Bismillahir Rahmānir Raheem. أ's name, in Urdu, according to a quick Google search, means 'independent', or 'brave lady'. أ is indeed a 'brave lady' (Masha Allah) and not solely because of how she is taken to... eating biryani and macaroni cheese together, on the same … Continue reading أ: Between Biryani and Irn-Bru.
ت: Connectivity, Re-Connecting, and… Fifty pounds worth of coins in a carrier bag, to buy “milk” with.
Bismillahir Rahmānir Raheem. ت's nan (who lives here in the East of London, el este de Londres) is, according to ت, "a hunnit percent Bengali", even in spite of her passport, which still says that she (ت's nan) is 'East Pakistani'. ت's Nanee (one way … Continue reading ت: Connectivity, Re-Connecting, and… Fifty pounds worth of coins in a carrier bag, to buy “milk” with.
ص: “Like, yeah, that’s my mum”.
Bismillahir Rahmānir Raheem. "My Islamic journey started with ح [a friend of hers]." In Year Thirteen — the second year of 'sixth form' here in the UK, equivalent to being a 'senior' in US high schools — and with roughly twenty minutes remaining before a … Continue reading ص: “Like, yeah, that’s my mum”.
د, س and ع: Football, Family, and the “blue” country.
Bismillahir Rahmānir Raheem. Two of my little brothers are currently playing foosball. I have one biological brother, and then two of my little cousins: among British-Bengalis, it is quite normal for us to refer to our cousins as cousin-sisters and cousin-brothers. It often feels this way too: like although we … Continue reading د, س and ع: Football, Family, and the “blue” country.
ر , ح and ت: Modernity, Science, and a sprinkle of Geopolitics.
Bismillahir Rahmānir Raheem. Curiosity. Like many Muslims, ر demonstrates a particular sort of curiosity towards learning about ‘Ahlul Kitaab’: the People of the Book. At my favourite bookshop (‘Blackstone’ on Whitechapel Road) there is a section dedicated to the Abrahamic faiths, I believe: the … Continue reading ر , ح and ت: Modernity, Science, and a sprinkle of Geopolitics.
ع: Intellectual Exploration, and One Eternal Source of Truth.
Bismillahir Rahmānir Raheem. "We are neither Sunni, Shia nor Ibadi (the third intellectual branch of Islam that is often overlooked). Just Muslim. Instead, our parents raised us to use the Qur'an only and form our own ideas in regards to faith from there." There is … Continue reading ع: Intellectual Exploration, and One Eternal Source of Truth.
ز: The Seventeen-Year-Old Londoner who found Islam.
Bismillahir Rahmānir Raheem. “My aunts call me an extremist. Because I wear the hijāb and support Palestine.”* ز [an Arabic letter. ‘Z’] lives in South-East London. Born to a white British mother and an Egyptian (Muslim, but not practising) father, seventeen-year-old she accepted Islam earlier … Continue reading ز: The Seventeen-Year-Old Londoner who found Islam.
Journey to the Heart of London / Islam
Yesterday I went on a long walk, from my home in East London (well, more specifically: where East- begins to coalesce into Central-. Literally: one side council flats, the other side yachts and such) all the way to London Central Mosque: a gorgeously-designed (Masha Allah) … Continue reading Journey to the Heart of London / Islam
