Readers Room

Ghosts of Writers Past

It is summer, 1999. I remember standing on the steps of the townhouse I had grown up in, July heat in the air. I had just turned 17, and it seemed that all around me, a confluence of events was taking place: junior year was turning into senior year, the…

Read More

Ask Aisha: Twins

Dear Aisha, I’m a mother of identical twin boys. They’re eligible young bachelors – tall, athletic, and finishing up medical school. I have heard of a great girl from a woman in my community. She is young, educated, religious, though she does not wear hijab. Her aunt says she is…

Read More

An analog girl in a digital world

Two weeks ago, I quit. Cold turkey.   I am not a smoker or a drinker. I don’t use drugs and will cut myself off from caffeine if I feel myself becoming too dependent on it. That’s the point really: I don’t do addiction because I don’t like losing control….

Read More

Reality check

A friend of mine recently went through the unexpected break-up. It was an emotional explosion because she and the boy had finally made it to the comfortable realm of “Islamic” dating, and the relationship had worked its way to the cliff point of marriage (it’s a plunge, and you gotta…

Read More

10 Relationship Truths for Muslims

1. Do Muslims date? Joe- the art of coffee / Via m.alwecdn.net Our moms don’t like the word “date” SO we just “talk.” A LOT. With that one friend of the opposite gender. 2. Via giphy.com When everyone knows your “friend” is really your “boyfriend” but it ain’t halal until…

Read More

The case for social media and hashtag activism

Social Media: Websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking Activism: The policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. My husband is one of those individuals who have chosen a life of complete abstinence from…

Read More

Emotional Plank

This past Ramadan I attended a weekend-long Muslim social bonanza in New York City. I was away from my family for the summer, so it was wonderful to find a spirit of community in such a big city. But by the time the weekend was over, I felt like I…

Read More

The new fake beard trend. What the Muslim dudes think.

If you’ve seen the newest season of America’s Next Top Model, you’ll know that there is a new type of “TyOver” (read: a Tyra Banks makeover) in town for male contestants: Lace Front Beards. Yeah, you read that right. Fake beards. It’s an interesting concept in it’s own way. I…

Read More