by Gayanga Dissanayaka
Shaahidah Riza wrote this moving and inspiring children’s book of her heart with the realisation that most limitations and calamities surrounding us since we were children are all man-made.
The author introduces the protagonist who is a young Muslim girl engrossed and fascinated with space travel and astronomy, and through her, represents the experiences of a typical brown girl with big ambitions trying to realise her passion and goals as she navigates her life.
Drawing from the personal experiences of her own upbringing and that of her sister’s, Shaahidah lyrically brings forth how Najma, the little protagonist, doesn’t let the boundaries and limitations set by the society diminish her aspirations in becoming an astronaut.
“I come from a family of architects. When my sister wanted to become an architect as well, she too had several people telling her to do something more suitable for a girl. But for her, being an architect wasn’t anything out of the ordinary and was entirely possible because our family was supportive and encouraged her towards it,” she said. Shaahidah therefore showcases the importance of letting children dream big and dream undoubtedly as well. “Knowledge is diversity and putting a child into a box would only diminish their quality of life and their potential,” she said.
“Najma the Astronaut” displays the unwavering passion of a little girl’s dreams that keeps on surfacing despite the discouragements and opinions of those around her. The protagonist is too busy with her dreams and interests in space travel, and in her own world, she finds solace and strength to continue learning and keep her ambition alive. Her heart gets heavy sometimes when she can’t find many people to cheer for her but her passion never once ceases.
This book is about that universal girl who yearns to be “more” than what is expected from her. She proves how knowledge can take away fear and make one confident in their ability and their journey. She displays acts of bravery and intelligence and even takes the lead to teach and inspire others through her knowledge at a young age. The protagonist’s name, “Najma Jannat” means “stars” and “heaven” and the author has beautifully captured its essence and meaning along with the storyline.
Shaahidah wrote this book as a coping mechanism during a tumultuous and emotional period of her life as she felt the need to aesthetically create something using the attractive aspects of language such as verses and rhyme. The author explains how her own son was an inspiration for her to create this story. “I wanted to teach my son that this world is made not only for boys, but for girls too,” says Shaahidah.
She highlights the importance of breaking through our internal barriers and helping children mould their minds positively from an early age. The protagonist connects with the little children, especially girls, who would read this book and get inspired to courageously choose their own path because each individual’s goals and potential are equally important.
This lyrical book also conveys how education and knowledge can go beyond the classroom and household. As much as letters, numeracy, being a teacher, learning embroidery, etc., are important knowledge for a child, the author explains how education is also about honing and catering to a child’s individual interests. This is rarely seen in societies where education also tends to limit a child’s creativity, imagination and aspirations and fails to address the potential of a student due to its traditional methods of measuring intelligence.
Shaahidah herself was an average student who fearlessly carved out her own path. Initially she was hesitant to publish this book because of possible criticism but came to understand the significance of spreading the universal tale of such little “Najma’s” to the world. Through her poetry, Shaahidah also refers to chapter sixty-seven in the Quran that explores God’s creation of the universe, symbolising little Najma’s harmonious connection with her personal faith that inspires her to further fall in love with her ambition.
Shaahidah also spoke about her admiration for Henry Chapin’s song, “Flowers Are Red”, which narrates the story about a child gradually losing his creative sparks through punishment and rules because the education system instructs him to conform to rigid creative guidelines. Shaahidah stated how the lasting negative effects of such imaginative suppression could stunt the passions and potential of children throughout their future. Najma is such a child who overcomes these challenges and finds her path courageously.
In a world full of “can’ts” and “don’ts,” Najma proves that all you need to push through with your ambition is a strong belief in yourself. Hence, Shaahidah’s book is sure to inspire countless marginalised children who have to rebel and fight for their ambitions and interests, and help them believe in their potential and confidence throughout their journeys of self-discovery. And just like little Najma in this wholesome lyrical story, be proud of who they are and reach their very own stars one day.