By Nargis Rahman We’re five months into the pandemic with no clear sight on the end in the near future. Overnight (and over the subsequent months) people lost jobs, family members, and many found themselves parenting and working from home while trying to hold onto their mental health. Social, economic and racial inequities, which has always been around, became even more so painfully clear. By mid-April it was evident that school wouldn’t reopen for the rest of the year. Being home presented its own challenges for me – an extrovert with anxiety. Image source: Pixabay The Greater Good Science C ..read more

It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of Muslim orphans worldwide, which seems to grow by the day with teach worsening humanitarian conflict – Palestine, Syria, China, Myanmar and in so many areas of the world, the number of orphaned children is growing at an alarming rate. But we CANNOT allow ourselves to become desensitized to these growing tragedies. It is our obligation as Muslims to take care of the orphans as we would our own children and parents, as mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 215: “They ask you [Oh Muhammad] what they should spend. Say: Whatever you spend of g ..read more

By Inas Younis The late psychiatrist and best-selling author Scott Peck once noted that when religious people came to him in emotional pain, they frequently left therapy as atheists or agnostics. On the other hand, if atheists, agnostics or skeptics came to him in pain or distress, they frequently left therapy as deeply religious people. Same therapy, same therapist, but totally different conclusions. According to Peck, People will have radically different responses to the same therapeutic interventions because we are all at different stages of our spiritual development. Peck outlines these fo ..read more

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By Deena Majeed Does anyone else feel like we’ve been stuck in a time loop since March? It’s now August, time for kids to go back to school. Usually, this time of year consists of back-to-school shopping and preparing for another school year in the classroom. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is looking dramatically different. While some schools have decided to do in-person learning, many have opted to continue virtual learning; other schools are doing a combination of in-person and online learning. It’s been difficult for families, to say the least. Some parents are working outside the ..read more

So, you're new to Islam! I want to begin by welcoming you with the greeting of Islam: Assalamu Alaikum (Peace Be Upon You)! Welcome to Islam! May Allah (S) shower you with His peace and blessings! You are now a part of the beautiful religion of Islam and a part of a worldwide sisterhood, Alhamdulillah! We want to extend a [virtual] hand and let you know that you are not alone; we got your back, girl! ;) Before we begin with this beginner's guide to Islam, please understand that it is normal to feel a medley of different emotions – from happy, to nervous, to anxious and even overwhelmed ..read more

By Alina Din It’s pretty incredible to think that the women from our Prophet Muhammad (saw)’s time were just as ambitious, intelligent and passionate as their male counterparts back then. They were doctors, writers, soldiers, merchants – you name it! Obviously, the most famous woman of this group is the Prophet’s beloved first wife, Khadijah (ra), who was a successful businesswoman and trader. Here are some other Sahabiyyat (companions of the Prophet) women, whose stories and backgrounds are just as awe-inspiring and eye-opening!  Image source: Ilm feed 1. Al-Khansa is one of the best-kn ..read more

As salaamu alaikum and hello everyone! How is it August already? It can feel so wearisome, with the COVID-19 global pandemic still wreaking havoc and social distancing/masking measures very much so in place, despite what others may think or believe. As a friend of mine said, "I know we all want to feel normal again. I know that we are trying lots of variations on existing activities to give ourselves a sense of connection. I get it!" I get it, too. What can we do to find that sense of "normalcy" (whatever that means), that stability we need? It means different things for different p ..read more

I’m so thankful that the Hajj is still happening. The pilgrims are gathered today on the day of Arafat – where the Prophet Muhammad (saw) gave his last sermon to his Muslim ummah – in prayer and contemplation. Only this year, amid a global and terrible COVID-19 pandemic that has seen more than 16 million cases of coronavirus resulting in more than 600,000 deaths (and counting), the number of pilgrims are reduced from two million plus to around a thousand. Image source: CAIR-Texas DFW Imagine if you are one of the lucky locals performing Hajj this year, with all the space and relative pea ..read more

By Batool Kweider COVID-19 has presented many challenges and opportunities; the most significant for many of us, with so many things cancelled, is the time to invest in the relationship we have with Allah (S) as well as ourselves. Facing ourselves isn’t always easy because it requires us to face our pain, mistakes, past, bad habits, religiosity and all the areas where growth is required. In simpler terms, we have to get real, which is notably discouraged in a society that increasingly promotes showing our best, refined and (often) superficial selves on social media. Our society also often emph ..read more