Dua (prayer/supplication) has been called the “weapon of the believer,” and rightfully so: The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Be cautious of the dua of the oppressed person, because there is no barrier between his dua and Allah (SWT).” (Narrated in Sahih Bukhari) Well, we’re in need of this weapon now, more than ever. I’m not saying…
Soul RX
I Have 20/60 Vision & I Know the Power of Zooming Out
When I was younger, my siblings would always tease my about my glasses and my near-blindness. “What’s life with four eyes like? How does it feel knowing that your eyes are just bad at being eyes?” Now that I’ve traded in my purple butterfly fifth grade glasses for some nice tortoise shell Warby Parkers, they’ve surrendered to…
6 Verses From the Quran to Help You Through Anxiety
Most of us have felt some kind of anxiety in our lives—prior to a test, standing before a crowd, going to a place where you don’t know anyone. But for others, anxiety may feel like an overwhelming presence, and there is no shame in getting help with that. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association…
To My Brave Muslim Sisters in the Era of Trump
Written by Shaykh Hasib Noor Fear is natural. Anxiety of the unknown is human. We are here to not disregard your natural fears & your questions about maintaining your hijab. But this fear should not translate to feeling helpless & hopeless. You have many examples in your struggle, you are not alone. Sumayyah, who stood…
6 Lessons from the Gems of Islamic Teachings
Although I was born a Muslim, I never really considered myself one until I rediscovered the gems of Islam. Reading the Qur’an and its astounding interpretations inspired my thirst for knowledge and thus my journey of reading other extensive Islamic books and hadith commenced. Surprisingly, learning about Islam led me to explore other parts of…
Did Shaytan Get Kicked Out of Heaven for being Racist?
Shaytan, Satan, Iblees, the Devil, Lucifer—these are all synonymous for the one ultimate enemy. The tempter, the doomed one, the damned one—the one that can take you to hell. A while back, the image below was circulating, suggesting that Shaytan missed one sajda (prostration), which got him kicked out of heaven. The message was: do not miss your prayers…
The 7-Minute Subway Prayer — by the Man in the Orange Jacket
Written by Shazia Mansuri. — I was running late. Six extra minutes on the walk to the station, two extra minutes printing my ticket, four extra minutes stuck in a signal delay, three extra minutes weaving between tight-lipped businessmen to catch the path, just to be halted again. The World Trade Center train was packed with sweaty…
God Is the Ultimate Authority on Islam, Not Scholars
Prayer is the most important conversation of your day. Take it to God before you take it to anyone else. –Unknown Regardless of our level of belief in God or ourselves, we all have struggles at one time or another. Things are not going our way or we are not sure about a major decision;…
Did I Just Attend the Friday Khutba or a Game of ‘The Fear Factor?’
All of us, at one point or another, have sat through the “boring and culturally irrelevant” Jumu’ah khutbah (Friday sermon), the “over-our-heads technical” khutbah, and the “our khateeb couldn’t make it, so I’m just winging this” khutbah. But the one that people tend to hate the most is the khutbah where, in every other sentence,…
How to Keep Your Envy & Faith in Check
Today’s world is filled with so much glamour and galore, and it’s kind of hard not to experience a little envy now and then. After all, let’s be honest — envy is a pretty basic-level human emotion that all individuals can attest to. But just because it’s something that all human beings can experience, doesn’t…
Here Is Why Delaying Gratification Is Better For You — Islam Says So!
Your alarm is going off, if you snooze five more minutes you’ll be late for work, but you are so tired. What do you do? Sleep in for five more minutes and arrive late for work, possibly facing repercussions, or sacrifice those five minutes of sleepy bliss for a later reward? Researchers have been studying…
Let’s Talk About the Dress Code for Muslim Men
We’ve all come across horrendous videos of “mashallah brothers” talking about how Muslim women should “dress properly” (whatever that means), and even famous imams and sheikhs critiquing the attire of Muslim women. As a Muslim woman, I think I can safely say that we’ve had enough. Why don’t these imams and “mashallah brothers” ever talk…
This is What It Was Like Celebrating Eid Abroad
For my family and I, Eid is about family gathering, good food, and memories that will last a lifetime. So this year, when my sister and her husband booked my immediate family (mum, dad, two sisters, their husbands, and children) a holiday in Marbella for Eid, we were all unsure about what to expect of…
More Than Dessert: Bringing Palestine to the American Potluck
I’m standing in front of the induction range at work, a pancake slowly sizzling in the pan, a bag of crushed walnuts and nutmeg open and waiting to my left. There are still four and a half hours until sunset, and the heat and the smell of fresh qatayef rising from the stove make me…
11 Lessons on Spiritual Growth From ICNA 2016
Photo credit: YouTube screen shot Recently, I attended the annual ICNA Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, as I do every year. Established on September 1st, 1968, the Islamic Circle of North America was a response to the growing need for a supportive Muslim community in North America. They eventually started this convention to create a platform…