By SaraIt was a turning point. The realization only lasted thirty seconds, but in that brief flash of time, the truth finally emerged from its hollow shell and showed me its face. It wasn’t extraordinary. It wasn’t the light-bulb moment I was expecting. A choir of voices didn’t sing “hallelujah” in unison, and the clouds didn’t…
By SaraWhat happens when a brilliant photographer/filmmaker teams up with a socially and politically conscious rapper/wordsmith extraordinaire? Magic – that’s what. Virginia-based visual artist (and one-half of the collaboration behind the infamous “We the People” inauguration protest posters) Ridwan Adhami, recently paired up with Montreal rapper Yassin “Narcy” Alsalman to create a music video that smashes…
By SaraUniversity applications are a daunting feat. You spend hours upon hours perfecting the profile that may ultimately determine whether you gain entrance into the program or school of your dreams. You’ve done everything you were supposed to do, enduring more caffeine-fueled all-nighters than you care to count. You worked hard, spent countless weekends with your…
By SaraYou don’t have to watch football to recognize the name Colin Kaepernick. The 49ers quarterback made headlines after refusing to stand for the national anthem in protest of the nation’s mistreatment of African Americans and people of color, an issue he says is “bigger than football.” At a press conference on Wednesday, Kaepernick quashed Internet…
By SaraAs some politicians, such as presidential hopeful Donald Trump and French mayor Marc Etienne, ride the wave of Islamophobic rhetoric sweeping across Europe and North America, one Canadian Member of Parliament is doing his part to challenge it. Frank Baylis, the representative of the Pierrefonds-Dollard riding in Quebec, recently sponsored a petition condemning Islamophobia and blanket generalizations…
By SaraIf there is one name you should remember from the 2016 Olympic games in Rio, it is Simone Manuel. The 20-year-old Stanford University student made waves Thursday night when she tied with her Canadian competitor, Penny Oleksiak, for gold in the 100-meter freestyle event with a record-breaking time of 52.70 seconds. In addition to winning…
By SaraAt around 9PM Thursday night in Dallas, as a peaceful march protesting police violence and the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile was winding down, the streets rang out with gunfire. Snipers strategically situated at elevated positions along the protest route shot eleven police officers, killing five of them, and injuring at least two…
By SaraIn Tal Abyad, a former Daesh stronghold, 27-year-old co-mayor Layla Mohammed is setting new precedents for the town’s inhabitants, particularly its women. Daesh captured the town of Tal Abyad in June of 2014. The town is located 50 miles north of the militant group’s de-facto capital of Ar-Raqqa, and is a key locale along their…
By SaraRamadan is a month all about giving: Giving up food, drink, and ego; giving in to God, and giving back to society. It is also a month where we strive to be in constant remembrance of God, and of those in need. But in the same way that it is not enough to merely be…
By SaraInna Lillah wa ina Ilaiha Rajioon. To God we belong, and to Him we return. In the hurried hustle and bustle of daily life, we sometimes forget that even our heroes die. It is with a heavy heart and in a state of deep reflection that we look back on the life of one of…
By SaraIt’s difficult to pinpoint our favorite memories of Muhammad Ali. He lived a life full of magnetic charisma, unwavering conviction, and indomitable vigor. And his tongue packed a punch that challenged the ones he threw with his fists. He was a man who lived his life to the fullest, passion and ebullience defining everything he…
By SaraMuslim Girl recently interviewed Lisa Jaradat and Sam Shareef, the two powerhouse women behind the organization Impact-Aid, and we are thoroughly impressed and inspired. *snaps for Lisa and Sam* Impact, which stands for International Movement Promoting Active Change for Tomorrow, is an organization actively working towards improving the lives of those affected by war, poverty,…
By SaraIn the midst of an election campaign teeming with hateful rhetoric and fear-baiting tactics, a group of US Representatives from both sides of the political spectrum are coming together to ensure the protection of an important American value: Religious freedom. On Wednesday May 11, the bi-partisan group, led by Virginia Rep. Don Beyer, introduced the…
By SaraHere at Muslim Girl, we are all about reclaiming narratives, and taking back what’s ours. And in honour of World Keffiyeh Day in Solidarity with Palestine, we are rescuing an important symbol of Palestinian resistance from the sticky fingers of the fashion world: The Keffiyeh. For centuries, it existed as a mark of utility. All…
By SaraRight now, there are literally hundreds of Palestinian children in Israeli jails. Up until recently, 12-year-old Dima al-Wawi was one of them. This past Sunday, the 12-year-old was released after a two and a half month stay in an Israeli prison. Al-Wawi is the youngest known female detainee to be held by Israel. The pre-teen was arrested earlier this…
