بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

About "No Ordinary Day" and the Childhood Champions book series.

"No Ordinary Day" will be the first story in a series of children's books targeting young Muslims ages 8-12 years old. The Childhood Champions book series offers a solution to children's struggles and difficult questions about life, racism, division and unity. This entertaining children's book series inspires and engages children in a fun and relatable way.  Support us in our efforts to empower Muslim youth. 

The stories follow the adventures of 8 year old New Yorker Ibrahim Khalil and his friends.  Each book is written to teach a specific life lesson.  

This children's book series is special because it highlights multiple ethnicities.  While each character calls New York City home, their roots and heritage are from all over the world and include places such as Malaysia, Africa, Saudi Arabia, America and Puerto Rico.

One of the Childhood Champions character is 8 year old Malak Najmah born in San Francisco of Puerto Rican descent.  Malak recently moved to New York City with her family and loves American football, painting and running.  Her strengths are athleticism, competitiveness and courage.  This young hijabi also really enjoys keeping in touch with her grandparents.

Campaign Goal:

Our campaign goal is to raise $12,000 to cover the cost of publishing and promoting the children's book "No Ordinary Day" from the Childhood Champions book series.  As part of this campaign we have partnered with Muslim Aid Australia to whom we will donate 33 percent of the funds once the goal has been reached, to assist in funding the provision of water wells, enabling access to clean water in some of the communities Muslim Aid Australia works with in:

• Africa  (Somalia, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia, Togo and Burkina Faso)
• Indonesia
• Cambodia
• Bangladesh
• India 
• Pakistan

Why?  

"No Ordinary Day" introduces Muslim characters from backgrounds which are NOT often represented in children's books. It's important for all children to feel confident in their identity and to see a positive representation of themselves in books.

We wanted to thank our community of Childhood Champions supporters by giving back to less fortunate communities and our partnership with Muslim Aid Australia enables us to do so. Some of Muslim Aid Australia's projects center around a basic human necessity and a vital natural resource for all aspects of LIFE- water. Today, more than a billion people lack access to safe drinking water.  Access to clean water is a right that has been denied to many of the poorest people in the world and Muslim Aid Australia works tirelessly in making a difference.  

For more information, check out www.muslimaid.org.au

Will the Childhood Champions book series make an impact?  

Yes!  As each book becomes published they will be available for purchase online to anyone including Islamic schools, and public libraries making the stories accessible to Muslims and non-Muslims. Imagine how it would feel for young Muslims when they walk into school and read about unique characters that represent themselves in books.  When classmates, teachers and neighbors can read about, understand, and appreciate your child's Muslim identity it becomes empowering.  

About The Author:  

I am a revert Muslim who's enthusiastic, dynamic, and a passionate motivational speaker who dedicates my time to giving back to the community.

My speaking engagements have taken me to college campuses, high schools, and centers for troubled teens and young adults where I discuss violence, youth empowerment, and lessons I have learned throughout my life.  My audiences are comprised of those from diverse cultures, nationalities, and religions, and I relate to and encourage my listeners to expand their views and foster their ability to change the direction of their lives.

In addition to my public speaking career, I have extensive music related and humanitarian work that has taken me to all 50 states and more than 80 countries throughout the world.  

I have visited some of the poorest regions in the world and met with thousands of young people experiencing violence, oppression and poverty.  I have the ability to relate to these young people due to my experiences as a young man from the inner city.  My travels have also enabled me to develop relationships with various dignitaries and diplomats which have strengthened my far reaching philanthropic efforts.

One of the highlights for me occurred in 2010 when I worked in partnership with the United Nations to take 150 inner city youth from New York City to Goree Island in Dakar Senegal on a cultural visit.  Goree Island home of "the door of no return" is one of the most important slave quarters during the Atlantic Slave trade.

مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٲلَهُمۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنۢبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ فِى كُلِّ سُنۢبُلَةٍ۬ مِّاْئَةُ حَبَّةٍ۬‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُضَـٰعِفُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٲسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ 

The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn) ; it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains.  Allah gives manifold increase to whom he pleases.  And Allah is All Sufficient for his creatures' needs.  All-Knower.  (Quran 2:261)

In closing:

We feel a sense of pride when Muslims are portrayed positively in mainstream media.  That's the kind of feeling we aim to instill in our children. 

After reading "No Ordinary Day" from the Childhood Champions book series, we hope our children will feel inspired by the Muslim characters and feel a sense of appreciation and pride in their unique character and personality, and feel empowered by their own Muslim identity.  

Here's what's possible if we work together.   Just imagine...

• Empowering our children
• Providing a basic understanding of Islam to non-Muslim children
• Muslim characters with diverse ethnic backgrounds
• Children's stories that inspire and motivate

In supporting the "No Ordinary Day" and the Childhood Champions book series you are also supporting the important work of Muslim Aid Australia in building water wells in poor communities globally.

But this is only possible if we exceed our funding goal. 

So we need your help, follow the steps below to let your family and friends know about this campaign. 

1. Contribute today!

2. Share - Please share this project on your Facebook wall, Twitter, over email & through conversations with family & friends. The more people we get to share in this project, the quicker we will reach our goal!

3. Connect - Stay connected with us through Facebook , Twitter and Instagram!

IMPORTANT NOTE:  After campaign goal is reached, it will take approximately 3 to 4 months for "No Ordinary Day" to be published.