Photography by Ayman Ahmad [dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen I asked non-Muslim students at UCLA what they know about Islam, some mentioned prayer and making pilgrimage, but two answers were most common: “Islam requires women to wear hijab” or “It had tons of rules and rituals”. When one looks up “Islam” in the dictionary, this is the definition he/she…
Growing up in Los Angeles, I had only met a few Muslims but I never imagined that I would be living with one. As a freshman in college, I was very excited to dorm and meet new people, but it was a little frightening not knowing my roommates and most importantly, not knowing if we…
Two years ago I met the brothers and sisters who call the Islamic Center of San Gabriel Valley (ICSGV) home. It was an hour before maghrib (sunset prayer) when I parked my car in the gravel lot nearest the mosque, located in front of a construction site. As I walked toward the entrance, I slowed…
My parents told me I was Muslim. They taught me the basic teachings of Islam: how to behave, treat others and distinguish halal and haram. I knew I was Muslim, but I did not know what that meant. They told me I should pray, but they did not enforce it. My parents never pressured me…
Youssef is pushing at the boundaries of freedom of expression in Egypt and voicing the frustration many have with Egypt’s leaders and institutions.
Think you know our long-time columnist Hossain Albgal better than we do? Check out some random facts about Mr. Albgal here…
Want to meet our columnists? This spotlight will divulge all the secrets of “Real Talk” columnist Zeyad Zaky.
It is once again that time of the year –the leaves are falling, the winds are blowing, and the clouds are slowly gathering. While it may seemingly be a typical fall season, emotions run deeply through the air as the United States of America nears its 57th quadrennial election.
After seeing firsthand the effects of poverty in India two years ago, it became first year Biology major, Sarah Rahman’s dream to return one day and make a difference in her homeland.
Al-Talib interviews Hamza Siddiqui, a spoken word artist, who is a Junior at the University of the Pacific. In this exclusive interview, Siddiqui performs two spoken word pieces, one of which has not been publicly performed yet.