Mental illness is a dirty secret in the Muslim community. It’s seen as a curse, as an embarrassment, as something to be kept hidden. In many countries it’s not spoken about, and certainly not medically treated. It’s something you get over, because you really don’t have any choice. It goes…
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The past six Ramadans, I rise before the sun does. It’s not to eat suhoor, nor do I prepare it for my husband. I trudge by him as he groggily slurps down a bowl of O’s, we exchange a look of mutual exhaustion. It’s a call that summons me awake, reminding me that there’s something greater than sleep. Motherhood.
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[title maintitle=”” subtitle=”Introducing With A Spin’s Ramadan/Eid Holiday Cookie Cutter Gift Set and discount code for altMuslimah readers”] What is it that you’ve set out to do with With A Spin? What inspired the idea? I’ve always enjoyed adding my personal spin to the culture I was brought up in with…
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Becoming a dad ruined my life. Now, before you fire up an angry e-mail, delete my blog from your bookmarks, or un-follow me on Twitter, let me offer some context. I’ve been a dad for about five-and-a-half years now, and with this past weekend marking the annual occurrence that is Father’s Day, I got to thinking about just how wildly off course my life has veered…
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I was nine years old when I made one of my first major pleas of repentance to God. It was Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. Kids are not required to fast until they hit puberty, but even in kindergarten, I hated being left out of Ramadan and begged my parents to let me fast. To put an end to my whining, they told me that if I didn’t eat anything between my meals, it would count as a “half-fast.”
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“H-H-Hello, Asalaamu’alaykum. Umm, my name is Amna and I have two young children. The state is terminating my parental rights, and there’s nothing I can do. I didn’t know who else to call.
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Now, that may sound like a weighty question for a single mom to answer, but I welcome it. My four-year-old has been interested in my love life as of late (kindergarten matchmaker perhaps?) and she has approached me with one question after another on the matter. Fortunately, her interrogations amuse…
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Work-life balance is an issue of tremendous perplexity — and one that plagues every woman who seeks to “have it all.” altM will be featuring a series of conversation-style pieces between working moms Asma and Mariam (both lawyers who have been practicing for 10 years) that will explore the struggles…
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We used to want to go to mosques and community centers. As early immigrants, some 30 odd years ago, those structures served as a place where you found people like you. It’s where you met friends and availed the opportunity to give your children a piece of the culture you grew up…
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<< From the Altmuslimah Archives >> No doubt motherhood can earn women an elevated status in Islam, but entering into it without full disclosure of its headaches and heartaches…
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