Theme & Honor Code

Welcome

Assalamu Alaikum, peace be upon you

Every project you craft this year begins with a single small step. A simple idea, a moment of inspiration, or a quiet intention can grow into something meaningful. In MIST, the most impactful creations often start with these small beginnings, shaped by your sincerity and effort.

As you prepare for your competitions, think about the small choices that influence your work: the extra revision you decide to make, the detail you refine, the concept you explore a little deeper. These seemingly minor decisions are what transform an ordinary submission into something thoughtful and powerful. Ask yourself: What values guide the things I create? How does intention elevate my work? How can small improvements done consistently bring out the best in my craft?

Remember that excellence is not about perfection, but about purposeful steps taken with sincerity. Every choice you make, from how you prepare to how you collaborate and how you present yourself, shapes not only your own growth but the overall spirit of this tournament. How will you use your small deeds to foster creativity, character, and community?

Bismillah (In the Name of Allah). We enter this tournament season striving for sincerity, consistency, and the awareness that even the smallest deeds can carry great value. May Allah accept our efforts and allow us to create with clarity and purpose. Ameen.

Sincerely,

Hira Khattak National Competitions Director

Muaaz Ahmad and Maria Zulfiqar National Competitions Leadership Team

2026 Theme: Currents of Consequence

The Might of Small Deeds

The butterfly effect reminds us that the smallest actions, good or bad, can set off vast chains of events. A single word, a habit, or a choice that seems insignificant in the moment can ripple outward, shaping people, communities, and even history. Those ripples may flow gently in streams, or surge forward as floods, their final impact unknown. Yet over time, streams cut valleys, rivers carve canyons, and tides reshape entire coastlines. Do our actions have the same effect?

The immense power of a seemingly small act is illustrated in the story of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) in Surah al-Qasas. His mother’s decision to trust in God and cast her infant into the Nile became the tide that turned a tyrant. One small ripple set into motion Musa’s upbringing in the Pharaoh’s palace, preparing him to one day stand against oppression with truth and conviction.

Just as one decision can lead to unexpected good, the principle of action and consequence also means that negative acts can result in a cascade of devastating effects. Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Verily, when the servant commits a sin, a black mark appears upon his heart. If he abandons the sin, seeks forgiveness, and repents, then his heart will be polished. If he returns to the sin, the blackness will be increased until it overcomes his heart” (Tirmidhi 3334). Careless actions, hurtful words, wasted time, and neglected responsibilities can unearth dangerous sinkholes, but repentance offers a path to pull oneself out.

In today’s world of instant gratification, small deeds may feel insignificant, and change may feel too slow. But Islam teaches that transformation is built on consistency, patience, and trust in Al Wakeel, the trustee and disposer of affairs. Surah al-Hud tells how Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) built his ark while people mocked him. Although each plank hammered seemed meaningless to others, when devastating floods came, those small steps became salvation for humanity. Every prayer, every act of kindness, every contribution to justice is a drop in an ocean of barakah, blessings that endure and multiply over time.

Reflection Questions:

What ripple will you create?
How do you ensure your actions contribute to positive growth?
How do you take accountability for your role in a chain of events, when the outcome is positive, and when it is negative?

We encourage you to creatively explore these concepts and more in Regional and National competitions and workshops during MIST 2026. Remember that unique projects displaying creativity and insight will be judged most favorably.

MIST Honor Code

Standards

Students are expected to maintain the following standards:

All participants are required to follow the MIST dress code of professional and formal outfits.
- This may include religious clothing such as abayas and thobes.
Participants are expected to show utmost respect to the person(s) leading and taking part in workshops, competitions, and all other parts of MIST.
Any discrimination or acts that may infringe the rights of others in any part of MIST, including, but not limited to, competition submissions, will not be tolerated.
- This includes, but is not limited to, discrimination against individuals based on religion, race, color, gender, sex, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, ancestry, national origin, mental health, and socio-economic background.
Any unwanted physical contact is not permitted.
Any unwanted private one-on-one interactions are not permitted.
Anyone reserves the right to request a third person in any interaction.
All competitors, coaches, spectators, and guests are expected to be mature representatives of their high school and/or city.
Remember that teams are representatives of communities. Team behavior should reflect that image.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to submit original work for MIST competitions each year. Actions that violate the standards of academic integrity include:

Reading, obtaining, or sharing a copy of any test materials before or after the competition without authorization.
Consulting or obtaining assistance - prior to or during competitions - from sources that have not been pre-approved.
- This includes copying another person’s answers or referring to any aids.
Submitting work prepared entirely or partially by another individual, or otherwise misappropriating works or intellectual property belonging to another individual and presenting it as one’s own, without providing proper citation and acknowledgment. This includes:
- Copying ideas from popular media (TV, books, etc.)
- Using AI as a basis/starting point for a submission or as a part of your submission.
Presenting audio or visual recordings of others without their consent or otherwise abusing confidentiality regarding the ideas or works of individuals discussed in confidence.
Submitting material used for MIST in previous years or otherwise used for the purposes of a class or project at any other institution.
Falsifying or misrepresenting your results or procedures.
Sabotaging the work of other competitors or otherwise infringing upon the ability of others to compete fairly.
Interfering with the judging or scoring of any competition by anyone other than the official judges and competition organizers.
Impersonating any other MIST competitor, judge, volunteer, or organizer for any purpose.
Being in the willful companionship of someone who violates any portion of the Honor Code or failing to report any direct knowledge (other than hearsay) of violations.
Misrepresenting your age or otherwise registering for a MIST team for which you are ineligible.
Participating in, or attempting to participate in, a competition for which you have not registered.
Attempting to enter regional or national competitions and tournaments without registration or prior approval.

Acceptable Actions

Actions that do not violate the Code include:

Serving as a proxy to present the work of another student on account of an excused absence (such as medical emergency, death in the family, etc.), which has been pre-approved by MIST.
- In this situation, you must let your Regional Headquarters know.
Submitting the same or modified work between Regionals and Nationals of the same year.
Getting help from and collaborating with others, while crediting ideas or work that are not your own with proper citation.

Consequences

Depending on the severity of the infraction, competitors and their teams found guilty of academic misconduct may lose points or be disqualified from a competition. Disciplinary misconduct warrants full disqualification from this year’s tournament.