Last week was Eid-ul-Fitr, and for that occasion the Saudi Gazette visited a care home for elderly women, where nothing is done for the residents to make this holiday special in any way. Chicago resident Halima Qancaro, originally from Ethiopia, is also spending the Eid on her own, and she shares her remarkable and tragic life story. In Egypt, the Eid has seen a rise in sexual harassment, with the harassers getting younger and younger. On the evening before the Eid... Read more
As one final addition to our Ramadan 2013 posts, we wanted to share a series of reflections on how Eid was spent among some of our writers. Writing, respectively, from South Africa, Pakistan, Canada, and Kuwait, MMW bloggers Safiyyah, Merium, Shireen, and wood turtle bring us their experiences of food, gender issues, politics, and celebration. Safiyyah (South Africa) In South Africa this year, ‘Eid day coincided with our national holiday, “Women’s Day” on 9 August. Women’s Day in South Africa is... Read more
In Ramadan this year, a video made by Maznah Yusof, a 38 year-old Muslim woman dog trainer, caused controversy in Malaysia. Three years ago, she had created and uploaded a video of her and her dogs in celebration of Eid ul-Fitr. The video shows her walking her dogs on a street as the takbir (chanting on the eve of Eid ul-Fitr) is heard in the background. At the end of the video, Maznah explains that her message was meant to... Read more
This post was written by guest contributor Fakhra Hassan (@DragittotheTop). “Fatness and obesity in Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans (LBT) women are a result of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – self-inflicted abuse on the body in order to shun any unwanted sexual attention or emotional interest from people,” said Dr Pinar Ilkkaracan of Turkey, at the 5th CSBR Sexuality Institute at Alexandria, Egypt, which I attended in September of last year. I am no exception to the LBT women Pinar was... Read more
Eid Mubarak! I hope that all of our readers celebrating had a wonderful holiday. MMW’s Ramadan series this year featured 23 posts, written by MMW writers and guest contributors writing from 12 different countries, on issues of food, community, family, solitude, epiphanies, and struggles. Click here to go back through any of the posts you may have missed. Of course, we weren’t the only ones writing about our Ramadan experiences. Here are a few other posts that captured our attention... Read more
Every summer thousands of underage Egyptian girls are sold in (temporary) marriage by their families to Arab Gulf men. It is said that some girls have married 60 times before they turn 18. Slowly but surely Iraqi women are becoming increasingly visible and have more presence, especially in the fields of education and business, but sexual (verbal) abuse remains prevalent, especially in teacher-student and employer-employee situations. 22-year-old Muslim Sanjida Akter has been arrested in Bangladesh and charged with kidnapping after she eloped with her Hindu... Read more
Writing this as Eid approaches, I’m reminded of all the different ways people might experience this occasion. This post is my way of showcasing such varying experiences. Each short story below is told from the point of view of a member of a household. I hope you enjoy them. Eid Mubarak! Heels. For Tanzi, Eid is all about a pair of strappy, silver heels. They sit nestled in the corner of Baji’s almari, covered in a layer of forgotten dust. ... Read more
This post was written by guest contributor @leftyspeaks. Many of us wish for a new beginning, a clean slate, an opportunity to leave everything behind and start afresh. A few short weeks ago, I left my home on the southern tip of Africa, to spread my wings across the Atlantic, in search of knowledge. I left behind all that was dear to me – the beautiful sunrises, the extravagant Table Mountain, my family and friends, and my African coffee –... Read more
Help I’m alive… We’re late. My favourite popular imam has already begun leading the second rakat for Qiyam ul-layl, the night prayers. We dash from the car and run across the street, our feet soon gliding upon smooth marble floors at the largest mosque in Kuwait. My sister-in-law leads the way. One hand holds a chair for our pregnant cousin and the other clutches her black abaya as she power-walks ahead. A corner is turned and the scent of cardamom laced coffee brings a smile to... Read more
Ramadan is one month long, but one month is not long enough for me to convince myself that I am not responsible for my mother’s illness. On the second fast I keep, she goes to the hospital. My hands tremble during Isha that night. I remind myself that Ramadan is also about recovery. But we do not recover. We let the sickness sink in, and then we live in it – with a positive outlook because that is my gracious,... Read more
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