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


The Strategic Thinking for Young Muslim Women class is designed for girls who want to strengthen their ability to think ahead, make thoughtful decisions, and turn their ideas and goals into intentional action. As teens begin to manage their own time, navigate friendships, balance school and activities, take greater initiative, and think about their future, they may not always have the tools to prioritize competing demands or plan a clear path forward. This five-week class introduces strategic thinking as a practical, learnable skill that students can apply to decisions, challenges, and goals in their everyday lives. 

Students will learn how to set meaningful goals, break them into achievable steps, weigh options and consequences, make thoughtful decisions, and adapt their plans when obstacles arise. Throughout the course, these skills will be grounded in Islamic values, including sincerity of intention (niyyah), consultation (shura), patience (sabr), and trust in Allah's ﷻ plan (tawakkul), helping students connect thoughtful planning and effort with their faith. Through discussions, activities, and a final project, students will develop a strategic plan for a goal or cause they care about and leave with a practical framework they can continue to use in their own lives. 



Class Outline


Week 1:  What Is Strategic Thinking?  

Students will explore the difference between reacting in the moment and thinking ahead with purpose. The focus is on understanding strategic thinking as seeing the bigger picture, anticipating outcomes, and making choices with intention. Students will connect this to examples from their own lives and to the Islamic principle of tawakkul paired with sound planning.  


Week 2:  Setting Goals with Purpose 

Students will learn how to set clear, meaningful goals and break them into smaller, actionable steps. This session introduces simple goal-setting tools and ties them to the concept of niyyah, helping students root their goals in sincerity and purpose. Students will practice writing a personal goal using what they learn. 


Week 3:  Making Smart Decisions 

Students will practice weighing options, considering consequences, and thinking through short-term versus long-term outcomes. This session builds practical decision-making skills that students can use in school, friendships, and family life. Students will also reflect on how the Islamic values of responsibility and consultation (shura) shape good decision-making. 


Week 4:  Planning & Adapting 

Students will learn how to turn a goal into a workable plan and how to adjust that plan when things do not go as expected. This session focuses on flexibility, problem-solving, and resilience when facing setbacks. Students will explore how patience (sabr) and trust in Allah's ﷻ plan work alongside their own efforts. 


Week 5:  Strategic Thinking in Action (Final Project) 

Students will bring everything together by creating a simple strategic plan for a goal or cause they care about. They will present their plan, including the steps they will take and how they will adapt if challenges arise. This final session helps students see themselves as thoughtful, capable planners who can turn ideas into action.


Class Activity Materials

Pen/Paper (note taking)

Required Books

None

Class Day & Time

Sundays, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Central Time 

Session dates: September 13 - October 11

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

Certificates of participation are available upon request.

Refund Policy

No refunds are issued once the session begins. 

Strategic Thinking for Young Muslim Women

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

Instructor

Anse Aqsa Akram

Anse Aqsa Akram was born and raised in New Jersey. She holds a BA in Economics, an MBA in Finance and a Masters in Science in International Business. She is currently pursuing a Project Management certification. She started her journey with Ribaat in 2016, where she is from the second graduating class of Ribaat of 2022. She has taught for Rabata's youth program, Dragonflies, and is also an assistant for the Chapters community group, and an active volunteer for the New Jersey chapter. She serves on the Board of Director for Sakinah Institute, a New Jersey-based educational institution. Professionally, Anse Aqsa is the Team Leader, for the Health and Welfare domain, at Alight Solutions. Personally, she loves to read, keep up with her Harry Potter trivia knowledge, and connect with family and friends.