I still remember the day that I finally decided to [wear hijab]. It was in late September of 2009  on a particular Monday afternoon, as I was coming out of our regular Dars [Islamic group class].    I always admired women who were able to cover themselves and wear hijab, especially after September 11th, 2001, as it declared you a [...]

I have seen homeless people on the street every year of my life. From parking lots of retail stores in the suburbs to certain traffic stops at various Chicago neighborhoods to the bustling streets of Lahore when we would visit Pakistan. It just becomes a fact of life. Even having been at the edge of [...]

My Domestic Violence Story The neglect, the silent treatments, the emotional affairs and pornography, the walking out and walking away during normal disagreements, it all seems like just a couple going through a rough patch in their marriage, right? Except it was like this from day 1. As if I had arrived and not fulfilled [...]

Who Invented Black Friday? Written by Zawareen Zakaria 2020 has bore witness to the dwindling of sales and consumerism overall due to the nature of the pandemic and the resulting closure of stores and restaurants worldwide in efforts to curb the spread. However, despite the increasingly concerning rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, with [...]

Staying in Unsafe Relationships Written by Zawareen Zakaria October has been designated as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month for several decades now by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. It evolved from a remembrance spanning from one day to one week during the 1980s, as conceived by the aforementioned organization, and the designation of the [...]

Who Invented Diapers Written by Zawareen Zakaria Diapering is a practice done worldwide for centuries. Most cultures have adopted some kind of method of covering the genital area not only for privacy purposes but also for cleanliness and comfort. The latest of methods that have been widely adopted for such swaddling means is the disposable [...]

School Like Never Before Written by Zawareen Zakaria The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every walk of life and every facet of life, including how schools and classes are organized across the world. While the beginning of the pandemic has seen classrooms going virtual, the last several months have seen school administrations, teachers, parents, and students [...]

Hurricane Laura & The Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina Written by Zawareen Zakaria Early Thursday morning, on August 26th, Hurricane Laura touched down on the border of southwestern Louisiana and left behind in its path sixteen fatalities and massive destruction as it moved along. Aerial photography highlights entire neighborhoods submerged in water and ruined facilities caused [...]

Lessons from ‘Ashura Written by Zawareen Zakaria The Day of ‘Ashura is an incredibly important date in Islamic tradition that is commemorated worldwide. The name is derived from the word “‘Asharah,” which means ten in Arabic, because this day falls on the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar and [...]

As the full-time schools scrambled, using spring break to encourage teachers to shift into remote learning, many Sunday schools were left without enough resources or time. For families who cannot afford private Islamic school, these Sunday school programs offer the snippet of faith and faith-based knowledge for young children.   This article is to provide [...]