Young Muslim Writers Awards Anthology 2019 by Young Muslim Writers Awards

ANTHOLOGY 2019

SALAAM It is with great pleasure that Muslim Hands presents the 2019 anthology, featuring the remarkable shortlisted entries from this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards. When we opened the competition in 2010, we had little knowledge of what lay in store for us. Since then, each year we find ourselves in awe of the creativity and passion demonstrated by the entrants. This year’s themes have ranged from global warming and poverty, to tributes to footballing stars and loving pets and everything in between! We hope you enjoy reading these extracts from the shortlisted entries, and we hope that they may serve as a source of inspiration for you. Over the summer we delivered our multi-city Writing Workshop Roadshow, where young writers honed their craft in masterclasses delivered by highly acclaimed authors and poets. The young writers uncovered tools and techniques to help them write their own poems and stories and developed the confidence to share their writing with others. Many have taken part in this year’s competition, and we hope the skills they honed over the holidays have inspired them to continue their literary journeys. In autumn, the 2018 Writer of the Year, Sabir Hussain Miah, enjoyed the unique experience of visiting Muslim Hands projects in Pakistan to learn more about the transformative impact of the charity’s global work. Travelling across the country, Sabir met with peers at Muslim Hands’ schools, where he delivered writing workshops for young wordsmiths, inspiring them and in turn being inspired himself. Sabir also met with communities benefiting from medical facilities and water and sanitation projects supported by Muslim Hands, speaking with beneficiaries to learn about the impact on their lives. As the year draws to a close and we honour the forty-five shortlisted writers, once again, we are grateful to the Institute of English Studies at the School of Advanced Study (University of London), for their continued support in celebrating the achievements of young writers, and to Islam Channel who have broadcasted our ceremonies to an international audience since our first event. It was our pleasure to work with the judges, and I thank them for the difficult task of selecting this year’s winners. Congratulations to all the young writers who took part in the competition; we thank you and look forward to celebrating your remarkable achievements. Wassalam,

Syed Lakhte Hassanain Chairman Muslim Hands

CONTENTS KS1 POETRY

KS3 SHORT STORIES

KS1 SHORT STORIES

KS3 JOURNALISM

KS2 POETRY

KS4 POETRY

KS2 SHORT STORIES

KS4 SHORT STORIES

MEET THE JUDGES

KS3 POETRY

MESSAGES OF CONGRATULATIONS

SHORTLIST: POETRY Key Stage 1 (Ages 5-7) Happiness Is A Pet Called Fifi I love my mum My Grandad The Immigrant Summer Days Super Mario

Aisha Rubani Anum Mumtaz Rajani Eesa Mohammed Adam Abbasi Dheen Mohammed Abbas

Key Stage 2 (Ages 7-11) Dance like the Dandelion Egyptian King Eyum The Book Worm My Last Breath The Girl Who Owns It All

Umar Ibrahim Abdul Sami Riaz Aaminah Khan Jana Khatib Aishah Kola-Olukotun

Key Stage 3 (Ages 11-14) As Time Goes By Cliff Edge Stone Wall The Fish The Jewel of Albaicin

Eliza Tahir Ayaan Shah Aaminah Green Yazeed Folahanmi Onafeko Muhammed Amin

Key Stage 4 (Ages 14-16) Drowning Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Plea Nature Table Manners We Share Our Sorrows

Aliyyah Adesewa Kola-Olukotun Rumaysa Ahmad Sakinah Buhari Amiera Sharif Khadeeja Desai

SHORTLIST: SHORT STORIES Key Stage 1 (Ages 5-7) Experimental Henry Leon to the Rescue The Adventures of Uncle & Muncle The Girl Who Grew Up Too Quickly Wheelie Bin

Rayyan Hakim Piper Humayrah Timol Minha Ali Asma Irshad Hussain Luqmaan Abbasi

Key Stage 2 (Ages 7-11) Crisis of Faith Jewelled Adventure Raven and the JadeStar The Howling Pool of Torment The Mystery of the Missing Crown Jewels

Hannah Hussain Yunus Shaikh Fatema Zahra Mithwani Muhammed Abdullah Suraiya Hemmuth-Douglass

Key Stage 3 (Ages 11-14) A Single Mistake Keep Moving The House of The Lost The Paradox of It All A Sad Kind of Beautiful

Myra Durrani Aaminah Green Maesha Radeeya Ahmed Aasiya Daya Sadiyah Khan

Key Stage 4 (Ages 14-16) A Deliberately Fatal Overdose Innocent Minds Operation Impes The Other Side The Poles of Two Lands

Amina Dadipatel Aliyyah Adesewa Kola-Olukotun Fatima Awan Amina Mohamed Amiera Sharif

SHORTLIST: JOURNALISM Key Stage 3 (Ages 11-14) Is Britain a racist country? Don’t Blame the Sun! Don’t Wait to Vaccinate MURDER: In the Name of ‘LOVE’ & ‘HONOUR’ World Peace or Chaos: America’s Call

Sumayyah Qureshi Eliza Tahir Ameerah Kola-Olukotun Mohammed Salis Riaz Asma Zafrani

KEY STAGE 1 POETRY HAPPINESS IS A PET CALLED FIFI My cat Fifi is so fluffy, Persian, creamy and white, Like my dad’s pillow filled with my neighbours swans feathers, pretty cosy, and comfortable at night. Fifi has beautiful Aqua eyes, with many colours, sparkling like a rainbow sky Fifi always takes care of me, when I’m feeling sad, With her soft smooth, gentle paws, she gives me a cuddle, and when we play in the rain together, she likes to splash into a big humongous puddle. I love Fifi, and she loves me She is part of my family I hope every child in the world can have a pet like Fifi Pets make you happy, without my sweet and gorgeous cat, I would feel very lonely and sad Fifi is so caring, she wakes me up for breakfast And makes sure I’m never late for school Always be gentle to pets and never be cruel My Fifi is special and priceless like a precious jewel.

I LOVE MY MUM I can see my mum everywhere Love is so powerful - Octopus Love Rainbow love – because it is so beautiful Elephant love – it is huge Monkey love Yippee love Mouse love A squirrel love Mums love is so powerful I can see her with my eyes closed Mums are the best

MY GRANDAD THE IMMIGRANT My Grandad came from Bangladesh In the hope of a better life. The language he did not speak My Grandad the immigrant No money in his pocket My Grandad the immigrant He travelled the country in the hope of a job In the night he would hold his hands up in prayer He wrote letters to my Grandma And sent money via air My Grandad the immigrant Lonely, worried, scared and troubled Soon there was light My Grandad the immigrant met a friend Who welcomed him and showed him the way A job, a prayer, money and family My Grandad the immigrant was finally content He was no longer an immigrant He belonged.

ÂŠ Eesa Mohammed Key Stage 1 Poetry

Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 1 Poetry

SUMMER DAYS Summer’s here we’re full of joy Upstairs my room is full of sunshine Making food is lots of fun Munching on my mum’s iced buns Exciting fruit await for me Rushing through the summer trees Dipping my foot into the sunny sea Amazing apples hang on trees Yawning through the afternoon Summer is the best season of all!

SUPER MARIO I love to play Mario kart. I press (A) when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to start. He speeds around the racing track. He leaves his friends right at the back. He is the fastest in the game. No one could ever be the same. He collects his coins in the chest, With his friends who are the best!

ÂŠ Dheen Mohammed Abbas Key Stage 1 Poetry

10 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 1 Poetry

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KEY STAGE 1 SHORT STORIES EXTRACTS FROM ‘EXPERIMENTAL HENRY’ “Lunch time, Henry! called mother. Henry sprinted down the stairs and saw a bowl full of berries on the dining table. Aha! Superfruits! Thanks mother! I will just have these fruits for lunch and dashed up to his room. Henry flipped open his experiments book and found how to whip up some DNA from the Superfruits. DNA is DE-OXYRIBO-NU-CLE-IC acid, it contains special ingredients for growing new bones. Henry carefully sieves the mashed fruits that have been mixed with water, Fairy liquid and a pinch of salt into a shiny clean glass. Then, he took the chilled alcohol from the freezer and trickled it down the side of the glass. Wow!!! Thatʼs intriguing! he exclaimed. … An hour later, Professor Noel Fishpack stood up, winked at Henry and announced “The winner of this yearʼs PDSA Young supervet competition is Henry Patrick Junior!” Everyone clapped and cheered joyfully. “Congratulations Henry, you’ve won and the prize is you will trained by me to be the next SUPERVET!!!” Professor Noel said proudly.

