Black Muslim Renaissance – Celebrating Global Black History

September 21, 2020 By NbAMuslims

Press Release In the UK, Black History Month is marked in October with increased attention being paid to Black achievements, events and historical and contemporary personalities. But what does Black History Month 2020 have to do with Muslims? Quite a lot, as it turns out. This summer’s BLM protests against police brutality and racism, in general, shone a light on the experiences of Black people worldwide, including those of Black Muslims. The ensuing media attention led to honest and, sometimes,... Read more

BOOK REVIEW – Pieces by Afshan Malik

July 12, 2020 By NbAMuslims

Review by Layla Abdullah-Poulos PIECES By Afshan Malik $19.99, pp. 184, paperback For many of us, family fills our lives with people who simultaneously infuse us with joy, rage, and straight-up fear. In Pieces by Afshan Malik, the main character, Hannah experiences a mixture of love and concern for her father Adam, hospitalized with PTSD. She also worries that her fellow high schoolers will find out that dear ole dad is in the psychiatric ward, lying about him and struggling with... Read more

Black Muslims, Honoring Juneteenth

June 19, 2020 By NbAMuslims

NbA Muslims Staff Juneteenth is the annual celebration of the liberation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. The day is the oldest commemoration of the abolishment of slavery in the United States. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. (source: Juneteenth.com) Historians estimate... Read more

What is Your Ramadan Iftar Type?

May 17, 2020 By NbAMuslims

NbA Muslims Staff As Muslims across the globe prepare what may be their last iftar for this Ramadan, we decided to share Laura El-Alam’s descriptions of the different types of people that may be at the table when breaking the fast. The Moaner While The Moaner likely spent the whole day stoically enduring their fast at school or work, their personality morphs once they enter the sanctuary of their home. As their name implies, The Moaner expresses their discomfort vocally, usually... Read more

5 Black Muslim Coaches You Should Know

May 17, 2020 By NbAMuslims

Original Post: About Islam By Layla Abdullah-Poulos Coaching and mentoring provide important means to acquire essential competencies and interpersonal skills for critical professional development and networking. Coaching fosters learning skills and enhancing performance crucial to success. Coaches can help professionals find balance, set smarter goals and improve confidence. While coaches help with learning skills, mentors inspire, providing insight and advice for achievement. At-risk young adults who have mentors are 55% more likely to enroll in college and 46% less likely to use drugs. The Black Muslim... Read more

What’s Your Ramadan Suhoor Type?

May 10, 2020 By NbAMuslims

Guest Writer – Laura El Alam Ramadan is a blessed month, wherein Muslims around the globe take part in numerous acts of worship and fellowship. Along with the serenity and spirituality the month brings is some observable behaviors one may find among fasters. An important activity in which fasting people engage is suhoor—the morning meal eaten before sunrise. The Prophet Muhammad said, “Eat suhoor, for in suhoor there are blessings.” Every morning, potential fasters rise and behave in ways that range as... Read more

#podcast – Ramadan Reflections with Tariq I. El-Amin

May 10, 2020 By NbAMuslims

NbA Muslims Staff Layla Abdullah-Poulos joined Tariq I. El-Amin on The Black Glue Podcast to talk about celebrating Ramadan during the COVID pandemic. Sheltering-in-place impacts millions of Muslims in the US during the blessed month, requiring that they consider celebrating and worshiping outside of communal spaces. Tariq and Layla talk about the need for pragmatism, optimism, and planning during Ramadan and to reimagine how to engage in devotion and fellowship. Read more

A Day in The Life of A Muslim Romance Author

May 3, 2020 By NbAMuslims

Original Post: Layla Writes Love By Sara Allen Every morning at around 10 a.m., I sit at my desk and prepare to create, to write those words that spill from my fingers. Some days, the words flow like butter off a hot knife. Other days, it’s like pulling teeth without the anesthetic. I take what I can get. Compared to other authors, I haven’t been writing for what I would consider a good length of time. Although my desire to... Read more

Dr. Ingrid Mattson Confronts Spiritual Abuse through Leadership Education

April 19, 2020 By NbAMuslims

Original Post: Haute Hijab By Layla Abdullah-Poulos Despite the beauty of Islam as a faith and way of life, there are harsh realities that come from interacting with one’s fallible co-religionists. Muslims are human and prone to gracing each other with love and compassion as well as inflicting one another with pain and subjugation. No one is immune. Adherents, leaders and scholars can all be sources of abuse, creating emotional pain and potential crises of faith. Issues of abuse continue... Read more

Muslim Author’s Child Sexual Abuse Safety Book

April 5, 2020 By NbAMuslims

Original Post: About Islam By Layla Abdullah-Poulos April is Sexual Abuse Awareness month. Sexual abuse of children remains an ongoing societal problem. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), “child protective services substantiates or finds evidence, for child sexual abuse” every nine minutes, with eighty-two percent of all victims being female children under the age of eighteen. “I’m a Survivor of childhood sexual abuse,” said Shariea Shoatz. “A family member abused me and suffered in silence for many... Read more