HOW MANY LIVES were lost? How much destruction did we witness? In the face of such immense pain and devastation, I hear many asking a question: Was it worth it? And what, if anything, was truly gained? The answer depends entirely on how we define success. For those who view this world as the only … Continue reading Was It Worth It? A Reflection on Sacrifice, Struggle, and the Meaning of Success
SOME PEOPLE ARE blessed with fast metabolisms; they seem to be able to eat whatever they want freely without gaining weight. I’m not one of them. As I’ve gotten older and noticed the pounds creeping on, I’ve become more aware of the importance of looking after my health. While gym routines and intense workouts sound … Continue reading Simple Pleasures: Walking
IOF + IDF = Genocide That’s the equation that hit me hard on the ongoing genocide. The IOF, Israeli Offensive Force, is the Israeli military machine responsible for the brutal massacres, the destruction of homes, hospitals, mosques and churches, and entire families. And behind them stand the U.S. and its Western allies, funding, arming, and … Continue reading The Real IDF: Unmasking the Hypocrites
ON OCTOBER 2ND, 1187, Salahuddin al-Ayubi, rahimahullah, marched into Jerusalem. After 88 years of Crusader occupation, the holy city was once again in Muslim hands. But this victory did not come easily. It was not won through force alone. It was earned through patience, through strategy, and above all, through unity. Before he could liberate the land, Salahuddin had … Continue reading Echoes of Salahuddin: A Lesson for Our Time
SO THIS IS what it’s come to. After two years of brutal war, Trump has stepped forward with his so-called 20-point “peace plan” for Palestine. In reality, it’s a plan for total surrender—take it or leave it. Or is it? Certainly, one way of seeing this is as the complete capitulation of the Muslim world … Continue reading A Peace Plan Built on Ashes
AS PARENTS TODAY, we all know one thing for sure: we can’t escape the internet. It’s everywhere, deeply embedded in how we work, learn, and connect. That ship has long sailed. But while we can’t remove it from our lives entirely, we can choose how we engage with it, and how much space we allow … Continue reading Simple Pleasures: Reading a Book
(Inspired by Surah Yā Sīn ayah 12 and an earlier article.) I sit with my elders—silent, still, Their faces are maps of time’s quiet will. Eyes that have watched generations unfold, Hands that have weathered both fire and cold. Knotted by age, those fingers once strong Built homes, cradled infants, righted the wrong. What scenes … Continue reading I Sit With My Elders
IF YOU’VE EVER travelled to Sylhet in the northeast of Bangladesh, it’s hard not to be captivated by the beauty of its tea gardens. The dark green terraces stretch across rolling hills, occasionally shaded by tall trees, creating a landscape that is as serene as it is breathtaking. But behind this calm, green elegance lies … Continue reading Capitalism in a Teacup: The Exploitation Beneath a Global Commodity
THIS YEAR IN Dhaka, I saw something more noticeable than before. Whenever we stopped at a traffic light, someone would tap on the car window asking for money. These individuals appeared physically male but were dressed in saris, with bindis on their foreheads—clearly identifying themselves as women. Who Are the Hijras? The term Hijra refers to a … Continue reading Hijras and Gender Identity Politics: An Islamic Response
RECENTLY, SOMEONE COMPLAINED to my parents about the length of my son’s hair (somewhere below his earlobes but above his shoulders), saying: “Children of good families don’t keep their hair long.” If I were to ask my son, now 19, to respond, he’d probably be surprised. He might remind them that the Messenger Muhammad … Continue reading Raising Muslims, Not Mini-Me’s: Navigating Personal Preferences in Islam
Living For Islam 