EXTRACTS FROM ‘LEON TO THE RESCUE’ Tom didn’t think his parents believed him. So once again after his dinner he went straight to his room feeling upset because his plan never worked. He looked up at the stars through his window. Then he looked for the robber and Leon, but he never saw anything. He started to think what can I do to prove that it’s all true? What could he do to make them believe him? Then he had another idea. … Come on hurry said Tom’s mum. When they got to the shopping centre he saw someone very familiar. But he had forgotten who. Then after a while he remembered who it was, Leon to the rescue! Tom got so excited he shouted to his mum and dad, look its Leon! But his mum and dad were on a phone call. … And they said what’s the matter? Look, look said Tom it’s Leon! Now you’ll believe me! And guess what? They did! At home Tom got so excited and emotional. Now he knew they believed him and Tom didn’t have to prove any more.

EXTRACTS FROM ‘THE ADVENTURES OF UNCLE & MUNCLE’ Chapter 1 Someone is visiting One day I heard my mummy whispering to my grandmother that Uncle and Muncle are coming to town. I wondered who they were. I hurried upstairs to tell my brother the news. “Ray, do you know who Uncle and Muncle are?”. He replied, “Nopes! I don’t. Why are you even asking?”. I thought for a second. Then I ran back downstairs to ask my mummy who is visiting us. My mum gave me the most discombobulating answer. Your dad’s,mother’s,brother’s,son’s uncles. It took me half an hour to understand what she said.They are coming on the 10th of July, for four days. I asked my mummy where Uncle and Muncle are coming from. She sounded something similar to “Munklabad”. … Chapter 2 Arrival of our guests Today is the 10th of July, the day when Uncle and Muncle were arriving. Mummy was cooking some delicious food. My brother and I helped mummy clean the house . We all got ready to pick them up from the airport. When my dad saw our guests he started to wave at them. There were two men running to hug my dad. Uncle was a short, pot bellied man with a beard. He was wearing traditional clothes. On the other hand, Muncle was lean and tall and seemed cool. He was wearing shiny sunglasses. Uncle and Muncle introduced themselves. They came with just two small backpacks. It surely means no presents for us. Whenever some relatives visit us they always bring presents for me and my brother. On the way back home I thought maybe the presents are very small.

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EXTRACT FROM ‘THE GIRL WHO GREW UP TOO QUICKLY’ One day Hafsa and her mum were starving so they went to the marketplace to look for food. They decided to stand on the road. Every time the traffic lights would turn red, they would come on the road and knock on everyone’s car windows and ask for money. Some people would give them money and some people would give them food. But some people would not give them anything. It was dangerous standing in the middle of the road between cars. The cars would start to move a little bit and Hafsa and her mum would hold onto the cars and walk with them hoping they will give her something. They did the same on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is how they got some food to eat. A short time later Hafsa’s mum became very sick and she was worried that she would not be able to help Hafsa anymore. She said to Hafsa “I am very sick so I will have to leave you at the Helping Orphanage until I am better.” Hafsa felt very sad and began to cry. She was feeling scared and did not want her mum to leave her. Hafsa’s mum took her to the gates and rung the doorbell. She said to Hafsa, “I will miss you so much.” And she gave her a hug and quickly walked away leaving Hafsa.

EXTRACTS FROM ‘WHEELIE BIN’ I’m a bin. Literally. I was bought yesterday by a family who must have been fed up of how badly their previous bin stank. Well, obviously we are going to stink, what do you expect? Afterall, you do throw your leftover from chicken delight and your rotten baby food into us. I was minding my own business before I felt a mini human bean, or as they call them, a child, desperately trying to climb me. Worst yet, the parent of the little ‘thing’ picked him up and placed him on me. I’m sorry but do I look like your stroller? Before I knew it, I was wheeled away, and then, when I thought my day couldn’t possibly get any worse, it did! I felt a wet, slimy substance hit the top of my head: drool! … Day six: It hasn’t even been a whole week yet and I already smell like rotten custard, old eggs, gooey milk and don’t even get me started on the rest. Day fourteen: I love Mondays! These people in vibrant, yellow jackets come to empty us out and let me just say, it’s the best feeling in the whole entire world!

16 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 1 Short Stories

KEY STAGE 2 POETRY DANCE LIKE THE DANDELION Each resin drop of good deed, let it accumulate to become like Amber Remembered and admired through the history of time Value your time like you value your life In the despondence of night shine like the moon In concealing others faults be like a blanket of snow In a position of power be like the bowed heads of a blazing carpet of bluebells In generosity be like the fiery orange sugar maple In anger be like the melting snow Ensure the weight of your word is heavier than gold or silver In the field of life dance like the ephemeral dandelion Give yourself to the service of others until you are nothing but the whirling seeds of love For love is the doorway to heaven

ÂŠ Umar Ibrahim Key Stage 2 Poetry

EGYPTIAN KING Mo salah is so cool He plays for Liverpool And owns a golden boot I wish I was like him Slim and trim Always training at the gym He runs on the pitch Avoiding the ditch Never getting a stitch He is always ready for the game With every one chanting his name He has risen to fame He gives to the poor And God gives him more and more Mo Salah is the best When you compare him to the rest No one can beat him Or Defeat him He is called the Egyptian king And has everyone under his wing

ÂŠ Abdul Sami Riaz Key Stage 2 Poetry

EXTRACTS FROM ‘EYUM THE BOOK WORM’ Eyum was a book worm, Who loved to read everywhere, But she couldn’t turn the pages, And nobody did care. … A lovely girl screamed with delight, When she saw the little bug, She picked up tiny Eyum, And gave her a big hug! … She gently put her on the desk, And Eyum slowly slithered to, The tall pink bookshelf, And the girl said, “Should I read to you?” “No,” replied Eyum, And the girl looked amazed, Because the worm could speak, It made her feel dazed. “Could you turn the pages, While I read your variety of books? I can’t turn them myself, As I have no hands, or paws or hooks!”

20 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 2 Poetry

MY LAST BREATH Early in the morning, at the crack of dawn, I was mowing my lawn with a big yawn, Then all of a sudden, I came to a stop, I heard a loud roar and my tummy turned to a knot! Then I turned and there I saw, the creature who made that roar, I saw a mummy, not one you have at home, This mummy liked to be alone, With a grin, it snapped out a claw, And that was the last thing I ever sawâ&#x20AC;Ś.

ÂŠ Jana Khatib Key Stage 2 Poetry

EXTRACT FROM ‘THE GIRL WHO OWNS IT ALL’ She had a bottomless bag full of jewellery and food, She had millions of toys to put her in a great mood. She had a sky-blue top so light and so fair, She had paint in the colours of hope and despair. And that’s how she likes it – the whole world in her hands. She even forced her mum to buy her an array of floral fans! She had currency from dollars to pounds to Naira, She had a telescope to see Orion and Lyra. Plus, the new slime shooter from dear Uncle Pat, And an oddly shaped vermillion hat! And that’s how she likes it – the whole world in her hands. She even forced her mum to buy an entire marching band! She had jewels of all shapes and sizes, She had a jack-in-the-box full of curious surprises. Had a pearl snatched from an azure lagoon, Even an inky basalt rock taken from the Moon! And that’s how she likes it – the whole world in her hands. She even forced her mum to buy a sleigh from Lapland!

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KEY STAGE 2 SHORT STORIES EXTRACTS FROM ‘CRISIS OF FAITH’ “Oooh! Look, girls! We’ve got company,” she cooed menacingly, her lips curled into an icy smirk. I should have just sprinted away like lightning when I had the chance. Maybe then my life would have been different. For the better or for the worse, I do not know. All I do know, is that the next few moments would mark a turning point in the course of my life. … CHAPTER TWO “What are you gonna do, Tiff?” Ruby enquired, her expression of mingled concern. Stephanie hung back, unwilling to involve herself too much in the ordeal. Meanwhile, I was scaling my chances of escaping. Considering I was probably a faster runner than all of them (my dream is to be a famous Olympic sprinter), I figured I would go for it before things got ugly. Three... two... one... In a matter of seconds, I had raced to the corner. Tiffany was astonishingly fast. She hurtled after me and tugged on my headscarf with so much vigour that it came loose and the little, sparkly brooch holding it in place tumbled to the ground. Consequently, I staggered and fell, grazing my knees on the concrete of the road.

EXTRACT FROM ‘JEWELLED ADVENTURE’ Grabbing on to him frantically we tried to pull him out, but it was useless. He was sucked in, taking us with him... And then everything went black. I opened my eyes and blinked, yet still no light penetrated the empty dark swirling. Wait? Swirling. I racked my brain desperately to try and remember recent events. Nothing . Nothing except... “Guys!” yelled a voice which I identified as Sulieman’s. “Who knows what on earth is happening?” Within seconds, light, glorious, magnificent light flooded the cold, dark chamber and with it came my memory. “The ring!” I recalled, my memory rushing back. “Glowing, sucking, aagh!” I felt my skull throb as I fell back with a sickening thump. As the blinding light faded away, I began to regain my strength and we all got to our feet. Stretching as far as my eyes could see, a jungle of Kapok, banana and teak trees swayed in sync. A cool invigorating breeze splashing onto my forehead. My eyes marvelled at the site. “This is incredible!” I said with a refreshing breath. No longer had the words left my mouth, when Sulaiman gave out another short streak. We groaned. “Not again!” But this was enough to get us running. A panther was chasing us. Its glossy black coat and emerald eyes glinted dangerously. It accelerated its already phenomenal speed. Before we could escape, it pounced on us pinning us to the ground with the strength of a heavyweight champion. It growled aggressively, saliva dripping from its jagged teeth. Frantically, we tried to leap up, but our opponent left us defeated once again. “Go on then” he snarled.

