After an extremely long break, here I am once again with another collab with my lovely sisters. The title of this small collection of short stories is titled 'The Blue Door' because my brain said: 'Why not?' The idea was to give a writing prompt to all the participants and let them create their own... Continue Reading →

Photo by Krivec Ales on Pexels.com I am a psychopath. At least my mother thinks so. Me? I don't. I simply see myself as someone who does whatever seems to be necessary in that moment. To take the route that most won't take. To make life easy for the rest while I do what might... Continue Reading →

Pioneer: pi·o·neer /ˌpīəˈnir/ Develop or be the first to use or apply (a new method, area of knowledge, or activity). At first glance, it seems simple enough. A pioneer in his/her field. Inspiring enough. Oh to be a pioneer! S/He is a forerunner! An icon! One in a million! True. True. And true. But you... Continue Reading →

In my 32 years on this Earth (minus the first few), to me, one fact has stood out clearer than the rest. That life is a series of a conversion of issues from one form to the other.  There's never a time in our lives when we aren't dealing with something. Be it the soakings... Continue Reading →

People say that Instagram, Instagrammers and influencers in general have created this picture perfect world which deteriorates the real and glamorizes the pretense. I kind of disagree. That kind of pretentious behavior had always been a part of our society. Instagram merely provided an outlet. The same way a politician cannot expand anyone's hateful ideas... Continue Reading →

As this is the last chapter in this series, it is also different from the rest. How you ask? While the former couples had substantial years of experience under their belt, this concluding couple has merely started their journey. So...why would I want to feature them? Because they embody an extremely important message. One that... Continue Reading →

A fundamental practice of any Muslim couple who wish to make their marriage last and beautify it through the ages is to first and foremost strengthen their relationship with the One is whose hands is everything between the heaven and the earth and beyond. Cultural norms might not always support this line of thought. In... Continue Reading →

They say that trials and tribulations can either make or break you. The same goes for couples. The ones who have weathered the worst of storms, come through stronger. For every tribulation is a Mercy from Allah Subhanwata’la. Our featured couple are one such whose lives haven’t been a bed of roses, but they have... Continue Reading →

"Focus on your marriage. Not your wedding." This seems to be the motto this particular, endearing couple lives by. Through the editing process, their personalities shone through their words. While Shahid's sections had something of a calmness to it, Atika gushed like a girl head over heels in love. Having thoroughly enjoyed taking this fast-tracked... Continue Reading →

My Beloved... Allah Subhanwata’la says in the Qur’an: ‘…They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them…’ (2:187) So why are we called garments (libaas) for our spouses? Because like a garment, it is our duty to shield them, protect them, cover them beautify them, grant them coolness when it’s hot and warmth... Continue Reading →

My father doesn't cook. In all my years of staying with my parents, I have seen him prepare a meal a maximum of three times. And even then when we had no other option. Still, he did manage to, surprisingly, teach me how a man should be in his home. By his actions. You see,... Continue Reading →

-A short story Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas on Pexels.com Lily sat on her father's rocking chair, feet planted firmly on the floor. She stared ahead with glazed eyes, eyebrows entangled in a ferocious knot. After what seemed like a minute of furious thinking, she leaned back and took her feet off the floor,... Continue Reading →

This happens to be one of the many Musings of this spectacled mind. Much like a game we used to play in school where one would start telling a story, stop at whichever point they'd like, only for the next person to continue, and another, and another until the story reached its conclusion. The same... Continue Reading →

A few weeks ago I had a somewhat stagnant conversation with someone. This person, a young mom and wife, said that she wants to start working again (consciously choosing not to put in her profession here), and that she didn't want to waste her life by just being a homemaker and mom. Now, the first... Continue Reading →

We met Sammy on a trip to Grand Teton National Park. For those of you who do not know, it is one of the most beautiful places I have had the pleasure of visiting. Plus, the fact that it is merely about an hour drive from Yellowstone National Park, has its own advantages. For me,... Continue Reading →

Author's note: This short story was written around October last year, one from among a group of short stories for a submission. Two other stories from that group got selected, this one didn't. It lay forgotten by me as I moved on to other collaborations, projects and submissions. A news article was brought to my... Continue Reading →

Pic taken at Sugarhouse Coffee, SLC. Before we start this blog, I want to make one thing extremely clear. I am neither a big fan, nor a huge indulger of entertainment media. I find it quite unnecessary, time-hoarding and the mother of a whole league of unwarranted thoughts, ideas and followings. Additionally, I also feel... Continue Reading →

