“Allah hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, as Allah revealed the Torah and the Gospel.” — Qur’an 3:3 Three attempts to educate through experiential learning and all three attempts were greeted with anti-Muslim sentiment. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you may have noticed…
Soul Sisters
Muslim Feminists Respond: On Headscarves and Interfaith Solidarity
Asra Nomani and Hala Arafa wrote a problematic op-ed in the Washington Post that suggests that allies can stand in solidarity with Muslim women by not wearing the scarf because the “only” valid struggle worth providing solidarity towards Muslim women includes Muslim women who choose to take the headscarf off in order to resist patriarchy in their…
The Struggles of Modesty in the Summer Heat
Summer time is always the hardest for me; being a modest Muslim is always easy in the winter. Hiding behind layers of clothing is a choice of necessity, not desire. I can wear long sleeves and dark jeans without having to explain myself. But when that snow starts melting, and the sun starts beating a…
Oh Sister, Wherefore Art Thou?
“God will bring people into your life who were once your enemy and they will call you brother.” – Jose Serra The above statement was said by a young man delivering a sermon at a Christian retreat I attended while I was still considering a conversion to Islam. It was this statement that solidified in…
Muslim Sacrifices Netflix For Lent. Madness Ensues.
Friends, today is a good day. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and everywhere I look I see families gathering in their pastel-colored suits and dresses to crowd the seats at their churches and celebrate Resurrection Sunday. But none of these sights is as beautiful as the one I most recently beheld: the…
The Fusion of Two Cultures: Stephanie Diaz’s Story
This past May, Stephanie Diaz was amongst the many 2013 graduates, as she received her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Oklahoma. Aside from completing her undergraduate degree, she was undergoing a spiritual journey. Stephanie, like many other converts, began comparing Catholicism, Christianity, and Islam. “When you don’t have the relationship…
A Latina’s Awakened Passion for Islam at Age 15
Samantha Young just finished her second year at Hudson County Community College, as she’s on her way to becoming a registered nurse. At 19 years old, she is the only Muslim in her family, and this July, she celebrates 4 years since the conversion of her newfound faith. Samantha’s mom is from Honduras, while her…
A Latina Sister’s Journey Into Islam
When we hear the term “minority,” our minds often think of race — and many of us are confounded within the boundaries of this term. This past year, and really, this past decade, I have been thinking of the minority in terms of religion. For many of you who are still in college, especially your…
My Path to Islam… What’s yours?
I am a 21-year-old convert to Islam and will be writing about my experiences as a convert insha’Allah. In order for you to get to know me a little I thought I’d start with an introduction of how I found Islam. Before I get to that however, I would like to ask you not to…