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EXTRACT FROM ‘RAVEN AND THE JADESTAR’ I was asleep, tangled in a treacherous web of troubled dreams, when they came. Even if they were back, only losers would care. Why were they even called stormchasers? To my mind, we could surely take them on! But everyone else I knew turned to jelly in their presence, such terror did they inspire as they wreaked havoc upon us time and again, swooping down, ferocious beaks and feral smiles at the ready. After all, I am Raven the Reckless. Folk are always shaking their heads, advising me to be more ‘ladylike’ and ‘act with decorum.’ But I’m a meteor! Adventure calls to me. I’m as wild and free as they come. I woke to a chant-like murmuring…the earth was spinning around me like a bee buzzing around a flower. A kaleidoscopic labyrinth of ruby-reds, primroseyellows, leafy-greens and sparkling-aqua wove together a thrilling tornado! I was on a rollercoaster, about to burst through a new door of my life… when everything stopped.

EXTRACT FROM ‘THE HOWLING POOL OF TORMENT’ I forcefully shut my eyes in extreme fear but still frightening images gored me. The freezing bullets of painful wind sliced at my face, which was bleeding furiously, like rapid spinning sharp knives. My valuable senses faded into thin dust as my hands were painted in severe torment. I attempted to limp but the challenges around my body were too strong and still ripped at my skin. Fountains of thick, crimson blood exited my body and flooded the coarse ground. I was isolated in an unfamiliar land. Perilous waves fought with my fearless blood. Screeching rain drops clashed against the army of sand like swords. The courageous sky defeated the colony of deathly clouds. The area in front of me smashed like a mirror. It opened like a curtain. Tore apart like paper. The clouds were howling like furious canines and pellets of rain were bursting aggressively. A ferocious blizzard occurred. Not even the warmth of my heavy jacket could handle such atrocious weather. In the distance, the once enclosed garden, where there seemed to be a thick forest that extended for miles, had vanished. It was intensely cold and everything was covered in a duvet of mist and unfortunately, I knew that all my landmarks were concealed and it was challenging for me to decide which direction to follow. I stood there shivering and scratching my disorientated head.

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EXTRACT FROM ‘THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CROWN JEWELS’ Happily, and cheerfully the gang walked out but as they were walking, they heard a loud scream! It had come from Buckingham Palace. The gang ran back hoping it was a mystery they could solve. They ran into the palace, upstairs and into the Royal Queen’s room. They saw her sobbing on her bed. “What on earth are you doing here?” said the Queen in a sad expression. “We are the MG your highness!” Penelope interrupted. “Are there any mysteries we could solve?” Emily asked. “Someone has stolen the crown jewels they are very precious to me and the Royal Family so you need to find it! I saw this person they had black hair this person had come secretly into the palace I could see her and I felt suspicious but I just thought that this person was visiting a member of the Royal Family. Next minute I heard my crown jewels smash to the ground, the guards tried to catch her but she was too quick and that was the last time I saw her!” The Queen bellowed. With that the gang disappeared ready to fix this case. The next day everyone woke up very tired from the night before. However they were still ready to investigate the mystery of the missing crown jewels.

MEET THE JUDGES ABUBAKR AL-SHAMAHI

is a British-Yemeni television and multimedia journalist, with a focus on explaining not just what is in the news, but why it is happening. He has reported from across the world, with a special focus on the Middle East. Abubakr has worked for TRT World, The New Arab, and the BBC, and has written for the Guardian and Vice, as well as providing commentary for Al Jazeera English.

AHMED JAFFERALI VERSI

is the publisher and editor of The Muslim News. Ahmed has interviewed world leaders including the late President of Bosnia Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, the late Aslan Maskhadov of Chechnya, Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, the Rt. Hon. David Cameron and the Rt. Hon. Theresa May, and HRH The Prince of Wales. During the first Gulf War, Ahmed was part of a British Muslim delegation to Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia mediating for the release of British hostages. In March 2000, Ahmed launched The Muslim News Awards for Excellence celebrating Muslim achievements. He established the Muslim Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sport Foundation and was until recently Deputy President of the International Islamic Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Games. A regular speaker at international conferences covering Islamic issues at the local and global level, Ahmed focuses on media representation. Ahmed was awarded Honorary Doctorate of Arts in recognition of achievements as Editor of The Muslim News from the University of Bedfordshire in 2007.

ANNUM SALMAN

is the debut author of her poetry book Sense Me which revolves around the theme of identity; encompassing topics such as gender inequality, mental health, race, culture, and love. Born and bred in Pakistan, Annum completed her MA in creative writing from the University of Surrey. She is a renowned spoken word poet in Pakistan as well as in the UK having had featured shows at That’s What She Said, Dorking is Talking, Woking Literary Lightbox Festival, Nottingham Poetry Festival, SpeakEasy Soho, and The Surrey New Writers Festival.

ASMAA HUSSEIN

is an author and entrepreneur. She is most well known for her book A Temporary Gift: Reflections on Love, Loss, and Healing, a memoir of her experiences wrestling with faith and patience after the death of her husband in 2013. In 2015 Asmaa founded Ruqaya’s Bookshelf, a publishing company focused on producing children’s books featuring strong Muslim characters. Since then, she has written and published numerous children’s books including family favourites Bismillah Soup (2015), Mr. Gamal’s Gratitude Glasses (2018), and Who Will Help Me Make Iftar? (2019).

BRIAN PATTEN

was born in Liverpool. Aged sixteen he edited and produced the magazine underdog in which many of the iconic poems in Penguin Modern Classic’s ground breaking anthology, The Mersey Sound, first appeared. His many books include Selected Poems (Penguin) and The Collected Love Poems (Harper Perennial). His latest collection is The Book of Upside Down Thinking, a gift book of verse based on 10th century Middle Eastern folk tales that uses humour to “rattle the cage of conventional thinking.” He has been honoured with the Freedom of the City of Liverpool and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

30 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Meet The Judges

CHARLIE BRINKHURST-CUFF

is a writer and the head of editorial at gal-dem. She is a former editor at Dazed, and a Guardian freelancer and columnist. Charlie is a Scott Trust Bursary alumnus, and winner of the 2017 Georgina Henry Award for Innovation in Journalism. She is the editor of the book Mother Country: Real Stories of the Windrush Children, a leading new exploration of the Windrush generation featuring David Lammy, Lenny Henry, and Corinne Bailey Rae.

CLARE CURRIE

is Poet Laureate for Peterborough. Her work ranges from writing for and performing at events to facilitating workshops and writing for the stage. She was writer-in-residence at Metal Southend, performing there as part of the Essex Book Festival. Clare has performed alongside artists including Mark Grist and Ross Sutherland and has worked on a number of theatre projects, including pieces for Eastern Angles and Jumped Up Theatre, in collaboration with Battersea Arts. Clare was awarded Arts Council funding to develop her creative practice, working on her solo theatre piece Cold Snaps, which centres around being a sports woman and a mother. Her writing has been described as image-packed and lyrical and often centres on the visceral nature of being embodied as a female.

FAIMA BAKAR

is a lifestyle journalist at Metro.co.uk and covers topics including beauty, fashion, and health. She has a passion for feature-writing on issues of race, culture, religion, and gender. Faima has written nearly 2,000 articles and hopes to raise the status of underserved communities whose stories often go untold.

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HAFSAH ANEELA BASHIR

is a Manchester based poet and playwright with an MA in Postcolonial Literary and Culture from the University of Leeds. She is founder and co-director of the arts collective, Outside The Frame Arts, which is passionate about platforming voices outside the mainstream. Hafsah works with marginalized and underrepresented communities delivering creative writing workshops centred around identity and empowerment. Her debut poetry collection, The Celox And The Clot published by Burning Eye Books, launched in 2018 with Manchester Literature Festival. Previously an Open Exchange Supported Artist with The Royal Exchange Theatre and a ‘Leader of Tomorrow’ with the Artistic Director’s Leadership Programme, she has recently been awarded the prestigious Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship 2019-20.

HIBAQ OSMAN

is a Somali writer born and based in London. Her work centres largely around women, identity, and the healing process. Her debut poetry pamphlet, A Silence You Can Carry, was published with Out-Spoken Press in 2015. Hibaq works towards a future where funding and access to the arts for people of colour is considered the norm and not an exception. Her next poetry book is due to be released with Jacaranda Books in 2020.

