“When we speak of ‘shooting’ with a camera, we are acknowledging the kinship of photography and violence.” Teju Cole This visual essay...
As soon as I stepped out of the taxi I knew I had chosen the wrong time of day. Without...
On March 5th, 2020 tawwaf (circumambulation) in the immediate vicinity of the Ka'ba was temporarily halted by the authorities (see the eery images here). A decision was taken to sterilise the area, due to fears over Coronavirus. This is not the first time that worshippers have been prevented from circumambulating the House of God; we take a look at some of the recorded historical instances in which tawwaf has been interrupted, for a host of different reasons.
With its stunning coral beaches and a history and culture that combines Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influences, Unguja, better known as Zanzibar,...
The Day of Arafat marks the climax of the Hajj. For hundreds of years, pilgrims have congregated on the plain,...
People often ask what there is to do in Dubai aside from eat and shop. Having spent some time living there, I decided to compile my own list, based on some of my own favourite places to go and things to do. If malls are not really your thing, and you're not into desert 'excursions' that confuse Arab traditions with Bollywood (yes, this really happens), check out the list below for ideas that won't break the bank, don't require hotel tour guides, and have a little more substance than the usual tourist spots.
This is going to be the sort of messy opinion piece that I usually hate to read; it will present...
A new documentary, 'Malcolm X and the Sudanese', looks at the role of Ahmed Osman in the life of Malcolm X. Osman, a Sudanese development economist, first met Malcolm by chance at Muhammad’s Temple #7 in Harlem in the summer of 1962. The film, directed by Sophie Schrago and written and produced by Hisham Aidi, follows Osman, now in his late seventies, as he returns to Harlem 55 years after the death of Malcom X.
An audio version of this article, complete with sound from the actual visit, can be found here: KHAYAL DIARIES |...
In Methala, Kodungallur, in the Indian state of Kerala, stands a small, unassuming mosque with a pale blue exterior; if not...
Visiting Lapland to see the Northern Lights: What you need to know as a Muslim traveller The Aurora Borealis, known in...
Remember when there was barely such a thing as a documentary for an English-speaking Muslim audience? Or if there was,...
