As a laam ala mau ala mau mau mrachma toula huavar kathu hu. This is Abdin al-Soujangda from Kalam and I wanted to share a story with you.

Over a decade ago, this is back when we had one series on the Kalam podcast, the Sido Podcast.

There were a couple of hundred people who followed that series.

Hamdala, we used to conduct one intensive a year, the CETA intensive, which still goes on,

and that would be attended by about 30 to 40 people every year.

We also had one workshop that we used to conduct,

the Khatib training workshop.

And same thing. the Khadib training workshop.

And same thing, it was attended by about 25 to 30 people.

We had just opened the doors to the seminary. We just had only just opened the doors to the seminary.

We just had only a one-year program at the seminary,

and we had 15 students in that program, 1-5, for a one-year program.

And I was the only instructor at Kallam.

And at that time a brother he was very passionate about Islamic knowledge about Islamic education.

And so he approached me and he said I would like to contribute.

I would like to donate. I would like to support these efforts.

We were very in the very early stages of our efforts.

I really wanted to establish things, figure things out properly.

Before we solicited any kind of support, before we asked anyone for any contributions or donations or support

because I wanted to always make sure that we were able to be transparent

that we were able to be transparent, that we were able to do right by our supporters and our

donors and our partners.

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