Youth Writing Contest - Spring
Oceans of Ink
Bilal Masjid’s Youth Writing Competition
“Say [Prophet], ‘If the whole ocean were ink for writing the words of my Lord, it would run dry before those words were exhausted.”
[Surah Al-Kahf, 18:109]
SPRING 2025 – EMBRACING NATURE
SUBMISSIONS OPEN MAY 1ST!
For this quarter’s competition, we draw inspiration from the hadith of the date palm trunk that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to give khutbas from. When the Prophet (SAW) began using a new pulpit, the trunk wept until he embraced and comforted it like a child.
What is your connection to nature?
We want to read stories and poems that explore how nature affects us — physically, emotionally, spiritually — and how we, in turn, impact the planet.
Writing Prompts
- Describe a natural feature (a mountain, an ocean, a forest, a cloud, a star…) someone is exploring or seeing for the first time.
- Write about a group of climate activists speaking out against waste (food, water, etc) at their local masjid.
- After the flood, everything is still. You’ve survived — but now what? Tell the story of someone trying to rebuild their life, community, or faith after a natural disaster.
- A young person travels to a sacred site — maybe the Cave of Hira, maybe the mountains of Mecca. In that moment, something shifts in their heart. Tell the story of that change.
- As flowers bloom and the earth thaws, someone begins to rediscover their faith. What signs from nature help them heal? How do they see Allah’s mercy in the changing season?
Feel free to interpret the theme in your own way — these are just ideas to get you started!
Judging Criteria
- Style (structure, voice, diction)
- Thematic Relevance
- Emotional Impact
- Islamic Background/Inspiration
Submission Guidelines
- Do not include your name or any other identifying info in the document.
- Prose: Up to 1000 words (fiction, descriptive, or narrative)
- Poetry: Max one page per poem; up to 3 poems allowed
- Deadline to submit: May 31, 2025
Presentation
- A reading event will be held at Bilal Masjid on June 21st. Additional details will be posted soon.
- Selected authors will be invited to present their work
Integrity Statement
Your submission must be your own original work. You may reference other works as long as they are properly credited. Submissions must not be generated by AI or others on your behalf. And surely, Allah SWT is the master of the unseen.
Questions?
Email us at [email protected].
Open Submission Form
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