[title maintitle=”” subtitle=”Maria Khwaja Bazi speaks with the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative about engaging in racial justice conversations within the American Muslim community.”] In 2005, Boston University hosted the largest Muslim prayer of the year for Eid-ul-Adha. As we ushered in members of the community, I noticed, for the first time…
Read More
The truth is that although I was raised Muslim, I came to feminism before I truly came to Islam. That says more about how each was presented to me than it does about the inherent value of either feminism or Islam. I am telling you the chronology of my allegiances…
Read More
Dear M, I am a 30-years-old independent Muslim woman who is somewhat conservative. Three years ago my marriage of 14 months ended in an acrimonious divorce, and since then I have focused on my work. I recently received a proposal from a 48- year-old divorcee, who happens to be my…
Read More
My son, Ibrahim, arrived small yet mighty in a Central Asian hospital one February morning, a miniature version of his Afghan father; brown skin, dark hair, a broad brow. On the inside, he carried my O- blood. I knew that this child was cut from the same cloth as my…
Read More
Recently, a blogosphere debate erupted on headscarves/hijab among various Muslim women. The debate was preceded by physical harassment against visibly Muslim women (see this, this, this, and this). The worsened climate of Islamophobia was greeted with shock and disgust by a number of Americans. A number of non-Muslim women—Dr. Larycia…
Read More
Raising a child is a difficult feat. Raising a brown child in America is even trickier. Raising a brown, Muslim child in America seems almost impossible. Although I experienced the stress and love of caring for my son Ibrahim, who endured an illness and eventually passed away, I am now…
Read More
<< From the AltMuslimah Archives >>I have no issue with Christmas. It’s a wonderful and festive time of year, but my husband and I just don’t consider it to be a part of our household’s celebrations.
Read More
On many occasions and in many spaces, interfaith work has gotten a bad rap. “It’s all kumbaya and touchy feely stuff,” one friend told me. Another lamented, “People talk and talk, but nothing ever gets accomplished.” And my favorite dismissal of interfaith work is that it preaches to those already…
Read More
Dear M, I am 37-years-old, and am a well-educated, professional woman. I have been divorced for ten years and the loneliness is killing me. My daughter just turned 18 and is heading off to college so I feel it is a good time to for me to remarry. I have…
Read More
I don’t speak Arabic. I rarely pray more than once a day. I don’t cover my hair. I curse. I sing. I dance. I paint my nails. I sport spaghetti straps. I love dogs. And if pork and alcohol didn’t smell so nasty to me, I’d have no trouble consuming…
Read More