People dream of becoming someone or doing something that will leave a lasting impression for generations. Everyone is a dreamer in their might, some pursue their dreams by working hard for it while others try to find what they want from their lives. Walt Disney once said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Peter Yasin Gould is a one of those dreamers who found the courage to pursue his dreams. He worked not only for this world, but tried to earn reward for the Hereafter as well. A designer and a digital artist, Gould is a noted personality not only in his native country Australia but is known worldwide.
Having worked with several multinational firms, Goulds artworks have been commissioned by the Australian government, the United Nations, and even by The Royal House of Saudi Arabia.
He is also the successful creator of many fun learning Islamic apps, including a cool app designed for Muslim children.
Asked Gould what made him design games especially for Muslim children, he said: “As a father I saw the need for fresh kids' apps that were fun, entertaining and engaging while indirectly teaching them about Islam. With a generation of kids now heavily using interactive apps, it's an important channel for learning that we can't miss.”
Gould, who embraced Islam in 2002, is brimming with creative ideas, and has created four apps for kids so far. “Kids of the Ummah was our first which has over 10,000 downloads and later Amina's Kitchen, Salam Sisters and Noor Quest.”
The creative designer's favorite game is Noor Quest “because I'm fascinated by space and I think it's a cool idea to have a space mosque! Imagine what a fun and humbling experience it would be flying through space collecting letters and ayats for the space Qur'an.”
“The story is inspired by the idea of ‘Muslimnauts' looking after the space masjid when they discover the ship's special Qur'an is missing some pages. They then embark on an epic journey to find and rescue the missing ayats and surahs to restore the ship's Qur'an — and, in the process, have lots of fun collecting letters, and are also intelligently, but gently exposed to the Qur'an in an entertaining way.”
Noor Quest is accompanied by Noor Quest e-books, which tells the stories of the characters. “Each one is linked to key morals and values that is relayed in an incidental way.”
Parents mostly stop their kids from playing games that they consider harmful, but these apps are safe and a gateway to knowledge.
“I believe you should only do anything if you personally see value in it, and it has relevance to your life and ideologies. My apps; I developed with my kids in mind - it's something they love. So if others love it too, then that's all that really matters,” he said.
Gould's motto is to illuminate, enrich and inspire. His message to children around the world is “Dream Big!” “Recently I found my journals of when I was younger, and in them I discovered the fledgling ideas of many experiences I had the fortune to create now that I am capable of doing so. Back then, it seemed far-fetched and very grandiose in thought - but technology is developing so fast that, if someone else sees merit in it, they will help you bring your ideas to life,” he added.
