By Cinthia Mascarell   Mariam al-Asturlabi or Al-‘Ijliyah bint al-‘Ijli al-Asturlabi was a scientist, mathematician, astronomer, and astrolabe manufacturer in Aleppo, currently in northern Syria. Impressive, but what is an…

By Umm Zakiyyah   “I hope you don’t plan on doing something like that,” I said. His smile faded. “Doing something like what?” “Marrying another wife.” He was quiet for…

Written by Hassam Munir   On May 18, 2016, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau delivered a formal apology before the House of Commons in Ottawa. “Today—while knowing that no words can fully…

Written by Hassam Munir   Valentine’s Day is a modern holiday, as it has been widely celebrated only since the mid-1800s. But it has a long prehistory that goes back all…

For many converts, Ramadan can be a very lonely period. They often don’t have any or a lot of contact with their family and have to break their fast alone….

By Faisal Malik   Schools became prevalent in many parts of the Muslim world and were generally accessible to various levels of society. Records show that during the period of…

Malahayati a.k.a. Keumalahayati (16th century), was an admiral in the navy of the Aceh Sultanate, which ruled the area of modern Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. She was the first woman…

by Hassam Munir It’s safe to say that there is no ancient writing system that has captured the attention of anyone who came across it the way Egyptian hieroglyphic writing has….

Written by Hassam Munir   In 1323, a peace agreement was negotiated between the Mamluks, who controlled Egypt, Syria, and the Hijaz (i.e. Makkah and Madinah), and the Ilkhanate Mongols, who…