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Inside the head that wears the crown By Rabea Chaudhry, December 22, 2011 |
<< From the AltMuslimah Archives >>
Let us be the ones who decide what is beautiful, what is free, what is oppressed, and what is spiritual. If you feel liberated in a scarf, keep it on. If you think your religiosity is impeded by an insistence on a wardrobe choice, move beyond the exterior of it all.  ( ) |
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To de-tag or not to de-tag By Nabeelah Jaffer, November 8, 2011 |
Though not the most pressing issue when it comes to the daily practice of Islam, the steady stream of embarrassing photos on Facebook created an unexpected conflict in my mind. A question arose: to de-tag, or not to de-tag? The problem boils down to the fact that I’ve honed the act of public embarrassment into a fine art. One famous photo of what was supposed to be a group of friends frolicking in the snow instead features me rapping with unbridled enthusiasm. ( ) |
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The accessibility of envy on social media By Fahad Faruqui, October 4, 2011 |
We have all found ourselves to some degree comparing and judging our life experiences, appearances, relationships, professional and academic successes to those attained by others. There are two logical errors that lead to envy and covetousness which poison the soul: a) you can never know the totality of a person's life and b) my happiness is not conditional upon your successes or failures. ( ) |
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When in Rome… By Shazia Riaz, September 2, 2011 |
I find myself rummaging through a suitcase in the guest bedroom of a quaint brick row home in Blackburn, England. My husband and I are visiting his relatives en route from New Jersey to Rome. I whip out a tank top and dash off to the bathroom. The reflection staring back at me is dressed for Rome and not for my husband’s ultra-conservative (albeit, lovely) burka and thobe-clad extended family. Had he only mentioned this little tidbit about our hosts, I wouldn’t find myself scrambling to adjust my wardrobe by slipping on my tank top backwards beneath my blouse. This subtle act of conformity does the trick though, raising both my neckline and my comfort level. ( ) |
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No less a child, no less a woman By Ayesha Akhtar, August 8, 2011 |
Our culture is one of procreation; children are regarded as blessings from God, and we are told our progeny will spread Islam. Delaying marriage, waiting to begin a family, or experiencing infertility each amount to disregarding this sacred duty. While it is considered taboo in many cultures to remain childless- and the Muslim culture is no exception- what viable options exist for couples who are unable to conceive naturally, or choose not to adopt? What space does our culture provide for women who are either unable or unwilling to marry, choose to remain married without children or suffer from infertility? ( ) |
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A style statement By Saimah Ashraf, May 20, 2011 |
Frankees Samad, a senior at the University of California Davis, debuted her womenswear line at the Signature Collection Fashion Show earlier this month. Hosted by the Runway Designers Club at the Performance Art Institute in San Francisco, the show presented the senior projects of 25 fashion students at UC Davis. As expected, models sashayed down the runway in gauzy, floaty gowns, wildly exuberant accessories, and deconstructed garments typical of any student fashion show (a dress decorated in hundreds of glass fragments, anyone?). ( ) |
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Thin is in By Ayesha Akhtar, May 11, 2011 |
“Can You Be Fit & Fat” was the title of an article I read in the April 2011 issue of Runner’s World magazine. The heading left me wondering, is it possible to be unhealthy if you are ‘not fat’? Increased physical activity can to lead to weight loss, but losing weight should not be the end itself. Thus we have a variety people who exercise every day to improve endurance, improve their heart or lose weight. ( ) |
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An alternate reality By Ayesha Akhtar , February 23, 2011 |
Over the last year, one question HEART has repeatedly asked Muslim girls (ages 10-18) in various arenas is, “what are the top three challenges you face as an American Muslim girl?” Without fail, we receive the following responses: (1) hijab/self-esteem; (2) bullying; and (3) Islamophobia/stereotypes. Troubling? Yes. But completely understandable as these girls share the same interests, watch the same movies, and probably admire the same fashion as others; the only difference is that they are also trying to reconcile their Muslim identity with their American one. ( ) |
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Pushing back against schoolyard terror By Nadiah Mohajir, December 27, 2010 |
Sixteen year old Kristian, a Muslim American student at a Staten Island public school in New York, recently confided in his parents about a serious problem that he faced every day at his school: being bullied and terrorized by four classmates at his school. Every day. For nine months. I had the opportunity to speak with Kristian and his parents recently, and the situation is shocking. The juveniles, who are minorities themselves, referred to Kristian as a terrorist and beat him during school, in the hallways and classrooms, often with teachers witnessing the inappropriate conduct. ( ) |
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Yes, Muslims are also affected by eating disorders By Zahra Khimji, November 17, 2010 |
It’s quite possible to think that eating disorders don’t affect Muslims. Whether it’s Nicole Richie or Lindsay Lohan, the issue of eating disorders is usually associated with rich, skinny and beautiful women. Suffice it to say, the Muslim girl or guy you went to school with or who sits next to you on the bus may also be secretly struggling from an internal battle of emotional chaos or what is otherwise considered as an eating disorder. She or he may close her room door tight, eat mounds of cookies hidden in her closet or say that she or he was full at a dinner party when she secretly was dying of hunger. ( ) |
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A spiritual struggle with Facebook By Rifk Ebeid, October 29, 2010 |
I stared pensively at the question on the screen, "Are you sure you want to deactivate?" I took a deep breath and coaxed myself into remaining steadfast in my decision. I replayed all the heated debates with friends leading up to my decision: "It invades your privacy;" "Everyone knows your business;" "It's a waste of time;" "It is [often useless] information overload." I had resolved to click the "Yes" option, but now a wave of anxiety paralyzed my finger. ( ) |
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The health effects of cultural stigmas By Nadiah Mohajir, October 4, 2010 |
Cultural stigmas have existed for thousands of years, yet never have I ever been more haunted by the unfortunate effect they have on mental and physical health outcomes. As a One Chicago, One Nation (OCON) Community Ambassador, I brought together a diverse group of young women and girls to talk about self-esteem, peer pressure, and its relationship with making healthy, responsible choices. ( ) |
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“Mother, now I know…” By Shazia Kamal, October 1, 2010 |
When you are a mother, you will know. This is usually the closing statement at the end of a long-winded argument between mother and daughter. The two bicker over everything under the sun, from what outfit the daughter should wear to Aunt Aliya’s dinner party to whether she should take up the job opportunity in Way-Too-Far-To-Even-Discuss-Town, USA. ( ) |
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Generational change in accepting mental health needs By Sarah Jawaid, September 29, 2010 |
Seeking professional counseling in the Muslim community has long had a stigma attached to it. Looking deeper into the intracommunity dialogue, we see that various cultural groups rationalize mental health education differently. For example, in South Asian communities, if an individual shows signs of needing mental attention, black magic (hoaxes or curses) is often suspected as the culprit behind the mental illness. It wasn't until my own experience in a powerless state, where I needed external guidance to work through my emotional distress, did I fully understand the necessity of reevaluating harmful societal norms and liberating oneself of those misconceptions. ( ) |
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