We rose before the sun,Tired eyes, filled mouths,And before the dawn splinteredProstration’s patience began. A day with no food,A day without water,But with the sun’s journeyWas also the soul’s. A physical deprivationBut with spiritual sustenance,As the sounds of recitationFilled the open air. This year was slightly different,Isolated at home,Missing the comforting smiles,The community. Taraweeh at…
Today, May 26th, marks day 121 since the first coronavirus case was detected in California and day 69 of quarantine (CalMatters). Are you hanging in there? Maybe you are tired of isolation, struggling to find entertainment, overwhelmed by academic workload, lacking the motivation to workout, eager to travel when this is all over, picking up…
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…
“What is your race? Check all that apply.” If you’ve ever filled out some questionnaire, you’ve checked the boxes. If you hail from a country in the Middle East/North African region, you probably (against every bone in your body screaming at you to check anything, literally anything else) checked “White.” Sometimes the forms go as…
COVID-19 does not care about inequity, and neither does society. The COVID-19 outbreak is altering our approach to education. Students are quarantining at home and undergoing virtual instruction through Zoom, all while universities prepare for future decisions, including but not limited to: refunding students for university housing, organizing online summer sessions, easing college admissions requirements,…
Being stuck at home can easily get frustrating. Your days start to bleed together, you raid your pantry every hour, you alternate between your social media apps, and you can’t wait until you can hang out with your friends again. The cons of quarantine can be quite clear, but we must not forget that this…
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If you hear of a plague in a land, then do not go into it. If it happens in land where you are, then do not go out of it.” Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim So what is some wisdom we can take from this? Do…
This year has a lot going on. It’s a leap year, it’s a presidential election year, it’s a Summer Olympics year, and it’s a census year. The United States census is a headcount of everyone living in the country, and it only happens every ten years. The census records demographic data such as age, sex,…
Water is an important resource. It’s used for wudu in Islam, baptism in Christianity, ritual washing in Judaism, and spiritual rebirth in Hinduism. In all world religions, water is essential. It is an entity of cleanliness and purification. However, today, many countries with minority populations lack access to clean water. With water pollution affecting irrigated…
February marks Black History Month. This month is a time to reflect on the prominent Black individuals that made history fighting for justice, such as, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and Muhammad Ali. While these well known figures are recognized for their work towards civil rights and achieving justice, Black women are not as…