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MALDIVES
The Riwayah Retreat 2024
September 2 - 8
GENERAL FAQ
Q1) Why has Cordoba Academy decided to conduct this retreat?
A) This is not our first retreat, rather Cordoba Academy has been conducting retreats worldwide for well over 10 years in various cities of the world.
Q2) Why has CA chosen Maldives for the retreat?
A) CA has conducted retreats in many countries worldwide including Morocco, Malaysia, Kuwait, Uzbekistan and India. Maldives is a Muslim country and Muslims have lived on the Islands for over 1000 years. CA would like to revive the hadith tradition there and at the same time, spend our money and time in a country that depends on tourism as a show of support to them since they have banned all Israelis from entering the country, despite Israelis making up a large proportion of the annual tourists.
Q3) Why should I attend a retreat with CA?
A) There are many reasons including:
i) Our retreats are unique, because we don't just sightsee, rather students get a chance to learn and revise Islamic knowledge and combine that with elements of riwāyah with some of the leading specialists in this field.
ii) Unlike other institutes where you only see the scholars during lessons, CA students enjoy direct and easy access _(suhba)_ to attending scholars and are able to glean from them noble decorum _adab_ in addition to their vast knowledge.
iii) By attending you become a part of the revival and spread of the Prophetic legacy worldwide, since profits earned are utilized in our regular free programs such as the upcoming International Hadith Convention in Egypt.
Q4) Other academies charge thousands of dollars for study retreats, how is it that yours is so cheap?
A) CA is a non-profit organization that has been set up by students, for students, and we are well aware of the financial difficulties those treading on the sacred path encounter. For this reason, we have done our best to negotiate group discounts to make the trip affordable without compromising on comfort.
Study Related
Q5) Who are the attending scholars?
A) The attending scholars confirmed so far are:
🇸🇦(Madina) al-Shaykh al-Mufti Abdul Waheed al-Mazahiri
🇧🇷(Brazil) al-Shaykh al-Musnid Mohammed Daniel al-Muhajir
🇸🇾(Syria) al-Shaykha al-Musnida Umm Ibrahim al-Dimishqiyyah
Since the visa policy is very relaxed, we are confident that we can invite scholars from countries like Yemen and India to attend. We are in negotiations with some, and the ratio of scholars to students will increase based upon the student numbers attending.
Q6) Will there be recitals of hadith works during the journey?
A) Yes, we have decided that we will be reading several important hadith works such the Sunan of Ibn Majah al-Qazwini or the Muwatta of Imam Malik. This will be decided by those who wish to attend.
Q7) Do I have to read in the retreat too?
A) You may read if you are a proficient reader, otherwise we will leave the reading to them.
Q8) Can sisters attend the retreat, and is there any arrangement for families?
A) We welcome the attendance of sisters and their mahram. Family members can choose to stay together in the same room or with members of their gender. (This may be the preference if siblings are travelling together)
Q9) Do we require any preparation or prior knowledge to attend?
A) No, however knowledge of Arabic would be advantageous
Airfare Related FAQs
Q10) What is the exact date that I should arrive in Maldives?
A) The retreat will officially start on Sunday 2nd September 2024 in Malé and a free airport pick up will be arranged from 12 PM from the Airport. It will end on the morning of September 8th 2024 and an airport drop-off will also be arranged at 12 PM. Please contact us if you need to adjust your arrival or departure as this may be possible.
Q11) If there are others travelling from the UK, is it possible to travel together or perhaps purchase the same flights etc. so we can be together in one group?udents from around the world join our retreats. We have been sharing flight suggestions to ease things for our students, and they can book their tickets and let others know through this group.
Q12) I live in Texas and can't find any direct flights. What can I do?
A) There are no direct flights to Malé-Velana International Airport from the US. You would need to fly via Europe or India.
Q13) Which cities have direct flights?
A) There are regular flights from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Almaty, Frankfurt, Bahrain, London, Istanbul, Dubai, Delhi, Bangkok, Colombo, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jeddah, and other cities.
Q14) I found direct flights from Europe are quite expensive. Do you have any advice?
A) To save hundreds of dollars, it's better to get a cheap flight to India, Abu Dhabi or Dubai were there are very good prices offered by Etihad and Wizz Air. The only downside is that there may be a long wait between flights, which you could use to explore a second country.
Q15) Which website do you recommend to find best fares?
A) The best websites are Skyscanner.com & Kayak.com, but Google Flights can be useful too.
Q16) Should I buy my ticket now or do they become cheaper later?
A) Usually, as the plane fills up the fares will go higher so it is best to book soon if you are accepted onto the program.
Visa Related FAQs
Q17) Do I need a visa to enter Maldives?
A) Visas are issued on arrival -free of charge- for all countries with the exclusion of Israel. You would need to complete a Traveller Declaration Form (IMUGA) within 96 hours of arrival. This form can be found at: https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv
Q18) I am from Pakistan. Where can I check if I need a visa?
A) As stated in the previous answer, everyone is issued with visas upon arrival as long as they have confirmed return tickets and hotel bookings.
Q19) Do I need any vaccine proof, PCR or Antigen test or any other vaccine?
A) Presently no vaccine is required unless you are flying in from a yellow fever endemic countries. To check these visit: https://www.immigration.gov.mv/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/YELLOW-FEVER-COUNTRIES-2.pdf
Weather & Safety Related FAQs
Q20) How will the weather be during the retreat?
A) The weather will be warm between 25° to 32° depending on the island and time. We advise you to bring sunscreen as it can be quite expensive in Maldives.
Q21) Is Maldives a safe place to visit?
A) It is very safe, however one should remain vigilant as theft may occur.
Accomodation Related FAQs
Q22) How many people will be in a room?
A) There are usually 2 people per room. This can be 2 family members or 2 people of same gender.
Q23) I would like to have my own room.
A) This is possible, however the single supplement chargeable is $350 as Maldives resorts are very expensive.
Q24) Can I know the names of the resorts or hotels now?
A) We will be staying at recognised 4 or 5 star hotels that have received very high ratings on Tripadvisor. The finer details will be shared with all those who register for the program.
Q26) I am arriving at Malé Airport around 5 a.m. on September 2. Can I have an early check in for free?
A) The normal check in time is 2 p.m. The hotel may allow early check around 12 p.m. Anything before this is chargeable to you.
Q27) Do we need to take cash or do they have ATMs?
A) There are many of ATMs in Malé, but they become more scarce on other islands. We advise you to exchange to the local currency when in Malé and keep US dollars. The rate is generally better for larger denominations.
Get in touch with us:
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