Oh Faithful Guest
Oh faithful guest
The day you come for me,
Will my soul be at its best,
Waiting to be free?
Daybreak Press
Seasons of Life
The long, carefree days of summer are winding to a close, giving way to autumn. Hints of amber tug at the lush green leaves of the crepe myrtle standing tall in my backyard, a gentle reminder that change is in the air. Yellow school buses have begun to dot the landscape, transporting children to days of reading, writing, and routine. I recall the days when I was sitting on the bus staring out the window at all the cars speeding past. Life now has me behind the wheel, reflecting on where time has gone and where I am heading. While driving my daughter to school, we found ourselves stopped behind the bus. I turned to her and asked her if she could assign a season to each of the stages of life, where would she find herself?
Toward the Almonds of Jannah
Bobo jaan was a tall, sangeen (dignified, respectfully polished) woman who wore long dresses, crisp white pants, and soft chiffon hijabs. Her friends called her Bibi Shireen. She had this quiet confidence about her that came with being the matriarch of our family. Her husband, my grandfather, passed away from a heart attack in Afghanistan when she was still very young, and her youngest son, my father, was only four years old. She never remarried. Growing up, Bobo jaan would babysit us when our parents were at work. She lived in the same apartment complex as we did.
Toward the Almonds of Jannah Read More »
Beatific Baqara for Cool Converts
“Learn Surat al-Baqara? Me?? Ha! You have to be kidding!” I remember my initial derisive thoughts surfacing when I toyed with the idea of reading the longest surah in the Quran, all 48 pages with 286 ayaat in the original Arabic. I dismissed the thought as unrealistic and left it at that until about a year ago, someone suggested that I, an older convert become acquainted with Surat al-Baqara, the second Surah of the Quran, and read it daily for it contains “barakaat”—blessings as well as protection from evil. Presented below are a few tips from a skeptic-transformed-proponent for all converts to learn Surat al-Baqara, myself included!
Beatific Baqara for Cool Converts Read More »
Ramadan: Finding Allah in Nature
February was a month of fast-paced days, hours that felt like minutes, and nights that ended too soon. I became used to rapid, short breaths, the constant whisper of stress, and a schedule that felt like it would break me.
March, the month of Ramadan, found me like a beautiful pause, a deep breath, a cool breeze wiping the sweat from my brow.
Ramadan: Finding Allah in Nature Read More »
Be Like a Bird: A Ramadan Reflection
I stared. I couldn’t keep my eyes off the frozen figure. Anyone walking across the wooden bridge past me would’ve avoided the weird Muslimah caught in a trance. But I didn’t care, knowing that I could be witnessing something straight out of National Geographic, minus the British commentator. I waited, holding my breath, not wanting to miss the slightest movement to prove my suspicion. It had to be what I thought it was.
Be Like a Bird: A Ramadan Reflection Read More »
Monthly Daybreak Dispatch Newsletters
2026 IsSUES April 2026March 2026February 2026 January 2026 2025 Issues December 2025November 2025October 2025September 2025August 2025July 2025June 2025May 2025April 2025March 2025February 2025January 2025 2024 Issues December 2024November 2024October 2024September 2024August 2024July 2024June 2024
Monthly Daybreak Dispatch Newsletters Read More »
Talk Amongst Yourselves: How Writing Conferences Can Keep You Going
Let’s face it: writing is a lonely business. Some writers thrive on that solitude, soaking up the silence, communing with nature, or staying up all night while the muse is playful and sleeping all morning. Other writers experience that solitude as an energy slump – a necessary part of the craft but only necessary enough
Talk Amongst Yourselves: How Writing Conferences Can Keep You Going Read More »
Words of Wonder and Wonderful Words: Poetry as Muse
The best way to learn a language is to move where people speak it. The best way to learn to swim is to jump in and get wet. And the best way to get your wordsmithing on is to immerse yourself in poetry. Poetry is a special kind of reading – it’s words on
Words of Wonder and Wonderful Words: Poetry as Muse Read More »
A Year of Literature – by Najiyah Maxfield
Every January 1st the Facebook group Anse & Co.’s 50 Book Challenge resets. For bibliophiles, it’s like the beginning of a new school year – all fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils, full of possibility and potential. The entire year laid out before you like an empty landscape to decorate with the books that will entertain
A Year of Literature – by Najiyah Maxfield Read More »