(*_Hamzah
26-02-07, 06:51 PM
The Retreat
Mon 26 Feb, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm 60mins
Respected Muslim teacher, Abdullah Trevathan is convinced that what people today are missing in their lives is a connection with the divine. He converted to Islam 30 years ago and believes passionately that the spiritual message at the heart of the religion is universal and accessible to all - whether or not you're Muslim or even religious.
Last summer, with Islamophobia raging back home in the UK, Abdullah put his convictions to the test by inviting three men and three women (some Muslim, others not), to spend four weeks exploring their spirituality at an Islamic retreat in the hills of southern Spain. For the six volunteers, all seeking answers, it was a unique opportunity to escape the frenetic, materialistic world outside and focus on the search for a deeper meaning by immersing themselves in a more reflective lifestyle.
In the first of three programmes, the new arrivals struggle to adapt to The Retreat's demanding routine. As well as regular periods of silent contemplation and spiritually uplifting work on the land, the group must also attend the five daily prayers that begin before sunrise. While some find it almost impossible just to survive without their mobile phones, others struggle to engage their hearts rather than their heads.
But some of the group are immediately touched by the beauty and tranquillity of their new surroundings and respond instinctively and emotionally to the spiritual message they are hearing. [AD,S]
Mon 26 Feb, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm 60mins
Respected Muslim teacher, Abdullah Trevathan is convinced that what people today are missing in their lives is a connection with the divine. He converted to Islam 30 years ago and believes passionately that the spiritual message at the heart of the religion is universal and accessible to all - whether or not you're Muslim or even religious.
Last summer, with Islamophobia raging back home in the UK, Abdullah put his convictions to the test by inviting three men and three women (some Muslim, others not), to spend four weeks exploring their spirituality at an Islamic retreat in the hills of southern Spain. For the six volunteers, all seeking answers, it was a unique opportunity to escape the frenetic, materialistic world outside and focus on the search for a deeper meaning by immersing themselves in a more reflective lifestyle.
In the first of three programmes, the new arrivals struggle to adapt to The Retreat's demanding routine. As well as regular periods of silent contemplation and spiritually uplifting work on the land, the group must also attend the five daily prayers that begin before sunrise. While some find it almost impossible just to survive without their mobile phones, others struggle to engage their hearts rather than their heads.
But some of the group are immediately touched by the beauty and tranquillity of their new surroundings and respond instinctively and emotionally to the spiritual message they are hearing. [AD,S]