About & Inspiration

As a revert to Islam, I realised quite early in my journey that sometimes the things I needed to learn most were the things that were hardest to find explained simply.

How do I do wudhu? What are the steps of salah? How do I learn about the Ahlul Bayt (as) in a way that feels beautiful, memorable and not overwhelming?

There were resources out there, of course, but I kept wishing for more things that felt fun, visual, warm and child centred.

And strangely enough, I felt passionate about creating them long before I even had children of my own.

And in true creative project fashion… it still isn't completely finished today! 😂

That probably tells you quite a lot about me already.

My interests are always changing, and creativity comes to me in waves. Sometimes I can sit for hours designing, drawing and creating idea after idea…

And sometimes? Nothing. Completely dead. 😂

But somehow, I always seem to find my way back to it.

That first Baligha book planted a seed. I started thinking about all the different ways we could teach our children about Allah (swt), Islam and the Ahlul Bayt (as) — not only through traditional worksheets and lessons, but through stories, rhymes, games, illustrations, activities and beautiful resources they would actually want to pick up.

In those early days, I even started teaching myself to draw my own cartoons using Adobe Illustrator.

There was a lot of experimenting. A lot of trial and error. And probably a lot of very questionable early artwork too! 😂 But I loved the feeling of being able to create something from nothing.

I had always loved the magic of songs children already knew, so I began writing Islamic rhymes inspired by familiar tunes.

That little idea eventually became my first book — and, quite fittingly, it really did open a whole new world for me.

Then my amazing husband, Ali, introduced me to Canva. Game changer. 😂 Suddenly, I could take the ideas in my head and bring them to life much faster.

A few years later, Ali introduced me to the world of AI and digital creative tools… may Allah bless him… And I haven't really looked back. All those ideas that had been living in my head for years suddenly had a way of coming out at FULL SPEED.

• Books.
• Posters.
• Journals.
• Activities.
• Classroom resources.
• Workshop materials.
• Games.
• Random ideas at random hours! 😂

Sometimes I will be completely obsessed with designing for weeks. Then I won't touch it for ages. And then suddenly inspiration strikes again and I am back down the rabbit hole! That has really become part of the journey too.

I feel very blessed to have married into a family so deeply connected to religion and community service. Being in that environment gave me opportunities to learn, contribute, experiment and grow.

One particularly important part of my journey was helping to redesign and develop the KSIJ Dar library and bookshop. Being surrounded by children's books and thinking about how young minds interact with stories made me even more passionate about creating meaningful Islamic resources.

I run Mummy & Me sessions every two weeks, sessions for Baligh girls, and specially curated children's workshops during Muharram, Ramadhan, as well as during ziyarat trips to Iran and Iraq.

You quickly learn what makes them curious. What makes them laugh. What loses their attention completely! 😂 And what makes a lesson stick. That has shaped so much of what I create today.

I don't want children to only know the names of the Ahlul Bayt (as). I want them to feel that they know them, love them and can learn from them. I want:

• ✦Imam Ali (as) to teach them courage and justice.
• ✦Sayyida Fatima Zahra (sa) to teach them faith and strength.
• ✦Imam Husayn (as) to teach them what it means to stand for truth.
• ✦Imam Zainul Abideen (as) to teach them the beauty of dua.
• ✦Imam Mahdi (atfs) to teach them someone they genuinely remember, pray for and prepare themselves for.

My hope is that these resources make conversations about faith happen naturally — at home, in classrooms, during bedtime, around the dinner table and between parents and children.

One thing that has always mattered deeply to me is making sure that what I share is not only beautiful or engaging, but also religiously sound. Alhamdulillah, over the years I have been incredibly fortunate to build friendships with scholars and teachers who have always been generous with their time, guidance and advice.

A very special thank you to:

• ✿ Sister Razia Batool Najafi
• ✿ Sister Naushin
• ✿ Sister Ummi Meralli — QFatima
• ✿ Sheikh Mohammad Al-Hilli
• ✿ Sayed Ammar
• ✿ Sheikh Nuru

They have checked work, answered questions, corrected me, guided me and supported so many ideas over the years. Without that support, so much of this simply would not be possible. I will always be deeply grateful for their generosity and patience.

More than anything, I hope a child using something created here feels:

• • Islam is beautiful.
• • Allah loves me.
• • The Ahlul Bayt (as) are part of my everyday life.
• • Learning about my faith can be joyful.

I don't expect every child to remember every fact, every worksheet or every activity. But perhaps one story stays with them. One lesson makes sense. One conversation begins. One moment makes them feel closer to Allah (swt). And maybe years later, they remember something they learnt here with love.

If that happens, then Alhamdulillah — every hour spent creating it was worth it.

This project has grown from small ideas, unfinished projects, late night inspiration, random bursts of creativity, lots of trial and error and a genuine love for creating.

I am still learning. I am still experimenting. I still abandon projects halfway through and suddenly become obsessed with completely new ones. 😂 And I still have far more ideas in my head than I will probably ever manage to finish.

But through all of it, I thank Allah (swt) deeply, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me the opportunity and ability to do what I do. It is a privilege I never want to take for granted.

I pray that this tawfiq is never taken away from me, but instead continues to grow and becomes a source of goodness for others. May Allah place barakah in every idea, every resource, every child who learns from it and every person who helps along the way. And may this little corner of the internet bring all of us closer to Allah (swt) through our love of the Ahlul Bayt (as).

Ameen Ya Rabb.