By Sahra MaganThere has been an arrest in the case of a Muslim woman who was horrifically attacked while shopping in Bletchley. The suspect, a 37 year old man was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the violent racist attack after he was seen on CCTV footage. The suspect was seen verbally abusing the victim, who initially…
By Sahra MaganWill democracy and the rule of law remain under Erdogan’s rescued government? The government of President Recep Erdogan has already experienced a remarkable resurgence in power and control over Turkey merely days after Friday’s failed coup. Less than a week ago, the world watched as a faction of the Turkish army blockaded the Bosphorus Bridge, and declared…
By Sahra MaganZakat, or charity, is one of the fundamental tenets that underpins the faith of all Muslims. It is, after all, a pillar of Islam. The giving of wealth to less fortunate Muslims, especially in the Holy month of Ramadan, has a long tradition. The companions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, were famously generous…
By Sahra MaganAs we approach the month of Ramadan, one of the traditions I will be looking forward to is the smell of fresh, hot kac kac. Kac kac is similar to a Somali cookie or a doughnut. Every Somali family has their own (closely guarded) variation on the basic recipe. Everyday, a few hours before Iftaar,…
By Sahra MaganIbtihaj Muhammad, world champion fencer, and set to be the first American athlete to compete in the Olympics in a hijab, was asked to remove her hijab at SXSW to receive her badge. The incident occurred at the festival in Austin, Texas and involved a volunteer who asked Ibtihaj to take her headscarf off in…
By Sahra MaganTwo Muslim women were escorted by authorities off a JetBlue flight from Boston to Los Angeles for allegedly “staring” at a flight attendant. The incident, which was recorded by passengers, saw the passengers of the flight being instructed to remain seated after the plane landed as authorities were boarding the flight. The two women were…
By Sahra MaganA teenager has been stabbed in Huntington Beach, CA for “speaking Arabic.” The incident is not being investigated as an alleged Islamophobic hate crime, despite displaying some glaring hallmarks of a hate crime. Karam Jarrah, 17, was walking home with his brother-in-law, when the three suspects began verbally abusing them. Jarrah recounted to KABC that the three…
By Sahra Magan“Oh, is it safe to ride the elevator with you?” These were the Islamophobic comments made by a Florida lawmaker, State Representative Tom Goodson to a Muslim woman, Laila Abdelaziz, as he walked into the elevator filled with state legislators with whom she had just had a meeting. In a Facebook post, Abdelaziz wrote, “Everyone…
By Sahra MaganA proposal to turn 55 acres of unused farmland into a Muslim cemetery has led to community protest in rural Massachusetts. The small town of Dudley, MA saw several hundred people turn out to a community public hearing to discuss the proposal. At the hearing, residents expressed displeasure with the development proposed by the Islamic…
By Sahra MaganPreliminary results indicate that at least 17 women have been elected to office in Saudi Arabia in Saturday’s historic elections. The landmark elections marked the first time in the history of the conservative monarchy that women have been allowed to vote and run for office. Among the trailblazing Saudi women, who are the first women…
By Sahra MaganA list was published Wednesday with names of Muslims and “Muslim sympathizers,” along with their addresses. It has since been taken down — but was originally published by David Wright III, the organizer of an armed anti-Muslim protest at the Islamic Center of Irving, T.X. It highlights the intensification of Islamaphobia and threats of violence…
By Sahra MaganFor the Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar, the November 8 elections do not carry with them the promise of respite from ethnic and religious persecution. The silence by celebrated human rights activist and the current opposition leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, on the continued violence against the unrecognized ethnic minority, only serves to…
By Sahra MaganA powerful earthquake, magnitude 7.5, has struck north-east of Afghanistan resulting in the deaths of over 50 people in the remote provinces of Afghanistan and a further 187 in neighboring northern Pakistan. The aftershocks of the quake were felt as far as New Delhi, and officials expect the death toll to rise significantly as the…
By Sahra MaganThe longstanding practice of ritualized sexual violence against young boys — bacha bazi (literally, “boy play”) — was slowly reinstated after the fall of the Taliban, which had taken a hardline stance against the practice by banning it in the parts of the country that they controlled. The practice has been long condemned by human…
By Sahra MaganThe casualties of the twin bombing attack on protesters at a peace rally in the Turkish capital, Ankara, have been estimated at 95 dead, with hundreds more injured. The attack on a peace demonstration urging for an end to the conflict between Kurdish separatist groups and the Turkish government has further escalated tensions within Turkey….
