We know that the westward expanse of Islam covered significant portions of southern Europe. From the eighth to the fourteenth century CE (until 1492, in fact), portions of the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily, and France were under Arab rule. This is evident in the decorative arts and architecture that remain there, but also in many foodways,… Read more »
Rediscovering the Arab Agricultural Revolution [Part I] by Ann Campbell
Popularized in American culture in the 1970s, the “Mediterranean diet” touted health benefits of “traditional” foods focusing on fish and vegetables with olive oil as the primary fat. The Mediterranean diet became such an icon that it was declared an “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO in 2013. But in the popular imagination this diet… Read more »
Rapping in Germany When Your Roots are Turkish and Muslim – Aziza A.! and Matters of Representation…. by Derya Doğan
Imagine listening to hip-hop with lyrics in German but the melody starts and ends with a Turkish folk song, and there is the Islamic Sufi flute Ney playing in the middle… Or rapping in German as if speaking in Turkish…This is exactly what Aziza A. does! [1] Born and raised in Berlin to Turkish immigrants[2],… Read more »
Hijab in Sports: Bilqis Abdul Qaadir Visits IU with Messages of Empowerment and Spirituality for Muslim Women by Narmeen Ijaz
Hijab (Veil) is a term which has multiple images associated with it. For some it might bring to surface images of the ongoing protests in Iran by women to end the mandatory hijab, while for others, it might recall images of Muslim women in France fighting against the Hijab ban. Such duality of the meaning… Read more »
American Muslims in Politics by Zayd Esmail Memon
Muslim Voices first interviewed Professor Abdulkader Sinno when President Obama was running for his first term in 2007, discussing Muslims in Western politics. Fourteen years later, I sat down for a follow up with Professor Sinno to see what has changed about the Muslim community’s position in politics. I was curious to know what effect… Read more »
Being Muslim vs. Looking Islamic by Derya Doğan
A couple summers ago, I ran into an elderly couple who had done decades of Christian missionary work in Australia. They were looking for my neighbors, who were from Turkiye. When I said that I too was from Turkiye, the wife told me “But you do not look Islamic” since I was wearing a sleeveless… Read more »
A Wayfarer in Ramadan: Experiencing the Blessed Month While Fostering Relationships with the Creator, Community, and Oneself by Mayesha Awal
Hugs and chatter with friends I have not seen in months. Greetings and introductions to those I have not met before. Hearing the adhan[1] in-person in the masjid[2]. Grabbing a medjool date and savoring the pillowy, chewy, and cake-like texture after a long day’s fast. I have been able to experience Ramadan alhamdulillah[3] in different… Read more »
The Controversy of the Hijab: How Governments Use Symbols to Exercise Power by Jason Sadlowski
Why has the practice of wearing the Islamic headscarf by Muslim women become such a controversial symbol of Muslim culture? And what about it has made governments decide it will be a major factor in how they choose to control their people? These were some of the questions that I was left with after attending… Read more »
The Change of the Indiana Muslim Community: Experiences of a Bangladeshi Immigrant Woman by Mayesha Awal
My mother, Shamima, is a Muslim Bangladeshi immigrant who came to the United States in 1996. She came to the United States after she got married to my father who already resided in Indiana. I asked my mother about her experiences when she first arrived in the US, especially as a Muslim: “It was hard… Read more »
Vulnerability in the Corporate World as a Muslim Woman: Upholding Religious Values by Mayesha Awal
Prior to starting my job, I was warned by one of my Arabic teachers about the corporate world from an Islamic standpoint. I did not completely understand what the corporate world was like, but he worked in the corporate world for decades. He spoke about being careful about gender interactions and alcohol gatherings. I am… Read more »