I write this post from the Karachi newsroom of The Express Tribune, a daily English newspaper in the “Islamic Republic” of Pakistan where Shias are being killed daily during Muharram, women are getting raped, robberies are an every day thing, and at least six people were killed daily here in Karachi in 2012. In all…
Tag islam
“Hijabi” vs. “Non-Hijabi”
I’m sorry, but why does this even matter? All my life, I have always heard this constant battle being spoken among religious gatherings, classrooms, and social hangouts. The distinction between hijabis (those who wear the headscarf) and non-hijabis (those who do not) was always brought up and viewed as a topic of discussion. Why though,…
A Visit to Germany
I spent my day in Germany, where I had the opportunity to enthrall myself in a new country, culture, and people. We had 8 hours until our connecting flight, so we decided to go downtown where all the hustle and bustle of everyday life was. We took the train from the airport, which is when…
The Treaty of Hudaibiyah
The Treaty of Hudaibiyah is called by the Qur’an a “clear victory.” Six years after migrating to Medina, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had a dream that he and his followers were performing Umra (pilgrimage). After having this dream, the Prophet (SAW) and about fourteen hundred Companions started towards Makkah. Since they did not want any fighting,…
The Constitution of Medina
So Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his followers were now in Medina, in an attempt to escape the growing hostility, religious intolerance, and persecution of Mecca. They had migrated to Medina in the year 622 in search of freedom and peace. This year is also known as the year of migration, or hijrah. This is later…
The Message of Islam
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّـهُ أَحَدٌ ﴿١﴾ اللَّـهُ الصَّمَدُ ﴿٢﴾ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ﴿٣﴾ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ ﴿٤ Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. — Surat Ikhlaas. “Islam” means the submission of one’s will…
Bored? Muslim Facebook Pages
So admit it, we all have Facebooks… Facebooks that we spend countless hours on even though it’s boring and nobody’s online and we should be studying. But, let’s face it, it’s addicting! So how about checking out some of our favorite inspiring, motivational, just-for-fun, or OMG-that’s-so-true Facebook pages? Hijab Tan Lines – it happens to…
Malcolm X and the Real Islam
Change. Change. Change. A major problem among people isn’t that we don’t want to change, but that we don’t think we can. We think it’s too late to fix our mistakes or to re-evaluate the way we’re living our lives. But once one reads the biography of the honored and revered Malcolm X, we can…
Paper in the Islamic Empire
Paper (or in Arabic, waraqa), a material which is used for so many things in our lives, can trace back its origins to over 2000 years ago in China. However, the Islamic Empire was responsible for spreading the use of paper throughout the world and sparked the start of its use in Europe hundreds of…
The Foundation of Islamic Law and the Conquest of Mecca
Shari’ah, or Islamic law, literally means “a way to the watering place” or “a path to seek felicity and salvation”, and is the laws and regulations meant to govern the lives of every day Muslims as a way to lead a moral and ethical life.1 Since Islam is considered less a religion and more a…
The Islamic Empire in 30 Days: Prelude
Starting Saturday, people in every country around the world will begin a month-long fast for Ramadan. The holiest month of the year, Ramadan is when Muslims refrain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset and try their best to bring themselves as close to Allah (SWT) as possible. This is not only a time…
Who are Muslim Americans?
While almost anyone can spout off sensational views on what they think of Islam and its adherents, it’s rarer to find true in-depth and impartial analysis on exactly who represents Islam, i.e. the average Muslim, especially in the United States. However, the Muslim West Facts Project, a partnership between the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and the Coexist Foundation, does exactly this in its recent report titled “Muslim Americans: A National Portrait”, which surveyed approximately 300,000 people and highlights Muslim American ethnic, economic, and political diversity, giving real insight on exactly what the modern Muslim-American, including the youth, is really like.
True Friendship
From Qisas.com A person came crying and weeping to Shaikh Shiblee and said, ‘O Shaikh, I have destroyed myself; make supplication for me that may Allah (SWT) take me away from this world.’ People whose relationship with Allah (SWT) is strong will never ever dream of committing suicide. Those people who enjoy the pleasures of…