Young Writers: Respecting Parents

10 SUCCESSFUL YEARS Maryam MagazineOF

By Atiyya Wasee

Maryam Magazine is the frst ever Waqfat-enau Magazine initiated by our Beloved Hazuraba for the Waqfat-e-nau by the Waqfat-e-nau. First quarterly magazine was launched in 2012 with the blessings of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba) and this Waqfat-e-nau magazine is historical because it is one if it’s kind.

I remember the time when Zanubia Ahmad sahiba, Chief Editor of Maryam Magazine, approached me to design the front page covers for Maryam Magazine. I had felt very honoured that I was going to be a part of this blessed Magazine.

I had graduated with a degree in Graphic Design and wondered how I would be able to serve the Jama’at. I have been fortunate to be helping the Jama’at through Maryam Magazine since it was launched.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience by designing different covers for the magazine, each time matching it to the theme of the content inside. Along with the rest of the contents of the Magazine, the cover page would also get approval by our Beloved Hazuraba before it got published. This would make me feel very happy and humbled that our Beloved Hazuraba has seen my covers and has approved them. In my personal mulaqats with Beloved Hazuraba I would mention my name, that I am a Waqf-e-nau and that my children are also part of this blessed scheme. I would also mention that I was blessed with an opportunity to be one of the designers of Maryam Magazine. Belover Hazuraba would always reply, “Acha! Kamal hogaya” which would make me smile and feel very overwhelmed.

As this year marks 10 successful years of Maryam magazine I would like to share some memories I have.

The frst magazine cover was inspired by Hazrat Maryamas herself, a blessed woman who frst dedicated her child before its birth. Hazrat Maryamas is one of the most respected and revered women in history. The Holy Qur’an names an entire chapter after her. The Holy Qur’an presents her as a model for all true believers to follow. She has been mentioned by the Holy Prophetsaw as one of the four most honourable women in the world.

It is mentioned in Surah Maryam of The Holy Qur’an;

“And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree; it will cause fresh ripe dates to fall upon thee.” (19:26)

According to this verse, the birth of Hazrat Isaas took place at a time when fresh dates are found on palm trees in Judaea. This verse inspired me to design the frst Maryam magazine cover with a scenic view of a palm tree at sunset.

My favourite cover was the one I designed for Issue 4 in the October-December 2012 edition. Zanubia Ahmed sahiba requested me to add a verse of The Holy Qur’an on the front cover so immediately my thought was that it would be suitable to have a picture of The Holy Qur’an radiating a luminous light, I felt this idea would best ft the Qur’anic verse.

I remember sharing my idea with my sister, Munazza Khan who was the Editor of Maryam Magazine at that time and requested if she could take a picture of The Holy Qur’an at night with her professional camera. To achieve the perfect lighting we had to wait until nightfall and for our young children to fall asleep, after which we went back and forth on our phones with different variations until the perfect shot was taken. As with any publication, Maryam Magazine also had tight deadlines that we were working towards so it had to be done that night.

I edited that shot and enhanced the lighting to make it ft the vision I had in mind for the front cover. This was the cover I worked hard, day and night on and one with a story behind it that I will never forget. The Qur’anic verse was:

“This is a Book which we have revealed to thee that thou mayest bring mankind out of every kind of darkness into light, by the command of their Lord, to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” (14:2)

In 2017 Zanubia Ahmed sahiba requested that I should work on designing the inside articles as well. I have been honoured to be given this blessed opportunity and will continue to give my best effort at all times for our readers in order to fulfl the vision of Beloved Hazuraba. Insha’Allah.