By Naazish YarKhan

July/Aug 2024

A generation once written off as soft and self-absorbed, as kids raised on filters, selfies and trigger warnings, is showing the world what they are truly made of. Shorouk Akarah, a senior at DePaul University, joined the pro-Palestine, pro-ceasefire efforts through the DePaul Divest Coalition, a group of organizations that want to make sure that DePaul is on the right side of history. She also worked on efforts to get Chicago to pass the resolution in favor of a ceasefire. 

“In a sense, Chicago passing a resolution gave us a leg up to do more things. I had never imagined it would get to encampments,” Shorouk said. “That students would have to camp out for days and weeks on end for schools to acknowledge that this was happening. We don’t know exactly where our tuition dollars are going, and students across campuses want to know. Our tuition dollars are killing our family members in Gaza. No matter whether you have a relative in Gaza or not, we are all Palestinian.”

Her role in the DePaul encampment is to manage the supply, medic and food tents, and collect donations, to ensure that those staying at the encampments overnight have all they need. “Us students are the next generation. We are the ones that are going to see this through, insha Allah,” Shorouk said. “No matter how old or young you are, it is very important [to be involved] not just as Palestinians, but as people in general. It is about time.” Awareness and education are critical to keep the momentum going, she emphasizes. 

She agrees that this all started way before Oct. 7, 2023. The siege on Gaza is heading into 17 years. The occupation has [lasted for] over 76 years.  “Why do people continue to let it happen? Knowing all this is very important, because it keeps you going,” she said. She believes that calling for divestments, besides the economic ramifications, is also a call for schools to recognize what is happening right now. 

Police Brutality

However, the police brutality that ensued in response to the encampments across some campuses did not surprise her.  

“We’ve always been taught that the police look at us as ‘the other,’ the aggressors, when it is the opposite. Police escalate things or do nothing to protect the students in encampments,” she relates. “That is why we always say at the DePaul encampments, ‘We protect ourselves; we protect each other. We don’t need outside security.’ We check in with fellow students. We have trained marshals who know what to do if the cops show up. We also have lawyers on hand, just in case.”

These youth believe that the Palestinians are showing them what resilience looks like. They feel the encampments are not just important for them, but also to other minority groups who’ve come together to create this coalition. “The encampments and protests show that Palestinian voices have been heard and are being lifted by us,” Shorouk said. 

“We can do more here to help them there. My university is trying to give us ‘our space’ but, sooner or later, we expect them to come and say, “Enough is enough.” But we are not going to back down. Our school is openly Zionist, and our end goal is to get DePaul to divest. One thing we are doing well is to ask our administration to send people who can help us with our negotiations, people in positions who can help us.”

All this is not to say she wasn’t afraid. She is pursuing law and wants to work for the state. She is, to an extent, afraid because she has had people come to the campus and take photos. We emphasize safety and [ask students to] put masks on. Someone I know is on the Canary Mission website. He told me, “Being on that website is a badge of honor.” I’ve started to say that a lot myself. 

As we witness the second Nakba unfold, Shorouk and those around her hope that their efforts and the efforts of all those around them will, God willing, destroy the status quo when it comes to Palestine. 

Naazish YarKhan is a writing tutor and college essay coach. To learn more, visit WritersStudio.us. 

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By Kiran Ansari

July/Aug 2024

Four doctors. 42 bags. 2,000 pounds of supplies. One mission.

As they entered Gaza, they heard the drones buzzing. From maghrib to fajr they heard artillery being fired from tanks. They were not new to serving in medical missions or even new to Gaza. But the Gaza they saw during April 2024 was new to them.

“It was apocalyptic,” said Azeem Elahi, MD, a pulmonary and critical care specialist. “Nearly everything was destroyed or crumbling.”

The level of destruction they saw is nothing compared to their 2009 Gaza medical mission. In 2024, their room shook every night due to the bombs exploding nearby. That was their wake-up call to head straight to the emergency room to deal with the influx of patients. 

Anesthesiologist Ismail A. Mehr (member, ISNA’s Founders Board; chair, IMANA Medical Relief), in collaboration with HEAL Palestine (Health, Education, Aid, and Leadership Palestine; www.healpalestine.org/), led the latest IMANA mission. He has been on 36 global medical missions so far. In addition to Elahi, his handpicked team included emergency medical doctor Kanwal Chaudhry, MD, and vascular surgeon Shariq Sayeed, MD. 

“We chose the most experienced and veteran team,” Mehr said. “It’s critical in an active conflict area to have a team who can work in a high stress environment and remain focused. Many want or feel the need to volunteer and be in Gaza, and though that is admirable, Gaza presently isn’t for everyone.”

Leaving for Gaza: Sandwiched by Bravery

These veteran health-care professionals knew what they were signing up for. As serving in an active war zone entails a lot of risk, members updated their wills and Mehr ensured that if they were killed, they would be buried back home so their families would have closure. 

“Our intention is always to be of value,” said Mehr. “In 2009, I was younger and more emotional. Now I know IMANA’s main goal is to establish sustainable and impactful work, so we worked through several logistical issues to finally get through the approval process. Our connections over the years helped. We wanted to lay the framework for future medical teams too.

“Of course, my family was concerned, but they were also very proud,” he continued. “I was so sad and angry after the genocide unfolded from Oct. 7, that this mission gave me purpose. My family knew going there would be like therapy for me. IMANA doesn’t just go to one place and leave.”

Sayeed, who also grew up with ISNA, shared that his 9-year-old daughter was emotional to see her Baba leave. With spotty Wi-Fi and time difference, it wasn’t always possible for him to stay in touch.

“In 2009 I was scared to tell my parents I was going to Gaza,” remarked Chaudhry. “In 2024 I wasn’t. My parents were immediately proud of me. I didn’t FaceTime with them, as I was hoping the out-of-sight-out-of-mind tactic would work rather than them being reminded I was in an active war zone.”

Just a few weeks before the mission, Elahi was sitting at jummah with his father and son, when it struck him that three generations of Elahis have been listening to the stories of injustice in Palestine. He felt compelled to help.

Sandwiched between brave parents and brave children, these dedicated doctors finalized plans.

As word got out, people donated so much that they were able to fill personal luggage of 42 bags with around 2,000 pounds of surgical equipment, cardiac monitors, portable ultrasounds, antibiotics and wound-care supplies. They also packed food so they wouldn’t have to depend on Gaza’s limited food supplies, and distributed some supplies to the Shuhada’ al-Aqsa and Kuwaiti hospitals.

“It was basically protein bars and Ramen noodles, but we were so busy that sometimes we didn’t even remember to eat,” Chaudhry said.

Martyred Limbs are Waiting for us in Jannah

When Elahi left for Gaza in 2019, there was a full medical staff there waiting to be trained. “To say the current healthcare system is fractured is false. It has collapsed. Yet the amazing local physicians and staff find ways to keep going as they have no choice. Most of the hospitals in northern and central Gaza have either been destroyed or are operating in the Middle Ages. Historically there has been some scaffolding to build upon. Right now, it is piles of indiscriminate crumbled cement.”

Gaza’s European Hospital, where they served for nine days, is the only functioning hospital left in southern Gaza. Its usual capacity is 200 inpatients; now, around 30,000 displaced people are living on its grounds. Its stairways and corridors are all lined with people and tents.

Many of Gaza’s senior doctors have fled or been detained, martyred or buried under the rubble. The IMANA team sought to train the younger ones, many of whom had been training at al-Shifa hospital before it was destroyed.

Nearly everyone they met had lost multiple family members. But still… Even the word “resilience” falls short for them.

“There was nothing similar in the 2009 and 2024 missions except for the resilience of the Palestinians,” Sayeed remarked. “It is a disservice to try to describe their resilience and warmth. I never once heard anyone complain to me about their situation or difficulties even during the most difficult times and losses they have experienced.”

“They were more concerned about our food and safety than themselves,” said Mehr. “They never cursed or complained. They kept repeating ‘This is Allah’s will, and we will get through it.’”

“Even when they lose a limb, they say my leg was shaheed (martyred). I will get it back in jannah,” said Chaudhry. She was an asset to the team, as many female patients preferred that she perform some procedures or exams for religious and modesty reasons. 

