by Diana Rahim It is not surprising that the term ‘Monolithic’ can have negative connotations. It brings to mind an understanding that is reductive, and absolute. A sweeping, generalised way of perceiving a reality that is much more complex and nuanced. Not all Muslims are Arabs after all, or even from the same denomination, or…
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by Zarifah Anuar It’s 3am and my alarm goes off. I don’t jolt awake, because I’ve been awake for the past 30 minutes or so. There is a special kind of silence at this time of the night. You’re very aware of how alone you are — everyone in the house is asleep; outside, your…
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By Zuby Eusofe I started wearing hijab when I was 27. When I was in my 50s, I stopped. Some people may think I am going senile for removing my hijab at this age. But I had learnt that hijab is more than just the piece of cloth that covers one’s modesty. To me, hijab…
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By Diana Rahim Rituals have always been a fraught topic for me. For a long time I associated them with a vacuous, rigid religiosity I found unfulfilling; the Islam of my childhood often taught through fear and rigid enforcement of rituals to ensure compliance. Even as a child I was aware that adults knew rituals were simply not…
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By Zarifah Anuar As a child, Ramadhan was presented to me as a special, sacred month. Fasting was supposed to not only help us gain an insight into the lives of the poor, but to also test one’s faith and connection to God. Ramadhan to me wasn’t merely a month of fasting and prayer –…
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By Farheen Ferdhouse Fasting is expected of every practicing Muslim during the holy month of Ramadhan. It is that time of the year where we get to seek the pleasure of God (our creator), by performing extra prayers on top of our obligatory prayers coupled with the act of abstaining from eating and drinking for…
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