Aaminah Y. Usama Ibn Munqidh slayed crusaders and grappled with lions. He was struck by spears and pelted with arrows, yet he did not die in battle. Entering his 90th year, he wrote: “Far easier is death at any army’s head than the taxations of a lingering life of pain and dread.” His years of service to the kings had come to an end as … Continue reading Indefinitely Quarantined: The case of the elderly
Aisha Hasan Despite decades of explanations and refutations, the hijab remains the most widespread and contentious issue surrounding Muslim women. From narratives of oppression to empowerment, the entire spectrum of feeling has been expressed over this simple piece of cloth covering a Muslim woman. In the age of modest fashion, the hijab has taken on another dimension altogether, and has in most mainstream discourse been … Continue reading Refuting the Historical Negation of Hijab
Aisha Hasan “We really need more female scholars” A statement heard time and time again in Muslim communities in the West. Whether it is an organisation searching for a female speaker for an event or a general discussion lamenting the lack of knowledge amongst Muslims, the importance of female scholarship is regularly mentioned as a crucial factor in countering the problems of the Ummah around … Continue reading ‘We really need more female scholars’ – a response
A Muslimah Writes Prior to her stepping down over anti-Israel tweets, news that L’Oreal had featured their first hijab-wearing woman, Amena Khan, in a shampoo advert caused a stir on social media this week. The “history making” decision was (initially) praised as just one of many measures that have sought to integrate minority communities, particularly Muslims, into mainstream branding – from Revlon hiring YouTuber Dina … Continue reading Does representation lead to empowerment?
By Afsheen Mehmood This summer I was blessed with the opportunity to visit and pray in Masjid Al Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam. To say that I was anxious about this trip would have been an understatement. For years I had thought that given the political troubles in the region, visiting Masjid Al Aqsa would be completely out of the question. In addition, … Continue reading To Palestine & back: Tourism will not save Al-Aqsa
