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…
In today’s reality, the idea of what constitutes a beautiful woman is that which was initially defined by the West–tall, slim, and fair. There is no denying that Western beauty standards are based on a particular kind of beauty catered to white femininity that only serves a select few. Women of color have tried everything…
Good conversations and genuine connections are a simple pleasure that many have not been able to enjoy over the past year. With quarantine keeping everyone cooped up, many have turned to podcasts for that missing piece in their lives. People from all fields have started their own podcasts with a variety of interesting topics to…
In Islamic culture, mosques, mosaics, and folios have served as quintessential exhibitions of artistic expression throughout the Dar-al-Islam. In recent years, however, art historians have uncovered unorthodox artworks that not only transcend traditional archetypes but also shed light on Islamic society from previous centuries. In 2007, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston unveiled a historic…
Winter break is upon us, the air is getting colder, and I can bet a lot of us are getting ready for the extra relaxation after finals week. What better way to relax than with some heart-warming, thought-provoking poetry, right? Though there is no perfect season for poetry, there’s something about…
There I was, laying in my bed in the dark on election night. Why did so many people vote for Trump? I thought as I was refreshing the election results every ten seconds. My family’s group chat was flooding with texts. “Looks like another four years with Trump” my dad sadly typed while feeling discouraged.…
With the COVID-19 pandemic putting a hold on the world, many are desperate for a new breakthrough in science. The highly anticipated vaccine has been talked about for the duration of the pandemic, and the collaboration between the biotechnology company BioNTech and pharmaceutical company Pfizer has shown promising results. They announced that there is a…
During the Holocaust, Jewish people had to wear yellow badges of stars that marked them as Jewish. Their travel was limited through restricted passports. While we can all agree these were horrendous acts, you might be surprised to find parallels in our own country today. During his successive election campaign in 2015, President Donald Trump…
November 9th 2016. I woke up and immediately checked my phone. A wave of nausea washed over me. I held my hand over my mouth, stunned at the news that Donald Trump was elected as the 45th president of the United States. How could my president be a man that has said heinous things about…
What do you think of when you hear the words “Muslim woman?” An invisible, silent girl covered in repressive robes? How about a punching bag whose job it is to carry out the will of the abusive, savage terrorist she was forcibly married to? Would you ever think of a powerful superhero saving the world? …