A brief tour of gaslighting: A thing happens, something is said or done. A person is told it did not happen, or that it did not happen the way she thinks it did. This telling can come from individuals, as well as groups, and is a means of seizing…
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This article is part of a collaborative series commissioned by altMuslimah and Jewschool to promote interfaith dialogue and understanding between Muslim and Jewish communities experiencing a rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Trumpian White nationalism and supremacy are transnational and have found their mirror globally, in emboldened movements that threaten both…
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There are many things to be concerned about in the political and social fabric of America these days. But there is also much evidence that diverse groups of Americans see themselves as part of a shared community and a shared humanity. On May 26, 2017, 53-year-old Ricky John Best and…
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,…
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My story in this election year isn’t that different from other American Muslim stories. My kids had seen Donald Trump on television spouting his plan to ban Muslims. One of my twin boys, Yonas, came to me and said “Mama, where will we go if Donald Trump wins? I will…
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As increasing number of women around the world choose to dress in ways that express their religious beliefs and cultures, Professor Reina Lewis of London College of Fashion, UAL joins with altMuslimah.com and the Princeton Muslim Life Program to explore the pleasures and pitfalls of ‘modest’ fashion as community and…
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Last night, while I was putting my nine-year-old daughter to bed, she asked the question I’ve been both anticipating and dreading. “Mama, someone at school told me today that if Donald Trump gets elected, he would make all the Muslims leave the country. Mama, are we going to have to…
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It’s no secret that I’m a Bernie Sanders fan. I #FeelTheBern and I feel it hard. Having begun this election season apathetic, I watched a Democratic debate in November and was sold on the only person on stage who seemed to be giving honest, well-thought answers, the person who has…
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<< From the AltMuslimah Archives >> I recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, Chairman of the Board & Scholar-in-Residence at the Nawawi Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Abd-Allah offered me his insights into the growing phenomenon of Muslim women taking off their headscarves. The first part of the four-part interview can be read here. The second part of the interview follows:
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For Mother’s Day last year, my husband surprised me with a spa treatment at a Muslim-owned beauty salon. Long overdue for self-care, I gladly accepted the gift of the works done under the care of an Afro Brazilian Muslim woman. When we arrived at the shop, my daughter ran into…
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