Why Major Mariam Al Mansouri, the First Emirati Woman F-16 Pilot, Is Not My Hero

October 9, 2014 By samya

On September 23, an American-led campaign was launched to attack different targets that belong to the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant, referred to as ISIL. A number of Arab countries announced their participation in the campaign, among them Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Two days later, FOX News discussed the participation of Emirati Major Mariam Al Mansouri in the fight against ISIL. In a video posted on September 25, one presenter was joking and asking whether... Read more

Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story

October 8, 2014 By tasnim

A few months ago, I wrote about the “rediscovery” of Noor Inayat Khan, from the 2011 campaign to commemorate her, to the biography, Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan by Shrabani Basu to the planned docu-drama, which at the time I had not yet watched. I have since watched the one-hour film, which is available to stream here. Enemy of the Reich tells the story of Noor Inayat Khan, “a young Muslim woman who sacrificed her life to fight... Read more

I know, I know, hijab makes you beautiful

October 6, 2014 By syahirah

When I was 19 years old and just exiting from the rebellious teenage years, I stepped out of the house with my hijabi sister. I was newly de-jabbed (the first tentative attempt of many), and feeling awkward and – for lack of a better description – naked. My neighbour happened to step out at the same time, looked at the two of us, and proceeded to declare my sister the prettier of the two of us. “Beautiful! Your sister looks... Read more

Friday Links | October 3, 2014

October 3, 2014 By anneke

This week, the execution of an Iranian woman was postponed for ten days. Reyhaneh Jabbari was scheduled to be hanged last Tuesday for killing the man who tried to sexually abuse her. Online abuse aimed at Pakistani women often turns into violence in the “real” world; activists are calling on social media companies to be more proactive in stopping the online abuse of women, in particularly Pakistan. This week a 15-year-old British girl has gone missing, and she is believed to... Read more

#WhySheStayed and the American Muslim Community

October 2, 2014 By Guest Contributor

This post was written by Laila Alawa (@lulainlife). A few weeks ago, the online world blew up in response to the allegations – and later, leaked video – of an American football player, Ray Rice, beating his then-fiancée into unconsciousness. Within the online Muslim American community, the topic was hotly discussed and debated. Nuances were examined, resources shared, and experiences spoken of, all with the intention of unpacking the complexities of the Rice incident. With the variety of organizations, experts and resources... Read more

Book Review: Muslim American Women on Campus by Shabana Mir

September 30, 2014 By nicole

As an American Muslimah who graduated from an American university in 2004, I was very interested to read Shabana Mir’s new book Muslim American Women on Campus: Undergraduate Social Life and Identity, to see how her conclusions lined up with my experiences. In this book, Mir looks at how Muslim women students forge their social and religious identities on campus. In doing so, she touches on three main themes (which we can agree could be the great unifiers of any... Read more

Book Review: Sin is a Puppy that Follows You Home

September 29, 2014 By anike

Reading Hajiya Balaraba Ramat Yakubu’s Sin is a Puppy That Follows You Home was to me like watching a Nigerian movie, in particular one on Africa Magic Hausa, a channel devoted to Hausa language movies. I could picture popular actors and actresses in the roles of different characters and imagined them bringing these roles to life. I have no idea if there is a movie equivalent of Sin is a Puppybut there just might be a movie version, considering that... Read more

Friday Links | September 26, 2014

September 26, 2014 By anneke

Another week, and more news on women and ISIS. In Iraq, ISIS has publicly executed women’s rights activist Samira Salih al Nuiami, after a “court ruling” which found she was an apostate. Mariam Al Mansouria, UAE’s first female pilot, has led air strikes against ISIS in Syria. One Syrian woman has filmed footage of life under ISIS rule in Raqqa, Syria. Strict rules imposed by ISIS in Mosul, Iraq have made it impossible for one young man to contact his fiancée. And while... Read more

Muslim Women in Sports Media: Is It Still Progress if No One Cares?

September 25, 2014 By shireen

On September 16, 2014, basketball’s international governing body, FIBA, announced it would be allowing headcoverings during competitive play for a trial period. It stopped short, however, of permanently lifting its ban on hijabs, turbans and yarmulkes worn by basketball players. Stories of players being rejected from tournaments and forced to forfeit because of their headcoverings have been reported for the last few years. A development that could potentially include thousands of players is great news. Sort of. First of all,... Read more