ISNA Convention 2012

Kamani Online — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:36:25 +0000

Aug 29^th: The Kamani crew is packed and ready to head out on the 13 hour drive from Chicago to Washington DC. Shaykh Mubeen Kamani, Mufti Hussain Kamani and the team pile into the cargo van stuffed with boxes of Kamani thobes, booth accessories and oh yes, junk food. The well waited ISNA convention couldn’t have come at a better time: perfect to launch four new Kamani designs. Customers never fail to keep an eye out for the Kamani booth and the team has ensured this year will be no exception. Freshly arrived, just days before the convention, sit collared brown, black and white hoodies with contrasting piping work on the sleeves and around the neck. The team is energized and optimistic and as hours of driving fly by, they eagerly look out the window for the “Welcome to Washington D.C” sign.

Finally, the time to begin selling has arrived. The van is unloaded and the set-up begins before Jumah salaah. The bazaar hall is very spacious and filled with hundreds of vendors from all over the country. It’s phenomenal to see Muslims from a variety of ethnicities gather together in one place and spread Islam through their business. A wide assortment of Islamic clothing, videos, toys, books, wall décor-you name it and it was probably there- is creatively displayed on tables lining the bazaar.

Booths 627 and 726, joint corner booths, come to live as the tables, stands, cloth hangers and mannequins are dressed in thobes tempting the passersby to stop for a glance, if not more. And passerby did they catch! The stalls opened up for sale after Jumah salaah and Alhamdulilah, each team member broke sweat selling from the first day until the last. With helping customers try on different colors/sizes, making sales pitches, bargaining with uncles, negotiating with wholesalers and squeezing in meals, the Kamanis barely had time to sit and relax. It didn’t matter though; there was great joy in seeing the bazaar slowly fill up with people carrying around black and white Kamani bags. For many, purchasing a thobe was a first time experience. Seeing sunnah gear being embodied in people, ranging from young school kids to men with grey hair, was an unexplainable sensation.

A phenomenal number of scholars stopped at the booth to buy thobes and/or show support. Amongst them, the Kamanis were blessed to meet Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, Shaykh Zaid Shakir, Ustadh Noman Ali Khan, Imam Omar Suleiman, Imam Tahir Anwar and many more.

Interestingly enough, a very exclusive person will also be donned in Islamic clothing this year. During the sales, a Christian security guard stopped by the booth to inquire about the product. She was so impressed by the style and modesty of the outfit that she couldn’t help but buy one for her son-who wasn’t even Muslim! So don’t get left behind! The new products will be uploaded on the website in a short time. Purchase yours before it’s gone!!

ISNA 2012 Photo Album

Buying Thobes Online

Kamani Online — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 01:00:14 +0000

A thobe, (also spelled “thawb”) is Arabic for ‘garment’ and it specifies a traditional Islamic outfit that has been encouraged in the Prophetic tradition. It originated, and is still commonly worn, in many Islamic countries of the Middle East. Typically ankle-length with long sleeves, this pullover, robe-like garment was notable for its pure white color and formal appeal. Nowadays, however, the traditional understanding of a thobe has been extended to include many styles, materials and colors. While one-piece thobes are the most commonly seen, two-piece sets have started becoming popular. In this arrangement, the top piece generally falls to knee length while the lower piece, or pant, is worn at, or slightly above, the ankles. Moreover, the traditional white color is now augmented by a variety of color choices including black, beige, gray and blue. Sometimes plain thobes are decorated with buttons, zippers, pockets, different materials and piping. While typically made from a light weight cotton material, today’s thobes can be found in a range of fabrics including sheep’s wool, for use in regions where the climate may get colder and synthetic blends, such as cotton and rayon, for a wrinkle-free, wash and wear garment. While traditional thobes are somewhat baggy, loose-fitting garments, today’s styles may be more form-fitting and custom tailored. Amongst the examples of current styles you will find include thobes of: Traditional, Formal, Short Sleeve, Young Men’s, Children’s, Special Occasion, Hooded and Sporty styles. Tradition has definitely given way to modernity in this mid-eastern garment, while still holding onto its Islamic values.

Adding this garb to your wardrobe can be extremely simply; thanks to online shopping. Someone desiring to buy thobe online needs only to insert the word ‘thobe’ in any search engine to come up with dozens of vendors, with the greatest hits on Google. Most sites will have abundant styles with sizes ranging from extra-small to extra large, double XL or in rare cases, even 5XL. While other vendors offer garments with a very custom design: requesting the buyer to include a full set of measurements for the head, neck, chest, mid-section, sleeve and height when ordering. Irrespective of your sense of style, Kamani can guarantee you a thobe that will have you begging for more!