JAZZMINE BREARY

is Sales, Marketing & Publicity Manager at award-winning independent publishing house Jacaranda Books. She has been at Jacaranda since its launch, working closely with founder Valerie Brandes across multiple areas of the business, developing Jacaranda’s award-winning list. In 2015, Jazzmine contributed to the Writing the Future report; her article, Let’s Not Forget explored the legacy of diverse and particularly Black publishing in the UK. She is a regular speaker on issues of diversity and inclusivity in publishing. Her speaking engagements include the British Library’s inaugural M Fest, the LBF Inclusivity in Publishing Conference, the Bradford Literature Festival, and more. She has been featured in The Voice newspaper, Actual Size magazine, on BBC Radio London’s Dotun Adebayo Show, The Beat London, and more recently BBC Radio Gloucestershire. She has been a mentor on the MA in Publishing at Kingston University and served on the committee of Women in Publishing UK from 2012 to 2014.

JONATHAN RUPPIN

founded The Ruppin Agency in 2017, with a particular focus on authors from underrepresented backgrounds. His clients include Graeme Armstrong, Sally Morgan, Dr. Jude Piesse, Richard Zimler, and Devika Ponnambalam. He spent nearly two decades in book retail, working for chains and independent bookstores, as well as working for publishers and literary agents. Jonathan has been a judge of numerous literary awards, including the Costa Novel Award, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Award, the Desmond Elliott Prize, and the Romantic Novelists’ Association awards. His journalism encompasses television, radio, and print, including The Bookseller magazine’s Paperback Preview, and he has interviewed authors at the Southbank Centre and Foyles.

KAREEM PARKINS-BROWN

is from North West London. He is a Barbican Poet Alumni and the 2019 Roundhouse Poetry Slam winner. He has collaborated with The Barbican Centre and Tate Britain.

32 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Meet The Judges

KATE WAKELING

grew up in Yorkshire and Birmingham. Her debut collection of poems for children, Moon Juice (illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa and published by The Emma Press) won the 2017 CLiPPA and was nominated for the 2018 Carnegie Medal. Kate’s poetry for adults has been published widely, including a pamphlet The Rainbow Faults (The Rialto), and in the Guardian, The Forward Book of Poetry 2016 (Faber & Faber), and The Best British Poetry 2014 (Salt). Kate is writerin-residence with Aurora Orchestra and her storytelling concerts for family audiences have been performed widely, including at Wigmore Hall, the Southbank Centre, the bOing! Festival, the Melbourne Festival, the Festival Sesc de Música de Câmara in Brazil, and on BBC Radio 3. Kate also writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement and BBC Music Magazine.

KHALEEL MUHAMMAD

is an internationally recognised nasheed artist with appearances spanning Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa, and has produced four videos and three albums - Heaven, Dhikr of Life, and The Adventures of Hakim. He has appeared in several television shows, adverts, and the Disney film Cinderella, and was also a television presenter on numerous programmes. He is the radio presenter of the double award-winning Kids Round Show on Inspire 105.1FM. Khaleel is the author of the children’s book Muslim All-Stars, and he has recently self-published the sequel, Muslim All-Stars Monster Mayhem. Khaleel is also a designer and illustrator for the children’s books Allah’s Amazing Messenger by S. J. Sear, and his own Muslim Family Colouring Book which is now in its second revised edition.

MOHAMED MOHAMED

is a British-Somali poet based in London. He is Founder of the (un)Heard Words, a project focused on using poetry as a tool for interfaith engagement. Mohamed often explores the topic of faith, identity, politics, and masculinity in his poems. Mohamed’s poems have been commissioned and featured in FreeWord, Apples and Snakes, Roundhouse, Buzzfeed UK, and local and national radio.

MOLLY ROSENBERG

has worked at the Royal Society of Literature for ten years and, as Director, oversees the Society’s business and creative strategy. She is thrilled to be working towards the RSL’s 2020 bicentenary with RSL staff and trustees on a number of new programmes, showing how much Literature Matters. Molly has previously worked at the Royal Opera House and Southbank Centre, and as an independent researcher. She holds an MPhil in Irish Writing from Trinity College Dublin and is currently completing her PhD at King’s College London, where her doctoral thesis examines the relationship between contemporary Irish poetry, nation, and the poetics of the trace.

NAFISA BAKKAR

is the CEO of Amaliah, a media company amplifying the voices of Muslim women, and of Halal Gems, a halal food discovery platform. Nafisa’s essay on the representation of Muslims in media and advertising was published in It’s Not About the Burqa (Picador). Nafisa’s work has also been published in AdAge, Campaign Magazine, the Independent, and Forbes. In 2019 Nafisa was awarded AdAge’s ‘One to Watch’ and listed as one of London’s most influential people in media.

34 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Meet The Judges

NA’IMA B ROBERT

was inspired by visits to the local library and started writing children’s books when her eldest son was a baby. Her ambition was to write beautiful, creative books about Muslim life that would foster pride and pleasure in young Muslim readers. She has since published over twenty books for children and young adults, including The Swirling Hijaab (Mantra Books), Ramadan Moon (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) and Going to Mecca (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books), and the acclaimed YA novel, Far from Home (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books), winner of a Muslim Writers Award and the Children’s Africana Book Award, as well as the ‘halal romance’ classic, She Wore Red Trainers (Kube Publishing). Among her forthcoming children’s books are a collaboration with Mufti Menk and a book on Islamophobia with Hachette.

NASIMA BEGUM

is a poet, producer, and creative practitioner. She is currently the Youth Development Lead/ Acting Coordinator for the Manchester Bangladeshi Women’s Organisation. She is a trustee of Young Identity and has been a member of the collective since 2013. She has also worked with HOME, Royal Exchange Theatre, Contact Theatre, and The Lowry. Nasima has performed at BBC’s poetry festival Contains Strong Language, Hay Festival, Manchester Literature Festival, and the British Councils BritLitBerlin conference. Nasima’s most recent residency included Project Lockdown for Belgium’s infamous Museum Nacht, where she spent 24 hours with 14 artists in a museum space making performance work. She has taught poetry with primary and secondary school children nationally and internationally through various projects. Most recently, Nasima was involved in the Manchester International Festival as one of six Greater Manchester artists selected for the Jerwood Arts Creative Fellowship in which she observed a large scale production, and was also commissioned to make work for.

ROOPA FAROOKI

is the author of six critically acclaimed novels (The Good Children, The Flying Man, Half Life, The Way Things Look to Me, Corner Shop, and Bitter Sweets) published with Headline and Macmillan. She has been shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers and the Muslim Writers Awards, and has also been longlisted for the Women’s Prize (twice), the DSC South Asian Literature Prize, and the Impac Dublin Literary Award. Her books have been published internationally in thirteen countries across Europe, and in the US. She was awarded the John C. Laurence Prize from the Authors’ Foundation for writing which improves understanding between races, and an Arts Council Literature award. She lectures on the Creative Writing Masters at the University of Oxford, and is a recently qualified Junior Doctor, working for the NHS in Kent and London. Following her 2016 shortlisting for the Commonword Prize for Children’s Fiction, Roopa is currently working on diverse fiction for young people. Her new series, The Double Detectives Medical Mysteries, featuring Asian girls as heroes, will be published with Oxford University Press in January 2020.

SAADIA FARUQI

is a Pakistani American author, essayist, and interfaith activist. She writes the children’s early reader series Yasmin, published by Capstone, and other books for children including middle grade novels A Place At The Table (HMH/Clarion, 2020) co-written with Laura Shovan, and A Thousand Questions (Harper Collins, 2020). She has also written Brick Walls: Tales of Hope & Courage from Pakistan, a short story collection for adults and teens. Saadia is editorin-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine for Muslim art, poetry, and prose, and was featured in Oprah Magazine in 2017 as a woman making a difference in her community.

SAMEER RAHIM

is Arts and Books editor of Prospect Magazine. Previously he worked for seven years on the Books Desk of the Daily Telegraph, and has written for many publications including the New York Times and the Guardian. His novel, Asghar and Zahra (JM Originals), was published in June 2019.

36 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Meet The Judges

SF SAID

is a British Muslim author of Middle Eastern background. He was born in Beirut, and has lived in London since he was two years old. His first book, Varjak Paw, won the Nestlé Smarties Prize for Children’s Literature. It has sold over half a million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than a dozen languages. The sequel, The Outlaw Varjak Paw, won the BBC Blue Peter Book Of The Year; while his third book, Phoenix, represents the UK on the IBBY International Honour Book List, was shortlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, and nominated for both the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals. SF Said has written widely on children’s and young adult literature for both the Guardian and The Daily Telegraph.