“I have worked for 17 years in the ER, but here in the U.S. the nurses do a lot of the actual nitty gritty. With extremely limited staff in Gaza, we all had to do far more.”

As a woman was rushed into the ER with injuries to her face from an explosion. She just kept saying, “Save my child.” Her husband and another child had already been martyred, but she kept saying Alhamdulillah. “We are so behind in our faith,” Chaudhry said. “We stub our toe and don’t stop complaining.”

According to Elahi, “They are the chosen ones. Allah has chosen them. Their level of iman is unmatched. The doctors in Gaza have not had a day off since October 7. They are truly special people driven by a holier purpose. My favorite part was seeing all healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, lab technicians and cleaning staff work, pray and eat as a family. In America, medical teams are often segregated in non-clinical settings, such as [at] mealtimes.”

The IMANA team has fond memories of Gaza’s children who waited for them every day. They tried to converse in English. “There is a universal language which breaks all barriers — love,” Mehr stated. “These children made our days easier by bringing smiles and laughter and reinforcing that we too, as healers, needed to be resilient.” 

“Even though we didn’t have to operate without anesthesia as our colleagues needed to initially when the ground invasion began, we did have to change open wound dressings on the floor with minimal or no anesthesia,” noted Sayeed. “In the U.S., such dressing changes are only done with pre-medication.”

The thing that struck Sayeed the most was how many children he had to see. “There is no such thing as a pediatric vascular surgeon in the United States. Vascular disease usually affects older people, as it takes time to develop the disease. I don’t see 14 and 16-year-olds with trauma wounds while rounding here in Atlanta.”

He was really looking forward to transferring 11-year-old Yassin to Atlanta. But with the Rafah border closing, things are now in limbo. He hopes Yassin can make it sooner rather than later so he can escape the high infection rate in Gaza. 

What Next? Watching and Waiting

Upon her return to rural Illinois, Chaudhry went out for dinner with her coworkers to share details about her trip. She feels that middle Americans have stuck their heads in the sand. It’s convenient for them not to find out what’s happening “over there.” However, the dinner did have an impact. She feels that her coworkers are more engaged with the campus protests because they personally know someone who has been to Gaza. They don’t have the excuse of “we don’t know what to believe” anymore because they are getting a firsthand account from someone they trust.

IMANA had planned on sending another medical mission in May/June, but because of Israel’s invasion of Rafah — Gaza’s lifeline — has been placed on hold for now. As part of the WHO’s briefings, they are monitoring the situation. Medical teams from Fajr Scientific and Palestine American Medical Association have U.S.- and U.K.-based doctors currently stuck in Gaza. 

“This could have been us,” said Elahi. “As our lead [Mehr] carried a tarp and duct tape in case one of us was injured and needed to evacuate. It may sound morbid, but we had to plan for everything.”

 Mehr felt his team (and their families) had entrusted themselves to IMANA. So, he went through dozens of scenarios in his mind and formulated a crystal-clear action plan. Not until they were all on their way home did their operation’s magnitude really dawn upon him.

The team still cannot forget Hala, a beautiful four-year old girl who suffered 30-40% burns from the waist down. They were really hoping to evacuate her to Boston Shriners Hospital. She’d been transferred to Rafah’s IMC hospital for evacuation. All her paperwork, permissions and approval from the U.S. State Department were in place. Then Israel invaded, and the opportunity disappeared.  

Hala died on May 8.

Her story is just one of thousands, each one of which is more devastating than the last. The IMANA team’s message to the ummah is to please continue to speak up, make dua for the stranded medical teams and continue sharing and advocating for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Even though none of these four doctors had Palestinian roots, they each left a piece of themselves there. Chaudhry remains in touch with some people in Gaza. When she asks them how they are doing, they reply, “We are alive.” She is ready to go back as soon as possible. 

“Just tell me when.”

You can support more such medical missions at www.imana.org 

Kiran Ansari (assistant editor, Islamic Horizons) is in awe of the dedication of medical professionals choosing to risk their lives to serve in Gaza. She hopes to visit a free Palestine one day.

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By Sara Swetzoff

May/Jun 2024

From the municipal ceasefire resolution movement to local Democratic party elections to the “vote uncommitted” campaign, young Muslim organizers are bringing together diverse community coalitions to transform democracy in Connecticut. Sara Swetzoff interviewed Ebaa Mohmed (co-founder, the Islamic Association of Central Connecticut Impact Organization; press liaison, Vote Uncommitted CT), a recent candidate for Democratic Town Committee in New Britain’s Ward 3.

Last month I was honored to join your campaign canvassing in New Britain, Conn., ahead of the Democratic Town Committee (DTC) elections. Can you give some background on your slate and why you all decided to run for DTC?

Our slate comprised an amazing group of individuals, including Councilwoman Candy Scott (D). It was a predominantly Muslim slate, primarily focused on a pro-Palestine initiative and seeking to pass a ceasefire resolution in New Britain. 

The way we came together happened very quickly. This past January [2024], we presented the ceasefire resolution to our local DTC. We had gathered a large group of New Britain residents and supporters to attend the public meeting. After a tense session, the resolution was tabled. 

I was baffled by how easily the politics of it all overshadowed the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis plaguing the Palestinian people. Subsequently, a group of us, including DTC members along with Councilman Nate Simpson (D), convened and decided that we were done being ignored. 

This wasn’t the first time we felt our local elected officials had sidelined us, and we knew it wouldn’t be the last. With the two-year DTC term nearing its end and possible primaries in March, we formed our slate.

For readers outside our region, how would you describe New Britain and its communities? What makes New Britain special? What was it like to grow up there?

New Britain has always been home to diverse and rich communities, all intertwined in various ways. Growing up, I learned Spanish from my neighbors while we rode our bikes around town, and in return, I taught them Arabic.

New Britain has one of the largest Arab populations of any town in Connecticut, with the Yemeni community being especially prominent. I’ve come to view New Britain as a city filled with people who may differ in many aspects, but at a fundamental level, we stand united. I have yet to encounter a single constituent who does not support a ceasefire resolution. 

New Britain thrives on marginalized communities supporting each other through our shared struggles, and it’s also home to leaders I deeply admire. For instance, Imam Zaid Shakir, co-founder of Zaytuna College, spent his formative years here. Simply knowing that genuine leaders have emerged from our town fills me with hope that we can continue to drive meaningful change forward.

Nationwide, the municipal ceasefire resolution movement has been such a powerful expression of solidarity with Palestine. What was it like to build that local coalition in New Britain?

I was fortunate to find myself among many people who had been fighting for Palestinian liberation long before the start of the genocide. So, in terms of expanding this coalition further, it was about tapping into our communities that aren’t normally heard from. 

We did a lot of legwork reaching out to our vast Muslim community, who was already very emotionally involved in the matter but did not know what steps to take to get materially involved. We held educational seminars on voter registration, how the DTC works and how voting for our slate would better reflect New Britain’s values. We received amazing feedback and garnered many allies who are still involved with the movement.

You are also the press liaison for the recently launched “Vote Uncommitted CT” campaign, a project of the Connecticut Palestine Solidarity Coalition’s Political Engagement Committee. Who is in the coalition and what inspired the group to take on this campaign?

The coalition comprises many organizations that are doing amazing work to advocate for a liberated Palestine. Coalition members include Abandon Biden, We Will Return, Connecticut Democratic Socialists of America, New Britain Racial Justice Coalition, Bristol Anti Racism Brigade, Hartford Jewish Organizing Collective, Party for Socialism and Liberation Connecticut, Connecticut Students 4 Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace Action Connecticut and the Islamic Association of Central Connecticut Impact Organization. 

We decided to take on this campaign because it is directly tied to the freedom of the Palestinian people. This campaign sends a clear and direct message to the Biden administration that they cannot simply wash their hands of this genocide come November. This protest vote makes it known that we have taken note of the unfulfilled promises made at the start of their campaign and that we will hold them fully accountable while they attempt to cover up their numerous ongoing atrocities.

By the time this interview reaches readers, it will be after the April 2nd primary. Regardless of the outcome, what do you think the Vote Uncommitted CT campaign will have accomplished?

