Aqabah Karate Rocks Islamic Games

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Written by Wendy Diaz, Muslim Link Contributing Writer


You have to wonder what the other martial artists were thinking when they saw these new faces show up at the 4th Annual Islamic Games this weekend, held in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.

Just where did Aqabah Karate come from? After all, most of the martial arts participants in the previous years of the Islamic Games were from New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York and the surrounding areas. Veteran competitors were used to seeing familiar faces but these seemingly “New Karate Kids on the Block” turned out to be more than they expected.

Even though it was a three hour drive away, College Park, Maryland-based Aqabah Karate took students, parents, and instructors to the Islamic Games, making their 2nd competition debut, a year after their first ever martial arts tournament. This year the tournament was in an Islamic environment with only Muslim participants. The anxiety and anticipation, however, was the same for all. Aisha Ali, who competed in the young women’s division, said, “We had good competition and I thought it was a good experience. Seeing all of my friends competing helped me to feel confident. It was a lot of fun.”

Maryam Muhib, 7 years old, set the standard early on the girls side by sweeping the forms division with a gold medal. Her loud and crisp forms demonstration ended with a roaring applause from the audience. The message was clear that, “Aqabah Girls are in the House”. Twenty two Aqabah Karate competitors helped themselves to 31 medals in forms, sparring, self-defense as well as in other events like track and field. Of the medals, 11 were gold, 13 silver and 7 were bronze, MashAllah.

Men and boys were situated in one gymnasium on the campus of a local middle school, while the women and girls competed in the auxiliary gym. The Islamic Games organizers tried their best to keep the event gender segregated, making it easier and more comfortable for all participants. The Aqabah Karate women especially, were able to showcase their talents like never before, making this event an unforgettable experience. Umm Omar, mother of 3 Aqabah Karate students, said, “I think people perceive Muslim women and girls as so restricted, and these kind of events show what we can do. This is what our girls do while still upholding our Islamic values. I was really impressed.” Kamilah Abdul-Wakil from Aqabah Karate’s women’s class won 1st place in sparring and 3rd place in forms. “The tournament was really nice. I enjoyed it a lot. I think it was better for everyone (that it was segregated). Had it not been, I would not have competed,” she said.

Abdul Aziz, Kamilah’s father, commented, “I loved watching the boys and men compete. I had so much fun. From now, Insha-Allah, I am going to attend all tournaments where Aqabah is competing.”

The boys and men also enjoyed success on the other side of the campus. Arbaz Khatib, 14 years old, punched and kicked his way through serious challenges to win the gold in sparring. Zakaria Korme, 12 years old, defeated almost 20 competitors to win gold in forms. The instructors also competed and brought home 3 silvers and a bronze.

“Everyone did outstanding. Especially my sisters in Aqabah Karate, I am so proud of them. For a lot of them it was their first competition and the only kind in the area that is closed to men, plus exclusively for Muslims. The sisters did not want to let go of this opportunity and so they gladly took the three hour trip from Maryland to Jersey with their families. They showed so much courage, MashAllah.” says Br Muhib, director of Aqabah Karate.

Spectators congratulated the Marylanders on their success and were in awe at their skills and abilities. One community member from New Jersey asked how they could establish an Aqabah Karate in their masjid. Aqabah Karate students were able to interact with students from other schools and compare knowledge and know-how. Since the tournament was open, there were different styles and arts displayed, giving everyone a chance to see a variety of forms and defense techniques. For Aqabah Karate, the Islamic Games was both a competition and a learning experience.

The Islamic Games, established in 1987 but growing considerably since 2007, is an event which brings together Muslim athletes from all around the country. Currently it takes place in the Northeast, Midwest, and in the Southeast. One of the most popular categories of the Games is Martial Arts, where participants from all the Islamic Martial Arts schools compete to see who comes out on top. This time, Aqabah Karate did just that.

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