The Islamic world and the Roman Empire share a millennium of history, beginning with reported interactions between the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Byzantine Emperor Heraclius and ending …
Reclaiming the Sunnah of Adoption and Foster Care: An Interview with Basmah Salam
Adoption and foster care are topics seldom discussed in many Muslim circles today. However, caring for orphaned children and at-risk youth is a practice repeatedly mentioned in our Islamic tradition …
National Poetry Month: An Ode to Faith, Visibility, and the Conversations We Don’t Forget
Some conversations never leave you; rather, they linger and leave a mark. Years ago, I experienced such a moment, and from that moment a poem was born. It was 2012, …
Beyond Ramadan: Taking Its Lessons Farther
For many people, Ramadan is celebrated with others, from community iftar dinners to collective taraweeh prayers as well as numerous gatherings aimed at charity or worship. However, some of us struggle with social anxiety and isolate to cope, while others may be grappling with a loss and crippling grief, and still some …
Cleaning Heart-Blockages with Dua and Dhikr
This is the third article in a series entitled “Under the Throne of Allah: Dua and Dhikr.” There can be seasons in life when, outwardly, you may be doing everything …
“He Has Spoken the Truth:” Instilling Abu Bakr’s Attitude in our Children
This is the first article in a series titled, “The Real Champions: The Companions as Role Models for Muslim Youth.” Abdullah ibn Uthman, widely known as Abu Bakr, had …
The Kids Are All Right About Ramadan’s Sacrifices. You Should Be Too
A few months ago, quite out of the blue, my oldest child, a teenager, said, “I’m excited about Ramadan.” I won’t lie; I was pretty surprised. To verify whether this …
Hijab, Identity, and the Cost of Belonging
Hijab is a personal journey but also a collective effort. Individual actions seldom exist in a vacuum. Our choices shape culture, our visibility matters, and our struggles can affect those …
The World Has Dry January. Muslims Have Allah’s Guidance
With January nearly over, it’s likely you’ve heard about Dry January when New Year’s resolutions inevitably come up. You’ve probably seen this term floating around your social media feed, talked about in your workplace, or popping up in turn-of-the-year and mid-January news articles. In late …
Social Media as Sadaqah Jariyah: A Reflective Piece
In an age where a single post can reach thousands in seconds, it becomes impossible to ignore the powerful influence of social media. What was once created for connection and …