Learning how to say the right things starts with learning what the wrong things are. I was about to start with, “It blows my mind…”, but I realize it’s actually not much of a surprise to be compiling this list. As a psychiatry resident, I have started to become acutely…
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altM editor Zehra Rizavi meets up with Luby Ismail to discuss Connecting Cultures in an insightful interview into her life, ideas and experiences. 1) Growing up as a Muslim American of Egyptian descent, what was your experience of living between different faiths and cultures? Any memories/moments that stand out? I…
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The winter of 2013 was an eventful one for me. As a second-year medical student from Pakistan, I spent two months at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore for a research elective-. It was a time of excitement, wonder and anxiety. One afternoon, after hurrying back to the office from lunch, I stood fidgeting…
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The idea grew out of the tragedy of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris. A dear friend of mine of Jewish faith, horrified at the growing intolerance and hate in the world and the comments she was hearing that the Paris attacks somehow represented the values of Islam, approached me to…
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[This question was truncated to protect anonymity] My niece, Chandni, has been through a lot of challenges since her early childhood– family breakup, abandonment, addiction problems, fear of connecting with people. I want to help her but I don’t know how. What should I do? What should I say…
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Question #1 Dear Salma, I have a teenage daughter and am concerned about how to explain interfaith marriage to her. We have a growing number of Muslims in our community–both men and women–marrying outside of Islam. She and I will talk about these sorts of things and I’ve explained to…
Read MoreCommunicating with parents during the process of seeking a spouse is a delicate issue, especially when their outlooks are so different from our own. Some may keep parents at a distance, causing long-term tension, while others give in to their parents’ traditional demands, which may not be in their best interest. How do we find common ground that balances our independence with parental involvement? Our contributors discuss how we can more honestly communicate and compromise with parents, and the benefits that this openness brings.
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Young American-Muslims find themselves walking the tight rope between conservative Muslim traditions and liberal American culture. Because of this, Gen X and Gen Y Muslims are well-positioned to pave the way for change. Nearly all have “dated” vicariously through non-Muslim friends. Simultaneously many take their faith seriously and have a sincere desire to propagate it.
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