Aisha Khan

  The other day, I was walking home with my sister after college, and it was a Friday. The Jummah Salah had just ended, and a huge crowd was pouring out of the masjid, filling the courtyard and spilling onto the streets. It’s always heartwarming to see the crowd for Jummah, but I couldn’t help but wonder—where is this energy for Fajr or Isha? Why do we save our best spiritual selves for Fridays or Ramadan? Have we become Muslims of convenience, only showing up when it feels culturally or socially necessary? This isn’t just me being critical—it’s something I’ve observed over and over, especially in our Indian households. Take Ramadan, for instance. The masjids are packed, Qurans are open, everyone’s chasing rewards. But come Eid, it’s like we slam the brakes. Eid morning starts with chaos—last-minute outfit fixes, rushing to Salah half-asleep, and then diving headfirst into food and Instagram-worthy pictures. The spirit of reflection and gratitude? Completely forgotten. An...

  "I Believe in God, But Do I Have to Follow All These Rules?" Okay, let’s get real for a second. In today’s world, it’s common to hear things like: "Yeah, I believe in God. Of course, He exists. But do I really need to follow a bunch of rules? Do I have to pray five times a day and avoid certain things? God knows I believe in Him. Isn’t that enough?" Well... no, it’s not. Believing in Allah isn’t just about a vibe or some mental acknowledgment like, “Yeah, God made the universe, cool.” It’s like signing up for a gym membership and never showing up—what’s the point? Faith without action is like Wi-Fi with no internet connection: utterly useless. Allah ko maante ho, lekin Allah ki bhi maano (You say you believe in Allah, but do you follow Him?) Here’s the thing: If you say you believe in Allah but don’t follow His commands, it’s like telling your parents you love them while ignoring everything they ever told you. Sure, words are easy, but actions? Not so much. Islam ...

From Rebellion to Reflection: A Confused Start I didn’t walk into Islam just because I was born into a Muslim family. That would be too easy, and if I’m being honest, I wasn't one to follow things blindly. I was a rebellious kid—my mom’s words often went in one ear and out the other. Like many kids, I thought I knew better, and as I grew up, I found myself drifting away from faith. I wasn’t content with cultural practices that didn’t make sense to me, and frankly, the Islam taught in many homes in India is often a mixture of culture, tradition, and even elements of shirk (associating partners with God). I reached a point where I didn’t just question religious practices—I began questioning God’s existence itself. Why do we believe in God? Does He even exist? Or is this just something people made up to give meaning to their lives? The Search for Answers: Accident or Creation? Being someone who enjoys research and logical thinking, I knew that I couldn’t settle for vague answers. If G...

  Look around. The world today is like a chaotic circus where people wear destruction as a badge of honor. Everyone’s obsessed with looking “cool,” but being cool these days just means getting wasted, dating like it’s a sport, and treating people like trash  and banging heads to loud music like a bunch of lunatics. (Seriously, who came up with that? How did “I’m gonna shake my brain cells loose” become the vibe?) . Oh, and if you can slide into someone's DMs with the smoothness of a wannabe Casanova? You’re practically a legend... except, spoiler alert: you’re not.  On one side, we've got girls stripping down for the 'gram, doing "Get Ready With Me" videos like the world needs to know which lipstick they're wearing to impress some guy who doesn't even text back. And on the other? Boys, out here bragging about body counts like they're collecting Pokémon. Seriously, calling yourself a stud because you've been with a lot of women? Nah, bro--you're...

  Have you ever felt the weight of pain when you tried to guide someone you love, only to be met with rejection? You tell them, "Pray your salah," or "This action is haram, please don’t do it," and instead of listening, they mock you, or worse, they get angry. It’s a pain that cuts deep, doesn’t it? Especially when these people are your own family, your beloved blood relatives, the ones who should trust you the most. The hurt you feel, the sadness that fills your heart—sometimes it feels like a burden too heavy to carry alone. But, you are not alone.  I want you to know this, deep in your heart, you are not the only one who has felt this heartbreak. Do not feel like you are walking this path alone. Because, look at the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He faced this same heartbreak, this same rejection. He, the most truthful, the most trustworthy, was rejected by his own people—the very people who used to love him, the very people who would have believed him i...

  So, here’s a fun reality check for all the practicing Muslims out there. You’ve probably heard this line before: “Wait, you’re following that Hadith? Where did you dig up this ‘new’ Hadith from?” Or how about this classic: “Do you think you know more than that scholar? If he says it’s halal, then it’s halal—even if the Quran says it’s haram.” Ah, the joys of trying to follow Islam as it was actually taught, only to be hit with a wave of skepticism and eye rolls. If you’re a practicing Muslim who’s all about sticking to the Quran and Hadith, congratulations! You’ve probably been labeled a weirdo at least a dozen times by now. You know, for doing exactly what we’re supposed to do as Muslims. Like, since when did following the basic teachings of Islam become some sort of radical act? Here’s the thing: Islam is complete. As Allah said in quran says, “This day I have perfected your religion for you...” (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:3). The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was pretty clear ...