I am a sixteen year old with a deep reverence and passion for the arts. I believe in portraying the beauty evident in this world through photography, poetry, and prose. I have recently taken on photography and digital art, and enjoy taking photos of nature. I'm also an avid reader, and a passionate writer, both of which consume my time and mind. I am currently working on a collection of short stories, and I plan to take photography classes in the near future inshAllah.

Read the book before you burn it
Don’t disrespect my direction of worship
And people need to realize what we’ve done to deserve it

Understand the book before the paper is forced to forfeit
We are conserve-its arguing with conservatives
Before you act out, please learn what it is
The book of direction, knowledge, and peace
Is now burning on the ground of the New York City streets
It is an answer key to the most complex ponders that your mind can fathom
A message more powerful than the explosion of a split atom
It is an antique revelation that will never go out of date
It will guide you to the most luxurious and worry-free of fates
It is a path for the seeking to walk along

And now you have made it a path for the blind to dance upon
I speak to my own people now as we are not perfect either
Let us look upon the face of silent ignorance and not mistreat her
Let us look upon her face and try to talk like sensible human beings
Having conversations with her instead of handing her beatings
Let us remember that peace is what we all desire
And that fighting flames with flames only causes more fire
By the way, there are only two ways of putting out a fire:
With water, and when there is nothing left to burn
We may call our situation dyer
But let them finishing talking before we take our turn

We live in a great place where religious freedom is practiced
Let us follow our own paths, and let us be calm and not drastic
If you read the Quran you might be surprised
You might find similarities you never would have thought were comprised
If you read the Quran, you might still disagree with its teachings
About how we pray, go for hajj, and fast before feasting
If you read the Quran, you might think to dispend it
But my fellow Muslimeen, who better than Allah (SWT) to defend it?

Before you burn it, please let me tell you
You are burning a book which considers the Torah and the Bible holy books too

Meet our very own Mazin Kanuga starring in his own Fast Five Rakaats. Mazin is a videoblogger on youtube and frequently makes short films. If you like this check out more of Mazin's work on Youtube. 

Rabia Khokhar is going into her third year at York University where she doing a double major in Human Rights and Equity studies and English. She is also doing her Bachelor of Education concurrently. She loves to take pictures because for her it is a way to capture the beauty, the moment and the memory of something. She likes taking pictures of things associated with nature and landscapes because it reminds her of the enduring beauty God has created.

The video was done by high school students from Lake Braddock for the short film contest for DC MIST. It was Directed by Bellal Hussain and the main character was Mustafa Alnoor.His 'friend' in the video was played by Bellal Hussain as well.

The theme for MIST this year was loyalty and citizenship. So, they wanted to tell the story of Amir, who was doing his best to be a loyal Muslim, but at the same time a loyal American citizen. The video is NOT a true story, it is based on TRUE events that they pieced together from multiple situations. During the time the film was made bullying and suicide was all over the news, and they felt that it was a very serious matter that should be discussed.

SubhanAllah, the kids really pulled it off and got the message across and they hope that it gives people that extra little push to do something when they see moments like this occurring, to speak up, and to stand up for the weak and not play the bystander.

Thrust into this deadly situation,
we’ve come so far from the initial initiation.
It’s hard to have some, no any appreciation.
Don’t know how to feel; all I got is humiliation.

How to carry on, we all wonder…
I’ve got a huge task – I ain’t no warmonger
I wasn’t built, not trained, or even prepared –
I feel - I feel - I feel horribly impaired!

‘How did it come to be?’, I keep repeating;
‘Why did it have to be me?’, I keep on pleading.
Who cut the line, who closed the book?!?
Was it fair? Was it just? Something must’ve been mistook.

Whatever it was, nothing can go back now;
no amount of dough can turn this thing around.
It’s like a rapper; they can’t be changed, eh?
They told us it’s rough: life ain’t no lemon parfait.

So how do people pull through, survive?
Fix the heartache they have – the one that’s been supersized.
What’s the ingredient, the supernatural element –
they do get through, though – it is impermanent?

‘Cause right now, it hurts so bad;
if only there was a painkiller, to ease it; even if just a tad.
I heard of one going ‘round, I think it’s called ‘strength’?
How do I get it? It sounds awfully intense.              

It’s natural – say word; inherited, they say?
That would make sense – too bad I’m not a living cliché.
My mother would know – But me; I’m outta the loop.
Or maybe, it is true, but not without a fluke.

So say I did have some of that, that strength.
Inventory Check; if I even had like a tenth…

But what does one do with it, how is it applied.
If it were to appeal to a court, how would it be tried?
So it’s used, as a force – sort of like energy…
It’s a symbol, a front – the U.S has Lady Liberty.

Alright, understood; so it’s like a tool,
It’s a drive, one  that inspires – like how cars use fuel.

So all I do now is pray for the strength…
The strength.

The strength to go, the strength to come back
the strength to eat, the strength to stay intact,
the strength to love, the strength to give,
the strength to hope, the strength to live.

But, most importantly, pray for strength:
the strength to pray; and let it commence.

I am sixteen, a student at ISNA High School. Insha'allah I hope to pursue Law in university, but now I'm focusing on my writing, sports and of course; school.
I wrote this poem with a certain intent in mind. I was thinking of the story of my neighbours and friends, the Shoaib Family.
I'm sure you've heard of what their story is, and I hope that you find time for them in your du'as.
This poem is the comfort I hope to offer them through this difficult time and the future. Their situation is extremely hard-hitting to me, especially as I knew the family and the children, during my own childhood.

The tempo of the beating sun numbed coherent thinking.

My thoughts gasped for a moment’s breeze.

The soles of my feet cried out for a breather. 

A rest it called, a moment’s rest it pleaded.

I consoled the pangs of pain ringing in my limbs, "patience is a virtue".

In the thick of day, in the soulless dusk, I trekked.

A voice pierced out, fragmenting the silence of the arid surroundings.

The milky deep tone saturated my crusty pores. 

It soothed my passionately inflamed skin.

Moistened the shields of my iris

I clamoured to the call, “Who is there?”

It ignored my pleas for confrontation.

Disappearing into the abyss, I was left solitude once again.

My knees crumbled to the earth, no vigour left to dictate orders

Eyelids were sealing, arms were draping. A few seconds wait, and permanently comatose.

Few seconds passed, my heart in arrest, and the beatific call was heard once more,

“Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaaha illa-Lah” 

I have an aura that is as hot as fire, so do not get too close to me unless you looking to get burnt.  I make others uneasy whenever they are around me.  Sometimes I can even make people stop dead in their tracks with just a single glance; other times, I can keep them away from me completely; either way, I am not to be trifled with.  I am close friends with danger, caution and beware.  I really have a way of getting people’s attention, so call me when you are ready to wreak havoc in the city. 

When I speak, you have no choice to listen because my speeches can even bring a sleeping person to their feet.  I have a sharp, ear-piercing voice that will send chills down your spine, and make your heart jump in your throat.  The sound of my screams can cripple entire crowds with fear, and send others running at neck-breaking speeds to do my bidding.

Wherever there is destruction and devastation I will not be far behind.  I have soaked myself in so much blood and death you can smell them in the air around me, leaving you in a swoon.  My sword is chaos.  It smites all in front of me, and only carnage is left in my wake.

I am also very seductive and full of passion.  I am the woman about whom mothers warn their sons about and the man from whom fathers hide their daughters.  My lips are filled with ecstasy, and my eyes are hypnotic, ensnaring all who gaze upon me.  If it were not for the fact that you are blind you would also be under my spell.

I am currently a U of T student and previously done a slew of different things.  Before becoming Muslim I was about to pursue a career as a rapper and I have been writing poetry off and on ever since.