SHAHIDA RAHMAN

is a Cambridge based award-winning author, writer, publisher, and public speaker. Her highly acclaimed historical novel, Lascar was published in 2012. In its unpublished form, Lascar was shortlisted for the Muslim Writers Awards’ Unpublished Novel Award in 2008. An audio play based on her second novel, India Ink, will be released in 2020. Shahida also published two children’s books, Rani Goes to the Mela and Rani and the Wedding Shoes. The third instalment in the Rani series will be published in 2020. Shahida has contributed articles on South Asian history and a range of social issues to numerous publications, including Best of British, The Great War, SISTERS magazine, The Huffington Post, and Asian World. She is also a regular contributor to BBC local radio programmes. Shahida won a British Muslim Award for ‘Arts and Cultural Awareness’ in 2015. She is also a trustee of the Cambridge Central Mosque.

SUFIYA AHMED

is the award-winning author of the young adult novel Secrets of the Henna Girl (Penguin Random House), which was launched at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, and has been translated into Arabic, Spanish, and Polish. She is a public speaker on girls’ rights. Sufiya regularly visits secondary schools to deliver author sessions, addressing pupils in over 150 schools, and participates in book festivals. Sufiya also discusses her previous career in the Houses of Parliament to educate and inspire pupils about the democratic process, and explores how her political activism influences her writing. Sufiya is the founder and Director of the BIBI Foundation, a non-profit organisation which arranges visits to the Houses of Parliament for children from underprivileged backgrounds. Her new picture book Under the Great Plum Tree was released in 2019 and is published by Tiny Owl Publishing. She is also a contributor to It’s Not About the Burqa (Picador) and Ladybird Tales of Super Heroes.

SUMAYYA LEE

was born in South Africa and has worked as an Islamic Studies teacher, Montessori Directress and Teacher of English as a Foreign Language. Her debut, The Story of Maha (Kwela) was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book – Africa and longlisted for the Sunday Times Fiction Award. She was one of the judges for the 2018 Writivism /Kofi Addo Prize for Creative Non-Fiction and is part of the Advisory Board at Writivism.

SUZANNE ANTELME

is a three time winner of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award and a long-listee in the BBC Young Writers’ Award 2018. She lives in the south of England and acts as Commissioning Editor for Little Stone Journal.

TIM ROBERTSON

became Chief Executive of The Anne Frank Trust UK in 2018. He is passionate about Anne Frank’s Diary as both a great work of literature and a springboard for social education. This builds on two strands from Tim’s career – literature/the arts and social change. Tim studied English and American Literature at university in London and New York, and was Director of the Royal Society of Literature from 2015 to 2018. Previously, Tim spent 9 years leading significant growth as Chief Executive of the Koestler Trust, Britain’s national charity for arts by prisoners. Tim began his career as a child protection social worker in the London Borough of Camden, and set up the borough’s Sure Start programmes for families in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. He is now Chair of Governors at Regent High, a Camden secondary school.

TUSCANY BERNIER

is from Indiana, USA, and is a writer, public speaker, and spiritual counsellor. Tuscany graduated with her Associate’s Degree in Islamic Studies from Mishkah University in 2017 and received her certificate from Tayseer Seminary in 2018. She is passionate about cultural diversity and women’s studies. Tuscany spoke at the Women’s Mosque of America in December 2016 and at the Women in Leadership Institute at Purdue University in 2017 and in 2019. She has been featured on The Tempest, Amaliah, SeekersGuidance, and AboutIslam, and has published a book on religious rulings related to women’s health.

38 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Meet The Judges

YASMIN RAHMAN

was born and raised in Hertfordshire. Her debut YA novel, All The Things We Never Said, was published in 2019 by Hot Key Books. She has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Hertfordshire and an MA in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University, both with Distinction. Her short story, Fortune Favours the Bold, was published in Stripes’ anthology A Change is Gonna Come in 2017 with the Bookseller awarding the contributors a YA Book Prize Special Achievement Award 2018 for commitment to making YA publishing more inclusive. When she is not writing, Yasmin makes bookish fan art; her designs are sold worldwide on behalf of John Green.

YASSMIN ABDEL-MAGIED

is a Sudanese-born author, broadcaster, and social advocate with a background in mechanical engineering. Yassmin founded her first organisation, Youth Without Borders, at the age of 16, published her debut memoir, Yassmin’s Story, with Penguin Random House at age 24, and followed up with her first fiction book for younger readers, You Must Be Layla, in 2019. Yassmin’s critically acclaimed essays have been published in numerous anthologies, including the Griffith Review, the best-selling It’s Not About The Burqa, and New Daughters of Africa. Her words can also be found in publications including The Guardian, Teen Vogue, The New York Times, The Independent, and Glamour.

KEY STAGE 3 POETRY EXTRACT FROM ‘AS TIME GOES BY’ Time, the great Consumer Greedy for all thats living Will end in his maw Death Time’s faithful servant Comes for all Blind to virtue or malignity Relentless, unforgiving Civilisations rise and fall Time impartially eats them all So whats to do? Live each moment fully Defy time Disregard The past The future The have beens The many nots What is now Is

EXTRACT FROM ‘CLIFF EDGE’ The beach far down below, A vast plain of sand and dust, Kingdom of earth and rocks, reaching into the sea, Slowly being overthrown by the tide, slowly, slowly, Pulling in the foam willingly, no resistance Sky, blue, black, forever changing, Adapting, moving, transforming, Revealing the secrets of existence, The sky protecting the clouds, floating above, Gravity, a force keeping the Earth from bursting open The Edge before me, A million miles above the ocean, An aura of peace swirling among the mist, The Edge pulls me forward as an anglerfish pulls in its prey, The Cliff Edge holding me up, fighting, cracking, breaking... Cliff Edge, the end of my world

42 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 3 Poetry

STONE WALL She sat upon the stone wall, The air about her calm but cruel, her face like snow, her eyes a lake. Deep, dark; unforgiving. She sat upon the stone wall, The sky was bleached, red-streaked, her garments bleak, her hair pale light. Emotionless, blank; or seemingly so. She sat upon the stone wall, The earth bitter and hard beneath, her hands cold ice, her body dead calm. Silent, icy; yet raging inside She sat upon the stone wall, The predator waiting, Calm, silent, invisible, Movement measured. She sat not upon the stone wall, The bright-white fury burning inside her, Eyes frozen sharp, waiting to pounce, Intense, merciless, deadly.

ÂŠ Aaminah Green Key Stage 3 Poetry

THE FISH Round and round I swim Condemned to a cell of glass My captors finding joy in my suffering. An irksome child knocking on my bowl Constantly, without fail, for hours on end Driving me to the verge of insanity. That feline in the corner watching me His emerald eyes cutting through my flesh Like a serrated blade. Each day is a fight for survival. Dreaming of a life beyond this invisible barrier, I can only hope that I will be set free. I dream of the Seven Seas Of diamond-clear waters and golden sunsets Sinking below the horizon. I dream of brilliant, beautiful coral Lining the ocean floor. I dream of a multitude of different species All different shapes and colours A haven under the surface. Dreaming, dreaming, dreaming. As long as I’m trapped in this bowl, That’s all I’ll ever do.

44 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 3 Poetry

THE JEWEL OF ALBAICIN In wonder about the ancient hill I roam Set above Granada below the lofty Sierra A placid hamlet plucked from a bygone era Feeling as if I have come finally home Over narrow cobbled streets I tread The white walls draped with flowers And overlooked by the Alhambra’s towers From where once innocent children fled Searching for the jewel of Albaycin My heart leads me to Cuesta de Maranas There I walk into delightful Los Arrayanes I’m left in awe by the exquisite cuisine Oh traveller know the secret this place hides It is where the spirit of the Moor resides

KEY STAGE 3 SHORT STORIES EXTRACT FROM ‘A SINGLE MISTAKE’ “This is it!” Professor Mahmood glowed with anticipation. “The antidote that will save mankind.” In one hand, she held the vial of golden liquid that promised so much. In the other hand, she held the vial of the virus that had been responsible for the near extinction of the human race. Just at that moment, the Professor was distracted by a blaze of black and gold from her left. A wasp had managed to get into the lab and was diving around her eye line. Instinctively, she flung her hand to swat it away. Suddenly she realised she’d dropped it, the vial in which...well, she didn’t know what was in it as the only way she had known was due to what hands the vials had been in. Yet she couldn’t place which vial was which – her mind was wiped blank.

EXTRACT FROM ‘KEEP MOVING’ It’ s h appen i n g… a l l ove r aga i n . The y ’re h e re . Mother led them to the cellar, to a painting on the wall. Voices echoed from down the corridor. “Emma, go block the door!” her Mother said as she unhooked the painting. She traced her trembling fingers along the wall until she felt a dent. A piece of the wall slid back. Emma helped her brother clamber in, and then followed, moving up and waiting. “Mother?” Emma crawled back and peered out. Her mother’s eyes were brimming with tears. “Emma, you must wait here. It’s not safe. They know tha- that someone is down here. Keep your brother safe, dear. Keep Theo safe. I will see you again. I promise.” Mother reached out and held Emma face in her hand. “I love you. Be strong.” Emma could see the desperation in Mother’s eyes. She felt her heart thudding. A lump rose in her throat. She was left speechless as the wall slid back. Emma placed her hand on the cold surface between them.

