By Khalood KibriaQandeel Baloch, a popular Pakistani social media star, has been murdered by her own brother in a so-called “honor killing.” The 25 year old star was strangled to death by her 30 year old brother, Wasim, after they got into an argument on Saturday night. Baloch’s father called his daughter “brave” and said he would…
By Khalood KibriaPakistan’s most well-known philanthropist and activist, Abdul Sattar Edhi, who dedicated his entire life to serving the poor of Pakistan, passed away Friday evening at the age of 88. Edhi Sahab, as he is commonly called out of respect in Pakistan, was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2013. Edhi Sahab refused to be taken abroad for treatment,…
By Khalood KibriaIt turns out that Donald Trump isn’t the generous philanthropist he says he is. (Surprise, surprise.) The Washington Post’s David A. Farhenthold is one of many journalists who have investigated Trump’s charitable track record and found that, well, there isn’t much to investigate. The 70 year old business mogul with a net worth of about…
By Khalood KibriaOne of Bahrain’s top Shia clerics is the latest of at least 250 people to have their Bahraini nationality revoked in the past two years. The decision was taken in response to a request filed by Bahrain’s interior ministry who had accused Sheikh Isa Qassim of creating an “extremist sectarian environment” and encouraging “sectarianism and…
By Khalood KibriaA member of the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars has declared that it is haram (forbidden) for Muslims to take pictures with cats unless it is necessary for them to do so. Sheikh Saleh Bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan was reportedly told on a televised broadcast about a new trend of taking pictures with cats among people…
By Khalood KibriaWhen I was a little girl living in Pakistan many years ago, I loved to see entire cities light up when Ramadan came around. People would rush to the street vendors a few minutes before sunset to grab samosas and jalebis for iftaar, families would send food to each other every day, and as the…
By Khalood KibriaLast year, 31-year-old British Muslim chef, columnist, and author, Nadiya Hussain, won the sixth series of BBC’s The Great British Bake Off, making her the first ever Muslim to win the competition. During her acceptance speech, Hussain, who is a hijabi, said, “I’m never gonna put boundaries on myself ever again. I’m never gonna say…
By Khalood KibriaRamadan is an ideal time to memorize dua’as (short supplications) and surahs (Qur’anic chapters) that we’ve been meaning to get around learning during the year. Along with fasting and regularly reading of the Qur’an, it can be incredibly beneficial to invest some time in memorizing dua’as and surahs. Here are 10 tips to help you…
By Khalood KibriaThe Swedish Basketball Federation has submitted a permit to a Stockholm-based basketball team Huddinge, allowing one of the players, 17-year-old female Muslim Noha Berhan, to participate in games with her hijab on. Up until 2014, the the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) had banned basketball players from wearing hijab during games, stating that the religious garment…
By Khalood KibriaOver 70 people have been killed and hundreds injured after a terrorist attack in a popular park in Lahore, Pakistan. Hospital officials and media report that the death toll continues to rise, while many of those injured are in critical conditions. Police stated the attack was a suicide bomb. The blast occurred on March 27, 2016,…
By Khalood KibriaListen up people, this is big news for our emoji game. “Muslim Emoji” is the first and only official Muslim Emoji Keyboard App for all your “halal” (or not) expressions. The app has over a hundred emojis, ranging from bearded smiley faces and images of the Qur’an to prayer mats and even burqa-clad skateboarders. All…
By Khalood KibriaLast week a trio of Muslim hijabi college students – Yasmeen Alsaker, Sara Ebrahim and Tania Khaliq – were traveling on a New Jersey light rail when a 62 year old man, Patrick Pietropaolo, verbally abused them and then, spat on them. Alsaker recounted the incident in a Facebook post on the day of the…
By Khalood KibriaFeb. 21, 2016 marks the 51st death anniversary of Muslim-American civil rights leader Malcolm X, also known as el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. Malcolm X spent his entire life challenging a system that discriminated against him due to the color of his skin. His eloquent speech and powerful rhetoric influenced millions, and they continue to inspire the…
By Khalood KibriaThe Obama administration’s deadline to submit a plan about how to deal with the Guantanamo Bay detention camp is fast approaching. In accordance with the controversial 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress is expecting the White House to share details about Guantanamo by Feb. 23, 2016. Now, it is highly probable that you’ve heard…
By Khalood KibriaDuring the 29th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran on Dec. 27, 2015, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated, “[Muslims] must remove Islam’s negative image from today’s cyber and real space.” Aired on live television, the Rouhani’s speech emphasized the role that Muslims must play in condemning and combatting terrorism; “It is our greatest duty today…
