Writing Residency

Applications for this year’s Residency are now closed. Applications for the 2027 Residency open in Oct. 2026.

2026 Cohort

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  • Munazah Shakeel is a writer, researcher, and multimedia practitioner from Kashmir. Trained in architecture and urban studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, her work explores gender, mental health, urban space, and lived experience in conflict regions. She has contributed to community-based research, feminist organizing, and policy advocacy with organisations such as UN Women India, Gender at Work, YLAC, and Change.org. Munazah also works across storytelling, photography, and arts-based inquiry. She is interested in writing that bridges memory, place, and personal narrative, and is currently developing a body of work grounded in Kashmir’s everyday geographies.

  • Lubna Zayyad is a writer, journalist and just another girl trying to find her way in this world. She has a deep appreciation for Islamic culture, history and the everyday human interest piece. When she feels inspired to write, she tries to find ways to connect her writing to her roots. An avid reader, she is drawn to a range of genres, and most recently discovered a new love for cosy and golden age mystery audiobooks. When she isn't staring at an empty word document willing herself to write, you can find her knee-deep in whatever her latest hyper fixation is.

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  • Naqi Rizvi is a Toronto-based poet whose writing often delves into topics such as faith, fatherhood, family, and identity. His writing often pays homage to and is in remembrance of our beloved Prophet Muhammed (saww) and his Ahlulbayt (as). Being a software engineer by profession, Naqi writes poems for both humans and machines. More of his work can be found on his Instagram page @naqisqalam.

  • Iqra Akram is a pediatrician serving an under-served community in Brooklyn, NY — the same neighborhood where she was raised as a first-generation immigrant — and is the first in her family to attend college and become a physician. As the eldest of five, Iqra is the emotional anchor of her family. She is currently navigating the process of rebuilding relationships while honoring her autonomy and boundaries, and writing has been a space where she can explore the complex emotions that have surfaced. Iqra is a practicing Muslimah and part of a local women’s halaqa, where women from diverse backgrounds come together to connect with their faith and build sisterhood. Iqra looks forward to this next chapter that involves sharing her experiences and learning from others.

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A woman wearing glasses and a maroon hijab, smiling softly, standing against a plain white wall.

  • Safia Khan is a Pakistani doctor and poet based in the UK. Her debut pamphlet (Too Much Mirch, Smith | Doorstop) won the 2021 New Poet’s Prize. She has been published in various magazines and anthologies including The North, BATH MAGG, and Poetry Wales. She delivers lectures in poetry for universities and literary organisations across Europe. Safia is interested in exploring the spiritual, environmental, and political conditions required for good health, particularly for marginalised communities. Writing on this can be found on her Substack @bodyutopia. 

  • Rania Omar is an Australian Lebanese Muslim emerging writer and artist from Western Sydney. Her writing often reflects on her lived experiences of mental illness, disability, and domestic violence as well as culture and social commentary. 

    Rania has performed her poetry at many events, most recently featuring at the National Theatre of Parramatta, Heartland Festival’s Bars From the Heart Event and the Sydney Fringe Festival. She has published her poetry in many online journals, including Sea Glass Lit, Wild Greens and Flare Lit. Rania was recently featured in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald about her poetry. 

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  • Warren Clementson was born and raised in the UK, graduating in Film Production from the University of the Arts London. His poetry has featured in Erro Press, From Whispers to Roars, Thawra, Rowayat, and House of Amal’s Threads of Palestine Anthology.

    He began writing poetry following the death of a friend, as a means to explore grief. The therapeutic process allowed him to write about mental health, race, masculinity, politics, faith, neurodiversity and more. Warren is currently working on his first collection of poems. 

  • Sara Shirazian is a Persian-American poet and editor based in Southern California. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Professional Writing from UCLA. She is the copy editor and style chief at the Orange County Business Journal, where she also reports on innovation and small businesses, and she serves as an editorial assistant at Poetry Northwest. Sara's poetry invites readers to reconnect with their inner child and approach the world with curiosity and wonder. Her work appears in the San Diego Poetry Annual and Al-Talib Newsmagazine. Beyond writing, she enjoys boxing, hiking, traveling, and café hopping.

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  • Syeda Atika Yahya is an Indian Muslim author whose work explores faith, motherhood, and identity. Her self-published children’s book Allah Made You Beautiful (2024) addresses colorism through an Islamic lens, and her upcoming title Allah Loves You teaches children about the love of Allah through the stories of the Prophets. Her writing has appeared in Kalimah.uk and in the special November 2025 edition of SISTERS Magazine. Based in Hyderabad, India, she writes amidst the beautiful chaos of motherhood and looks forward to being a part of the House of Amal Writing Residency.

  • Sadia Sheikh is a full stack developer who loves infusing her engineering background into her writing. Her poetry focuses on human synchrony with nature and the struggles our souls endure in today’s world. Sadia grew up in the GTA, started a book review binder at her local library, and today leads a book club run by The Muslim Collective. Sadia was shortlisted in the CBC Canada Writes Stories of Belonging Challenge for Youth and published in Ink Movement’s anthology. Aerial silks and calisthenics are her favourite forms of movement to practice when she needs to get out of her head.

