27 April 2026 / 10. Zil-Qad 1447
The Mainstay Foundation UK and USA and The World Federation of KSIMC, in collaboration with The World Federation’s regional partners CoEJ and NASIMCO, are pleased to announce this year’s Najaf Retreat.
The Najaf Retreat is a capacity building project that targets accomplished young leaders who are active Shia Muslim Community. The project aims to invest in such individuals by taking them on an uplifting educational and spiritual journey to Najaf, Iraq, where they will be exposed to one of the epicenters of Shia Muslim heritage and education. This project is within one of The Mainstay Foundation’s primary objectives of fostering education amongst Shia Muslims.
Over the course of 10 days, the retreaters will meet and benefit from renowned scholars of the Islamic Seminary who will provide focused guidance on, and deep insights into, a variety of topics in Islamic history, theology, jurisprudence, and ethics. Furthermore, the retreaters will have the opportunity to visit the holy shrines in Najaf, Karbala, Kathimiya, and Samarra, as well as important historical sites and academic institutions.
This trip is for the attendees to understand and appreciate the rich Islamic heritage that has been preserved by our scholars in the seminary, have a general understanding of the role and framework of the seminary, and answer all of their pressing questions and issues that they face as young leaders in the West.*
You can find more information such as FAQ, Application form, Terms and conditions all on The Najaf Retreat website.
Please note the application deadline is on Friday, September 27th, 2019.
*Text taken from The Najaf Retreat website
Summary of question
How can one become sure which of the ulema giving advice and lectures are worthy and qualified to so?
Question
We live in a community of hundreds of thousands of Muslims and have many ulema--many of whom we do not believe are qualified. How can a person obtain assurance (or certification) that the ulema that are giving advice and lectures are supported and qualified according to the rules of the Shia faith?
In the current situation, with many mu’mineen opting to pay zakaat al-fitrah electronically, the Islamic Education Department of The World Federation consulted with the office of His Eminence Grand Ayatullah Sayyed ‘Ali Sistani (May Allah SWT prolong his age), and received the following guidelines.
The World Federation and India Federation are holding two residential camps in India this April.
