Past, present and the future are all connected by a string into a loop. The past can be lauded for all its inventions and development but should also be held responsible for all the evils that have rippled into the present. A common factor between these concepts of time is the people who control and… Read more »
Opinion
Commemorating Sacrifice and Resilience: Understanding the Importance of Ashura by Ashhad Hassan Malik
Growing up in a Muslim household, situated in the Sunni-dominant country of Pakistan, I was exposed to various religious traditions, from fasting in Ramadan to Eid celebrations to praying on Holy nights. However, the significance of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic new calendar, was less emphasized or not clear enough to me. With… Read more »
Family, Society, Culture, and Heritage by Derya Doğan
Being a Muslim is becoming an increasingly complex faith-based identity, that is greatly impacted by cultural, social, historical, and political dynamics in today’s world. People have started using hyphenated identities such as liberal-, conservative-, secular-, or progressive-Muslim to define themselves. Some argue that using such terminology makes the Muslim identity about the politics of liberalism,… Read more »
Muslim World Interactions and Battling Islamophobia by Derya Doğan
Despite a range of efforts by organizations such as Mipsterz, Pew Research Center, The Australian Muslim Women’s Center for Human Rights, and Muslim.sg to increase awareness about diversity of Muslims and Muslim cultures across the world, the stereotypical belief that all Muslims are Arabs, and all Arabs are Muslim, remains to be prominent. There is… Read more »
Dismantling Islamophobia Through Citizenship Diplomacy by Patrick Lee
Experiences of an American Muslim, Immigration Attorney Sahar Taman* This fall semester, I had the pleasure of meeting Immigration Attorney Sahar Taman during my time as a student in Dr. Iman Alramadan’s 5th-year Arabic class. Ms. Taman is a highly accomplished lawyer, activist, and public servant. It was incredible to hear about her experiences… Read more »
“Just One Night” A Critical Review II by Abigail Leonard
While the opposite can be argued, I feel that “Just One Night” addresses an otherness felt by some of the young Muslims in the West. It has an opening scene with two hijabi friends trying to fix their headscarves in a manner that makes them stand out less in the bathroom of a bar where… Read more »
“Just One Night” A Critical Review I by Rachel Tagoulla
In the mini movie “Just One Night”, two headscarf-wearing Muslim women go out to a bar to experience bar life for “just one night.” The protagonist’s friend claims she has never been to this bar before; however, the protagonist discovers her friend is a regular at the bar after seeing her picture on the wall…. Read more »
An American Muslim Perspective on Thanksgiving by Dr. Heather Akou
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 »
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 »