Al-Talib provides an independent perspective on issues important to Muslim communities. Targeting a college-age audience at UCLA, we seek to create an outlet for activism and creativity on and off campus, a platform for representation of all facets of the Muslim-American communities and a safe space for sensitive topics. We believe that this sort of dialogue, no matter how uncomfortable it may be at times, is necessary in order for our community to appreciate and celebrate its diversity.
Ya Yemen, you once were a beautiful country inhabited by smiling cheshire cats sitting on long, stretched out tables drinking chai and smoking shisha with their loved ones. you once were a beautiful country focusing on expanding your olive tree population to sustain your economy and bring peace to your land. Ya Yemen! you once…
When you think of TikTok, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it the slowed, reverb versions of already overplayed songs? Or maybe it’s the exaggerated dance routines or wanna-be-Hollywood acting? If you thought of any of those things, you’d be correct because so did I (let’s face it–some of it is cringy).…
2021 was a good year for Marvel fans. WandaVision commenced Phase 4 with a bang, showing firsthand how grief motivated Wanda Maximoff to explore the limits of her power as Scarlet Witch. The show left me speechless (I knew it was Agatha all along! I knew it!). Loki Season One revealed that the God of…
Directly after the most recent assaults on Gaza and expansion of Israeli settlers into East Jerusalem, the Muslim community has once again stood up for Palestinian rights marking decades of unwavering support. Although the continuation of this trend sounds like a positive development, in reality it’s a problematic position rooted in religious sectarian politics that…
Dear fellow reader, My name is Sami Siddiqui. I am a proud Muslim. I’m also a concerned, appalled, disappointed, and “every-synonym-in-between” Muslim. Whether you’re a fellow brother or sister, I’m certain you will feel the same way two paragraphs from now. At this point, you may be wondering what’s been troubling me lately. Am I…
I wake up five minutes before class,no need to look nice,no one turns on their camera anyway,which is fine,because I went to collegeto have the same exact life from high school. same exact friendssame exact interestssame exact responsibilitiessame. exact. routine. I went to club meetingsbut I guess the lack of motivation is widespreadbecause there were…
70 years ago, during the Civil Rights Movement, Blacks mobilized to fight the violence and prejudice they endured generation after generation. The suffering of the Black community is wrong on all accounts, so it should have ended then. The struggle for justice and equality should have been resolved then. The riots and rebellions should have…
Since the beginning of Fall quarter, many students of the MSA at UCLA looked forward to the numerous events held during the Spring quarter. Some of these events included Ramadan, Islam Awareness Week, Spring Forward, College Day, and the End of the Year Banquet. Despite fundraising for months and holding numerous preparation meetings, all of…
I remember walking inside the empty Pauley Pavilion for the first time. Visualizing the arena’s aesthetics, the baby blue Pac 12 logo inside the three-point line on either side, the famous UCLA logo on center court and all the retired jerseys that hanged above the arena’s seating. There was one jersey that stood out to…
As the end of the quarter creeps closer and closer, the pressure to do well and finish the quarter strong increases. We all may have different motives that encourage us to do the best we possibly can on our upcoming exams, but a common one within our community is the pressure from our beloved parents.…
Here We Are, Here We Stand Rather with duty than choice To build an identity To which others may not conform Through a sacrifice In search of our paradise With a small hope That our actions will suffice At the end of the day We are all criminals In a world full of crime Slicing…
The young Palestinian girl begging Israeli soldiers to spare her life. A teenage boy sitting by the hospital bed saying goodbye to a loved one lost to COVID. The college student pushing herself through each day as she combats academic and financial stress, only to live each day with lifelessness and repetition. As the atmosphere…
Ummi listen I want to go to therapy Are you crazy? No Are you mental? No Only the crazy the mental go to— therapy Ummi Please— Listen I need therapy What will the community think if you go to —therapy I don’t care what others think I- I am depressed, Ummi. It’s because you’re…
“O Mankind: We created you from a male and a female; and made you into tribes and nations that you may get to know each other. And verily, most honored before God is the most virtuous.” – Quran 49:13 Islam is the world’s fastest-growing religion. With a population of 1.6 billion, Muslims are spread across…
We all aim for success. But what does success really mean? What should it look like? Every community defines success using its own set of criteria. In collectivist cultures as found in Asia, success is often determined based on how organized and harmonious society is as a whole. By contrast, other primarily western cultures like…
Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic caused mosques to be shut down, iftars to be canceled, and Friday prayers to be streamed via Youtube. Muslims worldwide were forced to navigate a Ramadan that was vastly different from the traditions we had looked forward to every year. Now, over a year into quarantine, Muslims have participated in…
