This year, I performed the Hajj pilgrimage with my mother and sister. Our journey lasted 16 days, during which we performed Umrah (the minor or lesser pilgrimage) and visited Madinah. Although visiting Madinah and performing Umrah are not technically part of the five main days of Hajj, it is common for Hujjaj (pilgrims) to visit Madinah and perform Umrah as a part of the pilgrimage. In this article, I am going to highlight my journey in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarrah and performing Umrah in the blessed city of Makkah.
Empowerment of Muslim Women in India – Underestimated and Misconceived by Rabia Omar
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 are controlled. Thankfully there are those who see through the unfair affair, stand up to voice the injustice and indulge in the actions that try to hold the string still against the harmful ripples. History often calls these brave souls as “empowered.”
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 time, I became accustomed to the decades old ideological divide between Shia and Sunni Muslims, particularly evident during Muharram, due to differing beliefs about the Day of Ashura. While Shias mourn the passing of the Prophet’s grandson, Hussain Ibn Ali, Sunni practices differ.
The Everlasting Message of Ḥusayn: A Legacy of Humanity and Faith by Dr. SeyedAmir Asghari
The martyrdom of Ḥusayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, and his family, and his loyal companions is commemorated every year on Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram, particularly within Shia Islam. This event is central to the Shia faith, symbolizing the eternal struggle between truth and falsehood, justice and oppression.
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, conservatism, or progressivism, and less about religion. Others may argue that this is an attempt to distinguish oneself from concepts of fundamentalism or Westernism, while still maintaining a cultural identity shaped by Islam.
Experiencing a Persian Heritage, Culture, and in a Muslim-Majority Country: Tajikistan by Mayesha Awal
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 a non-stop battle of repeatedly explaining to those outside the Islamic faith that Muslims come from all over the world and each person, community, society, and nation may have variations in the way they practice their faith(s), a rule of thumb that should also be applied to understanding the Muslim world.
Entrepreneurship, Environmental Focus, and Cultural Awareness in Mbour, Senegal by Mayesha Awal
Music and War: Thoughts from Syria by Cecilia Ball and Madison McEwen
Music is widely understood as a key to understanding any culture, but Arab music should be considered a zenith of musical history and progression for the world. Frequently possessing long, haunting melodies and traditional instruments unused in the Western world, Arab music can invoke different feelings in listeners who are unaccustomed to its sounds and melodies. Although the lyrics are not accessible or understandable to non-speakers of the Arabic language, they are often used to convey political messages or to speak of everyday problems faced by civilians.
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The Bektashi Sufi Order in Albania by Dr. SeyedAmir Asghari