The campaign has already accomplished so much by raising awareness of the genocide, their occupation by Israel and U.S. complicity and funding of it all. By April 2, I am hopeful that we will have garnered over 6,000 uncommitted votes and will have sent a strong message that their voters will not support a candidate who perpetuates the Genocide in Gaza. I’m confident that this message will resonate far beyond this campaign and will contribute to the broader fight for a free Palestine.

Going back to your Democratic Town Committee slate in New Britain: It’s tough to get people out for local primaries at the town level, and this was your slate’s first campaign. You didn’t win any seats on the DTC this year, but nevertheless you grew our movement for local democracy and learned valuable lessons for the future. What were your biggest take-aways?

The number one thing I learned is that all our struggles are interconnected. Even though we didn’t win any seats, I made amazing lifelong allies and I’ve learned from it every step of the way. This fight isn’t a one-and-done. It’s a lifelong battle that needs to be fought by a collective that believes in a better and brighter future where we don’t allow genocides to take place and the human rights of millions of people to be violated every day. 

Whether it be via ceasefire resolutions or the Vote Uncommitted campaign, we will always win when we are building the movement. This campaign was my first, but it will not be my last. I’ve learned invaluable lessons regarding running a campaign and all of its inner workings, and I will not stop until the needs of my community and those who have been silenced for decades are rightfully represented.

Thank you so much, Ebaa. Any closing thoughts or advice to share with readers who are thinking of getting more politically involved in their own towns or cities?

I’d like to emphasize that anyone can get politically involved. As someone with no prior political experience, I was very intimidated to throw my hat in the ring at first. But I firmly believe that we must involve more people in politics who aren’t afraid to stand up for the right thing. We need more Muslims, more people of color and more young people to step up and take the reins from those who are currently pushing for genocide and refuse to represent our beliefs.

Anyone can run for a seat in their local election, and I know that if we encourage those who have been marginalized and pushed to the outskirts of our communities, we can build more inclusive, humanity-driven electoral bodies starting at the local level and working our way up. That is one of the major ways we can make change.

Sara Swetzoff is faculty in the Department of Political Science, Philosophy and Geography at Eastern Connecticut State University.

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By Monia Mazigh

May/Jun 2024

Since the Israeli military’s violent assault upon Gaza, the world has watched in complete horror, feeling powerless and despair at the complete destruction of what was home to 2.2 million Palestinians. We are wondering about the meaning of public opinion in liberal democracies, where a majority has been calling for a ceasefire while many politicians oppose it. We remain struck by the double standards vis-à-vis human rights — a principle that justified the U.S. NATO, and Western military interventions in Bosnia, Iraq, Libya and elsewhere and today is being totally dismissed in the case of Israel. 

After about six months of continuous bombing, often compared by historians to the carpet bombing of German cities during World War II, along with the deliberate targeting of hospitals, schools, and UNRWA refugee centers, what is left of Gaza is complete devastation. Aljazeera (Dec. 23, 2023) estimated that 60% to 70% of all residential buildings have been destroyed. From the satellite images, the very densely populated Gaza of today looks like the surface of the moon, desolate pictures of what used to be tall, crowded buildings flattened into craters, large holes, and rubble all around. 

Meanwhile, Israel persists in repeating that this is all Hamas’ fault. According to this distorted logic, killing civilians is legitimate or justified either under the debunked assertion that Hamas is using civilian targets to hide its “militants” and launch its attacks, or by the “fact” that all Gazans implicitly support Hamas and thus deserve to be targeted. 

This supposed logic isn’t new. Although the post-9/11 global “war on terrorism” (GWOT), has never officially ended, the U.S. considered civilians killed in drone attacks launched by it or its allies as “militants” because they were near the intended target. 

After 9/11, the U.S. launched its GWOT on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and later on in Yemen and sub-Saharan Muslim countries. Despite the subsequent death of hundreds of thousands of civilians, many Muslim governments cooperated directly or indirectly with the American forces, offering military bases on their lands, having their intelligence officers collaborate with Western countries to arrest their own nationals at home and abroad, and then rendering them to black sites, torturing them to extract information, and keeping them indefinitely in dungeons or quietly executing them. 

Many of these countries passed harsh anti-terrorism legislation that was sold to the populations as “protecting and defending national security.” But this same anti-terrorism legislation was instrumental in harassing and arresting opposition politicians, dissidents, or journalists.

With the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Muslim-majority countries have been pretending to be trying to stop it. But they are frozen in stillness. Worse, countries like Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia have been directly and indirectly cooperating with Israeli intelligence to prevent international aid from entering Gaza and to attack Yemen, which has launched rockets and drones against merchant and naval vessels in the Red Sea to get Israel to stop the genocide.

Meanwhile, many of the world’s governments, watching the genocide unfold, have undertaken no serious initiatives to secure an immediate ceasefire or restore the international aid abruptly cut by several Western countries after Israel alleged that some UNRWA workers had participated in the attack. 

A strong parallel exists between the aftermath of 9/11 and the Hamas attack. Both events were used as excuses to start violent wars against civilian populations. The extent of civilian casualties surpasses by far the initial reasons used to justify the counter offensives. The length of the military operations is linked to goals that cannot be achieved: the end of global terrorism (in the case of 9/11) and the toppling of Gaza’s military resistance (in the case of the October 7). 

But most interesting is the reactions of the region’s Arab Muslim countries to these wars and how their autocratic regimes played with them to their own political and populist advantages. 

At the beginning of the assault on Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Egypt and many others allowed public protests to show solidarity. The regimes likely not only tolerated or even encouraged these events to dissipate the popular anger, but also to give the impression that both of them were aligned to stop the war. Nevertheless, as the months passed and the Israeli forces massacred roughly 45,000 Gazans, these marches almost disappeared — except in Yemen, where massive protests have been organized weekly — and the Gazans’ fate was left to Gazans. 

Post-Arab Spring

Naturally, any post-Arab Spring protest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), is heavily monitored and authorized by the authorities.

Even in countries like Syria, where the regime has been hiding under empty slogans like “the resistance” and “the liberation of Palestine,” its fellow regimes have been shamelessly silent and inactive. 

The freedoms of expression and of assembly that briefly characterized the aftermath of the Arab Spring in places like Tunisia and Egypt were replaced by populist reactions controlled by the regimes or official governmental reactions that falsely portrayed the regime as the sole and only liberator or the heroic champions of the Palestinian struggle. Behind the scenes, however, they are either silently supporting the war or directly helping the Israeli regime to eliminate Hamas.

In its origins, Hamas is either affiliated with or inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood. Many of the region’s Muslim regimes have been combatting its ideology for decades. After the Arab Spring’s initial relative success during its first years, particularly in Tunisia and Egypt, most of the Gulf royals were extremely bothered by the political changes and nervous about the future of their thrones. 

Countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia went a step further. They funded the counterrevolutionary forces, in the media and through various political parties, in those countries where the Arab Spring had brought Islamically oriented parties to power through elections. Such countries played a major role in the Arab Spring’s failure and the return of autocratic regimes in the region. 

Today, the MENA countries can be roughly divided into three categories: those who had a democratic experience and failed (Tunisia and Egypt), those who did nothing to change and fiercely protected the status quo (Morocco and most of the Gulf countries, except Bahrain) and those who tried to change their regimes but failed and swirled down into war (Yemen, Libya, and Syria). In Algeria there were some attempts to change the regime; however, the military establishment was very “successful” in changing the president without changing the regime. 

Overall, these Arab/Muslim populations are either tired and scared of political change or simply continuing to live under heavy state control of their livelihoods. Any form of protest and solidarity with Gaza are being considered potential threats because the organized people might turn against their respective current regime. 

The Arab/Muslim populations’ current apathy is a direct result of the Arab Spring’s failure. The major reason for their political inaction is the crushing of any form of dissent in the past years and the imprisonment of many political figures, both of which have contributed to the disappearance of any sustainable, serious and effective form of solidarity.

The boycott of some American and Israeli brands that seem to be popular in countries like Egypt and Jordan merely emphasize individual actions and don’t focus on governmental or economic policies like disinvestment or reexamining the existing economic treaties that favor Israel, American or European interests. 

