RabaTEENS is a nurturing space for deep and meaningful Islamic spiritual mentorship with compassionate and caring mentors. We design fun, creative, and positive educational experiences to help teens grow confidently and comfortably into their faith.


Class Description


In the Quran, Allah ﷻ  instructs believing men and women to lower their gaze in several verses, such as in Surat An-Nur (24:30-31) and Surat Al-Ahzab (33:59). The essence of this command is to encourage modesty, purity, and the preservation of one's chastity and dignity. 

In this course, we'll dive into the world of desires, navigating emotions, and setting boundaries. We'll uncover ways to stay true to ourselves amidst the whirlwind of crushes, guys, and glances, by understanding the essence of taqwa, the significance of our eyes as a pathway to our hearts, and how modesty is an external as well as internal thing. Together, we'll discuss methods to safeguard our hearts and steer through the rollercoaster of emotions. 



Class Outline


Week 1:  Understanding Desire

In this lesson, we will begin by exploring what desire means and how it influences our feelings. We'll talk about this strong feeling that pops up sometimes, and figure out what it is and how it makes us feel different things. Exploring desire helps us understand why we want certain things and how those wants can affect us. 


Week 2:  Boundaries and Taqwa 

In this lesson, we will unpack the concept of boundaries and how they relate to practicing taqwa. Boundaries are like lines we draw to keep things safe and good in our lives. We'll chat about them and what taqwa is and how having taqwa is like having a protective shield around us.  


Week 3:  External and Internal Modesty 

We will delve into the aspects of modesty, both as an outward appearance and an inner virtue. Modesty isn't just about how we look on the outside, it's also about being mindful of thoughts that we hold inside. We'll talk about dressing respectfully and also being kind and humble in our hearts that we don't hold bad or dodgy thoughts and dialogues. Learning about modesty helps us show respect to others and ourselves, making us awesome both inside and out. 


Week 4:  The Eyes as the Gateway to the Heart  
 
In this lesson, we will explore the connection between our eyes and emotions, understanding their impact on our hearts. Understanding this helps us appreciate the verses in the Quran where Allah ﷻ  commanded us to lower our gazes in certain situations in order to keep our hearts happy and healthy. 


Week 5:  Patience and Prayer as a Means to Get Through 

In this lesson, we will discuss the role of patience and prayer as tools to navigate through challenges. When things get tough, patience and prayer are like our superhero powers. We'll chat about how being patient and praying can help us through the tricky times. Learning to be patient and praying helps us stay strong and positive, even when stuff gets really hard. 


  • It was honestly so beneficial. Anse Nishat was so real and taught us based on things we go through on an everyday basis, and taught us how to deal with different circumstances. It was a lot more helpful than just hearing that all of these things are Haram.

  • I liked that it guided me with boys, especially during tis time when feelings can be really hard to deal with.

  • the way that the anse explained everything so well and how passionate she was and how close i felt to her just from taking a few classes

  • I liked the reminders on how to deal with different situations concerning relationships

  • I liked everything, like the things we were taught and hypothetical situations we replied to, Anse Nishat, and all the kind classmates! <3

  • Rabateens classes keep me sane :-) lol

  • I really liked this class and learned a lot.

  • I liked the non-awkwardness

  • I liked that I didn’t feel like a bad muslim and has given me strength and hope for myself and my iman

  • I liked how kind everyone was and I was comfortable to talk to people and express my feelings

  • I liked how Anse is so friendly and welcoming and comfortable to talk to

  • I liked how it gave us tips on how to deal with feelings towards boys and what to do and not to do. The class also highlighted the importance of sabr and tawwakul, trusting in Allah's plan which I really liked.

Class Activity Materials

None 

Required Book

None

Class Day & Time

Saturdays, 10:30 - 11:30 am CST 

Session dates: September 20 - October 18 

Students must attend Zoom live sessions. Classes are NOT recorded.


*Enrollment into the RabaTEENS program is on a per-student basis. If two (or more) students are planning to attend a class together by sharing a screen, each student will need to enroll for class individually. 

**RabaTEENS programs are for girls aged 12-17 ONLY. Students are required to be 12 already in order to join any of RabaTEENS programs.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be given to students who complete the class.

Refund Policy

No refunds are issued once the session begins. 

Boys, Butterflies, and Boundaries

Meets once a week for one hour (5-week session)

Instructor

Anse Nishat Lal

Anse Nishat Aisha Lal was raised in Cardiff, Wales. A born Muslim of Indian descent, she began studying Arabic at age 14, which was her springboard to receiving Bachelor’s degrees in Arabic and History from the University of London. She then traveled to Syria for her third year of study, where she met Anse Tamara Gray, earned her ijāza in tajwīd and studied at the University of Damascus. Upon her return to England she earned a Master’s degree in Arabic Translation from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, after which she got married and now has three children. Anse Nishat has taught both Arabic and tajwīd online extensively as well as in person. “Learning Arabic is the key to the vast treasures of Islam, and I’m excited to help students begin their journey into the Qur’an and other Islamic texts with confident foundations.” Anse Nishat has been teaching Arabic with Ribaat since 2014. She also works with tajwid students one-on-one as part of the Quran Program and teaches Sira in her local community. She is a wife and mother of three kids. She loves to sing and make desserts!