Muslim Mothers of Invention

I was going to write an essay about the Muslim inventors showcase 1001 Inventions–the big, splashy exhibit at the New York Hall of Science till April–but then there was a massacre in Tucson. Since the attempt on Congresswoman Giffords’ life called to mind the ghastly and vicious intolerance that has come to describe American political [...]

Muslim Dating Ads: What’s With the Racism?

Among other content, Islamic Horizons, the bi-monthly publication of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), runs personal ads. There are two sections: “Seeking Husband” and “Seeking Wife.” The personal ad below appears in the latest edition under “Seeking Husband,” and it is one of only two ads (among ten) in which a woman is [...]

My Big Fat Feminist Wedding

I never wanted to get married. Yes, I was that woman. My mom loves to tell stories of how even when I was a little girl I would bemoan how much more women do than their husbands, and how they were never even thanked for their work. As an adult I became more adamant about [...]

Ugly Ducklings, Noble Squaws and Not-So-Modern Families : Editor’s Picks, 10/11-10/15

Above is a detail from a wonderful flowchart breaking down the complex system of assigning female characters to cliched, stereotypical roles (via Jezebel, originally from Overthinking It). Sociological Images has a good collection of campaign ads that exploit anti-immigrant sentiment and racialized fears. Jorge Rivas reports for Colorlines that Bill O’Reilly learned nothing from yesterday’s [...]

Better Muslim Than Gay

Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about how much my people are under attack in America today. The thing is, though, as an American Muslim, I don’t really feel under attack. Annoyed? Sure. But attacked? No. Despite all the controversy surrounding the construction of the Park51 Center in downtown Manhattan, for example, the fact remains [...]

Bibi Aisha and the Voiceless Victims of Afghan Tradition

The tragic story of an Afghan teenager who was brutally tortured and maimed by her husband recently caught the attention of millions around the world. Thanks go to Time magazine for sharing Bibi Aisha’s horrific story with the world and reminding us of the plight of so many Afghan women. 18-year old Aisha was dragged [...]

On 9/11, Listening to Muslim Women’s Voices

Much has been said about Imam Abdul Rauf, the Imam behind the proposed Park 51 Islamic Cultural Center in New York City, which would stand a few blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks nine years ago today. In the intense controversy surrounding the construction of the community center, he has been called a [...]

State Department Dining, Muslimah Style

I recently accepted an invitation to attend a dinner at the State Department hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in honor of the holy month of Ramadan. The dinner itself, which takes place on Tuesday, September 7, is a formal iftar—the meal eaten every evening after sunset when Muslims break the fast during the [...]

How Much Worse Can the Mosque Bashers Get? Ask Big John

On Fox News Sunday,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), speaking of the controversy over the building of a mosque near Ground Zero, said troops in Afghanistan are being asked to find common ground with Muslims. “If we can’t do that here in the United States, we’re going to have a very difficult time over there,” Reed [...]

Across Oceans, Violence is Violence

Honor killing. Domestic violence. Murder. Spousal abuse. “She made me do it.” There may be different names for the murder of women by men in their families, but as first-time filmmaker Mary Ann Smothers Bruni tells Ms., “We’ve got to stop the killing of women in every place.” In her debut film, Quest for Honor, [...]

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