Once again, the peoples are encouraged to adopt these “feel good” initiatives that don’t pressure countries (e.g., Turkey, Morocco, Jordan, and Egypt) to cut their diplomatic ties with Israel or threaten to support their security cooperation with the U.S. (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE).

Regardless of the war’s outcome, the Arab/Muslim countries in the MENA region will remain MIAs — missing in action — because they’re being led by incompetent and autocratic regimes who keep them “obedient” via soaring prices of food and other necessities, the lack of jobs, and a state-based media that keeps pretending that their rulers are true champions of the Palestinian cause. 

Monia Mazigh, PhD, an academic, author, and human rights activist, is an adjunct professor at Carleton University (Ontario). She has published “Hope and Despair: My Struggle to Free My Husband, Maher Arar” (2008) and three novels, “Mirrors and Mirages” (2015), “Hope Has Two Daughters” (2017) and “Farida” (2020), which won the 2021 Ottawa Book Award prize for French-language fiction. She has also published an essay/memoir “Gendered Islamophobia: “My Journey with a Scar(f)” (2023), which was nominated for the Governor General Literary Non-fiction Award.

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By Writers Studio

Mar/Apr 2024

Growing up as a teenager in a Midwestern suburb where 8 out of 10 residents are white, it’s easy to go through your day preoccupied with your next biology quiz, wondering if you’ll make the varsity basketball team, and, most importantly, trying to score Taylor Swift concert tickets. Yet, the Israeli war on Gaza has penetrated even this Middle America, Gen-Z world. 

Our high school doesn’t have any posters about the war, and history teachers scrupulously go out of their way to never mention either Israel or Palestine. I don’t see any protesters urging the boycott of the local outlet of the behemoth coffee chain Starbucks located just a few blocks away. Instead, I hear about the war in the ever-present universe of social media that has become the home where we adolescents spend most of our time and only reluctantly leave when forced to do homework or join our parents for dinner. 

The hashtags #BoycottStarbucks and #BoycottMcDonalds are everywhere, but how many are aware of just how much weight and pain these words hold? How effective are these economic boycotts and movements that galvanize us to stop using products made by certain companies?

What is BDS? 

Formally launched in 2005, BDS — Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions — is a pro-Palestinian movement, an idea that encourages using nonviolent means to promote Palestinian rights. Its goal is to free the people under Zionist occupation. “Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS call urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law…Boycotts involve withdrawing support from Israel’s apartheid regime, complicit Israeli sporting, cultural and academic institutions, and from all Israeli and international companies engaged in violations of Palestinian human rights” (bdsmovement.net).

A Call to Action

Jehad Abusalim lives in Washington D.C., but his family, including his brother with special needs, is trapped in Gaza amid raging bombs. Powerless to save them, he seeks the help and compassion of others. Abusalim has created a petition to save his brother. “As the situation escalates and danger looms closer to my family, I find myself in a state of desperation, turning to you, my community, for support,” he writes. 

At press time, NPR reported that “the numbers that capture the state of Gaza after 100 days of war are staggering: Nearly 2 million displaced, thousands of homes destroyed and nearly 24,000 dead — 10,000 of them children.” It’s hard not to want to do something to stop the devastation, especially when seeing pictures and images of fallen, injured, maimed, and starving young children. The war has already lasted for more than 100 days and calls to join economic boycotts of companies that support Israel are rapidly increasing. 

Financial Pressure

These boycotts are intended to put financial pressure on companies by discouraging customer spending on their items. The devastation caused by the 2023 bombardment has jump-started a push for people to stop patronizing companies, such as Starbucks, that are perceived as pro-Israel. Many companies have taken a stance on their support for either side. Some brands show their support openly with monetary and in-kind donations and messages on social media. Others find more indirect ways to pick a side. 

L’Oreal, one of the companies allegedly supporting Israel, owns 36 brands, among them Maybelline New York, Ralph Lauren and Garnier. Estée Lauder, another perceived Israel supporter, owns brands such as Bobbi Brown, Clinique, MAC, and Too Faced, among others. When PepsiCo is listed, it doesn’t just mean people boycott drinking the beverage. This is because the corporation also owns Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, among others. There were calls to boycott the fashion house Zara for their ad campaign that looked eerily like shrouds and casualties in Gaza. The list of companies is not limited to food, fashion or cosmetics alone, for companies such as Disney, Burger King, Siemens, and Hewlett Packard are also being called out. In contrast there are a few large companies like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Huda Beauty that have openly called for a ceasefire. 

Several protesters find it challenging to comply, due to the wide range of companies being boycotted, but are determined to see it through. Like those around the world who are rallying for peace in Gaza, Elena, a high school student in Illinois, is doing her share. Though she finds it difficult, she uses product substitutions to stay true to her beliefs. “My biggest advice to those finding it hard to boycott is to find substitutions. For example, I used to be a regular at Starbucks, but have given up one of my favorite drinks. Instead of battling to stay caffeine free, I look towards other local coffee shops.” 

Even those who don’t have a connection to Palestine, Israel, or the Muslim community are taking action. Ava, a Christian middle school student in California, says, “I’m trying to do my part because I don’t believe what is currently happening is right. I do not wish to support companies supporting this war.” Like Elena, she also struggles to resist using her favorite products from boycotted companies. “I used to go to Starbucks every morning before school to get a drink that would help wake me up. It’s difficult now to snap out of a habit, but I’ve begun substituting my favorite drinks with other options, such as boba.” 

The Effectiveness of Boycotts

In “Do boycotts against McDonald’s and Starbucks work?” a Northeastern Global News article, Cody Mello-Klein writes, “It more likely has to do something with the brands chosen as the target…When the brands are more easily replaceable, then they’re more vulnerable to a consumer boycott” (Dec. 5, 2023). Target and Bud Light saw sales crash in a 2023 boycott associated with an LGBTQ issue. In the context of Israel, the boycotts seem to be working against Starbucks, according to the Forbes article “Do Boycotts Actually Work? Examining The Use Of Boycotts To Drive Social Change” (Dec. 22, 2023).

Janice Gassam Asare notes that, historically, boycotts have worked. “Boycotts should be one of many tools in our arsenal for social change,” she remarks. Interestingly, she says that “only about 3.5% of the population’s participation is needed to create serious political change. No action is too small, and we must remember that any rock, no matter how small, that is thrown into the pond of liberation will create a ripple effect that contributes to greater societal shifts for years to come.” 

However, boycotts may not always significantly impact revenue. That doesn’t mean that we give up, for they can still harm a corporation’s reputation — especially via negative publicity. The boycotts that work best are the ones that gain the most media attention. 

According to the Newsweek article, “Are McDonald’s, Starbucks Boycotts Working?” Omar Mohammed writes that companies feel that the boycotts are targeting them unfairly (Nov. 17, 2023). McDonald’s believes that a combination of social media and propaganda has made their stand on the conflict inaccurate. The company states that, “McDonald’s Corporation is not funding or supporting any governments involved in this conflict. the company said in a statement sent to AFP.” 

Has Either Company’s Bottom Line Been Damaged? 

While the share price for Starbucks and McDonald’s has not been affected significantly, they continue to face protests and media outrage. On Dec. 18, 2023, Vox.com ran the headline, “Starbucks has lost $11 billion market value, and not because of boycotts.” After all, there is more to boycotts than dollars and cents. 

Like most people around the world advocating for peace in Gaza, Iman, a Canadian student, shares her point of view. “As an average person in Canada, there’s not much I can do to support my brothers and sisters in Palestine who are suffering through a tremendous tragedy. Compared to the scale of sacrifice they are enduring, giving up my favorite drink from Starbucks or my favorite Disney channels is a small sacrifice. Since it’s practically the only way I can help, I’ll do it with no complaints.” 

Thirty-eight States Have Passed Anti-BDS Legislation

Boycotting can prove challenging in the U.S. Even prior to this latest war on Gaza, lawmakers have made countless attempts to suppress First Amendment rights by making it illegal to boycott Israel. Illinois was the first. Other examples include Missouri and Kansas, which “don’t allow companies with state contracts to boycott or divest from Israel.” In 2017, businesses in Dickinson, Texas, were denied Hurricane Harvey recovery funds if they were BDS supporters.

