Friday Links | July 11, 2014

July 11, 2014 By anneke

As Israel continues its offensive on Gaza, the death toll is rising fast; many of them are women and children. Nigeria’s military has released the news that it has arrested several female Boko Haram recruiters. As well, about 60 women escaped their presumed Boko Haram captors earlier this week. The escaped women were captured mid-June of this year; the hundreds of girls captured in April remain missing. The UNHCR has published a report on Syria’s refugee women titled Woman Alone: The... Read more

On Jam-Making and Ramadan

July 10, 2014 By Azra

How is it that the first week of Ramadan has already gone by? It’s been a bit of a struggle for me to let go of some of my commitments to spend more time on reflecting this month. With the fasts being as long as they are (~17ish hours, if I’ve done my math correctly), alongside full-time work, I haven’t been to my local masjid yet for the evening tarawih prayers. I’m usually asleep shortly after my evening meal, waking... Read more

Embracing Women, Inspiring Daughters

July 9, 2014 By safiyyah

This post is part of a series of nightly reflections, and was originally written on June 30. Tonight, my reflection is dedicated to all my sisters reading this, as Surah Al Imran was recited in thousands of masaajid around the world and it is a chapter of birth and of life …of Maryam (as/peace be upon her), of Isa (as), of Yahya (as) and of a new community of believers, in the deserts of Arabia, enraptured by the words of... Read more

Forgive Me Allah for I Have Sinned

July 8, 2014 By eren

Originally published at the author’s personal blog, Identity Crisis. Perhaps it is absurd of me to think that Ramadan will ever be a time of peace and refection for me. From the moment I converted, my patience, my love for Islam and my faith have been constantly tested. Beyond the struggle of belonging to a non-Muslim family, the reconciliation of new acquired identities and the challenges of trying to fit in mainstream Muslim communities, this year I started Ramadan off... Read more

Should I or Shouldn’t I: Confusions about Fasting while Breastfeeding

July 7, 2014 By Izzie

I am in that phase of my life where I am exclusively breastfeeding, I have a three-month-old baby, and it’s Ramadan. This is that elusive phase where I can get away with not fasting. The question remains: should I? Considering that I have been blessed to fast all my adult life, and part of my childhood too, I am reflecting on what the past Ramadans have been for me, in order to decide which way to choose this year. Spirituality... Read more

Friday Links | July 4, 2014

July 4, 2014 By anneke

Human Rights Watch has issued a report on how the war in Syria has affected women. Several human rights organisations accuse Egypt of allowing (sexual) abuse and torture to be used against its female prisoners, despite the promise to fight sexual harassment. Recently, Egypt adopted a new law that makes sexual harassment punishable by law, but during the month of Ramadan it is somehow seen as offensive to address the issue of sexual harassment. More than half of the Islamophobic... Read more

When Fasting Is Not For God

July 3, 2014 By Guest Contributor

The writer of this post wishes to remain anonymous. Trigger warning: This post contains discussions of body image and disordered eating. The first Ramadan that I fasted, I was struck by how easy I found it. This was not exactly a good thing. I had struggled with control issues around food, and with my perception of my body, since I was a pre-teen, long before I was Muslim. When I began fasting, in my early twenties, it quickly became clear... Read more

A Ramadan Election

July 2, 2014 By afia

As a working mom, I’m used to feeling an anxiety rush in the days leading up to Ramadan. But this year, a new sickening sensation welcomed me as the first day of Ramadan was quickly approaching. I knew what caused it: the first week of Ramadan this year coincides with the last week of the presidential election season in Indonesia. By far, this year’s campaign season has been the most contentious one that Indonesia has ever seen in its history,... Read more

“Not Even Birthday Cake?” Or, Coping With (Non-Muslims’) Reactions to Ramadan

July 1, 2014 By Guest Contributor

This guest post by Nahida was originally published at the fatal feminist. When I was small, my schoolyard friends would gasp in shock at the idea of going without food or water for as long as a drop of sunlight hit the pavement. (“All day?” they’d marvel with the same tone that they’d ask, “You run THAT fast?”) Pleased with the astonished reaction, I would boast that not only could I abstain an entire day without complaints, but I had... Read more

Mutant Bread and Exploding Oatmeal: Holiday Foods Gone Wild

June 30, 2014 By Krista

When people talk about Ramadan and Eid traditions, food is one of the most recurring topics. Usually this comes up in nostalgic stories about childhood favourites, or about delicious iftar memories. But, well, those aren’t the only reasons that holiday foods might be remembered. Sometimes the reasons for the memories are a little more, shall we say, disastrous. Or, at the very least, unexpected. This year’s Ramadan started off with a delicious and beautiful suhoor spread prepared by a good... Read more