Think about the last time you settled in with a good book, a steaming cup of coffee in hand. It’s a universal ritual of comfort and focus. Now, let me ask you a question that might seem strange: What does that cup of coffee have to do with a polymath who lived in Baghdad over […]
The Unlikely Link Between Your Coffee and a Ninth-Century Muslim Genius Read More »
“You live here now, you can take all of that off.”
I untangle the dark thread of your bias from around my heart, and discard it. Turn.
After years of yearning for a child, I bend in prayer and feel the first flutter of her movement.
I reach my hand out to the golden thread of gratefulness and wrap it around my heart. Turn.
At the foundation of every story is a character. And at the foundation of that character is something they yearn for. Something they need or want that will shape their actions and relationships the entire journey, whether they know it or not. Harry Potter wanted family, love, and safety. Pip in Great Expectations wanted to
Power, Power, Who’s Got the Power? Read More »
Oh faithful guest
The day you come for me,
Will my soul be at its best,
Waiting to be free?
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?
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 »
“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 »
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 »
2026 IsSUES June 2026May 2026April 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 »
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 »
