My candle burns at both ends

Who will listen to the tale of my woeful heart? Far and wide have I wandered on the face of this earth And I…

First woman to lead Friday prayers in UK

This is such an interesting development. Much as it is preaching to the converted syndrome. But as such scattered reformist acts occur within Islam…

New book: Wanted: Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family

Reviewed by: Yoginder Sikand Muslim family laws have for long been—and continue to be—a hugely controversial subject. Critics contend that these laws seriously militate…

Build The Peace Consensus

By Sadia Dehlvi The trail of terror continues with cricketers as the latest target. The Mumbai and Lahore attacks, public executions and the murder…

Patriarchy and Caste System

Found this excellent piece at Virodhi’s blog on caste, casteism and love authored by Taimur Rahman As I have elaborated before, the Asiatic Mode of…

Loving or Hating Arundhati Roy?

Cross-posted from drunkonink blog. Soniah Kamal’s thoughtful write-up is worth sharing here: Saba Bhaumik’s opinion piece in Outlook India once again attempts to explain…

On stereotyping

I posted an article on female stereotyping at All Things Pakistan blog. There was a bit of discussion but I was also chided as being…

On white-women stereotypes

A post of mine on All Things Pakistan, Inhospitable Reception, has generated a good discussion and it is was great to read that there…

Women Sufis of Delhi

One of my favourite verses of the Quran is Surah Al Azhab which makes it clear that spiritual blessings are intended for both righteous…

On Mukhtaran Mai (Book Review)

Sadia Dehlvi has sent me this book review that was published by the Hindustan Times. Mukhtar Mai In the Name of Honour: A memoir…

Hijab and the truth behind it

Hindustan Times published this piece by Sadia Dehlvi yesterday. Two weeks ago, an Afghan woman carrying a baby in her arms and wearing a…

War and Dialogue – Imagining Ourselves

Tune in now to our latest exhibit, ‘War & Dialogue’, where we take you beyond the headlines and show you how war is affecting…

Imagining Ourselves – War and Dialogue

Imagining Ourselves (IO) is a global online exhibit featuring art, photographs, essays and film by young women in their 20s and 30s asking them…

I have two ways of loving You

Rabi’a al-‘Adawiyya, also known as Rabia Basri(c.717-801) was one of the early mystics from Basra a port city in Iraq. Being a woman she…

On Pakistani Women Poets (and my friend’s predicament)

An email from a Pakistan based writer friend made me recall Parveen Shakir. The poem, Tomato Ketchup, written most probably in the memory of…