alhambra and Granada Mosque.
Optional swimming, archery and nature walks.
Teachers:
Umm al-Khair:
Umm al-Khair is the compiler of the Breezes of the Elect book and is a teacher of tajwīd, qaṣā’id and daff. She has worked internationally, assisting communities in setting up regular gatherings of remembrance. She has ijaza in Qur’an recitation, for recitation of the Burdah, Shimmering Light and all qaṣā’id in the book and has been singing and teaching for the last 12 years. The purpose of reciting qasa’id is to increase in love and connection with the Prophet ﷺ, which is the intention behind the Breezes of the Elect book and any subsequent teaching.
Robina Din (Mystic Beats)
Robina first developed her passion for singing when she was only 8 years old performing a variety of naats at her local Urdu School. Through Mystic Beats, Robina has been providing vocal skills and daff workshops to children and ladies for more than 20 years in person locally and internationally and online across the globe. Robina seeks to spread connection to, and love for Allah (swt), His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and to create a space for connection and wellbeing through Inshaad, coupled with the inherent healing aspects of daff drumming.
Ayman Muhammed
Ayman is best described as a creative across multiple disciplines, ranging from photography, graphic design and poetry. He was part of the critically acclaimed hip hop duo ‘The Planets’, who broke barriers by working with a number of high profile American artists. Ayman is part of a group in Nottingham which reads Habib Umar’s Shimmering Light mawlid on a weekly basis, having now done so for over 12 years. His time in 2019 in Morocco and Tarim studying Arabic opened his eyes to a new variety of traditional devotional poetry and the role of these poems to the spiritual life of a Muslim. Ayman contributed to the selection of qaṣa’id, the overall design of the book and helped in editing the translations.
FEES - WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Accommodation (international guests only), all meals, classes and workshops, gatherings of remembrance, day trip to Alhambra and Granada mosque, archery and swimming.
Spanish or locals: 400EUROS (Tuition and meals)
Internationals prices:
800 EUROS (£680/$870) for a bell tent
850 EUROS (£725/$920) for a room of four
900 EUROS (£770/$975) for a shared room of 2-3 people
Payment plans and limited scholarships available. All prices are based off the Euro and so will be subject to the exchange rate at the time of paying.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Flights and airport transfer. Participants should arrive no later than 5pm on Friday 28th June.
Breezes of the Elect is a new collection of classical qaṣā’id, finely translated and beautifully designed. All poems consist of Arabic script, English translation and transliteration. Our intentions for compiling this book are to inspire an increase in love, knowledge, connection and obedience towards the Prophet ﷺ, by the comprehension of the poems through their English translations.
Containing:
The Burdah
The Muḍariyyah
The Muḥammadiyyah
The Shimmering Light
Collection of 63 Qaṣā’id (all can be listened to on soundcloud https://bit.ly/breezesoftheelect)
Introduction and full title of the book by Ḥabīb Kāẓim as-Saqqāf
Intentions of the Munshid (singer of praise) by Ḥabīb ʿUmar b. Ḥafīẓ
Intentions of the Drummer
Intentions of the Gathering
Closing Dua
Blurb by Shaikh Yaḥyā Rhodus and Shaikh Aḥmad Bābikar
Available now in two sizes:
Small (7”by10”) size
https://mybook.to/SmallBreezesOfTheElect
Large (A4) size
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
How and when do we make payment?
Once you have registered for the retreat, you will be contacted with payment details. Payment is made by an online transfer, however if you want to pay by debit or credit card you can request a payment link.
Which is the closest airport?
Granada is forty-five minutes away from Azahara and Malaga is one and a half hours away.
What is the cost of being picked up from the airport, and will we be met by someone?
Once you have registered and paid for the retreat, shortly before the retreat commences, you will be sent a pre-retreat form to fill out, where we will ask you for your flight information. Once the majority of guests have made their flight bookings and filled out the form, we will arrange a taxi or minibus pick up with the costs to be shared by the passengers. The cost can be anything from €100-€150.You will also be sent the phone number of the driver who is to meet you at the airport. Alternatively local buses are available from the airport, details can be sent on request.
What time should I book my flights for?
Please aim to arrive on Friday 28th in the morning/early afternoon. This gives you time to be picked up and settle into your accommodation. The program will start after Asr prayer time on Friday at 6.30pm.
There is a free concert with Al Firdaws ensemble in Granda on the evening of 5 July. You are welcome to stay until 6 or to depart anytime after 9.30am on 5 July.
Can I arrive a day or two before the retreat and also stay on for longer? What is the cost of extra nights?
Yes, you can arrive a day or two earlier. You can stay longer but only until 7th July. The extra price per night is €35/£29/$38 for a shared room (2-3 people), €30/£25/$33 for the zawiyah (3-4 people sharing), €20/£17/$21 for the tent. These prices do not include food which would need to be purchased additionally.
What is the program for the retreat?
Below is a brief outline of our daily schedule. All of the below will be centred around the five daily prayers, three delicious locally sourced meals and tea breaks:
Class 1 - Daff drumming with Mystic Beats
Class 2 - Qasaid singing and Tajwid with Umm al-Khair
Break/siesta
Swimming/Archery (optional)
Class 3 - Poetry workshop with Ayman Muhammed
Reflections/Daff Qasaid Practice
Gatherings of Remembrance (including Shimmering Light, The Burdah, and much more)
We are also planning a one day trip to visit Al-Hambra and other sites in Granada, which is set to take place on Monday 1st July.
Will there be any men at the retreat?
There is a resident Imam as well as a few male volunteers, one of the teachers (Ayman Muhammed) and the chef. However, there are female specific areas where no men will be allowed, with the majority of the retreat being a women only held space.
I have food allergies, what should I do?
Once you have registered and paid for the retreat, shortly before the retreat commences, you will be sent a pre-retreat form to fill out, where we will ask you about any allergies.
How much does a Daff and Breezes of the Elect book cost?
The daffs are €53/£45/$58 (Approximately 12 inches, animal skin)
The small size of Breezes of the Elect is €23/£20/$25 (7inches by 10 inches)
The large size is €30/£25/$33 (A4)
I have a question that is not on this list. Who can I email?
Contact Azahara for logistical questions. info@breezesoftheelect.org for questions regarding the content of the retreat. N.B. All prices are based off the Euro and so will be subject to the exchange rate at the time of paying.