Muslim Summer Creative Writing Competitions 2005 - *cash prizes!*

[Abu Muqatil]

See http://www.qalamonline.com/ and http://qasida.org/ for further details.

[bismillah]

I like the theme.

Rule # 9

The theme “Pens and Swords” can be interpreted in the vaguest of senses. Neither word – nor the entire phrase itself – need be specifically mentioned in the submissions; and the submissions do not need to discuss a clash of civilisations, or relate to the modern stereotypes of the Islamic world that this phrase may throw up.

The theme can be used in a conceptual or a metaphorical sense. For example, some people will read into it religious imagery; whereas others may consider pens and swords to be the two most powerful tools dominating the world today and prefer to write about the Media age, our post-9/11 existence, or even look to the future. Some people may prefer to focus entirely on ‘the pen’, others simply on ‘the sword’. All of the above will be acceptable.

The theme exists to provide a general framework for the competition, but it is also intended to be flexible and to allow enough room for creativity to flourish.