It might still be too early to accurately quantify how well boycotts against brands that support Israel are working. South Africa won its freedom from apartheid thanks to 35 years of boycotts. There is no conclusive evidence that boycotts will halt Israel’s war on Gaza. But for millions, boycotting is worth a shot. It’s a small sacrifice that they are proud to make. 

This article was written by college-bound students enrolled in WritersStudio.us workshops that focus on nurturing confidence and skills related to critical thinking, comprehension, analysis and writing.

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By Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac

Mar/Apr 2024

We are angry… 

We are broken… 

This should have been a time of joy; instead, we are mourning. We are fearful. 

20,000 killed. Thousands still under the rubble. Close to 9,000 children have been killed in the most brutal ways. Day after day after day. 1.9 million displaced! Hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed. Gaza as we know it no longer exists. This is an annihilation. A genocide. 

The world is watching; Churches are watching. Gazans are sending live images of their own execution. Maybe the world cares? But it goes on… We are asking, could this be our fate in Bethlehem? In Ramallah? In Jenin? Is this our destiny too? 

We are tormented by the silence of the world. Leaders of the so-called “free” nations lined up one after the other to give the green light for this genocide against a captive population. They gave the cover. Not only did they make sure to pay the bill in advance, but they [also] veiled the truth and context, providing political cover. And, yet another layer has been added: the theological cover with the Western Church stepping into the spotlight. 

The South African Church taught us the concept of “The state theology,” defined as “the theological justification of the status quo with its racism, capitalism, and totalitarianism.” It does so by misusing theological concepts and biblical texts for its own political purposes. 

Here in Palestine, the Bible is weaponized against. Our very own sacred text. In our terminology in Palestine, we speak of the Empire. Here we confront the theology of the Empire. A disguise for superiority, supremacy, “chosenness,” and entitlement. It is sometimes given a nice cover using words like mission and evangelism, fulfillment of prophecy, and spreading freedom and liberty. The theology of the Empire becomes a powerful tool to mask oppression under the cloak of divine sanction. It divides people into “us” and “them.” It dehumanizes and demonizes. It speaks of land without people even when they know the land has people – and not just any people. It calls for emptying Gaza, just like it called the ethnic cleansing in 1948 “a divine miracle.” It calls for us Palestinians to go to Egypt, maybe Jordan, or why not just the sea?

“Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” they said of us. This is the theology of the Empire. 

This war has confirmed to us that the world does not see us as equal. Maybe it is the color of our skin. Maybe it is because we are on the wrong side of the political equation. Even our kinship in Christ did not shield us. As they said, if it takes killing 100 Palestinians to get a single “Hamas militant” then so be it! We are not humans in their eyes. (But in God’s eyes… no one can tell us we are not!) 

The hypocrisy and racism of the Western world is transparent and appalling! They always take the words of Palestinians with suspicion and qualification. No, we are not treated equally. Yet, the other side, despite a clear track record of misinformation, is almost always deemed infallible! 

To our European friends. I never ever want to hear you lecture us on Human rights or international law again. We are not white – it does not apply to us according to your own logic. In this war, the many Christians in the Western world made sure the Empire has the theology needed. It is self-defense, we were told! (And I ask How?)

In the shadow of the Empire, they turned the colonizer into the victim, and the colonized into the aggressor. Have we forgotten that the state was built on the ruins of the towns and villages of those very same Gazans? 

We are outraged by the complicity of the church. Let it be clear: Silence is complicity, and empty calls for peace without a ceasefire and end to occupation, and the shallow words of empathy without direct action — are all under the banner of complicity. So here is my message: Gaza today has become the moral compass of the world. Gaza was hell on earth before October 7th. 

If you are not appalled by what is happening; if you are not shaken to your core – there is something wrong with your humanity. If we, as Christians, are not outraged by this genocide, by the weaponizing of the Bible to justify it, there is something wrong with our Christian witness, and compromising the credibility of the Gospel! 

If you fail to call this a genocide. It is on you. It is a sin and a darkness you willingly embrace. 

Some have not even called for a ceasefire… 

I feel sorry for you. We will be okay. Despite the immense blow we have endured, we will recover. We will rise and stand up again from the midst of destruction, as we have always done as Palestinians, although this is by far the biggest blow we have received in a long time. 

But again, for those who are complicit, I feel sorry for you. Will you ever recover from this?  Your charity, your words of shock AFTER the genocide, won’t make a difference. Words of regret will not suffice for you. We will not accept your apology after the genocide. What has been done, has been done. I want you to look at the mirror… and ask: where was I? 

To our friends who are here with us: You have left your families and churches to be with us. You embody the term accompaniment – a costly solidarity. “We were in prison and you visited us.” What a stark difference from the silence and complicity of others. Your presence here is the meaning of solidarity. Your visit has already left an impression that will never be taken from us. Through you, God has spoken to us that “we are not forsaken.” As Father Rami of the Catholic Church said this morning, you have come to Bethlehem, and like the Magi, you brought gifts with, but gifts that are more precious than gold, frankincense, and myrrh. You brought the gift of love and solidarity. 

We needed this. For this season, maybe more than anything, we were troubled by the silence of God. In these last two months, the Psalms of lament have become a precious companion. We cried out: My God, My God, we have you forsaken Gaza? Why do you hide your face from Gaza? 

In our pain, anguish, and lament, we have searched for God, and found him under the rubble in Gaza. Jesus became the victim of the very same violence of the Empire. He was tortured. Crucified. He bled out as others watched. He was killed and cried out in pain – My God, where are you? 

In Gaza today, God is under the rubble. 

And in this Christmas season, as we search for Jesus, he is to be found not on the side of Rome, but our side of the wall. In a cave, with a simple family. Vulnerable. Barely, and miraculously surviving a massacre. Among a refugee family. This is where Jesus is found. 

If Jesus were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble in Gaza. When we glorify pride and richness, Jesus is under the rubble… 

When we rely on power, might, and weapons, Jesus is under the rubble… 

When we justify, rationalize, and theologize the bombing of children, Jesus is under the rubble… Jesus is under the rubble. This is his manger. He is at home with the marginalized, the suffering, the oppressed, and displaced. This is his manger. I have been looking, contemplating on this iconic image…. God with us, precisely in this way. THIS is the incarnation. Messy. Bloody. Poverty. 

This child is our hope and inspiration. We look and see him in every child killed and pulled from under the rubble. While the world continues to reject the children of Gaza, Jesus says: “just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.” “You did to ME.” Jesus not only calls them his own, he is them! 

We look at the holy family and see them in every family displaced and wandering, now homeless in despair. While the world discusses the fate of the people of Gaza as if they are unwanted boxes in a garage, God in the Christmas narrative shares in their fate; He walks with them and calls them his own. 

This manger is about resilience. The resilience of Jesus is in his meekness; weakness, and vulnerability. The majesty of the incarnation lies in its solidarity with the marginalized. Resilience because this very same child, rose up from the midst of pain, destruction, darkness and death to challenge Empires; to speak truth to power and deliver an everlasting victory over death and darkness. 

This is Christmas today in Palestine and this is the Christmas message. It is not about Santa, trees, gifts, lights… etc. My goodness how we twisted the meaning of Christmas. How we have commercialized Christmas. I was in the USA last month, the first Monday after Thanksgiving, and I was amazed by the amount of Christmas decorations and lights, all the and commercial goods. I couldn’t help but think: They send us bombs, while celebrating Christmas in their land. They sing about the prince of peace in their land, while playing the drum of war in our land. 

Christmas in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, is this manger. This is our message to the world today. It is a gospel message, a true and authentic Christmas message, about the God who did not stay silent, but said his word, and his Word is Jesus. Born among the occupied and marginalized. He is in solidarity with us in our pain and brokenness. 

This manger is our message to the world today – and it is simply this: this genocide must stop NOW. Let us repeat to the world: STOP this Genocide NOW. 

This is our call. This is our plea. This is our prayer. Hear oh God. Amen.

Editor’s Note: This is the transcript of the Christmas sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church Bethlehem, Palestine, Dec. 23, 2023

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By Tayyaba Syed

Jan/Feb 2024

Eight-year-old Etaf Saleh was playing outside with her siblings, while their baby sister slept peacefully inside the house. Suddenly they heard jets overhead and loud booms. “It’s war! It’s war!” Saleh’s mother began screaming and ushering them quickly to safety.

