Xiwen Yang This short piece has its origin in my grandmother’s passing, who lived her whole life in a small town in south-western China and left for another realm in 2019, may Allah forgive her. Throughout my childhood, she protected my spirit, stirred my imagination, and cheered for my pursuits. I miss her, night and day. Her departure weighs on my heart and forces me … Continue reading A Meditation on Death in Istanbul
Rushda N. I remember a time when I thought my faith was indestructible. That I’d never give it up the way I’d seen others around me do, because I was better than that. It never occurred to me that my self-assuredness was simply arrogance — cloaked in religiosity. How could I be led astray? I was firm. I was resolute. I was wrong. Before I … Continue reading From Virtue to Vice: The Deception of Spiritual Arrogance
It is a wonder how one softens the heart in a world that is full of hatred and cruelty. When divisiveness is the norm rather than the exception, it becomes necessary to reflect on our interactions and adopt a way of life that builds bridges and instils love. For Muslims, there is no better peacemaker to look to than the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This man … Continue reading To Love as He ﷺ Loved
Sarah Masri It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Every son of Adam commits sin, and the best of those who commit sin are those who repent. Sunan Ibn Majah 4251 We often find ourselves overthinking mistakes we have made in the past. It could be a mistake we made at work or in school, something we said to someone … Continue reading In pursuit of forgiveness
Aaminah Y. Through the ages, society has exhausted every means by which it can comprehend death, from theology to thanatology, renaissance art to greek philosophy. Yet for many, death still remains one of life’s greatest mysteries. Modernity has altered our relationship with death, dividing attitudes between pure tragedy and indifference, both far removed from the sunnah of our beloved Rasool ﷺ. We rush to unpack the geopolitical … Continue reading The Destroyer of Pleasures: A Reflection on Death Culture
The Qarawiyyin Project 