Author Archive
The Hijab Diaries: Going Back to School
By Gabrielle Deonath The Hijab Diaries: Part I | Part II Because I started wearing my hijab in the beginning of this past summer, a thought that was always in the back of my mind was how people in school would react to the change I’d made. How would acquaintances and friends treat me? Would [...]
Beware of Zombies. Or Are You One?
By Moutasem Atiya A few months ago, I was sitting with Shaykh Mohsen Al’Najjar in the Mosque of our Messenger Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him and his family), preparing to make the blessed ziyara (visitation). As we sat, I could not help but marvel at the amazing Ottoman calligraphy decorating the mosque. My eyes and spirit [...]
Night
Earlier this year, The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) launched the “Write a Revolution” competition as part of their SOS Syria project. The competition attracted submissions from writers across the globe. Entrants were asked to consider the words freedom, oppression, unity, justice and hope to write a short story or a poem in light of [...]
Bitter Sweet
Earlier this year, The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) launched the “Write a Revolution” competition as part of their SOS Syria project. The competition attracted submissions from writers across the globe. Entrants were asked to consider the words freedom, oppression, unity, justice and hope to write a short story or a poem in light of [...]
The Secret Double Life of a Hijabi
By Yeasmines Multiple hands rose in the air when the teacher asked the class to share our hijab story. I saw the eager and enthusiastic looks on each sister’s face as they held their hands up high. Subhan’Allah (glory be to God), I was amazed how each person had a unique story to share. In particular, I [...]
Change
By Talha Ghannam Since reading Muhammad Asad’s “The Road to Makkah”, I have become fascinated with exploring the perspectives non-Muslims and converts have on Islam and life generally. Being born Muslim, many of us take for granted the way we think and act, rarely paying attention to the reasons why. We casually assume every person [...]
The Blame Game
By Othman Mohammad I attended a lecture one Saturday night at a local mosque where the speaker discussed the topic of “envy” (hasad). He went over the verses from Surat al-Falaq (Qur’an 113) that address the topic, using them as evidence that al-ayn (the evil eye) and the interference of jinn are evils that we [...]
The Winter of My Heart
By Iman Badawi The believer may also find hardness in the heart, but it is the hardness of ice, not rock. The causes for this hardness are many and we must all be vigilant about their appearance. Among them are: Preferring this dunya (life) over the Hereafter and becoming deluded by worldly pursuits. The love [...]
Is Ignorance Bliss?
By Maira Mukhtar “No, stop! I don’t need to know,” interrupted a friend not wanting to discuss religion. “I’m not ready to practise just yet and Allah is too kind to punish anyone for things they are unaware of.” Her simplistic view made me wonder whether or not I was putting myself under unnecessary burden [...]
Developing Awareness of Allah
By Abida Aura Mustafa In our journey through this dunya (world), as human beings we are all susceptible to sinning. However, we cannot guiltlessly justify the transgressions against our souls through shameful disobedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala (exalted is He) by blaming it all on our state of forgetfulness. We need to realize [...]
When Will We Be Satisfied?
By Fyora Luul My appreciation of nature was something that came quite late in my life. As a child, I was privileged enough to have the opportunity to witness places like forests, parks, ponds, and tumbling fields of grass, hay bales, and canola. I did so without ever really taking a moment to digest what I [...]
Stairway to Heaven
By Farah Abduz-Zahir Rhythms primordial soothing, inspiring, connecting to some hidden electron’s orbit. In some inner recess synapses dance Listening. Smile plays on lips Heart alight chest heaves and inhales blessed blessed air made fragrant with the sounds of this recitation suspended in sound waves that permeate every alveolar crevice giving life suffuses into blood [...]
Learning How To Love The Right Way
By Omar Ead “And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah. And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be [...]
The Artist of All Artists
By Sarah Mostafa You haven’t really realized your place in life until you’ve tried to describe a sunset in words. I realized this as I sat on a large rock near a creek on the University of Maryland campus and tried to describe the breathtaking view with pen and paper. I worked at it for [...]
On Inherent and Acquired Qualities in Da`wah
By Othman Mohammad A member of our youth group at the local masjid posed this important question to me: “Some people are born with greater talent in persuasion, more influence, and greater ability to motivate others. These individuals have the privilege to do certain things which others cannot and can acquire good deeds which without their [...]
When Islamic Principles and Leadership Part Ways
By Ali Shareef The recent upheaval in the Middle East has resulted in the fall of ruthless dictators, toppling them like dominoes. It began in Tunisia and shook the land of the pyramids. At least briefly, justice—the elusive flower—bloomed in the “Arab Spring” on the banks of the Nile. A highlight of this upheaval was [...]
Islamic Education: Reformation or Transformation?
By Abu Nusaybah Allah instructs us in the Qur’an to make du`a’ (supplication) for an increase in knowledge. We read and hear many examples of the benefits, virtue, and honor of seeking knowledge. Typically we envision those engaging in such a process to be struggling in a far off land, and sometimes that is the [...]
It’s Never Too Early For a Second Chance
By Aber Kawas We can all remember the feeling we had this Ramadan. That intense determination we felt as we tried our best to come out of it changed people. The pressure that was on us and the weight of each moment was so immense. Time felt heavy as each hour, minute, and second held [...]
Hajj: A Submission to God
By Noha Alshugairi I still remember myself as a young child of 6 moving from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia, struggling with a new country, language, and school. My first spoken language was the English of Nigeria; a mix of British English with an accent of the local dialect. My Arabic at the time was limited [...]
Al-Fattah – The Opener
By Sarah Ibrahim At some point in our lives, we have all experienced the feeling of having a block in every part of our path. It could be as small as not understanding a complicated concept in a class or as significant as continuously applying to jobs and just not getting a call back. It [...]
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