Nigella Lawson: Being Brave to Wear a Burqini
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Lawson’s fear of sunburn may have inadvertently prompted the realisation that there is liberation in covering.
The Fairy Tale Wedding, Here’s to a Happy Ending…
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: At this wedding, one bride will – literally – become a princess. For their lives together, I wish them every happiness.
Anti-Islam Sentiment Fuelled by European Leaders
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: With France’s anti-burqa law and less than encouraging words from European leaders, Muslims are feeling under pressure.
Living Life: How to be a Child in Grown Up Clothes
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: In my heart, I am still four. I am still seventeen. I am still twenty one… Being a grown up brings privileges, but the best part is inside…
My name is Shelina and I Want an IPad 2 (and bag, and…)
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: So now I have to decide: gadget or face goo? Both are about good looks and sleek finishes. The marketing hype for each tells me that I can’t live without either.
Laughter: Is it Really the Best Medicine?
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMMED: Dictators are particularly sensitive to the corrosive effects of humour. They’ve always taken it very seriously indeed…
The Luscious Eyebrow: A Rite of Womanhood?
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: I’d like to say I’m the kind of woman who hasn’t bought into the social pressure to conform. But I have.
Hope Blossoms, Despair Lingers for Arab Women
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Two corners of the Muslim world, two very different stories. On the one hand there is hope. On the other hand, despair…
Dictatorship: The Ultimate ‘Boys Only’ Club
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Adeptness in brutal suppression and torture are characteristics demanded of all dictators. One other vital characteristic is also required – maleness.
The Strangest Questions Muslims Are Asked
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: The West’s understanding of Islam can be very limited, leading to some strange beliefs, and ever stranger questions for Muslims…
Love Lost: When Politics and Marriage Collide
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Politics and marriage might seem worlds apart. But recent cases suggest there are more agendas than we might think.
When a Woman is Harassed by Men, Why Rush to Blame Her?
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Any further messages will be named and shamed. Such as this one I received: “Hiya i would luv to say hi, luv your eyes … x”
Could the U.S. be Considered an ‘Islamic’ Country?
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: What does it mean to be an Islamic country? Today’s world is not so black and white, and glib categorisations make less sense than ever.
Do I Have to Party just Because it’s New Year?
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Beneath my grumpy response to the start-of-year festivities, I await this year’s events with a nervous delight.
Christmas: Making Bonds through Celebrations
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMMED: And in the carol O Come all Ye Faithful, I changed the words “Christ the Lord” to “Allah the Lord”. No harm done, eh? I didn’t mean any disrespect, I simply loved the togetherness of it.
Snowman Theft and the Loss of Innocence
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMMED: When we lose hope innocence can prevail, and we no longer value the worth of our contributions, that is a cause for communal emergency.
Sarkozy’s Rabbit Chasing: The Wikileaks Trivia that Fascinates…
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMMED: We secretly love the utterly trivial gossip that even diplomats exchange. My favourite? Sarkozy’s rabbit chasing…
Does it Matter how Women get to Power?
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMMED: We don’t hold women to male standards. Marriage is seen as an acceptable way to assert status. The woman need not have any of her own intrinsic merit, women are judged less on their talents
Is an arranged marriage the answer to my prayers?
SHELINA ZAHRED JANMOHAMMED: Arranged marriages are a pro-active approach to finding a spouse, where the community, family and individual work together to locate someone who will make a life partner.
Breaking stereotypes about Muslim women
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMMED: Muslim women can not be simply defined by what they choose to wear. They share the same day-to-day concerns as non-Muslim women.