“We’d never witnessed anything like it,” recalls Saleh, now in her sixties, of her experience living through the 1967 Six-Day War in Silwad, a West Bank town next to Ramallah. “Bombs were coming down everywhere, and we started to escape toward the center of the town. My mom then remembered she had forgotten my sleeping baby sister and ran back home as we waited for her.”

The families were instructed to head up the mountains into designated caves. They hid there for seven days. That one week changed the trajectory of their lives forever. 

“I don’t know how we had food or anything, but every day there was bombing,” shares Saleh, who now lives with her family in Willowbrook, Ill. After seven days, they were instructed by the Israeli forces to return home even though the bombing continued. Frightened and weary, families held up white cloths and flags and headed back down the mountains. “Last year, my mom passed away at the age of 92. Yet she never stopped talking about what we endured and said that for years we [children] would wake up screaming at night from the trauma.”

The fear of being bombed, being killed, being separated from or losing your family, having to abandon your home and hide in a cave, surviving on little food, not being able to just be a kid and play and laugh and learn…what can that do to one’s psyche? 

On the eighth day, Saleh rode along with her mother and siblings in boarded trucks to escape to Jordan. Their father, who had been working in Kuwait, was waiting for them across the river. 

“My older brother was probably in eighth or ninth grade, so we had to cover him and other young [adolescent] men [so they would not] be taken away,” Saleh says. “In those few hours, we saw people lying dead in the streets. I remember asking why this was happening and was told, ‘They are killing us.’ How can I sleep as a child after this? I would hear the sound of bombs even after we had escaped and couldn’t unsee all those dead bodies I had seen with my own little eyes.”

After staying in Jordan for a few days, the Saleh family began heading to Kuwait. Her brother decided he wanted to remain in Jordan for high school. Saleh states how difficult it was to leave him and be apart from him; however, she admits, he became very resilient from the experience. Once Saleh herself was old enough, she insisted on pursuing her undergraduate studies abroad. 

“I got accepted into schools in Egypt, Jordan and Iraq,” she remarks. “However, my father wouldn’t let me go on my own. He told me I could go study in America instead and live with my oldest brother, who had come here in 1974, five years before me. The application and paperwork were never-ending, but we made it happen somehow. 

“My whole family was crying at the airport — all except me. I was just so happy to finally get out and be on my own, even though this was my very first time flying in an airplane at age 19. Before leaving Kuwait, my father taught me how to drive, I learned how to type and I took English classes. I was ready. You can’t let anything overpower you. If you don’t have iman (faith), you don’t have anything. That’s the most important thing.”

Made Her Stronger

Even though Saleh feels she had to grow up faster after experiencing the trauma of war, she still believes it only made her stronger. The current Israel-Gaza war brings back horrific memories, though. She cries every day and worries how the people, especially the children, will recover from it. 

According to Dr. Fahad Khan (licensed clinical psychologist and deputy director, Khalil Center, Lombard, Ill.) traumatized children can skip a stage of childhood.

“Trauma can affect how they respond to stress, affect their thinking and emotional abilities and even hinder natural tendencies such as creativity and fantasy,” says Khan, who has won awards from the American Psychological Association for his work and dedication. “Meta-analysis studies show signs of aging in traumatized kids and physical changes in the brain that can be measured. Someone who is older and is traumatized can accelerate [in aging] with post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] in adult life.” 

Khan states PTSD symptoms can linger long after the trauma ends and can be triggered at any moment: socially, emotionally and even within relationships. “The way our brains are structured and emotions are stored is different from where complicated thinking happens (in the frontal cortex),” he says. “When we are traumatized, high-level thinking leaves, and you can’t think rationally or logically in that emotional state of mind. What we want to see [more of] is more post-traumatic growth in people.”

Post-traumatic growth is the positive psychological change that some individuals experience after a life crisis or a traumatic event, according to Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/post-traumatic-growth), which also states that post-traumatic growth doesn’t deny deep distress. Rather, it posits that adversity can unintentionally yield changes in understanding oneself, others and the world. 

Trauma Beyond War

Trauma isn’t just limited to war. Fareeha Aziz of Houston also saw this in her oldest child, who was only eight when she was divorced. Suddenly she was a single mother of her newborn, two toddlers, and eight-year-old son. How does a child process such drastic changes?

“My kids had to grow up so quickly when everything happened,” Aziz recalls, who spent eleven years on her own before remarrying. “My eldest for sure was traumatized by it all, reckoning with reality and trying to process everything. My kids had to take care of themselves to help me. When children are around unpredictable situations and people, they start to understand adult subjects sooner than necessary.”

Despite the difficulty Aziz, 42, has endured, has done her best to keep a positive mindset about life and has full trust in God. Instead of focusing on the past or future, she is determined to make the most of whatever time she has left on Earth. “Ask Allah for help for whatever you’re going through and then really believe in [that help].”

Another example of trauma can be when your health is tested. Mother of four Nafeesah Zabadneh of Lombard, Ill., was diagnosed with Lupus in 2020. Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes your immune system, which usually fights infections, to attack healthy tissue instead. It can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body.

“I am 41, but I feel like I am much older and weaker,” states Zabadneh. “If you see how I walk, you can tell something’s wrong. I’m on the smaller side but feel so heavy. Lupus affects your organs and your breathing. Sometimes I’m so fatigued that I can’t even take care of my kids properly. I feel so guilty at times and just try to push through my debilitating health. I can’t even braid my youngest’s hair due to cysts on my joints and stiffness. I took things for granted when I was healthy, but I don’t want to be a burden on anyone.”

Many times, Zabadneh feels like she’s fighting against her own body. She describes it as “watching the world go by” while she stands still. She wonders if this is how it will always be or if it will get better, knowing that right now there is no cure. Major life changes, trauma and difficult circumstances can cause kids to grow up faster than normal, to age out of innocence much sooner. Zabadneh is seeing this with her eldest child. 

“I’m praying that I can still be there for my family and community somehow through all this,” she says. “I’m grateful for a supportive husband, and if it wasn’t for my 15-year-old I wouldn’t be able to take care of my toddler. She is like a second mother to her siblings.”

Tayyaba Syed is a multiple award-winning author, journalist and Islamic studies teacher. She conducts literary and faith-based presentations for all ages and is an elected member of her local school district’s board of education in Illinois, where she lives with her husband and three children. Learn more at www.tayyabasyed.com.

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By Sundus Abrar

Jan/Feb 2024

“Shame on you.” 

“She was my inspiration.”

“Tears started falling and I really loved you.” 

These are some of the emotionally charged comments that remain on an Instagram post of a Muslim influencer when she decided to stop wearing the hijab. Despite her very public presence on Instagram, she has opted to not clarify her reasons for doing so. Subsequent requests from Islamic Horizons for an interview were not answered. A’s identity is not the central concern in this discussion, but the turbulent reaction to her personal decision needs to be explored to understand how the actions of public individuals impact the broader Muslim community. 

Interviews referenced here were conducted prior to the ongoing and devastating siege in Palestine which has resulted in a rise in Islamophobic rhetoric and hate crimes affecting “visible” Muslims in North America. As the mainstream media continues to peddle a familiar bias narrative, many are beginning to question its validity. Social media, despite the persistent attempts of censorship on it, serves as a key access point to portraying the realities of oppressed populations. 

Muslims have consistently been vilified in mainstream media. This has far-reaching and tragic outcomes when Muslims are targeted in acts of hate and harassment. Presenting as visibly Muslim, an experience shared by women who wear the hijab, can be difficult in such unbalanced settings. Social media offers relative safe spaces for these women to connect and build resilience to overcome the challenges they encounter in their immediate environments. 

Leaving the Hijab

Before she stopped wearing hijab, A used her presence online to share different hijab styles and modest dressing. She also offered services as a hijab stylist which led to the launch of her hijab line. In a 2014 interview, published on a Muslim blog, she shared insight about when she started wearing hijab at age 11. “I wore it by choice because I had the right influence around me.” This positive influence was what many of A’s followers were seeking to aid them in their own hijab journeys. 

