POETRY
“the poet’s nature is all searching, creator and nourisher of desire; the poet is like the heart in a people’s breast, a people without a poet is a mere heap of clay. if the purpose of poetry is the fashioning of men, poetry is likewise the heir of prophecy.”
– Allama Iqbal
Sayyeda Fatima Raza
Sayyeda Raza is a premed student from New York City. She has been writing poetry and spoken word for the past year focusing primarily on different aspects of Shia faith and identity. For Sayyeda, poetry has been one of the main factors in helping her connect and find confidence with her Shia identity.
“An Engraved Love” is a piece about how love is engraved into the land of Karbala due to the very blood spilled upon that day of Ashura. Imam Hussain (as) was so immersed with love for his Creator and upon his holy blood being spilled, that love became forever engraved within the sands. When you are in Karbala and hear the tragedy of Ashura, you feel none but love as it is a story of true love between one of the best creations and his Creator.
“A Lullaby Like No Other” is a piece about how the stories of Karbala we heard growing up translated into the unique viewpoints Shias have on tragedy. Upon having these stories engraved in our beings from youth, we became those who find beauty in none but a tragedy.
Aliyyah Rizvi-Bokhari
Whether writing articles, editing books, or teaching English, Aliyyah loves the written word – especially when she can use it to express love for the Ahlulbayt (a).
During Muharram the past few years, Aliyyah has been reflecting upon the inhumanity of imprisoning children, whether it is done now or was done centuries ago. She wrote these lines thinking about the Prophet Muhammad’s great-granddaughter, Sakina, who was traumatized and imprisoned, dying in a cell at just four years old.
Batool Rizvi
Batool Rizvi is a Shia creative who grew up in New Jersey and recently graduated from Rutgers University. She has been writing and performing spoken word poetry for over 3 years. A majority of her inspiration stems from the family of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), such as Imam Husayn (A.S), whose paramount sacrifice in the battle of Karbala influences Batool’s poetry on contemporary social justice issues. Batool has performed about topics such as: the Yemen crisis, domestic violence, Shia marginalization and Muslim women identity, all issues that she is passionate about.
For Batool, poetry has always been a means to express emotion, tell a story, connect with others, and to process her experiences and the world around her.
Shah
(anonymous)
Mustafa Raza
Mustafa is a poet who has been published multiple times. Mustafa is a former member of the Rutgers University slam poetry team, and a former regular at the Verbal Mayhem Poetry Collective (located in New Brunswick, New Jersey).
Usually, Mustafa submits work for publishing under a pseudonym. This work, however, hit so close to home that the comfort of staying hidden seemed personally unfounded. Mustafa would like to highlight that this poem is about their deceased mother, may Allah bring her peace in the life hereafter. Please recite surah Al-Fatiha for Saba Kazim Raza binte Ali Kausar Mirza.
Dua Zehra Abidi
Dua Abidi is an undergraduate student at the University of Houston, majoring in Public Health. She has a passion for creative writing and poetry, and has always felt a very strong connection to Hazrat Abbas (as). His patience, loyalty, humility, unwavering faith, and undying love have always been traits that she has admired; She prays to embody those traits throughout her life.
Her identity as a Shia Muslim is extremely dear to her heart, and she prays to be given the ability to continue and spread the message of Shia Islam thorough her words and actions.
Zainab Hussain
Ravenclaw. Cat Mom. HR rep, but most importantly: Ithna Ashari Jaafari Shia.
Zainab Hussain used to live in a Sunni-dominant Muslim country and constantly felt excluded because of her Shia identity. She was never free to express her love of the Ahlul-Bayt, so she began to write poetry for them. She believes that this collective gives her hope for the future, and that Shias will finally have the recognition and appreciation they deserve.
Nabeel
Khimji
Nabeel is a student at Stony Brook University in New York. In August he’ll be a junior studying philosophy and creative writing. He’s originally from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and moved to the United States at the age of 8. A lot of his written work stems from his upbringing and the various aspects of his life that have taught him lessons through pain, joy, and contemplation. Additionally, his work is inspired by the beliefs he holds and the values he most staunchly stands by. He hopes to one day teach or do some other form of public speaking and outreach that allows him to spread his ideas and inspire others.
Naqi Rizvi
Naqi Rizvi is a Software Engineering Manager from Toronto, Canada. He is always trying to spread the message of Ahlul-Bayt and their virtuous personalities through various means including poetry, speech, recitation and writing.