There is a place in Kashmir, called Srinagar, known as Zero Bridge, that connects the residency road area directly to Rajbagh. Rajbagh is a bustling hub for coaching centers, where many teenagers go for their academic studies. When I was traveling there, I witnessed a handful of girls wearing outfits that resembled Korean fashion. Throughout…
Vogue France Features a Hijabi on Its Cover for the First Time
For the first time in its history of publication, the August 2022 issue of Vogue France featured two Somali women on the cover — and the first hijabi, in spite of France’s hijab ban. This is the first time in over 100 years of its publishing history that there is finally a hijabi on the…
An Imam Compared My Marriage to a Marlboro Light
I have been a proud Muslim for as long as I can remember. I have been proudly queer for just as long. Growing up in a progressive, mixed-faith, mixed-race home in Morocco, I had the privilege of simultaneously living in several worlds at once. My father, a Muslim man who lived with integrity, kindness, and…
Why Aren’t Muslim Students Talking About Their Mental Health?
Disclaimer: This article is in no way meant to substitute for medical or mental health advice from a trained and educated mental health professional. Muslim Girl encourages those who need help to seek it and encourages the use of resources such as therapists, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and trained mental health professionals. You should never try…
What Is Muharram?: Lessons of Patience and Grief
In Shia tradition, Muharram is not only the beginning of the Islamic calendar but marks the period in which we remember the sacrifice of Prophet Mohamed (SAWW)’s grandson, Imam Hussain. Therefore, during this month Shias remember and lament the tragedy that occurred between Imam Hussain (AS)’s small band of followers and Yazid, the governor of…
Contemplating Ashura: A Shia Muslim’s Reflections
Every year, upon the emergence of the crescent of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, Shi’i Muslims around the world cloak themselves in black garments and prepare to mourn Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family. On the day of Ashura, the…
Why We Need Women Leaders
There is a story in the Quran that I find very liberating. The Quran tells us about a time when Abraham, peace be upon him (PBUH) asked, “Lord, show me how You revive the dead. Lord replied, “Have you not believed?” to which Abraham said, “Yes, but to reassure my heart.” The Quran tells us…
We Need to Talk About Muslim Women and Infertility
Infertility is a broad term with a rather simple definition: inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse. Perhaps in hushed tones, you’ve overheard the phrase being murmured about a family member. Infertility is a diagnosis that is common, affecting 1 out of every 8 women. Yet, it is one of those conditions that…
Marvel's First Muslim Superhero
Q&A with Iman Vellani, Kevin Feige, Sana Amanat and Cast on Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is finally making her television debut and she’s already shattering expectations for your typical teen superhero. Kamala’s journey has been a longtime coming, since her fans have been following her story since she first appeared as a Marvel comic in 2014. As the first South Asian Muslim superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,…
Making Marvel History
Ms. Marvel’s Iman Vellani: “Culture and Religion Were Never the Main Thing”
If you’ve been trying to keep up with Ms. Marvel, then you know the superhero is championing new milestones for Muslim representation on screen. When you hear breakout star Iman Vellani and co-creator Sana Amanat tell it, you realize their real superpower is taking the notion of representation to a totally new level: normalization. Iman…
The Path to Inner Peace Is Through the Remembrance of Allah
Our Islam is a religion of peace, and those who submit to its teachings are said to find peace through that submission. And yet, statistics show that depression and anxiety in Muslim-majority countries are on par with the average levels found in the rest of the world. Why is it that we do not seem…
This Is How Imam Al-Ghazali Saved Me
If you are lucky, at some point in your life, a tear will appear on the edges of your world. And if you are brave enough to pick at the tear, you will be given a glimpse into the great unknown, where angels, demons, hope, and darkness exist — not as delusional of one’s imagination…
My Young Age Didn’t Protect Me From a Bad Case of COVID
Springtime of 2022 was approaching. It had been two years since the pandemic first began, and COVID-19 became a normal word in our vocabulary. I’d grown accustomed to hearing about people getting COVID, how they would be a bit sick, and then back to normal for a few days. I had not been infected and…
It’s Our Obligation to Continue Helping Kids Born With an “Al-Majiri Bowl” Post-Ramadan
I was heading back home from the market when I noticed a group of boys lurking around some closed shops in the market. Some were lying on the floor, fast asleep, oblivious to their surroundings. Some were play-fighting as young boys do. They looked unkempt, with countless stains on their clothes, which were not even…
A Guide to Centering Women’s Voices in Worship
The first few encounters I had with the practices of Islam were when I was about 10 years old. My brothers and I would follow my father’s friends and his wife and daughters to the prayer ground for Eid prayers, and even though I had no idea how to pray, I always enjoyed going. I…