As a Muslim who grew up in an Arab country, I watched Muhammad Al-Durrah hide while his father used his own body to shield his son. I watched videos and clips of Palestinians being kicked out of their homes, beaten up, and arrested by Israeli soldiers. I grew up a bit more and saw Iraqis,…
Why I Have a Complicated Relationship With Being Visibly Muslim
Just over two weeks ago, in a shocking terror attack, a Muslim family of four were murdered in Canada by a 20-year-old man. Three generations of a family were killed, leaving behind a 9-year-old boy who woke up in a hospital to find himself all alone with no family members left, just because they were…
Biden Continues Trump’s Legacy of Harm With Latest Muslim Ban Decision
Every year, 50,000 people enter the U.S. on diversity visa that is decided by a visa lottery system. The applicants come from countries with historically low rates of immigrationto the U.S. During Trump’s presidency, the Muslim ban barred many people from Muslim-majority and African countries from entering the U.S., even if they were among the…
3 Things You Should Remember About Kamala Harris While Celebrating Her Victory
The 2020 presidential elections had many firsts, but the most distinct one was Kamala Harris’ victory as the first woman of color to ever hold the position of vice president. This is a victory for many people, especially immigrants, people of color, and women. But while celebrating this victory, supporters should also recognize that Harris…
This Is Why Muslim-Majority Countries Have Been Boycotting French Products
The hashtag #BoycottFrenchproducts and #BoycottFrance have been trending recently in many Muslim-majority and Arab countries across the world. The worldwide anger from Muslims comes following claims by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, where he defended the infamous cartoons that are offensive and insulting to the Prophet Muhammad. After backlash happened in France over the murder…
Two Muslim Women Stabbed in French Revenge Attack
Two Muslim women were rushed to the hospital after being stabbed by two French women near Eifel tower on October 21, 2020. Kenza and Amel were walking with family members, including two kids, near the Eifel Tower when two French women stabbed them while attempting to take off their hijabs and calling them racial slurs….
Why Casting Gal Gadot’s as Cleopatra Is Another Example of Hollywood’s Whitewashing
Gal Gadot, a former Israeli soldier who supports the state of Israel and Zionism, will be portraying Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen, in her new movie. There are many things that are wrong with this. Let’s start with Cleopatra’s heritage. Cleopatra was born in Egypt with her family origins in Macedonia, Greece. She ruled Egypt from…
Why Muslims Shouldn’t Be Praising Biden’s Use of “Inshallah”
On September 29, many people gathered in front of their screens to watch the first presidential debate between former Vice President Joe Biden and current President Donald Trump, to see what they had to say. When talking about taxes and the claims that Trump only paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2017, Joe Biden…
Here’s Why This Bride Opted for a Zoom Wedding
The pandemic has forced many people to cancel, postpone, or reconsider their plans for 2020. One category of people who have had to make major adjustments to their plans are couples who wanted to celebrate their love with their friends and family, but couldn’t because of health restrictions. After planning for many months for the…
Here’s Why You Should Heed the Calls to Boycott Disney’s “Mulan”
After less than a week of its release, the newest Disney movie, Mulan, caused backlash and calls for a Disney boycott. Audience members noticed the credits at the end of the film thanking authorities in the autonomous region Xinjiang, where the Muslim Uyghurs’ genocide continues to take place. The film tells the story of Hua…
Here’s Why Rape Culture Is a Problem in Egypt
Content warning: This post discusses violence against women, to include rape culture, sexual assault, rape, and street harassment. Women across social media have been coming forward about their sexual assault cases and exposing their harassers, and Egyptian women decided to finally speak out as well. This year has been full of surprises and unexpected events….
9 Documentaries to Educate Yourself on Social Justice Issues
If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that there are more things we need to learn about in this world we live in today. Between the chaos of the pandemic, the existing racial systemic divisions, and a complicit voter demographic of people who think we don’t have a problem, educating ourselves about different issues…
This is What Defunding the Police Looks Like
As protests rise across the US after the murder of Geroge Floyd at the knee of a police officer (as well as neglect for the officer’s partners,) many people are saying the solution is to defund the police. What does defunding the police mean to the community, and how can it impact us all? Defunding…