This is Day 19 of Altmuslim’s #30Days30Writers series for Ramadan 2015. Editorial Note: The following is a true story, but the names have been changed to protect anonymity. By Khaled A. Beydoun Every Ramadan, the wrinkles on her brow extend further. Sink deeper. The pronounced lines on her mother’s face ate away Eman’s hunger, only minutes before iftar time on the 12th day of Ramadan. For Eman, Ramadan in the summer was far more than just dog days of fasting and... Read more
This is Day 18 of Altmuslim’s #30Days30Writers series for Ramadan 2015. By Shereen Yousuf One of the most auspicious occasions during Ramadan is the night that Muslims believe the Quran was revealed, a night we call Laylatul Qadr or the “Night of Power.” I would like to utilize this space to share one supplication that Shia Muslims recite during our Laylatul Qadr, which we observe on the 19th, 21st, and 23rd nights of Ramadan and then provide a brief reflection... Read more
This is Day 17 of Altmuslim’s #30Days30Writers series for Ramadan 2015. By Afsha Bawany On my commute to and from work, I drive by King Arthur’s castle; a pyramid, a giant lion, the Statute of Liberty and sometimes I’ll pass by the roar of dancing waterfalls rising and falling to the tunes of Frank Sinatra. That’s Vegas. Sometimes, I’ll stop behind a taxi cab advertising the latest Cirque De Soleil show or trucks advertising other shows that leave little to... Read more
This is Day 17 of Altmuslim’s #30Days30Writers series for Ramadan 2015. Editorial Note: Ramon Meija was scheduled to be the writer today, on Day 17 of our #30Days30Writers Ramadan series. He was unable to submit his essay due to health reasons. While we feel he doesn’t owe anyone details of his health, he sent us this letter and said it was for us to publish, to highlight to our readers some of the very real struggles that he and others... Read more
By Bint Khalid Ramadan, the month that every Muslim awaits is more than half-way through. But for many around the world this month brings with it feelings of isolation and personal dissatisfaction, because unlike so many they are unable to fulfill their spiritual desire and duty to fast. Every year, like so many, I float in a spiritual abyss that bares an emptiness lingering within. For the past 13-years, I have not been able to fast due to severe ill... Read more
This is Day 16 of Altmuslim’s #30Days30Writers series for Ramadan 2015. By Hazel Gómez “Okay, it’s almost one o’clock! Let’s go outside and wait for Papi. He said he’d be here at one.” As each car turned onto our narrow street, my brother and I would jump up with excitement. We were hoping to see if it was the one we recognized — that roaring, green 1973 Buick Century, usually blasting salsa by Frankie Ruiz. Nope, it wasn’t him. As... Read more
This is Day 15 of Altmuslim’s #30Days30Writers series for Ramadan 2015. By Omar Usman Some of my fondest memories of past Ramadans are things many people might consider the negative or dysfunctional parts of the month. When I was younger, a lot of our family friends would get together anticipating the start of Ramadan. I would be tasked with constantly calling the national Islamic organizations and local masjids hoping someone had updated their answering machine message with a moon sighting... Read more
This is Day 14 of Altmuslim’s #30Days30Writers series for Ramadan 2015. By Joohi Tahir Did we ever stop to think how easy Allah SWT has made things for us? Did we grow up thinking that our deen (faith) was difficult and had too many rules and restrictions? Well, now as we reflect on this beautiful hadith and du’a, (a favorite of mine) we can say with such a small amount of effort that Allah (Ar-Rahman) (Ar-Raheem) is vowing to erase... Read more
This is Day 13 of Altmuslim’s #30Days30Writers series for Ramadan 2015. By Ahmed Younis For my community, this is a difficult Ramadan. It is our first without Dr. Maher Hathout. The Man Maher Hathout was our father, our brother, our leader and to many of us, our best friend. For more than 45 years he was a constant, booming force of positivity in Southern California. He was, by far, the fastest trigger on a joke in the West and likely... Read more
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Who Is Burning Black Churches? Who Will Stand Up and Give Support?
By Zainab Chaudry Tuesday night, the Mount Zion AME Church in Greeleyville, South Carolina became the eighth black church in America to burn to the ground within one week. At least three of these incidents were ruled arson, while one was ruled accidental and others remain under investigation. Authorities are investigating if lightning caused Mount Zion AME to catch fire. Prior to that, on June 17, nine churchgoers — including a prominent, black South Carolina State Senator — were fatally shot... Read more