A PLATFORM FOR MUSLIM YOUTH

Get ready for our Annual National Debate Competition! (see flyer attached)

To help you prepare, MAFIQ Foundation is hosting four exciting debate workshops—designed to be practical, interactive, and fun while building real skills:

🔥 April 4: Win Hearts Before You Win Arguments — with Ebna Sabit Siam

👉 Click to View The workshop

⚡ April 5: Capture & Own the Room — with Ebna Sabit Siam

👉 Click to View The workshop

🔥 April 12: Speak with Wisdom, Not Just Words — with Dr. Nazrul Islam
🔥 April 18: Speak Truthfully & Avoid Fallacies — with Adib Ahmed

🗓 Time: 2:00 – 3:30 PM

Each session will help you become a more confident, impactful, and thoughtful speaker—whether you’re new to debate or looking to level up.

👉 Sign up here: https://forms.gle/ArzoYoF6LSdvuovx5

Don’t miss this chance to sharpen your skills and get competition-ready! 🚀

• Contact:  debate@mafiq.org 

We hope to see you soon, inshallah. Jazakallahu khair.

Introducing Our Instructors and an Overview of Their Topics

Workshops Schedule

• April 4 Saturday by Ebna Sabit Siam 2:00 to 3:30 pm
• April 5 Sunday by Ebna Sabit Siam 2:00 to 3:30 pm
• April 12 Sunday by Dr. Nazrul Islam 2:00 to 3:30 pm
• April 18 Sunday by Adib Ahmed 2:00 to 3:30 pm

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Instructor: 🎓 Ebna Sabit Siam:

Siam is an early college student at Simon’s Rock, working toward a dual degree with Columbia University in Economics and Computer Science.

He is a two-time national champion in Speech and Public Speaking and has participated in 40+ national competitions in Bangladesh.

Siam also mentors students and helps them grow—some of his students have even won national and international awards, including a Silver Medal in the English Olympiad 2024.

In his free time, he enjoys running, playing soccer, and exploring research in finance and technology.

🔥 Session 1: Win Hearts Before You Win Arguments

Want to become the kind of speaker people actually listen to?

This session will show you how to connect first, convince next. Learn how to use emotion, credibility, and logic (ethos, pathos, logos) to make your message powerful. Because real debate isn’t about just being right—it’s about moving people and making them care.

⚡ Session 2: Capture & Own the Room

Ever wonder how some people instantly grab attention and never lose it?

This session is all about helping you command any audience. Learn how to use body language, eye contact, and voice control, think fast under pressure, and tell stories that people remember. You’ll also learn how to read the room, ask smart questions, and keep everyone engaged from start to finish.

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Instructor: 🎓 Dr. Nazrul Islam is a research scientist with the United States Department of Agriculture. Beyond his professional work, he is a dedicated community leader with Muslim Ummah of North America, supporting youth development and leadership across the DMV area.

As a foundational coach of the MYDT initiative, he helped build grassroots debate training for youth in the region. Through his mentorship, his teams achieved multiple MYDT championships, reflecting his deep commitment to nurturing confident, articulate, and principled young leaders.

🔥 Session 3: Speak with Wisdom, NOT just words

In a world of constant questions and online debates, young Muslims need wisdom, not just words. Guided by the Qur’an and the Sunnah, this book teaches youth how to think clearly, speak confidently, and defend their faith with respect, knowledge, and strong character.

Instructor: 🎓 Adib Ahmed: a former participant of MYDT, has spent the last decade immersed in the study of intellectual and Islamic sciences. His dedication spans disciplines such as grammar, logic, rhetoric, philosophy, Quran memorization, Islamic law, theology, and ethics. This commitment has enabled him to actively contribute to society. Notable among his contributions are his roles with two non-profit organizations: the Coalition of Virtue, which focuses on nurturing Muslim civic engagement grounded in Islamic values, and the Hudur Institute, dedicated to cultivating spiritual awareness through Islamic meditation and providing education on topics such as psychology, ethics, and metaphysics.

🔥 Session 4: Speak Truthfully & avoid fallacies

Drawing from his diverse background, Adib is passionate about helping participants understand the value of strong debate skills—not just to win arguments, but to think clearly and communicate with integrity.

A key part of this is learning about fallacies, an essential branch of logic. By understanding fallacies, we become better at spotting weak or misleading arguments and more committed to being truthful and trustworthy in our own speech.

Join us for a clear and engaging introduction to fallacies, and take a step toward becoming a more thoughtful and effective communicator.

2026 MYDT Virtual ICNA Preliminaries

Assalamu alaikum,

We’re excited to kick off the 2026 Annual Muslim Youth Debate Tournament and can’t wait to welcome both returning and new participants! This year’s program will feature four quarterly debates and one annual national debate at the ICNA Convention on May 24, 2026.

📆Key Event Details

• Preliminaries virtual Sunday May 3, 2026

• Annual National Debate at ICNA – In Person – May 24, 2026

• Time: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

• Location:  Virtual over Zoom

• Arrival Time: All teams must arrive by 8:30 AM for check in

📝 Registration Deadlines

•  Team Registration Deadline: April 26, 2026

First  and Third  Round Debate Topics:

Middle School

• Coding classes must be mandatory for students
• Cafes don’t belong in Masjids

High School 

• Short-term adaptation should be prioritized over mitigation when navigating climate change
• Cafes don’t belong in Masjids

College

• Short-term adaptation should be prioritized over mitigation when navigating climate change
• Mandatory military service time should be implemented in the United States
• Rounds 2 & 4 : Impromptu topics
• Advancement: Top 4 teams in Middle School, High School, and College move to Semi-Finals

A typical MYDT event includes four preliminary rounds, followed by semifinals and finals. Each team will debate two pre-assigned topics and two impromptu topics during the preliminaries. The semifinals and finals will also feature impromptu topics. Because of space and logistical limits, up to 40 teams may be invited to compete in the virtual tournament.

The tournament uses a parliamentary-style debate format and is open to middle school, high school, and college/university teams. The deadline to register is  given below:

We encourage teams to register early and review the “Rules of the Road” for complete details on the format and judging process. A number of workshop recordings  are also available here to help teams prepare.

This tournament is a great opportunity for youth to grow in confidence, learn to think critically, and practice respectful communication—all while engaging with topics that matter. We hope you’ll join us for this exciting and meaningful experience, in shaa Allah.

The deadline for ICNA team registration is  April 26, 2026!

For more information, please visit our website here. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to contact us at debate@mafiq.org

Register here

YOUTH PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP (AGE 14-20) @ ICNA CONVENTION 2026

Do you ever feel your voice deserves to be heard—but nerves hold you back? Ready to speak with confidence, power, and presence? This session is your chance to step forward and unlock the communicator inside you.

Join us for a hands-on public speaking workshop where you’ll learn the four core skills that great speakers master:

• Connecting with your audience
  • Communicating your message with clarity
  • Owning the room with strong presence
  • Using pace and tonality to bring your story to life

You’ll practice in small groups, encourage one another, and build momentum together. Each group will

l then select a speaker to take the stage for our final showcase—an inspiring moment to put your new skills into action.

This session is designed for participants ages __ who are ready to grow, stretch, and rise.

MODERATOR

Nasser Chanda is the CEO of Accounting Seed and previously served as CEO of Paymerang, a FinTech 

company acquired for around $500 million in 2024. Nasser is a strong advocate for the positive impact American Muslims can bring to society through entrepreneurship, hard work, and principled leadership.

Register here: