By Guest BloggerDating as a Muslim? Can Muslims date? What even is dating nowadays!? These questions are sadly often neglected and shoved under rug in the name of religion. Yet, in the safety of their rooms and under their soft blanket, Muslim women of all ages are turning to one another for the answers. I recall many…
By nadiadreidPrenups usually rear their head in modern American culture when a wealthy man wants to make sure his wife-to-be doesn’t run off with his fortune, and are generally viewed as an unromantic sign that modern couples don’t take marriage as seriously as their parents did. But prenuptial agreements aren’t a new invention for a…
By I was visiting my grandparents abroad in Pakistan, when my khala (aunt) who lived in Pakistan approached me in private. She asked me what I knew about periods. My khala is ten years younger then my mom and has always been considered my “cool” aunt; the one who would take me to get my second…
By In a world full of dreamers of wedding bells and perfect wedding dresses, there seems to be an overall consensus about which months are perfect for weddings. Within my clique, that month did not coincide with the proximity of Ramadan. In fact, I heard, “Don’t get married right before or during Ramadan,” more times than…
By It’s hard to believe, but Ramadan is almost halfway over. This holy time of the year brings with it an experience unlike no other. For Muslims all over the world, this month marks a moment where worldly pleasures are subtracted, and spirituality multiplied. You can feel this purity as family members, friends, and loved ones share well wishes…
By Guest BloggerWritten by Muslim Girl staff writer Nehal Naser When I was coming to terms with the end of my marriage and trying to process the abuse I suffered during it, I always got the same response from those who I reached out to for help: “You’re lucky he doesn’t hit you. Be patient with your husband’s faults.”…
By nehalnaserDear Warrior, Dear Survivor, Dear Jane-of-all-trades, Dear time management guru, (or aspiring one anyway!) Dear epitome of strength, of courage, of determination, I see you. I am you. And I get it. About two years ago, I ended an eight-year marriage. An eight-year cycle of gritting my teeth, faking a smile and bearing all kinds…
By Guest BloggerWritten by Nasema Begum, “The Dating Coach” It’s starting to dawn on you how great your ex-husband really was…You just can’t believe you had that thought! You’re out on the dating scene trying to meet someone new, someone better, someone who sees you for the potential you are, even beyond what you believe it to…
By leahvernonIt’s been nineteen years since I witnessed the first physical altercation between a man and a woman. Mom and my brother’s dad. Fifteen years since I saw my brother choke one of Mom’s temporary husbands because of yet another domestic dispute. Five years since I, myself, was incarcerated for domestic violence because that boy I…
By Amanda SadlerSaying relationships are not easy is an understatement. Even if you get past the initial courtship and tackle wedding planning, once the honeymoon period ends, the real work begins. It is now much harder (and more expensive) to just walk away. Patience is an important component to any relationship, marital or otherwise. We don’t quote…
By manalIn my last column, I discussed the importance of the conversation around sex from a personal perspective. Yet as powerful as the personal narrative may be, it is always important for us to look for the collective good and what benefits the community at large. For it was the combination of personal and community needs…
By manalFor most of my life, I avoided difficult questions that seemed to pit my gender against my religion. I could not truly wrap my head around everything from the permissibility of marrying four wives to the concept of “what the right hand possesses.” I knew in my heart of hearts that my love for Islam…
By manalWritten by Manal Omar For more than 40 years, I have read article after article about the virtues of abstaining from food and drink for the mental, physical and spiritual self during the month of Ramadan. Yet little has been discussed on the benefits that come from the requirement to abstain from sex. Well, that…
By Guest BloggerMy husband and I have been married for three years and I still don’t love him. Our marriage story isn’t extraordinary. I met him through a friend, who insisted that we would make a good match. “He’s just like you,” I remember her gushing to me one day over tea. “You like the same things.”…
By Amanda SadlerTake a moment and think about your favorite fairy tale romance. Start imagining Eric and Ariel, Aladdin and Jasmine or Cinderella and Prince Charming. I was always a sucker for Snow White. If only real life were as easy as a handsome Prince riding in to plant a smooch to wake you and you are off…