Like A, several other influencers have recently stopped wearing hijab. Two other women also marketed hijabs and modest fashion lines. They were vocal in their choice to wear hijab when they were maintaining this choice but did not discuss their reasons for why they stopped. Their dismissiveness only led to more questioning and frustration from their followers. 

People feel betrayed and disappointed when the unspoken expectations they have of influencers and public figures they admire are not met. These feelings are not unwarranted. A deeply resonating message, or niche, on social media, evokes an emotional response in followers which results in increased content engagement. This is the very currency for prominence and success on social media. An emotionally invested following online can often nly be sustained through an influencer’s consistency in messaging.

Do Influencers then have any responsibility to maintain this trust and be consistent in their personal choice to wear hijab? 

Scholarly Advice

Dr. Tamara Gray, acclaimed religious scholar and founder of Rabata, a Minnesota-based nonprofit Islamic organization for women, is thoughtful and thorough in addressing this concern. 

With a considerable following on social media herself, she recognizes the challenges that come with heightened prominence for influencers.  “The early companions didn’t want to be leaders because they knew this was hard, and I am going to have to put even more of my nafs aside,” said Gray. “Being in the limelight is really hard because now you have to make decisions that are not only about yourself but are also about those that are following you.” 

She uses the example of an account she follows which shares vintage fabric designs. Should this influencer change the focus of their content, the impact on their followers would likely not be deeply distressing. The same does not hold true if an influencer is using their platform to promote religion. They need to be more mindful and consistent. 

“Losing religion publicly can be a great sin,” said Gray. “It’s serious because it’s not only about you anymore. If what you did caused other people to struggle – if you put yourself out there as an influencer and you benefited from it and you set that aside – that’s not responsible.” 

Influencers are being watched in their personal settings, such as their homes and cars. Followers may develop a sense of closeness through these observations. The experience for the influencer though is very different. He or she does not have the same level of familiarity with her observers. “We need to be intentional and understand that we are creating relationships,” said Dr Gray. 

 Though followers may be upset about an influencer’s decision, Gray encourages thoughtful conduct in our engagement online.

“You are not fixing things by lashing out at someone. That is not the Islamic way.  You are just making sin for yourself. We need adab and akhlaq in interactions with people no matter who they are,” she said. 

Holding each other accountable is important for Muslims, but accusatory comments are not beneficial. Influencers who are consistent in wearing their hijab are also met with harsh comments.

Maintaining the Hijab

Tahirah Folk, New York native, model, and influencer, has often received unkind and accusatory comments online. As an African American she shares her experience with racism within the Muslim community, “The only place I felt I truly belonged as a Muslim was when I went for Umrah.” She addresses the criticism she has experienced about her approach to hijab in a Tiktok (@sincerelytahiry) post: “People who I will never allow to come for my hijab” went viral. The responses to it are polarizing. While some argue that women should be receptive to criticism, many women who wear hijab wholly endorsed the boundaries Folk asserts. “To give naseeha (advice) you have to be involved in the emotional wellbeing of the person,” Folk said. 

 Online, Folk has connected with her community celebrating Black Muslim women, and she is aware of the potential her prominence brings. “I have always been very intentional once I saw that I was getting a platform. I knew I wanted to represent a community that is often overlooked,” she stated. 

Upholding this concern, she called attention to a recent incident of exclusionary marketing. During New York Fashion Week. Veiled Collection, a popular brand for Muslim modest fashion, invited prominent Muslim modest fashion influencers to represent their brand. The concern was a glaring lack of diversity. Most influencers were light or fair-skinned. Folk’s view was echoed, and the complaint gained traction.  Veiled Collection finally offered a statement acknowledging their shortcoming in reflecting the diversity of Muslim women.

Though no actual changes were made to the event, the swift recourse inspired @everyblackmuslimgirl, an online community for Black Muslim to host EBMG Fest. This took place a few weeks after Veiled Fest and invited Black Muslim influencers and brands to showcase their products. It proved that collaboration opportunities through social media can amplify social issues and expedite solutions. 

Influencer and modest stylist, Hakeemah Cummings (@hakeemahcmb) shared Folk’s post criticizing Veiled Fest. She too has faced criticism online. She understands that there should be accountability, but she won’t respond to accusations or answer questions she feels she is not equipped to address. “The comment section is not a place to bully. If you are seeking a question, you should be asking a scholar. I am far from that.”

Real vs. Reel Friends

Cummings feels secure in her hijab and actively produces content to guide others on how to adhere to it, but she still relies on her sister’s opinion to ensure her content aligns with Islamic values. “There is really no one online who knows and loves me the way she does. I know that she will push back when I am getting self-absorbed and losing myself in whatever the trends are,” she added. She encourages women seeking support in their faith and hijab journeys to navigate online spaces thoughtfully and seek friendships in real life. “Have that one friend who you can call when you are struggling with your faith,” Cummings said. 

Social media platforms aim to increase engagement. More engagement yields more revenue. To achieve this, social media platforms employ a tool called the algorithm which ensures that users see content most like that which they engaged with the most. To manage this tool to the benefit of the user, Cummings recommends engaging and seeking out content that serves a person’s aspirations. 

She advises a break from social media for those that feel overcome with negative emotions. “It is emotionally taxing if the content you see online is constantly bringing you up and down.” 

Starting the Hijab

With every influencer who takes off the hijab, there are more who start wearing it. Dr. Areeba Adnan, a Toronto, Canada influencer and psychologist is one such example. Her platform @mintcandydesigns initially highlighted her DIY home projects, but now she shares more of her efforts in furthering her understanding of Islam. 

Adnan also teaches the “Influencer Blueprint,” an online course for aspiring digital creators.  “I feel a sense of moral responsibility to the eyes that are watching me. I feel it’s my responsibility to define my values and stay true to them.” 

Nevertheless, she emphasizes the limitations of the influencer culture. “There is an important distinction to be made- you may be influenced by people online, but they are simply people that you watch.”

Adnan has been open about her hijab struggle. Before she became an influencer, she had worn the hijab for five years. “I felt I wasn’t a good Muslim, and I am going to stop wearing hijab and focus more on learning about other aspects of my faith. That didn’t happen. It took me 12 years to come back to learning more about my faith and to wearing hijab again.” 

She advises women considering wearing the hijab or struggling to keep wearing it, to take time in assessing their concerns and persevere.  “It is important to really reflect and do the internal work, and it is important who we surround ourselves with in real life to help us understand why we wear hijab, “she said. 

“Good suhba (companionship) is essential to progress in our faith,” said Dr. Gray. “It’s not something that we have yet figured out how to entirely achieve online.” 

Sundus Abrar, an undergraduate degree in professional writing, aspires to generate dialog around current concerns within the Muslim community. 

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By Jimmy E. Jones 

Jan/Feb 2024

“Except his [Lut’s] wife, who we have ascertained will be of those who will lag behind.” (15:60)

The sad story of Prophet Lut’s (‘alayhi as salaam) wife appears in all of the Abrahamic scriptures. I grew up in a Black Baptist Church in Bible Belt Virginia during the 1950s and 1960s. Consequently, after I converted to Islam in the 1970s, I was reacquainted with the powerful lesson embedded in this important narrative: No matter how righteous or God-conscious your relatives are, it’s still possible for you to be so caught up in “looking back” at what displeases God that you end up “stuck” like a pillar in the problematic past.

When it comes to race relations in the Muslim American community, it seems that many African-American Muslims and their “allies” are too fixated on “looking back” at the twin American sins of slavery and segregation. Therefore, they often do not focus on the powerful positive perspective that Islam brings to this very sensitive, politically-charged issue. Consequently, many of us are so honed in on White supremacy and Black victimhood that we remain a bit stuck in a narrative that fails to move us forward. In this article, I intend to unpack both of these concepts in a way that might facilitate building a stronger, more cohesive Muslim community.

White Supremacy 

Given my life as a young Black boy growing up in the legally segregated South, I knew White supremacy quite well. Us “colored” children attended underfunded schools using books and supplies cast off by our White counterparts across town. When I encountered a White person in downtown Roanoke, Va., I knew better than to obstruct their path or get too close. 

