By Aia JaberIf your only go-to short surah is Surah Ikhlas, say no more! Performing prayer is an act of worship each of us should look forward to but often times our limited knowledge of surahs force us to keep repeating the same ones in every single prayer. This leads us to have a weaker connection with…
By NiaAs Muslims, we all understand how important salat is for our faith. It is one of the five pillars of Islam and is performed five times a day during the specified times for each prayer. We see it as a mandatory form of worship and a way to connect to Allah (SWT.) However, many people…
By MG StaffDisclaimer: 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…
By MG StaffWe live in a world overloaded with information, distraction, noise, and overwhelming factors. Our senses are constantly being stimulated from every direction, subhanAllah. We all, at times, find it difficult to focus during our prayers, and reflect upon the verses. Most of our thoughts come to us unintentionally; we can’t control them 100%. Very few people can…
By MG StaffAuthor’s note: This personal essay is based on my own experiences. This is not me preaching from a soapbox. Instead, this is my attempt to muddle through some incredibly complex feelings and experiences. Perhaps along the way, I’ll be able to offer a relatable moment to anyone who may share my experiences. Three days ago,…
By MG StaffMy mom has had a bunch of solid coloured chaadars (shawls) which she wraps around herself while offering namaz (prayers). Now, these are chaadars I’ve literally grown up watching her pray her namaz in. I have always felt a weird sort of attachment to them. Probably because I can smell my mom in them. A…
By Assalamualaikum-warahmatullah. Assalamualaikum-warahmatullah. The imam bellows the blessing into the grainy microphone as I dutifully turn my head to my shoulders, greeting the two angels that would reside with me until my grave. I shut my eyes and hold my hands up to the sky, envisioning a heavenly presence lifting my conscience and guiding me. I…
By “Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, God will make easy for him a path to Paradise.” With these words, our Prophet Muhammad emphasized the vitality of treading a path of knowledge, however far that distance may be. The Prophet’s words strengthen my resolve and commitment to continue and persevere in my quest to…
By If you’ve ever felt sleep deprived or exhausted in Ramadan, it’s time to think seriously about fixing your sleep! We all know that Ramadan nights are blessed, and a time to make the most of. However, with late-night prayers and early morning suhoor, it can feel impossible to get in a proper night’s sleep to…
By Guest BloggerOn Muslim Women’s Day — of all days — a Pennsylvania lawmaker had the audacity to use religion and prayer as a means to carry out her bigoted views. The lawmaker in question, Rep. Borowicz, folded her hands and prayed to God for “forgiveness,” as a Muslim women prepared to be sworn into office. Can…
By Samreen AnwarWa-(a)l-‘Asr(i). ‘Inna-(a)l-‘insana lafi khusr(in). ‘Illa-(a)lladhina ‘amanu wa ‘amilu-(a)s-salihati Wa-tawasaw bi-(a)l haqqi wa-tawasau bi(a)s-sabr(i) “By the Time. Indeed! Man surely is in a loss. Except those who believe, and do good deeds, and mutually enjoin truth and mutually enjoin patience” (‘Al-‘Asr 103: 1-3) Al Asr- The Passing Time. One of the shortest chapters in the Quran but…
By Zeena MubarakYou know how it is. You’re going about your day and then – BOOM – it’s prayer time. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said the whole world’s a mosque, right? Here are my top seven improvised mosques: 1) Fitting Room Let’s start with an oldie, but goldie. The fitting room is always a good place for a…
By Zeena Mubarak1) THE WAILING KID You may think this kid is just being a poor clueless child, but his timing shows you that the whole thing is completely deliberate. He spends the entire sermon and prayer sobbing his little heart out, but the second the Imam pops out his first “Asalamu Alaikum”, the child is as…
By HabeebaWith Ramadan and Eid officially over and summer not far behind, we find ourselves getting back into the routine of our non-fasting, non-Taraweeh-praying schedules. On Eid, the Imam at the prayer I attended reminded the congregation: Eid is not the day to break the connection established with Allah during the month of Ramadan; rather, Eid…
By HabeebaShow of hands: who has trouble focusing during prayer? The first step to conquering a problem is realizing there is one, right? The five daily prayers shouldn’t be a quick jumble of Arabic words and physical movements thrown together for a span of a few minutes. But with our minds in 20 places at once,…
