October 9, 2023

The need for distraction


We suffer because we lack distraction. Healing is important, working on childhood wounds is crucial, and setting boundaries is valuable. But the occupation with the self and being exactly right in order to face the world is also simply a consequence of having no distractions. Real distractions, not the distractions that flicker across our screens […]

June 26, 2023

Loners in the age of distraction


Something I’ve wondered for about 20+ years; are loner’s better off in the age of social media? While the idea of the ‘lone genius’ may be a way to neaten historical realities instead of an absolute truth—as James Bridle states in his book A New Dark Age, “the lie to the heroic narrative of history — […]

May 22, 2023

Polygamy, providers, and gendered roles in Islam


Women’s dislike of polygyny is similar to men’s resistance to their role as providers. As I discussed in this post women don’t have any power to stop a man from marrying again. That is, polygamy (restricted conditional polygyny as dictated by Islam) is 100% the domain of a man to choose to engage in, or […]

April 10, 2023

Pray for our leaders, they need it


Amongst the condemnations, calls for resignations, and numerous accusations, one sentiment is seldom present; we have to pray for our leaders. Leaders have power over their people, many of whom are vulnerable or at the very least have given a portion of themselves over to them. They have said, “we see your success in this […]

February 13, 2023

Black women and the scarf —it’s complicated


Let’s discuss black women’s complicated relationship with natural hair… does hijab help?

January 30, 2023

The failings of ‘choice Feminism’


A while back I came across two stories that served as shining examples of the failings of ‘choice Feminism’. ‘Choice Feminism’ may not be a term we’re all familiar with but its basic premise is one society holds onto most fervently. The basic idea is that whatever a woman chooses is empowering, that Feminism/women’s empowerment […]

January 16, 2023

Musings on Eve: Ways of Knowing


I always thought it was a fact that Eve was made from Adam’s rib. In ‘religious talk’ that would mean it was agreed upon (by scholars) or that there was something directly from Hadith or Quran we could point to and say, “Eve was created from Adam’s rib”. But, no —at least, not exactly. There is and […]

January 9, 2023

Modern ‘Traditional’ Wives


In some ways, the housewife of today continues the tradition of the housewives of yesteryear. Cooking, cleaning, attending to her husband’s needs, and depending on him to foot the bill for their living expenses. Yet there is something fundamentally different; the social, cultural, and economic environment has had drastic changes. In some ways, the housewife […]

January 2, 2023

Reminders benefit the believers


وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٥٥ And remind (by preaching the Qur’ân, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), for verily, the reminding profits the believers. 51:55 Translation: Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali & Muhammad Muhsin Khan The clouds to the right of my house look like mountains. At least they have for the past week that I’ve […]

December 19, 2022

Life is a gift


 يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍۢ وَٰحِدَةٍۢ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًۭا كَثِيرًۭا وَنِسَآءًۭ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًۭا ١ O humanity! Be mindful of your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and from it He created its mate, and through both […]

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