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Why the tradition of visiting dead saints is not grave worship
Paying our respects to the dead can be another way of remembering God, honouring our spiritual legacy, and reminding ourselves of our own mortality. By Elest Ali. A Pakistani devotee visits the shrine...
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The world’s most eligible Muslim royals 2014: noble princesses
Brains, beauty and even brawn abound in this alluring assortment of six single princesses. Merrily match-made by Elest Ali. Perhaps showing how she would deal with unwanted suitors, Sheikha Maitha bint...
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How to empower thyself
Come along with Elest Ali on a whimsical ride of self-exploration from the comfort of a couch. Image (slightly modified) from Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University “A non-writing...
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Muslim cool: New broadcaster beams a vibrant vision of Islam’s cultural impact
In an era of negative portrayals of Islam, Alchemiya aims to shift the discourse by sharing content they love, which evokes grand memories of a positive past for Elest Ali. Image by Hassan Hajjaj via...
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Eternal creation: a portrait of the struggling artist
Elest Ali ruminates on the edge of a perpetual wave. The ever-elusive goose that laid the golden egg Art: can’t live without it, can’t live off it in most instances. Personally, I think I’ve got enough...
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Reconciling your faith with your non-religious family
When you believe, not even a mash-up of faiths at home can muddle yours, as Elest Ali has found. (Image: Fotolia) Family hang-ups: it doesn’t get more personal than this, does it? But, on a brighter...
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The irreverence of Wahhabism
Speculation about the removal of the Prophet’s tomb in Mecca highlights how this austere ideology can destroy Islam’s sense of human value. By Elest Ali. An aerial view of Mecca shows the Clock Tower,...
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The small, secret sacrifices on the road to submission
By Elest Ali. Rachel Weisz plays Hypatia in the film Agora. Here she attempts to save precious scrolls from Christian extremists. The word Islam derives from the Arabic root verb taslama, which means...
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The power of abstinence
Whittling away at the excesses in our lives can create space and give us strength for the inner process to begin. By Elest Ali. (Image: iStock) Ramadan. What can a girl say about it that hasn’t already...
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Pray, shop, cook: how to beat the Eid blues
Elest Ali dedicates this one to folks who, whether by choice or circumstance, eschew the social norms of the festivities. (Image: iStock) Eid. It’s a word which, for most Muslims, evokes a sense of...
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