EXTRACT FROM ‘THE HOUSE OF THE LOST’ Dark. It amazes me how black the night sky was, darker than any coffee. Not a light in sight; clear, with no twinkling stars of hope to guide me through this hell. A profusion of dead, leafless branches were the only things stopping the sky from swallowing me whole; but how I wish it did! I would have been saved from the biting frost. Oh, how cold it was! So cold that the sun swore to never shine again! So bitter that the moon refused to reveal its illuminating light, hiding itself where no one could find it! Goodness, to this day, that place still haunts me; teeth chattering ferociously, arms wrapped around myself tightly, legs trembling, threatening to give way at any second. My lips numb, my skin pale, my hair sticking up in every direction, icicles drooping down from the frozen strands.

48 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 3 Short Stories

EXTRACT FROM ‘THE PARADOX OF IT ALL’ A series of images flashed across a television, punctuated by words. T h i s i s for you r ow n go o d . A d i sto rte d face . S urre nd e r. Arif hit a key and the footage cut. “Don’t look at it too long,” he said. “This is being aired to hundreds of millions across the country. Over a million viewers. We don’t know the affects yet, but police have received hundreds of thousands of calls about break ins from houses where the television wasn’t on.” Blue cursed under her breath and reached for her phone. “Find Gen,” she commanded, and powered on the phone that she had kept switched off for the past few days. She figured it couldn’t get worse than this. “Harold was the distraction,” she said loudly. “To make sure we couldn’t stop their main event.” The phone flashed then died. Blue hit it against the table and the lights went out. “What?” she whispered, and fumbled across the desk to find the drawer where she kept her flashlights. The biggest monitor, in the centre of the room, lit with a single sentence. You s en d you r m e ssag e s t hro ug h sp ace , o ur sp ace. Did you think we wouldn’t replace them?

EXTRACT FROM ‘A SAD KIND OF BEAUTIFUL’ He remembered seeing her on the slope of a hill in the meadow located near his street. She was sitting on the grass, lips trembling, her body quivering. Everything about her seemed so… sad, so fragile and tired. Her peach sundress was pooled around her like the sweet opening of a flower during sun rise, legs stretched in front of her- pointing in his direction. He was hiding behind two large blackberry bushes- his naturally curled hair caught in thorns, soft skin pricked in crimson blood-picking only the darkest of berries as his mother had told him to, when he heard the sound of loud hiccups and quiet sniffles. With the misplacing of his foot, one thing lead to another and he soon found himself stumbling right in front of the girl, just barely stopping himself from falling face first into the lush ground that surrounded them. He’d expected her already frowning face to frown even deeper in humiliation, maybe her face would light up like a Christmas tree in anger at the intrusion. Instead came out a laugh. A giggle of some sort at the sight of the clumsy blackberry-moustached kid that could’ve fallen on her lap.

50 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 3 Short Stories

KEY STAGE 3 JOURNALISM EXTRACT FROM ‘IS BRITAIN A RACIST COUNTRY?’ From Swedish to Mandarin one cannot disregard the unique voices that encompass our great nation. And from this nation we look at Britain, a tiny island set in the far north of our globe, home to some of the world’s major religions. Britain is a country where tolerance plays an important part of our values. Values which are followed and accepted. So why is it that we ask ourselves the simple yet unfathomable question: Is Britain really a racist country? Has Britain really evolved from the time of Enoch Powell and his ‘rivers of blood speech’ or has it fallen prey to a new age against the EU?

EXTRACTS FROM ‘DON’T BLAME THE SUN!’ Ever since mankind has crept into existence, Earth is barely holding together; especially so since the past couple of centuries where the inhabitants have progressed more than ever but at the sake of our planet. There have been some alarming predictions for our future and unless some drastic measures are taken, we have less than a century to survive on this homeland. ... Thanks to advanced technology, scientists are able to collect data on climate changes due to human activity and hence we are able to predict the havoc in store for us in the ‘near’ future. According to Conservation International, “The concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, as of 2018, is the highest it has been in 3 million years” and that “Seventeen of the 18 warmest years have occurred since 2000” … There has also been major flooding in places like America because of ice caps melting. In fact, the Arctic is likely to be ice-free before mid century! Climate change would cause extinction and it is believed that we are in the middle of a sixth mass extinction with 10,000 to 100,000 species becoming extinct each year.

52 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 3 Journalism

EXTRACTS FROM ‘DON’T WAIT TO VACCINATE’ The bed is so big that it seems to swallow the child curled under its blankets. A plush teddy bear rests on her shoulder, its lips pulled back in a permanent grin. The child’s golden hair cascades down the pillow, framing her pale face like a radiant halo. Her eyelids are closed, and a shadow of a smile lingers on her face. … The only thing that spoils this illusion of serenity are the wires that pierce her body. Her arms are obscured by the cords that connect her to the machines that keep her heart breathing. A plastic device protrudes from her nostrils, transforming that calm look into one of vulnerability. Her torso is covered with red blotches, the very things that gave her a death sentence. She hasn’t done anything to deserve this. Just shy of four years old, this girl is described as a ‘ray of sunshine’ by relatives, and a ‘intelligent, cheerful child’ by teachers. Her bright future has been ripped away by an agonising illness. An illness that has killed millions. An illness that has brought complications that will cause her to deteriorate rapidly. An illness that had been almost completely eradicated. Esme has measles. It originally manifested as a cold, but gradually worsened. What started as a minor facial rash had launched a full-on assault on her body, leaving her with crimson patches that indicated that there was worse to come.

EXTRACT FROM ‘MURDER: IN THE NAME OF LOVE & HONOUR’ Recently, there have been many high-profile honour killing as a result of refusal of forced arranged marriage cases in the UK. According to the BBC ‘Seven thousand cases were recorded in the UK between 2011 and 2016.’ There are approximately ‘12 cases reported each year, but the exact number is unknown.’ These crimes are mainly committed against young Asian girls who are taken abroad and forced into arranged marriages by their parents or other family members. When the girls no longer want to be a part of their plan they are emotionally blackmailed, striped of their British passports and threatened that they will never return to the UK unless they marry. Almost 99% of defendants in these cases claim they have acted in their child’s best interest in order to restore their families respect and honour.

54 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 3 Journalism

EXTRACT FROM ‘WORLD PEACE OR CHAOS: AMERICA’S CALL’ There has been tension between North Korea and America for some time now. Although the scenario of a war seemed impossible, it has become our reality. It seemed as if Mr North Korea and Mr America did not want this situation to come to light in the world; but now it seems as if war is inevitable for both parties in most cases. At 22:59 on March 14, North Korea launched a nuclear missile at an American military base in American Samoa in the Pacific Ocean. Luckily, the base was alerted by New Zealand Intelligence and there were no casualties. However, the structure was levelled to a nuclear wasteland and its prevailing shockwaves could be felt all over the Pacific. Neighbouring Samoa felt the shocks and its personification has become bedridden. A Samoan citizen, Masina Sua, specified that “Miss Samoa is healing quite rapidly. Miss New Zealand had come over earlier to see the personification and pay respects, saying she will make sure that she and Mr Australia will protect all the Oceanic realms from the larger countries. We hope they are victorious and will be able to keep the peace.”

KEY STAGE 4 POETRY DROWNING The one thing you can hear when you are submerged in water is the sound of your heart beating. Beating solemnly like a drum, waiting for you to relent and take a breath, to survive but your gut screams at you to hold on, just a little longer, as someone will come to help. Inhaling quickly would seem like respite but would only seal your fate. Dizziness begins to set in, so you focus on the water. It caresses you like an icy blanket. A mere illusion, to lure you into the trap of feeling safe, but morphing into your silent executioner. The drum is faster as if counting down to your eventual demise. You gasp. Water rushes in, choking you from the inside You feel your lungs contracting under its iron grip that will silence the drums and slowly, slowly send you into the darkness.

ÂŠ Aliyyah Adesewa Kola-Olukotun Key Stage 4 Poetry

EARTH’S PLEA We trample the ground with footsteps of greed, The sound of crashing waves and crunching leaves. We hear a faint tune of the earth, mellow deep A gust of wind through rustling trees. Tide coming in, We stand on a cliff proud and strong. But underneath this all, lies a storm of emotion. We gather to stand, to right our wrongs, Our eyes cast off into the distant light. We blindly follow the ocean’s beauty, only shallow deep Mesmerised, we ignore the whaling cry and eroding cliff. The melody of the sea inaudible to our ears, Hypnotised by a luminous mirage. A melancholy of rocks crumble and fall, Dropping into the sea. A stream of tears resonate deep within. The fading mirage that we saw shallow deep –broke And she fell into the sea. Drawn to the melody she could hear, A force of attraction, a nonchalant flow pulled her in, And she drowned therein. As she was swallowed by these raging emotions, The melody became clear and so— We learnt the lyrics of the earth’s yearnful plea, And finally it was heard, the song of the sea.

