The writer of this post wishes to remain anonymous. If fasting were a class or a course, I’d give myself an F this Ramadan. This is strange for me, as I have never had any problems fasting, even during long hot summers, and I’ve been doing it since I was ten. This is the first Ramadan I feel I have “failed.” It was clear to me that I couldn’t do it when I woke up and I just did not see the... Read more
For the longest time I have been pondering what, if anything, makes me Muslim. Is it the shahadah? Is it pure belief in the divine? Is it community acknowledgement? Is it the fasting and tarawih prayers during Ramadan? Or is it the fact that I have somehow forced myself in other Muslims’ lives by writing in sites like MMW? The question is timely. I do not think I am the only one who wonders about this. Whether converts or born-Muslims,... Read more
Rebecca Perring writes about “Sham sharia weddings” which leave women “exposed to lying and cheating husbands” In more Sharia wedding news,the Times reports that young Muslims are fuelling the rise of Sharia marriage. In the wake of this report, the UK’s first female Sharia judge made some comments, stating that the “government cannot ask Muslims not to have more than one wife”. Myriam Francois-Cerrah meanwhile writes that Sharia marriages are “not toxic” and demonising them won’t help anyone. The Washington Post reports on... Read more
I was breaking my twenty hour fast when I saw the footage from Sousse for the first time, a video taken by one of the hotel workers who is heard saying, repeatedly: “aleish, aleish tugtel fil naas?” (Why, why are you killing people?). The familiar accent, and the bewildered tone of the man speaking, brought home to me what the man meant when at one point he said “ya khuya,” my brother. Because the murderer who massacred at least 38... Read more
Ramadan isn’t just a time where millions of Muslims fast – it’s also a time where they’re subjected to ignorant and irritating questions. Radhika Sanghani lists the worst. ‘Miss Muslimah’ Photos Show Just How Outdated Western Views Of The Muslim World Really Are. Instead of bathing suits there are headscarfs, competitors pray five times a day, and the winner is chosen by a jury of orphaned children. But the girls are similar to the girls in the West. Given the... Read more
This post was written by guest contributor Rana S. I no longer feel awkward saying it out loud – some may think I’m too blunt about it. You know, like, about my period. Menstruation is one of the factors that nullify a person’s fast (regardless if it is during the month of Ramadan or not) – it automatically “breaks” it. Every Ramadan, I get asked by at least a few people I know (and a few strangers have asked as well)... Read more
This post was previously published at the author’s blog. Dear Saad: Some days I wonder if you can hear me… see me… smell me. For the longest time I felt your presence in my every move. I would wake up and start my morning rituals by imagining that you were sitting at my kitchen table just watching me. I would force myself to pray (despite the fact that for many years I had abandoned the practice) in the hopes that... Read more
Editor’s note: When we first published this post during Ramadan last year, we received a huge number of responses from people telling us how much the themes of the post resonated with them. We are planning to publish a follow-up post from the same writer later this month, but for now we wanted to share this post again, as a reminder to those struggling with similar issues that you are not alone, even when this issue does not often get... Read more
British Pakistani Azi Ahmed has written a book called ‘Worlds Apart’, about her experience as a Muslim training to join the SAS (Special Air Service). Julia Hartley Brewer investigates the motivations of British Muslim women who are joining Isis, arguing that they are seeking “freedom” from family members who control their lives, expecting them to “live in the Wes without enjoying many of its freedoms.” Malaysian gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi has been criticised for her “revealing” leotard at the Southeast Asia games, where... Read more
We at MMW would like to wish you all a wonderful, happy and blessed Ramadan. Whether you celebrate or not, we hope you will join us during this month as we take a break from our usual fare to share our reflections, memories, resolutions, and struggles this Ramadan. This will be the fourth year we have done this, and each time we look forward to hearing from as many different perspectives as possible, so please share with us what Ramadan means for you. You can find last year’s posts here.... Read more
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