Our story

We all had a favourite book we loved as a child, be it a picture book, a magazine or a puzzle compendium.

And perhaps we can recall the memories associated with that book. The cosy feeling it gave us. The anticipation of turning to the next page - even if we knew what was coming next. And the joy of looking closely at the pictures, again and again and again.

My favourite book was Sad Sam's Magic Pen: the tale of a young boy with terrible handwriting who was gifted a magic pen that - quite remarkably - transformed his writing experience. His handwriting became beautiful. His grades improved. And life became good.

I'm yet to find out who sent Sam that incredible pen (I have my suspicions). But it doesn't matter. The story was satisfying and the pictures were engaging. I connected with that book because I loved the cosy feeling it gave me when reading it. I'm so grateful to my parents for providing me with well-chosen, quality books and for encouraging me to read, enjoy and share.

Now, over 30(-ish) years on, my mission is to share with you high quality books that you and your family can enjoy, time and time again. Books that impart a love of reading alongside a love of Islam and the Prophet (peace be upon him). Books that teach, inspire and encourage our young people to aspire for the highest goals and strive for better.

Alhamdulillah there are so many wonderful Islamic books out there. But in my experience as a Muslim growing up in the West and subsequently as a teacher in the UK, I've discovered a massive gap in Islamic educational reading material for pre-teens and teens.

That's where Tawfiq Books comes in. We aim to provide material that's relevant, inspiring and exciting for our English-speaking Muslim youth. Material that resonates with their experiences growing up in the West, helping them navigate the challenges, questions and issues they regularly face.

It's no secret that there's a crisis of faith among many young people today that needs addressing. InshaAllah these books and materials contribute to the revival of faith.

We deal with topics such as finding Islamic role models (Spotlight on a Sahabi), encouraging sports and healthy living (Sunnah Sports, Healthy Recipes), combatting depression (40 Reasons to be Happy), connecting with nature (Tremendous Trees), contemplating the miracles of the Quran (Reflecting on an Ayah), and finding meaning and connection in our duas (Let's Learn a Dua). We also encourage creativity, writing poetry, doing arts and crafts, and many other topics and activities too. Our ultimate aim is to provide books and magazines that give a wholesome, exciting and interesting experience of the incredible way of Islam.

I've had the privilege of attending Islamic classes, courses and retreats where many leading scholars teach. Often they teach something and I think 'Wow! I wish everyone could hear this!' The material in these publications is the result of those lessons.

Those same teachers and scholars are consulted about various aspects of the content and they provide suggestions and recommendations, such as which Sahabi to focus on for our Spotlight on a Sahabi feature or which dua to cover in the Tawfiq magazine series. You can find more information about our incredible teachers and scholars on our Supporting Education page.

Having received an MA in Arabic and French from the University of Oxford, I occasionally work as a translator, editor and proofreader for Islamic books and translations of Arabic classical texts. This also feeds in to the content of our books and magazines.

The influences that shape our children today will shape the world of tomorrow. As a teacher with over 10 years experience, working with children of all ages in different countries around the world, I've seen the positive impact of children being delighted and inspired by the wonders of creation, the bountiful blessings and the glory of Allah. Inspiring them inspires me.

And so, our mission at Tawfiq Books is to delight and inspire many more, for generations to come.

May Allah give us Tawfiq...