Al-Talib provides an independent perspective on issues important to Muslim communities. Targeting a college-age audience, we seek to create an outlet for activism 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.
A Venture Into the Unknown
Being at UCLA, we are surrounded by endless opportunities for involvement. Some of us feel the urge to be involved in more extracurriculars than we can handle. However, others avoid getting involved because they are afraid of it being too much on top of school. The Beautiful Mind Project’s Deena Samie decided to hold a…
Print Issue 2017 Official Spread (1)
by Maliha Lakhani and Wali Kamal Everything was set up. The mic was ready to go for the MCs to start the show. We were practicing our final run for the skits, namely, the “Halaqa” skit, and we all gathered in a circle to “begin” the halaqa. Suddenly, a loud siren went on and the…
The Presidential War on Press Freedom of Press is often held as the cornerstone of democracy. It is one of the unspoken principles that any threat to its freedom is enough to send people in frenzy and is perceived as a threat of individual freedom. One of the prime examples of press dismantlement was…
In early January, the Al-Talib Newsmagazine published an opinion piece penned by Chakib Mouzaoui and titled “Towards the Dissociation between MSA Projects and the MSA.” The article proposed that the Muslim Student Association’s (MSA) projects, various initiatives started under the banner of the MSA, would be better served in their missions by dissociating from the…
I spent the academic year of 2014-2015 volunteering in the Incarcerated Youth Tutorial Project, an organization dedicated to tutoring incarcerated youth and educating people about the school-to-prison pipeline. In this year, the IYTP gave me a fulfilling opportunity to help kids from the ages of about 16-18 pass their GED or CAHSEE, which officially recognizes…
Being at UCLA, we are surrounded by endless opportunities for involvement. Some of us feel the urge to be involved in more extracurriculars than we can handle. However, others avoid getting involved because they are afraid of it being too much on top of school. The Beautiful Mind Project’s Deena Samie decided to hold a…
It is once again that glorious time of year, when flowers are in full bloom and everything is greener than ever. New beginnings and new weather are upon us, and so is wedding season. Yes, it is indeed that time of year when the lucky among us drive off into the sunset to a happily…
Print Issue 2017 Official Spread (1)
The reach of Islam, even during its infancy, was so vast that even outside of Arabia people developed an interest in it. One such non-Arab who heeded its call is Salman Al-Farsi, or Salman the Persian. Many know him as the Companion who proposed the idea of the trench as a defensive measure…
“With Him are the keys of the invisible. None but He knows them. And He knows what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falls, but he knows it, not a grain amid the darkness of the earth, nor anything green or withered but is recorded in a clear Book”. (Surah al-An’am,…
For the longest time, people have been and are still fascinated by ancient architecture such as the Egyptian Pyramids. It is mind boggling to think about how civilizations almost 1000 years ago built such complex structures by carving into mountains, or even how they mechanistically lifted heavy parts. Even more fascinating is that such complexities…
It is once again that glorious time of year, when flowers are in full bloom and everything is greener than ever. New beginnings and new weather are upon us, and so is wedding season. Yes, it is indeed that time of year when the lucky among us drive off into the sunset to a happily…
Print Issue 2017 Official Spread (1)
Everyone that knows me knows that I have a deep fondness for cats. I am currently the proud pet owner of three cats, Ginger, Simba, and Leila. I have had pet cats for many years, and it has been a wonderful experience so far. There are endless reasons as to why I love cats. Not…
