As a very new Muslim at the end of my first ever Ramadan I believe Islam should come with a warning label, but not for the reason many non-Muslims might think. WARNING: Ramadan may cause addiction to Islam and community. The first week of Ramadan was overwhelming. While I had…
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We, Muslim organizations, FGM/C Survivors, Islamic scholars, and leaders, strongly condemn the remarks made in the video of Imam Shaker El Sayed where he clearly distinguishes between Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision, and recommends the performance of female circumcision on young girls “when needed” to prevent…
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There is currently a conversation raging in the American Muslim community about female genital mutilation (FGM). First there were the arrests of Bohra Muslim doctors in Michigan accused of performing this procedure on young girls. Then came the public lecture, and online video of said lecture, of an imam talking…
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Over the last year, Muslim artists, educators, authors, designers, and engineers have been busy creating a world of new products to serve the Muslim community in North America. For many of these entrepreneurs, the month of Ramadan is a critical time to gain support to sustain their efforts. Amin Aaser,…
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Last month, prosecutors brought charges against two Bohra physicians in Michigan for allegedly performing female genital mutilation on several young girls. Read more about the story here. altM’s, Samar Kaukab, shares her thoughts: Here is a well-known aphorism: It is hard to see that which is invisible. Take oxygen. It…
Read MoreThe Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) recently released “Muslims at the Crossroads,” the report on its 2017 American Muslim Poll. Many of us have found ourselves increasingly worried about sending our children to school, wearing hijab in public, travelling across borders, and generally, being Muslim in America since…
Read MoreFrom the time I entered kindergarten to the day I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I have been educated in public schools. I always assumed that I avoided the pressures of conformity by not attending a private school, and particularly a private Islamic school. I believed that my education through…
Read MoreLike so many others, I was delighted when Mahershala Ali’s nabbed the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor this year. The fact that we had mutual friends, and that he belonged to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was just a happy coincidence. Despite my joy, I waited for the backlash I knew…
Read MoreArt helps create and sustain social and political transformation. Sometimes that transformative power is more about the artist than the art—or, in the case of Mahershala Ali’s Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor in Moonlight, about national recognition for that artist. Ali’s win gave the spotlight to his performance, yes,…
Read More“Don’t judge Islam by the actions of a few. For Islam is perfect while Muslims are not.” What this advice fails to address is that people generally don’t care what you believe, only how you behave. Armed with this insight, American Muslims are shifting from expending precious time and resources…
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