Last night, after shopping for kids (toys! Surprise, surprise!), on sheer insistence of our kids, we made our way to California Pizza Kitchen, a casual dining restaurant chain, to grab dinner. The route we take there has this large digital billboard for a car wash. The small cartoon video shows a donkey dirtying the car,... Continue Reading →

This short story is a result of my over-obsession with murders, mysteries and murderers. For most of my free time apart from spending it on other hobbies, I spend  on watching crime documentaries. A strange way to relax, I know! But I swear I am not taking notes from these various sinister killers throughout time...Mr.... Continue Reading →

Photo by fotografierende on Pexels.com "It was mildly racist..." I laughed while narrating an incident I had been subjected to, to a friend. 'It was a mildly racist incident'. This sentence had been overused by me in the past. Until recently when realization dawned on me that there is no valid analogy of something being... Continue Reading →

-A short story by Azra Rahman Photo by George Becker on Pexels.com Ruby looked ruefully at her wrists. She was handcuffed but that wasn’t the cause of her gaze. She pinched the underside of her arm lightly, but firmly. Years of habit of pinching nerves before injecting herself had finally reduced to mere pinchings. She... Continue Reading →

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruQV1Nbh1SI&feature=youtu.be My Moon/ Lara Jennings and Andrea Amina: "It's bigger than it seems." These words are etched into my mind as I pen down this intro. It really is much bigger than I had initially thought it to be. In fact, when I attended the online launch event, I had little to less idea that... Continue Reading →

Introductory post on: @masterpeaceblog Contributions by: Yasmin A @masterpeaceblog Andale Seaworne @andaleseaworne Husna Ahmad Sany @walkwithme Ama Ahmad @askamna Syeda Atika Yahya @ayahya.blogspot.com Other topics covered in the series: 1. Double Standards in the Muslim Community 2. Hijab and sexual assault 3. Toxicity and negativity and how it affects the youth 4. The dangers of... Continue Reading →

Who doesn't like cake? Silly question, is it? Just kidding! For people who do not like cake, there is always another version to try. Don't like regular cake, try cheesecake. Or a cookie cake. How about a brownie cake? Pavlova? Ice cream cake? Almond, chiffon, fruit, glazed...name it and the cake shall be yours. While... Continue Reading →

Desis, i.e., the South-Asian community, are famous for being thrifty. In our families and cultures, children often end up wearing well-preserved clothes of their parents, sometimes even of grandparents! While it might be weird to other cultures, if you think about it, is it not a better way to use reusable objects in a manner... Continue Reading →

Guest post by: HindAbakar For centuries females have been dehumanized, sold, killed and viewed as lesser humans in relation to men. Now women are changing the course, planting their feet firm and standing against this oppression; demanding for basic things like respect, equity and equality. Yet, over my short years I have heard women and... Continue Reading →

Level 10 Muslimah Life Coaching/ Seema Umm Rayyan Website logo What is a Life Coach? A Life Coach can be classified under the wellness industry as a professional whose job is to target the unique skillsets of individuals, and use them to aid their personal, professional and overall growth and fulfillment. This job description might... Continue Reading →

By this time, I have featured quite a few educators. Each with a different story. Each with a unique line of thought. Each with different backgrounds and qualifications. Yet, every single one of them have the same vision, the same drive. To provide quality education within an easy reach of children and their parents. Joining... Continue Reading →

Parenthood opened up our eyes to a lot of different perspectives. Having an idea and then materializing it, are two totally different things. The first thought that had come into our minds was to make the education of our kids fun and exciting. Something they look forward to, something that they love doing. Turns out,... Continue Reading →

Wrap It Up/ Yusra Sami Modesty is an emphasized characteristic in Islam. Although, the definition and explanation is extremely broad, detailed, and covers behavioral, external and internal aspects of a person; for most of us, trying to dress in a modest manner leads the way to other aspects of personal development. Although it does remain... Continue Reading →

*this is a paid article* Moving on is tough.  Nope…not talking about business of the heart, but of the house.  If you have moved from one place to another (city, country, continent), you’d know what I am talking about. Boxes and boxes worth your life packed up to be reset in another place. It gets,... Continue Reading →

Little Pearls Kids Hijab/ Aisha Khan As I write the introduction to this chapter, a plethora of emotions run through my mind. When Aisha emailed me the article about a week back, I had thought of a completely different intro. But as is said, everything can go from ice to fire in a matter of... Continue Reading →

