Muslim Youth Scholar Training Internship
An Overview
MySTI– Muslim Youth Scholar Training Internship is an initiative of the Mafiq Foundation in collaboration with the IRead Foundation, started in 2013, that inspires initiatives that aim at solving community problems by integrating Islamic and scientific research methodologies.
A Litmus Test for the prospective Interns??
Are you active in the Muslim youth community and you desire to contribute something for the pleasure of Allah swt ?
Do you feel the need to keep Muslim youth faithful to their religion and community?
Do you see the challenge in keeping Muslim youth faithful to their religion and community and you desire to do something to change the trend?
Do you see that our Islamic centers are disconnected and disorganized and you have a hypothesis to deal with such an issue?
If your response is “YES” to the questions above then this internship is for you.
Participate in a fun-filled learning experience! Register here for Participation
Do you wish to be a part of the exciting team that brings this event to life? Register here to Volunteer
Upcoming Events
Workshop Schedule (Nov-Dec)
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: Nov 02 2025 - Dec 14 2025
- Time: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
November 2, 2025 | 10:30 AM (EST)
Topic: EPC Basics and Topics Explained
Lead By: Doha Nassar
November 8, 2025 | 11:00 AM
Topic: Information Campaign Explained
Lead By: Amirah Ahmad
- Watch Recording Here
November 30, 2025 | 2:30 PM
Topic: The Art of Writing
Lead By: Rahma Zakaria
December 14, 2024 | 2:00 PM
Topic: The Art of Speech and Presentations
Lead By: Arsalan Siddiqui
Join Workshops Here
2025 Academic Year Muslim Youth Debate Tournament
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: Dec 21 2025
- Time: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Location
- 46903 Sugarland Road
When: December 21, 2025
Time: 9.30 am to 5pm
Where: Adams Center, 46903 Sugarland Road, Sterling, 20164
Contact: debate@mafiq.org
Register here

EPC 2026: Faith and Technology: Navigating the Age of AI
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: Jan 31 2026
- Time: 5:00 am - 12:00 am
How do faith and technology shape the way we live, think, and dream in the age of AI? Step up to the challenge — share your voice in our Annual Essay Panel Contest and explore what it means to navigate the crossroads of faith and technology.
Theme: Faith and Technology: Navigating the Age of AI
Categories: Essays, speeches, Information Campaign, Extemporaneous Speeches, and Extemporaneous Writing
TOPICS:
Elementary School:
- Level 1 (Grades 1 & 2): Imagine there were no phones, computers, or internet. Write a friendly letter to a family member or friend to explain how you use technology now to learn about Islam or talk to other Muslims. Explain how life would be different if you didn’t have this technology. Be sure to include all the parts of a friendly letter.
- Level 2 (Grades 3 & 4): Explain the role of technology in your life as a student. Explain some of the benefits and drawbacks of using technology, especially in the classroom or for learning about Islam? Think about what technological balance might look like for Muslim youth. Be sure to use evidence to support your response.
Middle School:
- Level 3 (Grades 5 & 6) + Level 4 (Grades 7 & 8): Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life—from homework tools to social media filters. Write an essay about how Muslim youth can balance the advantages of AI with the responsibility of staying true to their faith.
– How can AI support learning, creativity, or Islamic knowledge?
– What dangers might come with depending too much on AI?
– Imagine a project or initiative that uses AI to strengthen faith. Explain how it could benefit your community.
High School (Grades 9-12):
- This year, high school students will participate in extemporaneous speech and writing competitions only—no prepared essays or speeches. This will test your ability to think on your feet and articulate your ideas with confidence!
Register for EPC 2026 here by Jan 5, 2026

Participant Resources

Code of Conduct
We have laid out rules and code of conduct that every participant and parent is expected to abide by.

Format & Rubrics
Our set of criteria used for assessing our participants in every event

Resources & Tips
Library of tools to help our participants learn and prepare for the upcoming event.
Mentor Resources
Testimonial
Past Events
| Year | Description | Topic | Interns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Created a framework for crowdsourcing of the authenticity of web resources; investigated RAND corporations research tools for fake detection; proposed some use cases. Details | The Truth Lab Truth Checking Made Easy | Kamil Bello Zayd Mahfuz Maheer Bello Hasan Jones |
| 2019 | Identified websites on some Hot Topics on Islam and then proposed an algorithm for Authenticity rank in terms of Alexa ranking, number of linked sites, and SME inputs. Details | The Fake Buster | Moulaye Sy Erfan Hamza Maheer Bello Ameen Ahmed |
| 2018 | We want to efficiently balance supply and demand for basic amenities in our communities by matching volunteers and refugees, thus strengthening our societies. Details | Make America Heal Again | Nimah Nayel Zillay Saleem Faateha Syed |
| 2014 | Finding a correlation between achievement and Identity; Survey results and analysis validates Parents do have an impact on their child’s identity and achievement. Details | Muslim Youth Identity Crisis | Doha Nassar |
| 2014 | This research proposed approaches to identify aspects that will improve the quality of Islamic Services, with specific focus on Branding and Consumer business relationship. Details | Rebranding Islamic Services | Adib Ahmad |
| 2014 | Survey and Study showed that by pipelining the leadership, communities can reach higher levels of professionalism and quality of service. Details | The Leadership pipeline in Muslim American Organizations | Samad Hussein |
In addition, there has been moderate efforts on a number on other research topics:
- Islamophobia and Muslim Identity (Under One Light – Building trust, acceptance, and unity)
- Understanding the Internal Conflict with Faith
- Pandemic Response Coordination
- Combatting Islamophobia through Increased Hospitality
- The Impact of American Culture Amongst Second Generation Muslim Teens
- A Web Portal for College Prep
- Community Track & Serve







