Young Muslim Voices - Vol. 3

Young Muslim Voices presents essays written by our emerging authors, thinkers, and leaders who participated in the Annual Essay Panel Contest (EPC) event in 2009. These essays speak volumes about the future generation. We feel strongly that you will enjoy the diverse writing styles presented in this book, and perhaps, you’ll sense the pulse of values within these young minds. This collection also highlights the EPC platform’s continued success in giving the next generation a venue to assert their Islamic knowledge and understanding in the form of written expression that has the potential to inspire all. The EPC 2009 theme was focused on leadership. Students were asked to expound on what leadership means to them, how leadership plays an integral role in social stability, and what style of leadership they would practice to lead the world to be a better place for all. We hope that you will enjoy reading the essays as much as we did, and be amazed by the essayists’ ability to break down complex issues to settle them in an amicable way. A few excerpts from these young authors clearly represent the uniqueness of this book. It is worth reading.............. Huma Chowdhury, 4th Grade ….Everyone in this dunya is a Khalifa no matter who you are. So a khalifah to me is someone who is an inheritor, as well as a good influence to mankind. In fact everyone inherits this dunya that we live in. Allah made us one day and one day we’ll die. The day we were here, we inherit everything Allah has created. The day we’re gone Allah will ask us if we took care of what He has given us to inherit. This shows us that Allah made us khalifahs to inherit what He has given. May all of us become good Khalifas and do the righteous deeds. Zaakira L. Ahmed, 6th Grade ….the greatest leaders of our time, (such as) Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and John F. Kennedy… may have changed the face of society, but only one person changed all of mankind and rocked the world. Moreover, this person didn’t achieve this through money or fame or through royalty. He achieved this great success by humbling himself to Allah (swt) and through a beautiful character and personality which no one else in the history of mankind possessed. So, who was this great person? ...you have to read it to find out! Fatimah Waseem, 11th Grade, We have been appointed to be captains, captains of the sea – whether on calm waters or on raging waters. Whether the tides have turned or the wind does not blow, we are all captains, vicegerents of Allah. There is no doubt of this responsibility for Allah says “…We have made you their khalifa on this earth1”, “successors of this earth.2” Just like we would accept any command from our bosses or a guideline from our teachers, we must fulfill this command – this command of leading the world to be a better place for all. … When I first heard of this year’s topic, I did not know where to begin. Was it really asking me how I will lead the world? I have realized that the question is not whether or not I should lead the world, it is how. Because this command of leadership was given to everyone! There is no time like the present. After all, who knows what tomorrow will hold? As the Latin saying goes, carpe diem – we must “seize the day.”