Suryani Omar/ Deen Hubb As Muslims, it is obligatory on us to seek knowledge and provide the means of knowledge for the young. And what knowledge is more beneficial to us than the knowledge of Deen (religion). So, we start young. When we were growing up (sounds cliched...I know!) knowledge of religion (or pretty much... Continue Reading →

Aamina Khan/ QD Fitness Let's talk about our bodies. Yes...the same ones we so love to hate. The same ones we try to fit in every mold, and get frustrated when its not to our liking. What if I were to tell you that there is one woman who is actively trying to change that... Continue Reading →

Nope. Not an article on racism. That issue is too deep to merely skim in one article. If I choose to write about racism, I would do it in a series of articles. This one is all about the glorious colorism that most Desi girls face. You see, I could only write from the perspective... Continue Reading →

Wagma Mohmand/ Alif Wow Designs In 2018, a message was posted on a local chat group for all-women's swimming classes. I jumped up at the opportunity and signed up. Needless to say, the experience was amazing. I do regret not continuing in a proper manner, but that's the story for another time. The first swimming... Continue Reading →

Naba Faizi/ Girl in the Headscarf Naba Faizi/ Girl in the Headscarf Naba's work first came to my attention when someone I had met at a gathering, had posted her pics on social media, wearing Girl in the Headscarf brand. Initially I had thought she was the one behind the brand.When I next met her,... Continue Reading →

Asma Hassan/ Hasana Quran Enrolling my kid in Asma’s class for Quran lessons, was one of the best decisions we have taken as parents. The little one absolutely adores her teacher and is always excited to meet her even when we have shifted to virtual classes. Asma's encouraging and nurturing nature can be easily seen... Continue Reading →

Last week, I announced the launch of a new blog series named 'The First of Their Name'. In my Instagram post, I did explain who, according to me, are the first of their names. To summarize, they are the ones who falter, but never fail to give up. They back out when they must, only... Continue Reading →

Poems by Sabrina I came across Sabrina on a session of Qur'an and Coffee, where we meet (virtually, since lockdown) and discuss various aspects of our Faith. She mentioned her love for poetry and as usual, I jumped up at the opportunity, requesting her to provide me some of her poems for my blog. Very... Continue Reading →

This short story has two inspirations. One, is my rickshaw-wallah from my school days. Unfortunately, being a child then, I don't remember his name. All I remember is his daughter's name, Sona. Which is the name I have used in this short story. That rickshaw-uncle, as I used to call him, visited us once with... Continue Reading →

Guest Post by Iram... I came across Iram when I posted on a blogger's group, seeking guest blogging collaborations. She was among the firsts to respond and the ones who have stayed consistent. I was blown away by her articulate speech and her clear thought process as well as her enthusiasm in speaking up for... Continue Reading →

“Why did she cook the kheer though?” Inspector Das scratched his already thin chin fiercely as if to further taper it into a point. His dark complexion seemed clouded with darker clouds of soiled mood. Constable Chunni (short for Chunnilal) stood silently beside him. He knew better than to interrupt his superior. In this small... Continue Reading →

Bismillah Hir Rahman Ir Raheem Peace and blessings be upon you all “Everyone, take a step back! There’s a peculiar state of events happening. Who’s …HARAM! HARAM! HARAM! – Guest Post by Azra Rahman

This year has been a wake-up call for most of us at various stages. While we grapple with the new norms of today and our mind is still trying to come to terms with the changed reality, one question remains firm amidst the change. Spiritual contentment or materialistic desires? How does one balance both? Should... Continue Reading →

Take the journey to find the perfect chicken rezala.

Hello folks! Keeping up with the initiative of guest blogging, here is another amazing piece from yet another wonderful and talented blogger, Shaheena Chowdhury. She is a teacher and writer who is fascinated by faluda, fuchsia blooms and the ferris wheel. She enjoys cooking and documenting about her culinary experiences. Without further ado...here's the post... Continue Reading →

Dear all... Keeping up with the initiative of guest blogging, this is a write-up by the extraordinary Ma'rufah Adeola Olorunnisola. Ma'rufah is an Early Childhood Education specialist with her undergraduate and Masters degrees, both in the same discipline from the University of Lagos. With over 16 years of experience, four of which she acquired in... Continue Reading →

I clutched to my mother As fireworks exploded I could hear her scream Weep Cry Maybe that’s how I was Brought to life But is that fear? That envelops my just-born self? Why are you afraid Ma? I am here… Here with you… Touch me Feel me Look at me once Kiss my forehead With... Continue Reading →

