Let’s talk about something close to every parent’s heart — raising sons who grow into good men. And not just good men, but good mahrams. When we think of raising our boys, we often focus on education, career, and character — but how often do we think about preparing them for their Islamic responsibilities as…
I just finished Qaanita Hunter’s latest fiction novel, Why Am I Like This?, and as I closed the book I found myself searching for the right words to describe the experience. Two kept coming back to me, over and over again: raw and real. That really is the heart of this story. One of the…
I learnt to be kinder to myself when I finally figured out that my productivity isn’t constant… It’s dependent on the time of the month. For years, I used to wonder why some weeks I could conquer the world, from deep-cleaning the house and planning lessons to cooking elaborate meals and writing with flow, while…
Okay, now let’s talk about the other half of the equation: a woman’s role in supporting her mahram. Just as a man carries the responsibility of protection, provision, and guidance, a woman carries the responsibility of respect, cooperation, and spiritual alignment. The mahram relationship isn’t one-sided. It’s a partnership of trust and accountability – one…
Marriage isn’t a walk in the park. It’s a lifetime journey that takes love, patience, and a good dose of effort from both partners. Some days it feels easy and light, and on others, it can feel like you’re climbing uphill with a heavy backpack. The truth is, no marriage is perfect. But many of…
Over the years – through teaching, counseling, parenting, marriage, and just being human – I’ve realised that emotional maturity has very little to do with age. Some of the most emotionally grounded people I know are young, and some of the most reactive, easily shaken people are well into adulthood. Maturity is certainly not a…
Let’s be honest. Being a good mahram in today’s world takes more than just knowing the fiqh rulings. It’s not about being a man who dominates his household or expects the women in his life to serve him. It’s about embodying responsibility with compassion, and authority with humility. To be a good male mahram, you…
Sometimes in marriage, we reach a point where everything feels a little too heavy and a little too tense. You love your wife, but the frustrations, the rushed days, the demands of life, the economical climate, family responsibilities, and the unspoken emotions start piling up until you feel more disconnected than you’d like to admit….
Sometimes in marriage, we reach a point where everything feels a little too heavy and a little too tense. You love your husband, but the frustrations, the rushed days, the juggling of kids’ schedules and family and home responsibilities, the economical climate, and the unspoken emotions start piling up until you feel more disconnected than…
When I recently renewed my ID, something strange happened. After 18 years of marriage, I’ve always kept my maiden surname—but on the new card, my surname had been changed to my husband’s. I laughed it off at first, but when I mentioned it to a couple of people, both of them asked me the same…
In part three of the Mahram Series, let’s talk about modern mahrams — a topic that I think many of us need to revisit in light of how much our world has changed. Gone are the days when the traditional family setup looked the same for everyone. Today, women are studying more, running home businesses,…
In many cultures, including ours, living with in-laws is often a reality. While Islam gives a wife the right to her own space, sometimes life makes it more practical, or even more beautiful, to share a home with extended family. For some, it is about convenience. For others, it’s about companionship, pooling resources, or simply…
Marriage is a journey of ups and downs, filled with moments of joy, love, and peace – but also moments of challenge, uncertainty, and growth. Yet, one mistake many couples make is judging the health of their relationship during some of the most intense, stressful periods of their lives. The honeymoon phase, the first year…
A while back, I planned a series of posts about mahram relationships. The idea came from my deep belief that living according to the Islamic way of life offers real solutions to many of the problems we see in society today. Think about it: so many of the debates around gender roles, the struggles Western…
When I got married, it was through an arranged marriage. The date was set just seven weeks after we first met, and before I knew it, life was spinning in a blur of preparations, family gatherings, and emotions I could barely process. I took three weeks off work: one before the wedding, and two after….
