IWA Member News...January 2008

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Islamic Writers Alliance (IWA) News:

 501c3 – The IWA is applying for incorporation as a private non profit foundation which supports and promotes literacy, and will also be filing for non profit tax exemption.  We ask for your dua as the Board of Directors works on this important project in 2008.    

Short-Fiction Contest – The IWA Board voted to add a short-fiction contest to our schedule of events for 2008.  Stay tuned for details!

IWA Blog – The IWA will be adding a blog to our website to enhance interactivity.  Sister Amel, our Web Administrator, is currently working very hard to set up the blog.

IWA 2007 Annual Book Award - The IWA Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Al-Hijra School (Canada) has been selected to receive the IWA 2007 Annual Book Award of $300 for purchase of books for the school's library.

Al-Hijra School's selection for this Award was based on its dedication to providing quality reading literature to students and its support from the School Board, Teaching Staff and Administration and students for Muslim authors as demonstrated by the completed Teacher Study Guide-Student Field Test project for Islamic fiction.

IWA Catalog - Comprehensive listing of books written by or including the work of IWA members! Children's books, English Language Islamic Fiction for adults, teens, youth, and children, inspirational non-fiction, poetry, magazines, CDs … the IWA Catalog has something for everyone.  Download it here.

IWA Islamic Ink – Islamic Writer’s Alliance Online Magazine now published four times a year!  Visit this page to subscribe.

IWA Website - Have a look around our site www.islamicwritersalliance.net - check out the selections in our member showcases, browse through the bookstore, read a bit about IWA history or dig in depth with our current and past news pages, and check out our members.  Our Web Administrator, Sister Amel, continues to add content and enhance our site on a regular basis.  Be sure to return often to see what’s new!

Join the Islamic Writer’s Alliance (IWA) – go to:  www.islamicwritersalliance.net/join.html

Membership is open to both sisters and brothers! 

IWA Member News and Accomplishments

Linda D. Delgado (Sister Widad) – Muslim Writer’s Publishing (MWP) publisher and author published two new Islamic fiction books and authors in January:

1.  IWA member Sister Corey Habbas’ new Islamic Fiction book titled, The Runaway Scarf, and

2.  IWA member Sister Najiyah Helwani's new book, Sophia's Journal: Time Warp 1857

Sister Widad has been very busy filling orders for the newly published books. 

She has also created two new blogs that will focus on Islamic Fiction and the publishing industry:

www.islamicfictionbooks.blogspot.com www.islamicfictionbooks.wordpress.com

Sis Widad has written four non fiction articles for the blogs and a new one discussing the Muslim publishing industry.

Sister Widad received a request from the publisher of The Platform Magazine, UK, to review and publish the review of Sister Umm Juwayriyah's new book (forthcoming in March 2008) titled The Size of a Mustard Seed. This publisher will also be writing and publishing another review for an MWP title, Power Poetry For Wide Awake Youth by Habibullah Saleem. The publisher has also expressed
interest in writing an article about the challenges Islamic Fiction writers are confronted with when trying to get published, and if published - trying to get Muslim retailers to list and sell their books.

Sister Widad also received a request for permission to republish her award-winning poem, My Hero Is Your Hero.  The editor, Junayd Jannah, wrote that the poem touched her heart.  All praise to Allah. Riyadul Jannah (Gardens of Paradise) is now in its 17th year of publication. It is a non-commercial enterprise, with any profits going back into improving quality and service. It is published from Leicester, UK and has subscribers from around the globe.

As a member of the IWA Board of Directors continued research for the IWA goal of applying for incorporation as a private non profit foundation which supports and promotes literacy and filing for non profit tax exemption. By Laws have been drafted and application forms have been completed in draft form. These documents will be reviewed by a non profit attorney to ensure IWA has met all required criteria for incorporation and non profit tax exemption before the actual filing which will be handled by our IWA Director, Pamela K. Taylor. 

Sister Christine (Amina) Benlafquih - will start writing for Suite 101.  She continues to work on her anthology project, Open Letters, Open Hearts, that will be published by An-Najm Publishers, London, UK.  The deadline for submissions has been extended to the end of February 2008.

About the Book

The anthology-style Open Letters, Open Hearts will feature heartfelt letters written by Muslims who appeal to their family, friends and others to open their hearts and minds to the message of Islam.

Most of us have been touched and inspired by an emotional piece of writing. Something as simple as a greeting card or as lengthy as a novel can successfully evoke emotion in a reader. Whether raw and direct, or gentle and persuasive, the power of the written word can not be denied. 

Muslims worldwide are invited to use this power and compose open letters which address the people and unique circumstances in their own lives from an Islamic perspective.  Whether differences need to be solved, religious issues explained, or concern expressed about someone’s harmful life choices, a letter allows the writer to convey sincerity and present Islamic values and teachings in a positive, relevant light.

Although Muslims naturally wish for others to recognize the truth of Islam, one of the main objectives of Open Letters, Open Hearts is to appeal to the emotional ties that connect us to family, friends and humanity in general. It is hoped that people of all faiths will find common ground with Muslims through the personal stories and situations revealed in the letters. Inshaa’ Allah, this connection will help open the door to better understanding of Muslims and Islam’s true teachings. 

The Open Letters, Open Hearts project was born of the editor’s desire to meet her personal da’wah obligation and help her non-Muslim family better understand her decision to embrace Islam.  All Muslims have a religious duty to give da'wah (invite others to Islam through teaching or example of good actions).  However, many Muslims are uncomfortable doing so, either due to inhibition or because family and friends aren’t open to such discussion.

Da’wah is not only directed at non-Muslims. Born-Muslims often find themselves dealing with family and friends who either don’t practice the religion at all, or neglect certain aspects of it.

Submitting an open letter to the anthology – and inshaa`Allah directly to the person(s) to whom it is addressed – offers a positive step towards meeting our da’wah obligation.

S. E. Jihad Levine (Sister Safiyyah) – received a request to have one of her poems published in a book being written by Cath Senker, author of children’s information books. 

Islamic Writers Alliance (IWA) has 80 members.

Report prepared by S. E. Jihad Levine
IWA Secretary

02/07/08