Behind the Project

We begin this humble project in the name of Allah ﷻ.

This is a time of great upheaval and change for the Ummah. As Muslimahs raised in the west, we have witnessed a love for this dunya overtake Islam in the hearts of believers whose faith was once firm. We noticed that Islam was becoming an expendable part of who we were, freely shaped by the political and social pressures of a society that sought to use our existence without ever truly understanding it. This challenge, however, is quickly overshadowed by the harrowing trials of our brothers and sisters in faith, whose lives are in peril because of rampant social and political Islamophobia. The overwhelming troubles of our Ummah threaten to render Muslims into a state of detached apathy. However, to retreat is to deny ourselves the very community necessary to revive and maintain our faith. The idea that our Ummah is one body, in which pain as meager as a pinch on the finger can radiate throughout the whole being, can be strange for a non-Muslim. But for the blessed among us who have been part of a family, friendship, or community bound together through a steadfast trust in Allah ﷻ, there is no mystery as to how a two billion strong Ummah can be so interconnected. We become close to each other when we reach towards Him.

Perhaps our relationship with Allah ﷻ is strongest in private, but there is an instinct to reach out to other believers. The Quran has commanded us “Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided,” (3:103) but Muslims around the world have become fragmented and distrustful of one another. There are countless Muslim platforms online that are riddled with controversy and drama. Many members of this community use Islam for the benefit of their own worldly goals, rather than helping other Muslims or pleasing Allah ﷻ. However, those who critique this often resort to blatant outrage against Muslims, based on their gender or upbringing, disparaging their efforts and shaming them away from the religion. While we do not condone malpractice of our deen, we also recognize that humiliation and antagonism are not Islamic methods of teaching.

Women in Islam have a unique role among all of this. Islamophobic rhetoric accuses our religion of oppressing women, yet most reverts in the West are women. On the other hand, Muslimahs born into Muslim families often struggle to correctly practice their deen in the face of cultural familial expectations that threaten to lead them from the straight path. The most common Islamic advice given to women is in their journey to get married. While that is important, there is a conspicuous lack of guidance for Muslimahs who seek to find Allah’s ﷻ path in other areas of their lives. Muslimahs are also expected to serve Allah ﷻ in ways that do not directly affect their husbands. Struggling with pressures to assimilate, choosing the correct friends, maintaining difficult relationships, managing education: these are some of the many life skills that Islam grants wise guidance across all ages.

At Mu’MINAH we are looking forward to bringing together Muslimahs who believe deeply in Islam, not as an identity to be worn but rather a belief that penetrates every fiber of thought and being in our lives. Mu’minah as a translation from Arabic literally means “believing women”. However, there is a distinction made between a “Muslim”, someone who submits to Allah’s ﷻ Law, and a “Mu’min”. A “Mu’min” according to its primary meaning by Arabic lexicologists is someone who “has become true to the trust in which God has confided in them” by a firm belief of the heart and is clearly differentiated from utterances made by tongue only. This is a Muslim of the highest degree and this is the rank we are striving to attain. How does a Muslimah reach that level of trust, obedience, and love for Allah ﷻ? This is the main question we hope to answer for ourselves alongside our readers.

This publication is not meant to consolidate a guidebook for Muslimahs to live by. Nor is it meant to represent the totality of ideas and experiences that Muslimahs have. We hope to respond to the challenges of this transformative era with courage and tawakkul, rather than shame and frustration. We pray and intend that this publication brings fresh perspectives that renew your love for Allah ﷻ and deepens your relationship with Him in all aspects of your life.

January 20, 2024