Al-Qalam 
By Azra Hoosen
Supplicating the Almighty on the frozen wasteland of Antarctica is what Aaminah Choonara will treasure most about her recent adventure to the polar ice shelf.
The 17-year-old (Grade 11) student from Lenasia Muslim School, who won a trip to Antarctica, had recently returned from her adventure with great memories, which she shared with Al-Qalam.
“Reading salah on the snow was something that stuck with me. Being there as a traveller, knowing your du’as are accepted….just sitting and speaking to Allah,” she said.
Ahead of her Antarctic expedition, there was a lot of preparation. Aaminah and four other selected students spent three days in Cape Town undergoing safety training, briefings and orientation sessions.
Yet nothing could prepare her for the moment of arrival in the frozen Antarctic wastelands. “As I disembarked the aircraft, the first sight was this bright white light. Standing there, feeling the snow for the first time, it finally kicked in, this is not a dream,” Aaminah recalled.
Life in Antarctica quickly settled into a rhythm. Aaminah’s days began before dawn. “Wake up, pray Fajr, catch a few minutes of sleep and then be up and ready,” she said. Breakfast was shared in the canteen before lessons in an igloo; thereafter, daily adventures across the frozen landscape.
Aaminah describes the trip as well-balanced, as they had the educational part as well as the fun and extreme physical part. In just four days, the experiences were intense and varied. “Seeing the ice wall, a campout, hikes, watching the plane take off, helping Allegra paint her mural, ice plunging and running half marathons,” she said.
Among the most demanding moments was the half-marathon: “That truly challenged me physically and mentally. If the four didn’t push me to believe in myself, I would never have completed it.”
Climate change, too, became real in ways no textbook could convey. “One morning, I was sitting with Ms Governor as she explained climate change and how the smallest actions affect things on a massive scale. That was the moment of realisation,” said Aaminah.
Surrounded by endless ice and untouched beauty, Aaminah often found herself reflecting deeply on creation itself. “You look at the landscapes and think, Allah says we are the best of His creation, like how? You see this massive land of ice and think about your Creator and His divine qualities. SubhanAllah. If Allah created this beauty and yet we are still His best creation, imagine how much love He must have for us,” she said.
As the only Muslim on the expedition, her faith was both personal and visible. Everyone had questions regarding Islam, and she was more than happy to speak about it. But one thought stayed with her constantly: “They say the ground upon which you take Allah’s name will testify for you on the Day of Qiyaamah. Every chance I got, I made dhikr, so that the snow of Antarctica would testify.”
Seeing the fragility of the polar environment deepened her understanding of the earth as an amanah. “If anything, it just deepened that feeling of responsibility. We have to preserve it, because Allah entrusted it to us.”
Representing African and Muslim youth on a global scientific expedition carried weight. “I was extremely honoured. Being living proof that we can do great things. As Muslims, we have a responsibility placed on our shoulders and it’s of utmost importance that we fulfil it,” said Aaminah.
Her environmental initiative, From Ice to Life, has since grown into a shared mission. With a goal of ten water wells, three have already been reached and the project is now collective among the five Antarctic students.
Reflecting on the journey, Aaminah’s message is simple and sincere: “Start today. Don’t wait. We think our actions are insignificant, yet we don’t realise how far they go. Never think your dream is too big or that you are too small. If your intention is pure, then Bismillah! Make the first step.”
