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These 4 Women Give Me Strength, and They’ll Do the Same for You

I am a proud Middle Eastern woman, and let me tell you why. Ever since I was a young child, I envisioned women as being strong, beautiful creatures capable of many things. I first learned this invaluable lesson from watching my fierce mother, who overcame so many challenges, with an ever-present smile on her face….

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11 Female Icons From Islamic History

On this #ThrowbackThursday, I want us to explore the female icons that have been integral to Islamic history, the spread of the faith, and innovation. We have plenty of current icons today — like Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai, advocating for girls education and building schools while attending Oxford University (no big deal). Meanwhile,…

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Here Is Why We Celebrate Eid Al-Adha

As Eid inches closer, we should take a moment to remind ourselves what this particular Eid is all about; whether it be why we celebrate Eid al-Adha in the first place,  or why the prophet Abraham (AS) is so closely associated to this holiday. Many know prophet Abraham (AS) for the mere fact that he…

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Zubaidah bint Ja’far

By all accounts a woman of strong intellect and deep compassion, Zubaidah bint Ja’far (766- 831) used the enormous wealth and power derived from her position as the wife of the fifth Abbasid Caliph, Harun al-Rashid (786-809), to serve others as well as to promote Islam. The Abbasid Caliphate was the third Islamic caliphate, and…

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Sumayyah bint Khayyat

Ever since I was a young girl, flipping through the pages of my Islamic Studies textbook in Sunday school, I’ve been exposed to the history of Islam. Amongst the many paragraphs and historical text I came across, I found a list of martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of Islam. I must…

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Shirin Ebadi: First Muslim Woman Nobel Peace Prize Winner

“Whenever women protest and ask for their rights, they are silenced with the argument that the laws are justified under Islam. It is an unfounded argument. It is not Islam at fault, but rather the patriarchal culture that uses its own interpretations to justify whatever it wants.”         -Shirin Ebadi When we think about Nobel Peace…

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The Female Sufi Saint: Rabi’a al-Adawiyya

Running with fire in one hand and water in the other, Rabi’a explained, “I am going to burn paradise and douse hellfire so that both veils may be lifted from those on the quest, and they will become sincere of purpose. God’s servants will learn to see Him without hope for reward or fear of…

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The Person who Founded the (first ever!) University was a Muslim Woman

Fatima al-Fihri isn’t a household name, but she should be, because she founded the world’s first University (which, incidentally, is still thriving today). She was born in Tunisia into a wealthy family; her father was a successful businessman. She also had one sister named Mariam (it is unclear if her mother died young). They were…