58 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 4 Poetry

NATURE A misty blue clouds over my gazing eyes as I raise my finger to trace the border of a natureborn masterpiece. A bird, a plane? One could try and explain but Mother Nature leaves no name so we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave a stain But rather embellish and cherish the sight that blesses us, and gives tranquillity in our vessels. The gratuity is remarkable, it gives me strength from its penniless efforts as it crosses the sky A still blue swiftly switches to a stained crimson as it continues to envelope the skyline as it nestles its burning cheeks, as it dreams sweet dreams sending it into an endless sleep. Delving deeper into the darkness as the sleek slender silhouettes of the whistling trees play back a cassette from my youth which triggers nostalgia -- my father flicking the pages of the Gazette as I played hide and seek in the closet. Water pricks at the corner of my eyes as I continue to stare as the lights blare with its startling flare I call Diamonds of the night sky. Feeling a sense of satisfaction, I lay my head on the water-trodden grass that bathes me with a peculiar familiar warmth that sways me back and forth. The source of my serenity My odd serendipity Thinking aloud I say my good night to the clouds Tomorrow we shall meet again Not my foe but my loved friend Nature.

ÂŠ Sakinah Buhari Key Stage 4 Poetry

TABLE MANNERS A stool. Where one extends a hand of kindness, To offer assistance in times of hardship, A park bench. Where the public become casualty to their emotions, Falling into a void of contemplation. A sofa. Where the eyes stay fixated onto a square. Square. Parallel. Never meet. Social life. The sloth within them comes out to recline. An arm chair. Where the elderly inspire the youth, With tales of war and valour, Yet the war the youth will fight… Lives in their head. An office chair. Where the robots march pretentiously, In a bid to snatch a promotion, To become society’s software. A political seat in the House of Commons. Where lies are fermented, Brewing a glass of ‘social responsibility’, Spiked with a pill of falsehood and fabrication, A throne. Where royalty extend a hand of pompous splendor, Born to dictate from their divinely appointed blood, That circulates through the hand that strikes. If some believe the negligent occupy the best seats in this temporary world… Where’s my seat at the table?

60 Young Muslim Writers Awards: Anthology 2019, Key Stage 4 Poetry

WE SHARE OUR SORROWS In day the skies pour forth our unshed tears form miserable puddles at our feet clouded like our minds so dense we cannot sift through our thoughts almost suffocating yet our souls so empty like the open air. At night the wind howls the words we could not say, we twist them into a melody, and sing until our throats are dry, our voices hoarse and laugh bitterly, candlelight glinting on tear stained cheeks.

ÂŠ Khadeeja Desai Key Stage 4 Poetry

KEY STAGE 4 SHORT STORIES EXTRACTS FROM ‘A DELIBERATELY FATAL OVERDOSE’ Sam was relieved when the waiting was over. His vision blurred with tears as his mother, accompanied by Doctor Chowdury, stepped out of the emergency room, her eyes glistening with tears of her own. Sam felt his heart break as he watched his mother stand, trembling, in the entrance of the waiting room, wavering, vacillating, ungrounded and without purpose. The rug had been yanked from beneath her feet. Never before had Nicole experienced such... nothingness. … He felt a lurch in his chest as he gripped his mother’s slender frame, enveloped in the sharp-angled embrace. The acuate shoulder blades, the knobs of her spine and ribs like the rungs of a ladder made him shudder with supressed rage.

EXTRACT FROM ‘INNOCENT MINDS’ Had I upset any of them in any way? If so, who had I angered? What would this mean for my relationship with the rest of them? Would I even be allowed to live here anymore? If not, where would I go? I made my way to the couch feeling dizzy and genuinely exhausted. I didn’t know what to do, so I broke down in tears. It was the only way I felt I could express what I was feeling at that moment. No words. No hand gestures. Just tears. After leaving me alone for five minutes, Austin pulled me in for a hug, which I was confused about, seeing how they were sending me away. I gently nudged him away; I didn’t feel comfortable with him consoling me knowing he knew about what was happening and hadn’t warned me, that they all knew and didn’t say anything. I turned away from all of them, needing to process my thoughts. Jemima interrupted my train of thought. “Why are you upset, Sage?” she asked, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Why do you think? It’s not as if I have any reason to be upset anyway, right? It’s not like you guys were all pondering over what would be the best way to announce that I’m being kicked off the team, is it?” I looked at each of them, expecting to see a change in their countenances, but, surprisingly the only things that changed were there facial expressions, from ones of concern to ones of confusion. My gaze landed on Dylan, who turned to me and sighed, “You’re not getting kicked off the team, Sage. Actually, your theory couldn’t be further away from the truth”

EXTRACT FROM ‘OPERATION IMPES’ I finger the stolen tablet in my hands, an e-mail open on it in front of me. I had found a general message sent to government officials from the head of the Global Coalition; the start of a conversation. Fri, May 1 9 , 2 02 8 at 10 : 3 1 From : Mel i s s a S i l ver i a To : G OVG B O perat i on Im pes was f i na l l y i m p l e m e nte d . Re sul t s p o si t ive . E ffe ct s T BC. I lift my eyes from the screen a second, my brain whirling with facts. This e-mail is dated 19/05/2028 – The same day the firestorm ravaged the world. The same day that we lost then found my brother Lai in the forest, just before lights streaked through the sky; lights that we first thought were only fireworks or shooting stars. The same day thousands of people all around the world died from fire, disease and exposure. I shake my head clear of these memories, knowing they cannot help me, and carry on reading. The next e-mail was sent an hour later, by a seemingly lowranking representative, Rowan White. Fri, May 1 9 , 2 02 8 at 11: 47 From : Rowan W h i te To : G OVG B O perat i on Im pes i s ge tt i n g o ut of h a nd . O ffice cent re i s a l m ost d e st roye d . Ne e d h e l p . Mayb e t h i s was u n n e ce ssa ry. Th e re we re ot h e r way s.

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EXTRACTS FROM ‘THE OTHER SIDE’ The mirror saw everything. From the day it merged with the walls to the day it was shattered. It was useful in numerous ways: a plaything for a child trying to figure out how it worked; a way for the vain to admire their reflection; and - a witness. The frame of the mirror was inlaid with the most mesmerizing carvings; it the first thing that would captivate your eyes. It was bought by a postimpressionist artist, who was fascinated by the frame’s design and was inspired by the detail to finish off his painting. He named the painting after what he thought the carvings depicted, “ the starry night “. … A few decades after the mirror was passed along like a burden nobody wanted. A burden that only shifted into its true potential in front of those who had the blessing of being able to spot the unordinary. Until one day the looking glass was sold to a young lady who saw the same thing the artist saw, inspiration. Not to mention a good bargain as well. She was an English lady who was charmed by politics and women’s rights. Her heart was pure and righteous; she would often go to the mirror and encourage herself by saying things like “no matter what they say do not give in” or “Remember you are fighting for what is right you are a suffragette” A woman who would rather be a rebel than a slave.

EXTRACT FROM ‘THE POLES OF TWO LANDS’ There is a place in a land of prosperity, where trade and intellectual pursuit flourishes. This land holds many monuments that provide income to it, one of which was disturbed from a visit by a smoke. The crows noticed it first; squawking sounds of peril to nearby spectators, who dispersed quicker than the flames that were soon engulfing the historically permeated structure. This place was known for having the world’s largest musical organs. Yet in the eyes of the people, it was an organ in the body of the land, without it the land would shut down. An organ is a group of tissues working together to perform a similar function. However, some inhabitants of the earth would say that it was a group of directorates scheming together to create additional income to the area. While the flames crept closer towards the top of the building, they left smoky black marks. This was not the first time this building had endured marks, it still bared the scars of a revolution where it was seen as a symbol of oppression. Ironically, this building was built to fossilise the prestigious status of the land. Yet, today it has dominated the hearts of millions across all horizons. The stone gargoyles guarding the building glared menacingly at the blaze, they were the protectors of the building. They had given birth to the gothic style of the architecture, they refused to let the fire burn their fingerprints. In the promise of the gothic style, two identical mighty towers provided balance to the tall structure.

