As a Muslim community in the U.S., what is our collective image of an abuser? Who comes to mind when we think of domestic violence (DV)? Do we imagine the likes of Muzzammil ‘Mo’ Hassan, the man who beheaded his wife at the Bridges TV studio in New York? Does abuse have to reach the level of gruesome for it to qualify as domestic violence?
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Here in Canada, if you ventured outside this past November, you would have seen people’s jackets and coats adorned with poppies. November is the month of Remembrance for the Commonwealth countries, a way of honouring those who have given their lives in past and contemporary conflict.
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If you grew up spending Eid ul-Adhas in Pakistan, you remember those occasions with…smells. Smells of the livestock outside your house, smells of earthiness and dung. And then, on the day, smells of blood. Butchers especially commissioned for that day would appear in the morning in beige, crisp shalwar kameezes, which would be splattered with blood by the end of the day.
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I converted to Islam for many reasons, but the most important of those was the holistic teaching of justice I found pervasive in the Qu’ran and life of Prophet Muhammad. What most people do not expect, however, is that in the two years leading up to my conversion and continuing after, I have become more filled with questions than with answers, and I’ve grown comfortable, even intimate with them. They remind me that I am human and Allah is everything but.
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I grew up with a mother always insisting that I be an educated, professional woman. Her reasons were many, including that being a professional would help me retain a certain amount of flexibility and independence should crap hit the fan of life. I share the experience, not because it’s the exception, but because it’s common to the lives of many Muslimahs.
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Mahnoor wished she was returning to their home town under happier circumstances. She and her father had crossed two states to attend the funeral of his best friend, Khalid. Once they had made their way across the expansive parking lot of the recently renovated mosque where friends and family had gathered for the funeral, Mahnoor circled around the building trying to spot the entrance to the women’s’ section.
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By the grace of God, I met the end of 2012 in a state of blissful contentment. However, this didn’t come without struggle. I was reminded of a particular difficulty I experienced when I was cleaning out my inbox and I came across an unsent email. My heart felt heavy at the memory of how I felt when I wrote it. “It’s been a hell of a year, Sarah,” I thought. “What a way to mark your ten-year hijabiversary.”
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Smart eating is essential to reaping the full benefits of Ramadan. This guide provides a list of tips on healthy eating and related recipes, with a focus on foods that will keep us full, alert and healthy as we forge through days of work and nights of prayer. Time is tight, so many of these recipes require little to no cooking and can be made ahead of time, in batches, or the night before suhoor. They are fast, easy, healthy and delicious. Explore, enjoy and please share your own tips and recipes in the comments!
Read MoreWho better than Dr. Kecia Ali to open the afternoon session with the topic of Gender Justice in Islam? An Associate Professor of Religion at Boston University, and published author of Sexual Ethics and Islam: Feminist Reflections on Qur’an, Professor Ali started by acknowledging the weighty responsibility that comes with framing questions.
Read MoreWhen I first heard about Shaykha Fest, I, a seeker of knowledge, could not wait to sit at the feet of my learned mothers. Featuring Muslim female scholars from Germany, the UK and America, Shaykha Fest was born out of a need to revive female scholarship by setting and giving the stage to contemporary scholars, activists and thinkers, while simultaneously bridging the gap between different schools of thought and sects.
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