Friday Love – From the UK

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

“I have been looking forward to the publication of Love InshaAllah for several months now and my copy arrived last Friday. I just wanted to drop you a note to say that I have not been disappointed. The book is simply a treasure. Sophisticated, beautiful, challenging, moving and, above all, souful. Your contributors have captured the often mysterious, confusing, serendipitous and often alchemical meeting of faith, love and longing with a sensitivity and honesty that is at breathtaking. And I’m... Read more

3 Ways to Cultivate Real Love in Your Relationship

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

There is so much depth to real love, a web of different strands that all come together to mature and grow the relationship. That said, many couples believe they are experiencing real love, when they are actually feeling the euphoria of just a strand or two. For example, the beginning of a relationship is full of passion, physical attraction and a longing to never be apart. This can feel like true love and it sends many young couples running down... Read more

Friday Love – Nura’s wedding

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

Love InshAllah co-editor Nura weds her beloved this weekend, inshAllah. Please join us in wishing them both a lifetime (& beyond) of great love, joy, & contentment! Together, maybe we can convince her to share their beautiful love story, here 🙂 Read more

An honest man

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

Many moons ago, Love InshAllah co-editor Ayesha Mattu asked me to be an advance reader for the anthology. I used the word “honest,” and structured my thoughts around that idea. Ayesha engaged me as to why I thought being “honest” was so important. It’s because honesty is hard, and no matter how much we practice it – and it is something we practice, because it’s not natural for us – it’s still a radical thing. We never want to present ourselves... Read more

Searching for love after heartbreak

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

Editor’s Note: Leila’s story ‘Rerouting’ ends with heartbreak when her Italian fiancé leaves her just days before they were supposed to start a new life together abroad. “So, well, what happened next?” Their eyes are probing, their voices full of concern and hopefulness. I often get this question after someone reads my story in ‘Love InshAllah‘. I smile. I know what they really want to ask. No one likes a sad ending. Especially when it comes to love. What they really... Read more

Friday tweet love

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

Check out some recent feedback from our readers. Let us know what you think of the book too — follow us on Twitter @LoveInshAllah! Read more

Real Talk

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

Last summer, after a long talk with a friend who’d been molested as a small child, I decided I’d waited too long and it was time to talk to my children about sex. I’d talked to them extensively about touch. They understood good touch that they desired, and bad touch that they didn’t desire. I’d taught them that they had a right to say “no” to any touch they didn’t want , no matter who was offering. Don’t want to... Read more

Confessions of the Other Woman

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

“John Paul is dead.” The voice on the other end of the phone was John Paul’s wife telling me that her husband — my long-ago married “boyfriend” —had died. Of AIDS. Samantha said she was calling all of John Paul’s “friends” to tell them to get tested. I was in shock, speechless. Before I could say the only pathetic thing that came to my mind, “I am sorry,” Samantha had hung up. I was foolish to believe Samantha didn’t know... Read more

Friday love — Savvy Sister of the Week!

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

The wonderful online community MySavvySisters.com selected Love, InshAllah co-editor Ayesha Mattu as their Savvy Sister of the week! MySavvySisters is dedicated to providing resources, inspiration and guidance to women to empower them to survive and thrive in life. The website is presented by My Savvy Sisters, Inc. a not-for-profit organization that provides vital services for women, including a crisis hotline, mentoring sessions, and housing support. MySavvySisters caught up with Ayesha and asked her to elaborate on the common misconceptions of Muslim women and... Read more

Smelling Roses

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 11:18 am By Posted by The Editors

Tonight the rains flooded the parkway, turning my twenty-five minute commute into an hour and a half. Butterscotch, our year-old puppy, greets me at the door, belly up. I give him his ritual tummy rub and call out to my son, “I’m home.” Ali comes out of his room, kisses me hello, and says, “I gotta go.” He runs back to his computer to continue world domination and sling-shooting birds at pigs. I’m tired, wet, hungry and so grateful. This... Read more