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MESSAGES OF CONGRATULATIONS The articles were a pleasure to read, and demonstrated great writing abilities, as well as a creative streak. I would encourage the writers to build on their talents by continuing to write and continuing to read. The writers have all proven themselves to be knowledgeable about the world we live in, and the issues that we face. If they continue to hone their skills, they can spread that knowledge to others with their writing. Abubakr Al-Shamahi Television and multimedia journalist

I’ve realized over the years the impact that words can have. As a public figure, I have continuously received messages from those who have connected to my words and those who were helped by them. Become a writer for a reason. An artist is not an artist for money, and that is how words differentiate most of the things that people do. We write solely for our pleasure and the pleasure of those who read. We create universes to help readers dive into fantasies just for a little while. We build emotions and sometimes take the pain away too. Realise the power of the pen, and now that you are holding it, you are magical. Go away somewhere else on paper and keep proving why we should follow you there. Thank you for letting me be a small part of your huge world. Annum Salman Author of poetry collection Sense Me

The Young Muslim Writers Awards are to be praised for continually encouraging students to develop their imaginations. Without encouragement the imagination stagnates. In an educational system obsessed with passing exams children with literary and other creative talents are often overlooked. It is with “leaps of imagination” that new literature and art comes into being; that music is written; that great art is created and that world enhancing medicines are developed. And of course, it is the same powerful imagination that creates our best and most innovative scientists and that will one day send us to the stars. Brian Patten Poet, author, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature

It only takes one story to make you into a journalist. Keep your curiosity, keep your drive and know that there are people out there rooting for you as Muslim writers in this country. Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff Head of Editorial at gal-dem

Massive congratulations to all of those who entered the Young Muslim Writers Awards this year. The quality of the writing in the poetry I read was very high. I was especially pleased to see a range of styles and themes within the category of KS1 poetry. Keep pursuing what you love and working hard at it; that is the best advice anyone could have given me at your young age. Claire Currie Poet Laureate for Peterborough

Congratulations to all the finalists for the Young Muslim Writers Award for journalism entries. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. We certainly need writers from these backgrounds to help readers realise that there is no one homogenous way to tell a story. Good luck to all. Faima Bakar Lifestyle journalist at Metro.co.uk

It has always been a goal of mine to work alongside young writers and support you in your work, so I feel immensely lucky to have been a part of the selection process for this competition! It was an absolute honour to read your poetry. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m wishing you all the best for the future and hope I will come across your work again soon. Hibaq Osman Writer and poet

A massive BIG-UP to all our writers this year. The quality, imagination, and sheer joy of each entry has grown in leaps and bounds. Keep writing. Keep dreaming and keep filling the world with your light and your truth. Booyah! Khaleel Muhammad Nasheed artist, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s author, presenter, and illustrator

The team at Islam Channel and I send our congratulations to all those who took part in this competition and to the final winners. The Young Muslim Writers Awards serves as an opportunity for our youth to be creative and showcase their talents to the world. It also serves as an important platform for nurturing skills and helping the youth to build on their achievements and influence them positively in becoming the leaders of tomorrow. Mohamed Ali Harrath Chief Executive Officer of Islam Channel

Congratulations to all the amazing young writers that have taken part in this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards. Every year, I’m blown away by the standard of writing submitted in this competition. No poet is too young to write with such gift and elegance and this competition proves that. Year by year, I read poems from young writers and the creativity and storytelling demonstrated consistently grips me. It’s clear the support available for young writers is reaping its rewards. I’m incredibly excited to see where these talented writers take their work. At this rate, young writers are ready to take over the literary world. Mohamed Mohamed Poet, and Founder of (un)Heard Words

These poems demonstrate excellent emerging talent in these young writers. I was struck by the power of image across the poems, and the writers’ ability to conjure a world around the reader. These poems all explored the limits and boundaries we live within – whether the edge of a cliff or the edge of a stone wall; the boundary between life and death, or the glass wall of a bowl. What was clear from all their poems was how writing can take on the things that challenge us, and free us from their constraints. These poets should be proud of their work, and I am excited to see the writers they become in the future. Molly Rosenberg Director of the Royal Society of Literature

Congratulations on getting this far! I pray you always believe in the power of your words to create change. Nafisa Bakkar Chief Executive Officer of Amaliah, and Halal Gems

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I am delighted to have been asked to judge this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards. The standard of writing was incredible, and it was very difficult to judge! It’s important to nurture our youth in creativity and the work that Muslim Hands do to ensure this is intrinsic to our community. To all the young Muslim writers out there, please keep feeding your soul with literature and fuelling your imagination with art. We need more of you! Nasima Begum Poet, producer, and creative practitioner

Your story is important. It is an invitation. It opens your imaginary world, the place at the heart of you, and when you write, you ask people to come in, to walk around in your world, to try on your shoes. To understand what is under your skin. We are divided in disturbing ways; we have burning bridges between us. So, write your story and invite everyone in. Roopa Farooki Author, Junior Doctor, and lecturer on the Creative Writing Masters at the University of Oxford

Congratulations to all the nominated authors. They can be very proud of their achievements. Sameer Rahim Author, and Arts and Books editor at Prospect Magazine

I’d like to congratulate every one of the shortlisted writers! And I’d like to share this bit of advice with you all. When you’re writing, think of yourself as the reader, not the writer. Then write the stories YOU most want to read and do everything you can to make them as good as you’d want a story to be, as a reader. Take as long as you need; don’t stop until your story is as brilliant as you can possibly make it. Varjak Paw took me five years – but it was worth all the hard work in the end! SF Said Award-winning children’s author

In my fifth year judging the YMWA poetry entries for Key Stage 3, I’m struck by how sophisticated this year’s entries are. These young entrants are writing like professional poets – conveying their ideas through carefully developed images and symbols, using highly structured forms like the Shakespearian sonnet. As a result, their view of the world, nourished by their Muslim faith, comes across with real power. I’m truly impressed. Tim Robertson Chief Executive, The Anne Frank Trust UK

Congratulations to all the writers inside this anthology. What a wonderful achievement at such a young age. I was completely blown away by the talent of entries and I am certain these names will be gracing our bookshelves someday very soon! I, for one, will be right at the front of those signing queues. Keep writing, keep striving for the stars! Yasmin Rahman Writer and children’s author

For all the winners, and those who were shortlisted, congratulations. This is a wonderful step in your journey of being a writer. To all those who entered, well done on putting your creative work out there: it takes bravery and courage to share. Remember: there is no one way to be a writer, for writing is about storytelling, and we all have stories to tell. What makes a good writer is someone who cares about the craft: someone who loves reading, who writes as often as they can, and someone who continues writing, even if ‘success’ doesn’t come immediately, or the way you expect. So, go out there into the world, continue writing your stories, continue nurturing your imaginations. I can’t wait to see what you come up with, inshAllah. Yassmin Abdel-Magied Author, broadcaster, and social advocate

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The Young Muslim Writers Award is such a wonderful initiative that encourages children to develop a passion for reading and writing and we at Bonnier Books UK are delighted to support this. New generations of readers and writers will be inspired through this award and this is a brilliant way to acknowledge the importance of inclusivity in storytelling. Many congratulations to all who participated and to the winners. Bonnier Books UK Jane Harris, Managing Director of Children’s Trade Publishing

Huge congratulations to all the shortlisted and winning writers of the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2019! This is a big achievement you should be proud of, so keep at it: keep reading and writing, and we hope one day to see your work come to our own offices for potential publication. We hope you will find the Carcanet books provided enriching and enjoyable, and we wish you long and successful writing careers. Carcanet

We’re delighted to support the Young Muslim Writers Awards and its mission: to celebrate and reward creative writing talent. We hope the prize inspires lots of young writers to tell their stories! Chicken House Books

Congratulations to all the wonderful young writers who have been involved in the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2019 from the Faber Children’s Team! We hope you all continue writing so that we could have the opportunity to publish one of your books in the future. Faber & Faber

New voices are the most important, creative, and valuable for the next generation of readers and help shape a vibrant, creative society. Thank you for sharing your work with us. We at Frances Lincoln Children’s Books believe in writing that celebrates the diversity of our world and we hope you will enjoy our selection of books. Congratulations to you all, for your successes in this year’s awards. Keep writing and inspiring us all to read! Frances Lincoln Children’s Books 73

Hachette UK is delighted to be supporting the Young Muslim Writers Awards once again in 2019. Our aim, through our Changing the Story programme, is to make it easy for people everywhere to access new worlds – of education, inspiration, entertainment, and opportunity. Initiatives like the Young Muslim Writers Awards make an invaluable contribution to these new worlds, and we’re proud to be involved in the awards. Hachette UK

Kube Publishing would like to congratulate all the young writers involved in the Young Muslim Writers Awards. We are proud and privileged to celebrate the incredible work of so many young and diverse voices. Kube Publishing

Pan Macmillan would like to congratulate all those who took part in the Young Muslim Writers Awards this year. We are delighted to be involved in the project and hope it inspires more creators in the future. Pan Macmillan

Raintree would like to congratulate all the writers that have participated in this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards. Here at Raintree, we believe that reading is for everyone. We really value the chance to celebrate and champion diversity across the industry and are honoured to be able to encourage the next generation of young readers and writers to explore their creativity. We hope you keep writing more fascinating stories and poems and we can’t wait to read them! Raintree

All of the staff at Salariya would like to congratulate the authors shortlisted for the Young Muslim Writers Awards. We strongly believe in the need for young, diverse voices within the world of publishing and we hope to see many of the writers involved in the Awards in print in the future. Salariya

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