The adage ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ was made for this inspiring woman who stood up against those who dared to interfere with her humanitarian work. By Laila Achmad. Over the last 20 years, Somalia has been home to some of the worst humanitarian crises the modern world has ever witnessed. These days, … Read more
Many years after fleeing into exile, Sazan M Mandalawi returns to her homeland to help youth whose lives are on hold. I was born a refugee in Iranian Kurdistan. A year before my birth, Saddam Hussein launched a campaign of genocide against the Kurdish people; thousands in the Kurdish city of Halabja, Iraq were killed by a … Read more
She has broken a multitude of “glass ceilings”, thanks in part to her inclusive, supportive upbringing. Raquel Evita Saraswati tells us more about the iconic architect. The London Olympics earlier this year brought the role of Muslim women in sport to the forefront of public discussion. Egypt sent more Muslim women than any other Muslim-majority country, while … Read more
She rose above words and imagination, viewing the ordinary with a new eye to create eternal pieces of Islamic art. To commemorate the second anniversary of Agha Lubna’s passing, Najwa Abdullah speaks to her husband Yusuf about her inspiring life. Born in 1949 in Quetta, Pakistan, Lubna Agha was an accomplished realist whose works are widely … Read more
How a Muslim woman who fought for gender equality had her sanity questioned in a South African mosque. By Merium Kazmi. Contrary to popular belief, Islamic history is full of stories of extraordinary Muslim women. These women have assumed positions of power and respect by challenging cultural norms of women’s role in society and contributing to their … Read more
Steadfast in her beliefs, she vowed to put her nation first – even before her own family. Jack McGee takes a look back on the life of the former prime minister of Pakistan on the anniversary of her assassination. She is often lambasted as having been un-Islamic, corrupt and out of touch with the people. Such criticism … Read more
Artistic talent abounds in the Middle East and these five female Arab artists will, and we guarantee it, absolutely take your breath away. Rania Matar Rania Matar was born and raised in Lebanon and moved to the United States in 1984. Originally trained as an architect at the American University of Beirut and at Cornell … Read more
The Syrian-American spoken word artist and peace activist connect lines of solidarity across different marginalized groups with his music. Born to Syrian parents in Saudi Arabia, Omar Offendum moved to the US when he was very young. He first lived in Washington DC, where he studied at an Islamic school, before moving to Los Angeles, … Read more
Farina So’s gripping monograph of the memories of Cham Muslim women after the Khmer Rouge opens Sya Taha’s eyes to their experiences. Stories of gender-based violence, especially in times of conflict, is nothing new. But what pulled me towards this book was the geopolitical situation and demographics of conflict: the Khmer Rouge regime (also known as Democratic … Read more