What’s Included in the Writing Residency?

Craft Instruction

Learn the skills of the writing craft including techniques on empathy, form, tone, diction, performance, and more.

Critique Circle

Spend workshop time focusing on your craft and getting feedback from other dedicated writers.

Teaching & Mentorship

“The student is the teacher.” This principle drives our approach, as we give Residents the opportunity to teach Writing Hours and other programs.

Portfolio & Network Building

Connecting with passionate, dedicated, like-minded individuals on the path to developing their own writing portfolios

Writing Studio

A place to get your hands dirty with the building blocks of writing. Challenge yourself on what you think you know about titles, lines, and more.

Capstone Project

Give back through a service project of your choice that is built in to to the Residency; this prepares you for long-term community building through writing.

Resident Hall of Fame

2025 Cohort

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A woman with medium brown skin and brown hair styled in loose waves, wearing pearl earrings and a formal blazer over a printed shirt, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.

Ahmed Ayoub

Alaa Mustafa

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Aqsa Rashid

Eiman Bushra

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Hassan Hakim

Tehreem Khalid

A woman smiling, wearing glasses and a colorful, patterned hijab, sitting against a plain, light-colored wall.

Sara Farhat

Mariam Ali

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Mahmoodul Hasan Bhaiyat

2024 Cohort

A young woman wearing a beige hijab and green sweater with a gold necklace, sitting in a library with shelves of books behind her.
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Bayan Fares

Zainab Hashmi

A man with dark, curly hair, a beard, and mustache, wearing a maroon shirt, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
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Walid Kessal

Sundus Aladra

A young woman wearing a dark blue floral hijab and matching floral dress, smiling outdoors in front of a white building with columns, greenery, and display boards.

Layanne Khaskia

Michaya Mcmillan-Haqq

Safiya Khan

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2023 Cohort

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A young woman wearing a purple hijab and a shiny yellow top, standing outdoors with green trees and a blue sky in the background.

Saniya Ahmed

Salma Mohammad

FAQ - 2026 Writing Residency

(Applications Closed)

  • A: The 2026 application will open on October 1st and close October 31st. Decisions will be sent out by December 1st. The application form will be available via a button on this page.

    A full application includes completing the form and submitting the required writing sample of 5 poems OR 1-2 essays.

  • A: We are excited to role out the Book Club on the 4th Sundays of each month, mandatory for Residents and optional for other members. This will include 1 book per month to read and discuss with the goal of furthering literary knowledge as well as engaging in craft & criticism to further students’ literary rigor.

    House of Amal further implemented a service-oriented Community Capstone Project as part of the 2025 curriculum that we hope to continue as part of the program going forward.

  • A: Per month, your mandatory commitment is 7 hours, which includes 3 hours of Group Instruction, 1 hour of Guest Lecture, 2 hours of Writing Studio, and 1 hour of Book Club. These sessions will take place at 10 am U.S. Eastern Standard Time on Sunday mornings (although this may change pending group availability).

    Optional programming includes 1:1 mentorship with your writing instructors and all other House of Amal membership program offerings totaling an additional 15+ hours. Over the course of the 12-month program, Residents will be required to teach a total of 2 Writing Hours as well as devote 12 hours toward their Community Capstone Project. Additional time must be considered for homework and writing exercises.

  • A: In our first year (2023), 2 students completed the Residency. In our second year (2024), 7 students completed the Residency. In our third year (2025), 9 students will complete the program. For 2026, we are aiming to accept 10 students.

  • A: Our ideal student is someone with both a passion for and foundation in writing poetry, as well as a desire to publish professionally in the near future. The student should be open to receiving feedback from both instructors and peers, and willing to commit fully to their writing practice and craft improvement.

  • A: While our primary expertise and curriculum is focused on poetry, we welcome a diversity of writers into the program.

  • A: Students are expected to complete and polish a final portfolio of about 30-60 pages of writing.

  • A: Yes. The tuition for the 2026 year is $1,250 USD (monthly and biannual payment plans available). Students also give back by teaching Writing Hours, running the contests, and contributing to House of Amal’s growth.

    Applicants may also apply for a Work-Exchange scholarship by submitting a brief statement of need as well as a CV/resume alongside their application.

  • A: The program officially begins with an orientation on December 13th (10 am - 12 pm est) and the first Group Instruction on January 11, 2026. We will conclude in November 2026.

  • A: House of Amal’s primary focus is Muslim writers; however, this is not a cause for exclusion and we welcome anyone into our House for any of the programs as long as they resonate with our Mission.

  • A: Yes, we do! Our reason for Sunday morning classes is to accommodate international students. A significant percentage of our Residents and even Members hail from around the world, including Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and more. We pride ourselves in catering to Muslim writers from around the world.

  • A: As of now, no! However, our past students have generally been in their early to late 20’s.

  • A: You do not! However, our ideal students are those who are interested in publishing and polishing their works to meet literary standards.

  • A: Absolutely! We have three different membership tracks that we often recommend for different writers depending on the strengths of their application. You can view more information here.

  • A: Join our live Info Sessions that will take place on Thursday, October 9th, from 8-9 pm est, and Tuesday, October 21st from 10-11 am est. You can register here.