By Aneeqa Du Plessis

The Islamia College auditorium was filled with women on Sunday for the launch of the Wives of Paradise Foundation seminar series which focuses on spirituality through intimacy. The first part of the seminar covered topics by various female speakers such as Muslim teachers, social workers, life coaches and doctors. Topics discussed included the inner dimensions of intimacy in marriage, the impact of dysfunctional intimacy, the link between physical health and sexual intimacy, and among others, maintaining the magic of your innate sensuality.

The auditorium was filled with women of different ages, race and faith as the ethos of the foundation is non-denominational.
The seminar started with the organizer, Zulfa Brown Jabaar giving an emotional introduction asking the women in attendance to allow themselves to feel safe in this space and that all judgment would be reserved. Among the audience were Afiyah healers, social workers and councillors if anyone was ‘triggered’ by a specific topic.

An attendee at the seminar shares what she found most pleasing about the seminar.

“What resonated the most with me is that we [women] are allowed a safe space to talk about these topics, that we no longer have to shy away from these important issues in a marriage.”

Mualima Hafitha Kareema Jassiem gave a beautiful rendition of Surah Waqiah (The Occurance) and then proceeded to translate the verses of the chapter. She explained to the women what their reward would be for displaying a little patience and “just how well Allah SWT knows us even better than we know ourselves because he is the All knower, the one that created us, and fashioned women into the emotional beings that they are. He is “Al-‘Aleem”.

Mualima Khadija Allie who spoke on the impact of dysfunctional intimacy and sexuality on a marriage described the energy in the room as “so beautiful.”

“I found the seminar to be absolutely amazing, and so well put together. The organizers did an excellent job in sourcing a panel that actually covered every aspect of intimacy,” said another attendee.

The underlying essence of the program was to remind ourselves as Muslims that everything we do, and how we do it should be for the pleasure of Allah SWT.

“The one thing that they [organizers] can improve on is time allocation for each speaker because they were given so little time, they barely touched base with what they needed to bring across. We as audience members want to know more but they just don’t have the time to elaborate further,” commented another participant.

The launch of the Wives of Paradise seminar series will be conducted in a four-part seminar format, with three of them dedicated to women. The remaining seminar in the series will be for men and by men. The purpose of the foundation is to create an awareness that physical intimacy is an act of worship.

For more information on the next seminar visit The Wives of Paradise on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WivesofParadise/ or Whatsapp them on: 073 067 4889