The words seem too paltry, too weak, to insufficient to fully express the depths of what I am seeing him do. I want to share it with you. But every time I let the words flow, it feels unsatisfactory — like whatever I write will not do justice to the truly astounding things I see my son doing. Because when I turn my attention outward, I see everything amplified – big, noisy, loud, glaring. And I don’t want to lose... Read more
“We no longer have to choose between our education and our faith!” — tweet I woke up today to see that #EidInNYC was trending in Twitter? Why? Because New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the addition of the two Muslim Eid holidays to the public school schedule. Says this CBS local article: Schools will now close for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, making New York City the largest school district in the nation to recognize the two holidays on... Read more
There are the articles, posts, op-eds and stories that the important ones. The BIG ones. The ones to affect change, get you thinking, expose a problem, right a wrong, grow awareness for a cause or situation, promote activism or convey a story that needs to be heard. Then there are the ones that are seemingly nothing – the sharing of a thought, an experience, a feeling. Take what you want from it. Maybe sharing it is just an exercise for... Read more
This poem is a guest post by Tahera Rahman. If I Die If I die, would you ask why? If I were beaten to a pulp on the side of the road? If I were choked to death? If I were shot in my home, would you pursue justice in my name? Would you picket in the streets, march to beats, Would you treat my life like more than just a game? If I die, would you ask why? Would... Read more
Inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon. Surely we belong to God and to Him we return. Sometimes you need time to process a tragedy. Sometimes no time is enough time to find the words to articulate all that is tumbling in your mind. Sometimes there is nothing left to do but grieve, be angry, let go of the anger, pray and continue to work for understanding and change. Even when the latter seems so hard to achieve. Why? Why did... Read more
The car line at my son’s autism school can be an emotional roller coaster. I see kids who I’ve known years, and it touches me to see them grow into gangly limbs and teenage faces with downy hair and budding self-confidence. Some clutch favorite teddy bears or finger pieces of string – stims or habits that I’ve seen persist from childhood into the teenage years, long past when others deem them appropriate behaviors or interests. But this is autism. Appropriate... Read more
You know, those darn Muslims. Making trouble when they should be quiet, asking for stuff they shouldn’t be asking for – them and their creeping shariah! Ok, that is sarcasm, in case you didn’t get it. I’m thinking that much more R-rated versions of what I just wrote is what some folks must be thinking today in wake of the Supreme Court’s decision favor of Gregory Holt in Holt v. Hobbes (or officially Gregory Houston Holt, AKA Abdul Maalik Muhammad, petitioner... Read more
Scroll below for additional information and photos Congratulations Franklin Graham. Guess you’ve succeeded. In about 24 hours since I first started seeing the article that Duke University made the decision to allow Muslim students to give the adhan (call to prayer) on Fridays from the bell tower of its chapel, that decision has been rescinded. According to this ABC News article: In a release Thursday, the university said Muslims will instead gather on the quadrangle before heading into a room... Read more
I’m wagering that when many of us (speaking to Muslims now, or people who have read a bit about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him) were growing up or first starting to learn about our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), we were told the story of the Prophet and the woman who threw garbage on him. As the hadith goes, as this was told to me by my parents, when the Prophet Muhammad was trying... Read more
We sat and played scrabble on the futon in our “cozy” New York City apartment. She was a new bride, as was I. I was even more newly pregnant with our first child – just a few weeks and on bed rest. My husband was in his first year of residency and hers was interviewing for a residency position in the city, which was why she was spending the day with me. (Her husband’s parents and mine were friends.) We... Read more
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