A Translation of Imam Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn’s (ʿA) Discourse on Hajj with al-Shiblī
Translated and introduced by Mohammed Ali Ismail
Translate this page
12 April 2026 / 24. Shawal 1447
A Poem: No Choice
Updated 18 September 2013
As the new academic year begins, this poem asks: Is it not time we invested into the spirit and futures of our children by establishing where we have not, Muslim schools that provide parents with an alternative to secular education?
When she first opened her beautiful, innocent eyes
And her tiny, fragile fingers clasped mine
With all my heart, I pledged
My child’s spirit, I would protect
I knew she was not truly mine
She was a gift, an amanah from the Divine,
To nurture, raise, and guide
In her journey towards the Sublime
So as days and sleepless nights blurred
I struggled undeterred
Until she grew into a little girl who assimilated
Some of the values I lovingly integrated
And so I felt all would be fine
When her hand slipped from mine
To run to school, friends, clubs
Adapting, blending, to fit in and have fun
I had taught her He saw everything
Even when no-one was watching
And so I believed she would not be prey
To secularism, immodesty, moral decay...
I would drop her to school and pick her up everyday
I would allow no other to take her to parties and cafes
And of course, I made sure, every Sunday
She went to Madressa to learn and pray...
So how could she possibly go astray??
Little did I know, little did I understand
How quickly I would be surpassed
By friends, peers, crowds and norms
By the desire to belong, pressure to conform
I wanted her to be always God-conscious
Yet I educated her in a system that was godless
I wanted her to live for Him, prioritise spiritual success
Whilst her teachers and peers stressed
Success was academic and material progress
I wanted her to value character, integrity
Develop it through self-respect, modesty
Yet I expected her to also integrate
In a ‘liberal’ world with little shame
I wanted her to be His servant true
Yet the world in which she learned and grew
Neither loved and served Him, nor cared to
Why was I surprised when her light and passion died too?
Why did my community and I not have the vision,
To unite faith and education
Providing parents with an Islamic choice
Of education for their young girls and boys?
By Fatema Valji - UK
Related News
If one of our Shia goes for Imam Husayn (as)’s Ziyarat, then he will not return but all his sins will be forgiven. For every step that he or his mount takes, 1,000 virtues are written for him, 1,000 sins are forgiven and his status is elevated by a 1,000 degrees.' (Bihar al-Anwar, volume 101; Kamil al-Ziyaraat)
If you have been blessed with the opportunity to go to Iraq this Arba’een and are doing the walk from Najaf to Karbala, why not help fundraise for the poor and needy at the same time?
Once again Exam time had arrived and in preparation for this an intensive AQA GCSE RS Exam Skills Course was held at Al-Muntazir Islamic Seminary (ALMIS) in Dar es Salaam. The course facilitated by Sister Mehjabeen Rahim, GCSE Coordinator of the WF Islamic Education, was tailored to train and prepare students sitting the AQA GCSE Religious Studies Unit 8 and Unit 9 exams this summer.
