I recently came to the realization that GirlBoss feminism (created by Sophia Amoruso in 2014) undermines the value of femininity in women’s lives, and that the idea of the Divine feminine (specifically, the idea of femininity in Islam) is far more useful in helping eradicate internalized misogyny. I grew up in…
Contrary to prevalent discourse among many Muslims, the Biden administration does not deserve a gold star for repealing the Muslim ban. Amid a national round of applause by those whose political interest does not extend beyond American borders, I withhold my praise. This week, the Biden administration made clear through…
With Joe Biden’s victory of Trump in the 2020 presidential elections, the vast majority of Muslims can breathe a sigh of relief that the most openly anti-Muslim president in US history has been defeated. It is undeniable that Trump’s embrace of Birtherism – the charge that Barack Obama, the 44th President of…
When I was a tween, I visited my aunt and her family in Hyderabad, Pakistan. She had heard from my parents that I had become agnostic, and, as someone who had survived a lot of hardship by clinging to an intimate, present sense of God in her own life, she…
“Mommy, am I autistic?” It was a question I hadn’t expected as I drove with my then-13-year-old daughter on our way to a doctor’s appointment. We’d never hidden it, but my husband and I did not want to label her at an early age with any kind of diagnosis. We…
If your to-do list is anything like mine, you have some grand aspirations to make this Ramadan your best one ever! And you can achieve anything you set your mind to… if you use the following tips to set yourself up for success. Here are three tips for making smart…
“We are prescribed to seek knowledge. This is in line with journalism because essentially we have a topic, whether it’s an election or human rights crisis or war, and we’re required to research and know that beat like the back of your hand.” What do you do in your job?…
altM editor, Asma Uddin, had a chance to speak with author Rifk Ebeid about her new book, Baba, What Does My Name Mean? You can connect with Rifk at www.BabaWhatDoesMyNameMean.com and on Facebook and Instagram @BabaWhatDoesMyNameMean. Rifk, it was an absolute pleasure to read the book. I felt like it was…
B If you were to pass me on the street, you would never suspect I’m a Muslim: I don’t wear hijab. I have platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. And I am heavily tattooed. I grew up in Texas and was raised Southern Baptist. I use the word “y’all” a…
I recently came to the realization that GirlBoss feminism (created by Sophia Amoruso in 2014) undermines the value of femininity in women’s lives, and that the idea of the Divine feminine (specifically, the idea of femininity in Islam) is far more useful in helping eradicate internalized misogyny. I grew up in…
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Contrary to prevalent discourse among many Muslims, the Biden administration does not deserve a gold star for repealing the Muslim ban. Amid a national round of applause by those whose political interest does not extend beyond American borders, I withhold my praise. This week, the Biden administration made clear through…
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“We are prescribed to seek knowledge. This is in line with journalism because essentially we have a topic, whether it’s an election or human rights crisis or war, and we’re required to research and know that beat like the back of your hand.” What do you do in your job?…
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With Joe Biden’s victory of Trump in the 2020 presidential elections, the vast majority of Muslims can breathe a sigh of relief that the most openly anti-Muslim president in US history has been defeated. It is undeniable that Trump’s embrace of Birtherism – the charge that Barack Obama, the 44th President of…
Read More
The end of May was defined by the ongoing saga of COVID-19 as well as the brewing civil unrest from the death of George Floyd. As a Black American physician working on the front lines of the emergency room, this combination of calamities took its toll on my emotions. Naturally,…
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The increasingly heated culture wars in the United States involving the civil rights of homosexuals and trans-gendered individuals has come to the Muslim community. The recent decision of the Supreme Court, Bostock v. Clayton County, unleashed a series of vitriolic tweets by some American Muslims who opposed the Supreme Court’s ruling against American-Muslim…
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Trigger warning: This essay contains graphic descriptions of domestic violence and spiritual abuse. “And when the female infant buried alive is asked. For what sin she was slain.” Qur’an (81:9–10) I dug my nails into the green carpet of the bedroom floor to drag my stiff, red marked body toward…
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And whoever avenges himself after having been wronged – those have not upon them any cause [for blame]. The cause is only against the ones who wrong the people and tyrannize upon the earth without right. —41-42, Surah ash-Shuraa I am not Black; I am Brown, I am Muslim, I…
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Being Black and Muslim in America isn’t easy. Whenever I meet someone new, curious about my racially ambiguous features dressed in modest Islamic clothing, including the hijab, they usually ask where are you from? I say Massachusetts. And then they say no, where are you from from? And I answer, I’m American, Black and Latina, and Muslim….
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*This is the first part of a series of post related to the impact of COVID-19 Like ripples in water, the whole world is experiencing the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. And with each wave, we are trying to find ways to cope with this “new normal”. Although some of the…
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Shahrullah-al-Moazzam. Shehrullah. Share-ullah. Share Allah. “Shehrullah” literally translates to “the month of Allah” in Arabic. Or is it in Persian? In a mix of the two? To be honest with you, I couldn’t really care less which exact language it is; or rather, I am out of energy to find…
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