Thick tendrils of white smoke curl around my fingers as I add more bukhoor to the incense burner. Nasheed music wafts softly from the living room, creating a calm, somber atmosphere. My children have just come back from the balcony, certain that the new moon made her appearance despite heavy storm clouds. We smile at […]

This post was written by guest contributor Maheen Nusrat. People often think that faith is for the weak, for those who fail to engage rational thinking. I disagree; faith is also for the strong, for those who strive for justice, for those who trust, for those who strive for betterment and for those who believe. […]

Okay, okay. I know I’m not supposed to write a media analysis this Ramadan. In fact, one of my resolutions this Ramadan is to leave the television off as much as possible for the whole month. With a few exceptions, of course. For example, I have to switch on the television during sahoor time to […]

My grandmother set down a plate of six or seven parathas with determination in her eyes, as though warning us we had no choice but to finish all of them. From the kitchen, pots and pans clacked as our cook constructed omelet after omelet at a pace that could, conceivably, break the sound barrier. My […]

It is Ramadan and many news items featuring Muslim women are focused on the Holy Month. Muslim women in Florida, USA are providing local Muslim families in need with Ramadan care packages. An Islamic conference in Tanzania on Ramadan called on educated Muslim women to help other women for social development. Women spend nearly double the normal time […]

Having moved to a new city two years ago, and going through some changes in my personal life last year, my “Zurich-era” Ramadans have become rather solitary affairs.  I’m away from family, I’m away from what I consider “my” masjid, and I live alone. Since I tend to be an introvert and my day job […]

Ramadan is here! And although its true essence is all about our pursuit of spiritual elevation, we – Muslims – celebrate it in every way possible. Thus, special memories about Ramadan are engraved in our hearts, and I would like to share some of mine here. 1. I was born in Ramadan: When I was […]

Ramadan Mubarak everyone! For many years now, Muslimah Media Watch has worked hard to problematize, counter, question and critique depictions of Muslim women in a variety of media outlets, as a way to provide new perspectives to looking at the “Muslim woman problem” (starting by questioning this statement). Since Ramadan 2013 has arrived, I would […]

All of us at MMW wish you our very best this Ramadan – whether it starts tonight or tomorrow night (or even if you don’t actually celebrate it but are joining us for the ride!) As you may remember, last year we marked Ramadan by taking a break from our usual media analysis and instead […]

Like many people I know, I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.  Although its usefulness for me still outweighs anything else, given the number of people I’m in touch with who live far away from me, I’m often creeped out by the weird stalking behaviours that it encourages, among other things. And then there’s the […]