Muslim Archives

Can We Please Stop Scrutinising Zaira Wasim’s Decision to Quit Bollywood?

Many Twitter intellectuals have condemned Zaira Wasim for citing her religious beliefs to exit Bollywood, while others have blamed her for making Muslims look regressive. But is ganging up against a teenager on social media progressive?

Kahini Iyer July 22, 2016

POV

Family Weddings & Cousins Who Turn Into Prospective Grooms: Why I Don’t Attend Nikaahs

I’ve imposed a ban on attending nikaahs within the family. Being Muslim means that I can marry a cousin. Which means the potential of a “bhaijaan” to morph overnight into a prospective groom is 100 per cent and family weddings turn into a cringey, IRL version of Minder.

Karima Khan July 7, 2016

First Person

Christchurch Shooting: My Brother Escaped the Australian Terrorist. But He Might Never Escape Islamophobia

My brother was in the mosque when Australian terrorist Brenton Tarrant opened fire at Christchurch’s Masjid Al Noor, leaving 50 people dead. Long before the call came, it was as if my family had been preparing for it our entire lives. Tarrant was only turning another cog in a giant wheel of violence, greased by generalised Islamophobia.

Tipu Sultan July 6, 2016

POV

Zomato Can Guarantee Halal Meat, But it Can’t (and Shouldn’t) Guarantee the Religion of its Delivery Execs

Ensuring food is prepared according to your order is Zomato’s responsibility. Ensuring the delivery driver’s religion meets up with your regressive criteria for whom you will accept food from, is not their responsibility. Got it? Good.

Dushyant Shekhawat July 2, 2016

Pop Culture

Why Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Khilji Let Us Down

In Padmaavat, Alauddin Khilji is reduced to a unidimensional villain. All that the script required, was a Muslim ruler to serve as a vessel into which a depressingly contemporary take on communal relations could be poured.

Dushyant Shekhawat June 26, 2016

Culture

An “Immoral” Muslim’s Guide to Faking Roza

I’m a non-believing Muslim and people like me have become part of a subculture, where secrets are guarded with greater ferocity than the Illuminati. We bunk namaaz, and during Ramzan we fake-fast: the first major acts of rebellion for Muslim teens.

Godot June 25, 2016

POV

Surf Excel Outrage: How to Make the Perfect Ad for Supersensitive Indians

The Surf Excel Holi ad seems innocent enough, but somehow the idea that two children of different faiths could be cordial in a fictional setting triggered a very vocal section of social media. The only safe option is a 30-second PSA explaining the benefits of participating in Holi on our souls narrated by Amitabh Bachchan.

Arré Bench June 23, 2016

Bollywood

What Yash Chopra’s Dharmputra Teaches About Calling Out Bigotry

For many anti-CAA protesters, the resistance is also about standing up to the bigotry of family and friends. It’s imperative how Dharmputra, a film made over five decades ago, has an answer for it: call out objectionable views regardless of who holds them.

Pragyan Mohanty June 21, 2016

POV

Assam Citizen’s List: Are We Out of Ideas on Tackling Migration?

What Assam and the rest of the world need is a new idea – or a new messiah that reminds its people of values beyond consumption and per capita income. One that can remind its people that once you’ve achieved the means and wealth to cover your needs and some luxuries, it is alright to let others, less privileged, brown or black, Syrian or Bangladeshi, to have a go at it.

Ajay Chacko June 21, 2016

POV

Ayodhya Verdict: Now is the Best Time for India to Say, “Let Bygones Be Bygones”

The centuries-old Ayodhya dispute has stifled and bolted political discourse in India to the regressive wall of hate and bigotry. It has limited the average citizen’s capacity to disassociate from the politics of religious difference. Secularism had almost turned into a hoax. Saturday’s verdict, however, may change something, if not everything.

Manik Sharma June 6, 2016