We are counting down for the International Fajr Film Festival in the Iranian capital Tehran on April 25 and this year, women are playing a more creative role. Pirouz Farmand attended the festival’s press preview earlier in January. Iranian women are taking the film industry by storm. However, this is not a new trend. Women film-makers have produced an … Read more
When Muslim women are portrayed in literature or film, they’re often presented in ways where they need to be ‘saved’, often lacking the agency to accomplish this on their own. Instead, there’s usually a savior around somewhere to save the day. These four superheroes represent a radical diversion from this – not only does she … Read more
A high school girls’ football team from Denver, Colorado shows the world the meaning of team spirit. Afia R Fitriati has the story. Sometimes a small act of kindness goes a long way. Samah Aidah is a varsity football player for Overland High School in Denver, Colorado. Her school team hasn’t been performing too well lately, having … Read more
In the first of this series of profiles on the world’s most influential Muslim scholars, Omar Shahid digs beneath the surface to discover the man beneath the title of sheikh. All images from Hamza Yusuf and Zaytuna College Facebook page. Sheikh Hamza Yusuf is what you might call a celebrity scholar. After giving a talk, he is often besieged by eager … Read more
This prominent American scholar, academic and activist often finds herself to be the only Muslim female scholar on stage at conferences. She spoke to Omar Shahid. The idea that Islam oppresses women has been allowed to flourish right across the world. Islamophobes, right-wing commentators and neo-conservatives will use it as a platform to launch scathing attacks … Read more