A random idea transformed itself into words, culminating into this poem. What is beauty? Subjective? Maybe... So why are we then bent on labeling and tagging everything as beautiful? Can someone say 'I am not beautiful' and not receive the sympathy and the slight encouragements of 'You are beautiful...' from those around them? Can we... Continue Reading →

Children…the greatest of gifts. Parenting them…the greatest of all challenges. The toughest of all jobs. And like all jobs, not all of us are a perfect at it. In all probability, neither parent is a proper fit for it. Hello all. My name is Azra Rahman. I am a wife, mom and blogger who was […]Practical... Continue Reading →

I had my mother’s handwriting. At least I thought so. I realized the similarities when I was 14 years of age. For some reason, I guarded it like a big secret. Clung to it. Became obsessed with it. Why you ask? To sign test papers silly! What else did you think would be the priority... Continue Reading →

Spring has arrived, and for all of us, it is different this year. While it is, usually, a time of shedding our frosty winter aura and stepping into the arms of a pleasant Nature (allergic people, I share your fate!), this year, most of us will be at home, trying to make through this pandemic.... Continue Reading →

SpecMi loves food. SpecMi can eat spaghetti with hands and dosa with knife, spoon and fork. And biryani with hands and also with knife, fork and spoon. Don't judge people on how they eat.

Meet SpecMi. An adorable character created by me. Hope you enjoy the launch of the new comic series. Let me know how you like it. And be prepared for more! Say hello to SpecMi!!!

Between the outbreak of Coronavirus, otherwise known as Covid19, and the Utah residents (self included) being jolted awake in the early hours of March 18th, by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake, the start of the year has been, eventful, shall we say for the sake of our own sanity. (Psst...feel free to add your own list... Continue Reading →

Smash the Patriarchy, they say. How can I? She asks. 'When my mother tells me to slather fairness creams?' Smash the Patriarchy, they repeat. 'But how?' She cries out. 'When my grandmother tells me to not question her husband?' Smash the Patriarchy, they urge. 'Tell me how?' Frustrated tears escape her eyes. 'When my sister... Continue Reading →

I stumble ahead in the blackness. Dark, dark, dark devoid of light. Reaching out, my stretched hands grasp the void. No hands can see nor vision feel what lies ahead or below around or behind. Feet crunch on something. Is it pebbles? Stones? Rocks? Sticks or bones? Is it the end lighting up ahead? Or... Continue Reading →

…who's the fairest of them all?" If the Evil Queen had, after receiving the nefarious answer, switched back the creepy Mirror to the old-fashioned mirror; gazed at her beautiful self (Of course she was beautiful! Why else did you think she wanted to be the most beautiful?); laughed and returned to ruling the kingdom, it... Continue Reading →

Before we lock horns with the Beast, let's be clear, this post is meant for normal relationships and fights. I cannot emphasize the word normal enough. Nothing about this post should be taken in association with a relationship which has at its core subtle, mediocre or extensive abuse (physical/verbal/emotional). If you feel you are in... Continue Reading →

They will burn you.Let them.They will stand watchingFlames dancing over their twisted featuresWhile the other face feigns condemnAnd shock.They will break youBit by bitAnd grind you With the heel of their shoesInto dustInto the ground.Let them.As they stand over youLooking downGuffawing at your insignificanceTheir power surging through their veinsBulging it with every flowEvery throbLike a... Continue Reading →

At least once in our lives, we have all been subjected to these two things. One, seeking comfort from a person/s. Two, expected to provide comfort to someone. And I can, I think, safely say that chances are that we have messed up in the latter category, at the minimum, once. Even the ones who... Continue Reading →

It is OK to have children at an early age.It is OK to have children at an advanced age.It is OK to have a normal delivery. It is OK to opt for a caesarean.It is OK if you breastfeed.It is OK if you formula-feed.It is OK if you mostly prepare their food at home.It is... Continue Reading →

Written on: 7th May, 2008 There was a time in my lifeWhen they had walked with me,step by step,hand in hand.Promising, never to desert me,to be my motivation even when I lost it,to be at my side in times of trouble, to support me on rocky paths,through hills,through plains, rejoicing with me whenever I accomplished... Continue Reading →

Hey bloggers! Allow me to take a little of your time to introduce myself a bit. I promise to not keep it long or boring (fingers crossed!). Where do I begin? Probably the year of my birth. I was born in the year 1990, in Ranchi; the capital city of the state of Jharkhand(then Bihar),... Continue Reading →