The United States is not the only country with a “Thanksgiving” celebration. Personally, I do not view Thanksgiving as a religious holiday—at least not one that is specific to Islam or Christianity (or any other religion). Instead, I view it as an opportunity to express gratitude and to connect with friends and family. This year… Read more »
Muslim World
Islam in Zanzibar by Darby FitzSimmons
When most Americans think of Muslim countries, their minds immediately go to the Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan – maybe they’ll think about Türkiye, or more rarely, North African countries like Tunisia. However, it’s rare that if you ask an American to name a country with a rich and vibrant Islamic history, they will… Read more »
Muslim Intellectual History: Survey, Map, and Timeline by Saulat Pervez
Muslim intellectual history is rich and complex. It started as a simple effort to continue to live according to the legacy of Prophet Muhammad (s) – Sunnah – in the aftermath of his death, became refined over time, and also branched into new directions even as it remained grounded in core revelatory concepts. Yet, too… 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 »
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 »
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 »
A Broken Unity by Rabia Omar
They sang songs of unity, chanted words of brotherhood, took pride in diversity, stood tall in harmony……. but once the curtain drew closed, the lights dimmed, and they turned to one another, the walls that separated them were not weakened through acceptance but rather those walls were empowered through ignorance and rejection. They say that… Read more »
Introduction to the Muslim Task Force (MTF) by Mayesha Awal
Muslim Task Force (MTF) of Indiana When I was an undergraduate student, I returned back home to Indianapolis and moved in with my mother. On April 16th, 2020, as I was scrolling through my email, I saw a call for volunteers. I had some free time in my schedule, as I was no longer able… Read more »
Belly Dance in Islamic Worlds by Meg Morley
Most of the time, when someone unfamiliar with belly dance encounters me and my research on the changing belly dance industry in Egypt, they are surprised, confused, and struggle to even formulate the question they want to ask. What they want to know is something like, “How does a culture as conservative and repressive of… Read more »