“To Him We Belong. And To Him We Return.” – (Quran, 2:156) Dear Fellow Warrior, There is no perfect end of the year. No perfect close. It just needs to close. You need to cross that finish line. Because time never stops; it is the only resource that will always remain scarce. So I didn’t…
Art
Punished for Surviving: A Suicide Note (Poem #3)
“What are the words you do not yet have? What do you need to say? … And there are so many silences to be broken.” – Audre Lorde Dear Fellow Warrior, I wanted to share this piece before the end of the year. After more than ten years of suicide prevention and mental health advocacy,…
A Love Letter to My Ajnabi
“Eh Ajnabi, Tu Bhi Kabih, Awaaz de Kahin Se” I’ve written many letters in my life. This one is different. This one is for the ghost of a love I never met, and for the woman I have become because of it. Thank you for reading. Dear Ajnabi, Where do we begin when we don’t…
Defining Moments and Personal Milestones: A Mid-Year Video Update
“My Voice is Not an Apology.”– Nayyirah Waheed “The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet.”– Mohamed Najumi Dear Fellow Warrior, I filmed this video last month, shortly after my last poetry performance on June 10th. It took me some time to edit… someday, I’ll have…
The Art of Survival: A “Prisoner of Conscience” Speaks
Dear Fellow Warrior, The featured painting, called “Prisoner of Conscience,” connects to my poem (Prisoner of Conscience: An Ode to Solitude) that I wrote earlier this year and recently published in The Memoirist on Medium. The painting is actually also inspired by the original feature photo I chose for that poem. I’ve always preferred using…
Rising Unapologetically Muslim – An Islamic New Year Reflection
“Oh Allah, bring this year upon us with security, faith and safety, Islam, acceptance by the Most Merciful and protection from Shaytan.” (Mu’jam al-Awsat of at-Tabarani). Dear Fellow Warrior, This Friday marked the beginning of the Islamic New Year, 1447 AH, the blessed month of Muharram, which the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) called “the Month of…
The Courage to Rise in Your Power, Voice, and Presence
“My Voice is Not an Apology.”– Nayyirah Waheed “The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet.”– Mohamed Najumi Dear Fellow Warrior, I recently shared my new poem, “The Choice of Return, Reclaiming the Crown.“ You can read my poem on my other Substack: “Sword Dispatch: The…
Allah is Sufficient
“When the world pushes you to your knees, you’re in the perfect position to pray.” – Rumi “Sometimes Allah breaks your heart to save your soul.”– Anonymous Dear Fellow Warrior, The featured photo is another Arabic calligraphy piece I completed a few weeks ago. I really like this one too. This piece came to me…