As a person who interacts with a Western Muslim community that places great importance in women’s clothing and female modesty, I am rarely surprised by the focus on hijab as the sign of piety. Similarly, I have unfortunately gotten used to the obsession in some Western media with hijabs and black robes as symbols of […]

After spending the past few weeks delving into President Obama’s foreign policy strategies, discussing the Rochdale case and surviving steamy temperatures of over 45 degrees Celsius, I was looking forward to covering something upbeat and inspiring. The appearance of Pakistani sous chef Fatima Ali on Chopped, a cooking competition on the Food Network, provided the […]

In a recent article for the Huffington Post, titled “10 Muslim Women Every Person Should Know,” Fazeela Siddiqui writes: “[I]n recent years, due to the global socio-political climate, the phrase “Muslim woman” might conjure an image of a demure un-empowered woman sheltered by her burqa. Yet this image is not what our history records or […]

The Huffington Post’s coverage of Islam and Muslims has sometimes missed the mark, and at other times has made some good points. This is due in part to the utilization of op-ed writers in various sections, including the Religion and Science section, which leaves coverage and conversations open to the inspiration of a wide variety […]

It’s been a busy Eid week, readers. We’re sorry to divert from the normal Friday links, but are presenting a shortened version this week. We’ll be back to our regular programming next week! A Latina fights stereotypes in her own community about what happens when a woman converts to Islam: “As soon as I started […]

Success magazine looks at Moroccan Olympic runner Nawal El Moutawakel. Nazish Noorani was murdered after finishing iftar, allegedly under the authority of her husband. May God give her justice. Read more on domestic violence and Nazish at AltMuslimah and MuslimVoices. In the Philippines, several Muslim religious groups and organizations have signed a manifesto advocating Muslim […]

Okay, so our readers have spoken! Our original Friday link format is back! We’ll do our best to keep it this way! Somali women face immense battles: famine, political instability, and rape. An interview with Anjum Zamrooda Habib, a prominent Kashmiri resistance fighter. The Washington Post profiles an Egyptian woman who’s gaining fame by teaching […]

As most people reading this probably know, it’s Ramadan, which brings some combination of fasting, iftars, overeating, praying, partying, and so on.  In the world of online media, many of us have come to expect the yearly collections of photographs (such as those from the Washington Post and the Boston Globe), as well as written […]

NPR looks at how religious leaders in Pakistan are misleading women about birth control and family planning: Zakaria says being poor should in no way limit having babies. Referencing the Quran, he says, “God will provide the resources and no one will starve.” “There are clear instructions in the Holy Quran, in which Allah says, […]

We’re exploring a Friday Links format here at MMW. It’s different than our usual. Let us know what you think in the comments! And, as always, feel free to include links to news about Muslim women from the past week in the comments! News coverage of Muslim women in New Zealand is rare, but the […]