Shepherding as Dhikr with Imam Fode in Mediterranean Morocco
August 9 - 16, 2025
Trip Price: From $1,900
$500 TODAY TO SECURE SPOT
Program Description
August 9-16, 2025, join Qur’anic luminary Imam Fode Drame and the Sabiah shepherding family in their ancestral mountainous Northern Moroccan village of Chtâouna (near Tetuoan) for a transformative experience exploring the inner and outer realities of shepherding as dhikr, or Divine Remembrance.
We’ll explore what shepherding–the profession of nearly every major prophet–can teach us, and how we can apply those lessons to our everyday lives following the completion of our 8 days together. Rediscover presence, simplicity, and connection to your fitrah through this prophetic path.
The program provides participants with an authentic, HANDS-ON experience learning from a traditional, multi-generational Muslim Moroccan shepherding family led by 85 year-old Grandma Hajjah Rahma.
Spiritual teachings and suhbah (companionship) with Imam Fode Drame–who was a shepherd as a young boy in Gambia–provides participants with an incredibly unique opportunity to gain inward and outer experiential knowledge in a scenic and small group setting.
The week-long program is raw. Participants will learn from the Sabiah shepherding family, just as they live and work. The accommodations and food provided throughout the 8 days are comfortable, however, this is not a “tourism-focused” experience.
This program is built for the seeker who understands the spiritual gems found through placing one’s hands in the soil, breaking bread from the same plate of food as others, and stretching oneself–physically and spiritually–to arrive at a higher spiritual station. If this sounds like you, join us.
Program Highlights
Shepherding Apprenticeship: Learn about the prophetic profession of shepherding from three living generations of Moroccan shepherds and Islamic scholar Imam Fode Drame
Horseback Riding: Ride the Sabiah family horse on nearby mountainside trails
Wildlife Workshop: Participate in an intro to wildlife tracking workshop with naturalist, artist, and author Sama Wareh
Milk-to-Cheese Class: Make fresh cheese from scratch–from milking the Sabiah family cow to creating the curd
Wheat-to-Bread Class: From field to fantastic bread! Learn to cut the wheat, create the dough, and start the outdoor oven as we bake fresh bread under the guidance of the Sabiah shepherding family
Art Reflections: Create daily art reflections, capturing the inner insights and outer beauty of your journey in a personal art journal that you can take home as a memory
Sacrifice & Skinning: Gain hands-on experience with the process of animal sacrifice, understanding the spiritual significance from both fiqh (jurisprudence) and batin (inner reality) perspectives.
Medicinal Plants & Ecology Workshops: Delve into the medicinal properties of Moroccan plants, their historical uses in healing, and the ecology of the local area through teachings from the Sabiah shepherding family and ecologist Adam Lotfi.
Farm-to-Finger Experiences: Share meals alongside Sabiah shepherding family members who prepare our meals from ingredients sourced just steps away from our picnic blanket
Salat & Optional Dhikr: Participate in outdoor salat in jama’ah and optional individual wird (daily dhikr) and group dhikr at a nearby traditional Moroccan Zawiyah
Optional Ziyara (Visitation) to Moroccan Sufi Saints: Led by Imam Fode Drame, participate in an optional day-trip to visit and learn about the incredible contributions of Sheikh Ahmad ibn Ajiba and Sheikh AbdusSalam ibn Machich.
Note: This trip is tailored for the adventurous / spiritual seeker, and is also appropriate for families with world travel experience. Diverse accommodations options are available for individuals, couples, and families, including men-only and ladies-only rooming options. Some programming geared toward children will also be available.
Meet the Team!
Imam Fode Drame, Islamic Scholar (& Former Shepherd)
Imam Fode Drame is a teacher, prolific author, linguist, Qur’anic Exegete, father, international speaker, and former shepherd. He established Zawiyah Foundation in Vancouver, BC, in 2005, a non-profit charity founded on his vision for humanity.
Imam Fode's work—whether through his foundation or his writings—is particularly concerned with providing the building blocks for the construction of the human character, the foremost among the subject matters of the Glorious Quran.
His most recent endeavor is the creation of Masina Publications, which is dedicated to publishing his books.
A selection of his publications include:
Anwar-ul-Quran: The Holy Quran with English Translation by Fode Drame
Expansions Series
-Reading the Stars-Parable of the Bee
-The Wavy Clouds
-The Ascension of the Soul
Sama Wareh, Co-Guide & Naturalist
Sama Wareh is an ecologist, author, artist, instructor, and co-founder of the Art and Wilderness Institute, with over 20 years of experience in the environmental field. Driven by an insatiable curiosity about Allah’s design in ecosystems, she is passionate about uncovering nature’s mysteries and sharing its wonders. Sama has taught college-level courses and led workshops and trainings on Wilderness Immersion. Her commitment to environmental education has earned her accolades, including the Top Educator Award for Southern California from the Association for Outdoor Environmental Education. She holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies from Cal-State Fullerton and is certified in wildlife tracking, plant medicine, and art therapy.
Colin Christopher, Co-Guide
Currently based in Rabat, Morocco and originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Colin is the founder of Fitrah Outdoors. His deep love for nature, community, and remembrance of the Divine inspired him to create spiritually grounded programs that help people reconnect with their fitrah through meaningful time in natural settings.
Adam Lotfi - Co-Guide
Adam is a PhD student at the University of California, Berkeley, researching traditional ecological knowledge, food sovereignty and political ecology in North Africa. Before graduate school, Adam worked on multiple farms and worked as a restoration specialist, gaining experience with rotational grazing and prescribed burning. When he's not chasing chickens, Adam is writing music or drinking a cappucino.