In addition, the racially motivated brutal murder of Emmett Till on Aug. 28, 1955, was a terrifying reminder of what happens to young boys like me who dared to violate the prevailing racial norms. Even though I was only 9 years old at the time, the horrific Jet magazine open casket picture of Till’s brutalized 14-year-old body was traumatizing. The image was so powerful that it still impacts my interactions with White women almost 70 years later. 

Such was White supremacy’s nature in a state where Whites and Blacks were jailed if they intermarried. This reality lasted up until June 12, 1967, when the U.S. Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia banned such anti-miscegenation laws nationwide. Even though White supremacy was particularly detrimental to Black people, its negative impact also affected others.

For example, eugenics, the science of “improving the race,” became a very popular movement in the 1920s. In fact, 30+ states (led by Virginia) passed involuntary sterilization laws to rid society of “defectives” (e.g., immigrants, blind, deaf, “feeble minded”). A 1927 U.S. Supreme Court case, Buck v. Bell, involved a poor young White girl that Virginia wanted to legally sterilize. This case became a major catalyst for the eugenics movement. “Liberal” Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously stated in the court’s written opinion that “Three generations of imbeciles are enough.”  

These words, and the ruling in which they were contained, led to 70,000+ forced sterilizations of the “unfit,” a practice that lasted until the 1970s. All of this was done by using the authority of various state laws. This pseudoscientific movement is meticulously documented in Edwin Black’s “The War Against the Weak: Eugenics and America’s Campaign to Create a Master Race” (Four Walls Eight Windows: 2003). Even liberal intellectual luminaries at Harvard, Yale and Stanford were ardent advocates of this “racial improvement” effort. 

The point here is that while “White supremacy” was a powerful negative phenomenon for Black people, it was also used to suppress and murder others. For instance, lynching is usually associated with Black repression. However, according to The Stanford Daily initially, it was actually more frequently used in the western part of the country against Mexicans before and after the Reconstruction (stanforddaily.com, May 19, 2022). 

Thus, White supremacy has always been about more than just Black and White. 

Black Victimhood 

Perhaps the most stunning outcome of the de jure segregation system that I endured during my formative years was that I never considered myself a victim. The people who nurtured me at home, in school and at the High Street Baptist Church that I attended never allowed me to focus on the fact that I was treated as a second-class citizen. Instead, they insisted that I strive to be the best I could be, no matter what the circumstances. Consequently, we all understood that excellence was the standard for every one of us young Black children. 

This refuse-to-be-a-victim attitude is in stark contrast to that of some of the Black leaders and their “allies” in the Muslim American community today, who often portray us as primarily victims of White supremacy and immigrant interlopers who adopt White supremacist attitudes. Far too little emphasis is placed on the value that we currently add to the Muslim community and the broader American society. 

Racism toward us is still a real and persistent scourge in both contexts. However, if you adopt the narrative presented by many African-American Muslim leaders and their “allies,” you would think that most Muslim “immigrants” are “anti-Black” and that most Blacks are very poor.

For a more optimistic view, consider the census data used by Eugene Robinson in his stereotype-shattering book “Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America” ‎ (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group: 2011). The data he references support the central thesis of the book’s first chapter: “Black America doesn’t live here anymore.” In the chapter, he asserts that by 2010, middle-class Black Americans had become the Black community’s largest segment. Racism is still a serious, deadly problem in this country. However, things have gotten a little better.

Facing Forward

If we Muslims want to avoid the fate of Prophet Lut’s(‘alayhi as salaam) wife, I strongly urge our community’s members to come together across ethnic boundaries in order to construct a more inclusive multicultural future for us and for all Americans by focusing on some Islamically inspired concepts that we all know quite well:

 • When it comes to the Qur’an and biology, there is no such thing as “race.” As pointed out in 4:1, all humans were created from a single being and its mate. Thus, “race” is indeed a social construct.

• Even though Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) clearly loved his people and place of birth, he never put his cultural allegiance above the shahada, which encourages Muslims to be in one mutually supportive community.

• A binary approach to solving the country’s racial issues (e.g., “You are either a racist or an anti-racist,” as per the currently popular author Ibram X. Kendi in his bestselling book “How to be an Antiracist”) will lead to even more racial animus. We should heed the lessons in the oft-quoted 49:13, that we are created as nations and tribes as a test of whether we can get to know one another.

• As witnesses for all humanity (2:143), Muslims are obliged to step up and have tough conversations around race that will lead to healing, rather than to increased bitterness and blaming (see Harlan Dalton’s “Racial Healing” [Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group: 1996] for an excellent discussion of how this might happen).

We should all take time to learn about the complex history of race relations in this country through books like Matthew Frye Jacobson’s “Whiteness of a Different Color” (Harvard University Press, 1999) or videos like the excellent three-part PBS series “Race: The Power of an Illusion” (2003).

Further, as a Muslim African American, I believe that we are better off if we focus on the value we bring to a situation, as opposed to acting like “victims” who need to be protected from “micro-aggressions” and be given “safe spaces.” Black victimhood is not the best response to White supremacy.

Jimmy E. Jones, DMin, is executive vice-president and professor of comparative religion and culture at The Islamic Seminary of America, Richardson, Texas.

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By Feryal Aboshama

Jan/Feb 2024

In 2021, I would scroll through social media and watch my people be hurt and bleed for simply existing and standing up for what they believe. Every night tears uncontrollably slipped down my face as I thought about the Palestinians. I would cry silently, feeling helpless and guilty, and constantly wake feeling guilty for being blessed with another chance to wake up, while millions of Palestinians either didn’t or, if they did, woke up orphaned and alone. All I could do was watch the people protecting our Holy Land die gruesome, inhumane deaths that traumatized the children and made them fear for the future they won’t have. 

I constantly questioned myself and wondered what I could do, because a simple social media post that only took a second to upload didn’t satisfy me. And so I turned to doing the only thing I could do at that moment: making protest posters with different sayings, like “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” “75 years is enough,” “Free my people” and plenty of other sayings, all painted in Palestinian colors. I then went on to paint a canvas to donate or sell for the Palestinian cause — but I kept the first one. 

Every Stroke

That painting depicted a tattered Palestinian flag in the background. On top, in bright white, it said “Free My People” with the shape of Palestine as the period. Every stroke of red reminded me of the unnecessary bloodshed. Every stroke of black reminded me of the smoke filling the air and the lungs of innocent Palestinian adults and children. Every stroke of green reminded me of the olive trees that used to stand as strong as the people fighting for their rights. Every stroke of white reminded me of every kafan (the cloth used to wrap the deceased) wrapped around an innocent life that departed too soon. Every stroke filled me with rage and sadness — rage because that isn’t what these colors represent, and sadness because that is what I am now constantly reminded of. 

While I still found myself feeling guilty, I turned to art, and day by day continued channeling that pain and sorrow in my art pieces, converting those emotions into hope … a hope that every Palestinian holds with pride, knowing that one day, with God’s Will, they will be freed.

Now, every day I turn on my phone and go straight to Instagram for real-time information. I would never have done this before, but here I am. Opening the app, I go through different Palestinian journalists’ accounts from Bisan to Motaz to Plestia and so many others who’ve become household names. Constantly praying and making dua for them, I hope that next account won’t be about another 1,000 quickly dismissed deaths.

One quote has stayed with me: “Even if the world was against me, I would still fight for what I stand for, until death.” I’ve always stood with Palestine, and will to the day I die. When I was younger, my parents taught me about Palestine. They told me when I fight for what I believe in to fight like a Palestinian, to have patience like a Palestinian, to smile like a Palestinian and leave it to God. Even back then I knew I had to fight for Palestine because, although I’m not Palestinian, they are my people — not just because I’m Muslim, Arab, Middle Eastern, but especially because I’m a human being who cares for all of humanity. This means that when my brother or sister gets hurt, I feel their pain. 

Today, I live in a constant state of awareness, gratefulness and dua. I’m aware of everything going on in Palestine, as well as everything I’ve taken for granted while innocent people don’t have an ounce of what I do. I’m grateful for every day I get to wake up and be with my family. I make dua that everyone in Palestine continues to fight with the strength provided by God. I pray for the day I get to see Palestine free. 

Feryal Aboshama, the second place prize winner of the Islamic Horizons essay contest, attends Eman Schools in Fishers, Ind. She will soon be going to university to study neuroscience and psychology, with a minor in Arabic.

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