SHS 'zine Issue 3: GROWTH

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The Roaring 20’s SHUKR HUBB SAKEENAH ISSUE THREE: GROWTH

Grounding techniques for airborn individuals, with sources and references to help you in your journey of growth and healing.

Pearls of Islam

Faatimah Al Fihriyyah,

Samoosas & Cold Feet - Chapter 2

Just because you had one bad experience, doesn’t mean they’re all going to be bad!

From Our Readers A Four Letter Word

Read responses from our readers to the question, ‘what memory from your childhood do you wish you could relive?

Children. The epitome of innocence and purity, not tainted by this darkened by the toxicities of the world. Right? Wrong.

Life is surprising. And unexpected. And the most wonderful, awful adventure you’ll ever be a part of

Who we are, what we do, how you can join and assist us, and a trip down memory lane.

A non-profit organisation that aims to provide opportunities of empowerment as well as sustainable aid.

- Chapter 3

Allah has created a partner for each of us, perfecting our love story. He has fashioned an exact moment when we are destined to meet our soul mate.

Vegetable pies, a quintessential tea-time treat, and the most perfect Hungarian tart you’ll ever taste.

DESIGN / aaishahjamal@icloud.com

At The Balloon Foundation, they know that sometimes all it takes to change the world is a little support.

Helpers of the community - the balloon foundation

the woman who was the founder of the oldest educational institute in the world.

Assalamu ‘Alaykum

Welcome back, everyone, to the SHS ‘Zine!

Someone said, “Be who you needed when you were younger”. Dearest minime, I wish you could see how far we’ve come, alhamdulillah.

Assalamu Alaikum beloved readers! Welcome to our third issue (alhamdulillah alhamdulillah) of the SHS ‘zine! This issue is all about inner child healing and growth, that ever changing, all-consuming process. We hope it gives you joy and sets off some sparkles in little you’s little eyes. Note that there is no Love and Loss interview in this issue (yes, yes I know. We stopped at a cliffhanger, I’m sorry). It’ll be in the next issue, I promise, In Shaa Allah Ameen. Jazakillah Khair for your care and support, you mean the world to us.

Love, hugs & Duas - Dia

Editor

What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Kind.”

Charlie Mackesy

As I near my mid twenties, my goal is to be the kind of person that my younger self needed. The kind of ‘big girl’ that Little Me could have talked to without judgement, went to for advice and looked up to. This edition is all about growth. Our transition from girls to women, from children to adults, and the lingering sense of nostalgia that stays behind. As we reminisce over our childhood memories on page 38 and face the inevitable next steps in our journey of growing up in page 46, I’d like to thank everyone in the SHS team and all of our readers for growing with us <3

I also want to take a second to thank my sisters and brother, without whom my childhood would have been lonely, and my adulthood dark. I would not be the woman I am today without you three.

To growing old but not growing up, Aa’ishah

Designer

THE ROARING 20’s

“I don’t feel very brave,” said the boy “That was brave of you to say,” said the horse

- Charlie Mackesy

WRITER

Dia

AssalamuAlaikum!

Been a minute huh?

That’s life, I guess. With every new phase of your life, comes brand new versions of yourself that we never even knew existed. Like, I never would’ve guessed how much of a sci-fi girlie I actually am until I realised I was ALREADY mid-way through the second season of The Orville. I also never realised how big of a life change being married is. Yeah, we planned for this, but also- *inserts melting face emoji* Yes, I know, watching an episode a night with your S/O is super romantic, but as part of this package, you also receive unhealed childhood traumas, coping mechanisms you swore you’d never pick up from your parents, the constant sky-rocket on petrol prices and of course, clashing personality types, because you did, in fact, live two completely separate lives before this.

Life is surprising. And unexpected. And the most wonderful, awful adventure you’ll ever be a part of. You will grow… and learn… so much. And one day you’ll look back at all the wild times, crazy phases, and months you thought you wouldn’t make it and think, “Huh, I guess that wasn’t so bad after all. Here we are, thriving.”

I for one, am so ready to see you (and me) get there, Ameen.

In the spirit of growing pains, I’ve listed some balms down below that I’ve found particularly effective. While band-aids may be good temporary solutions, I’ve found, (in my limited time of learning) putting in the time to actually run the course of your medication yields much better results. Or at least, that’s what the Doctors tell me.

Grounding Techniques for Airborne Individuals:

I’ve listed some of my favourite people alongside these tips. Truly I am so grateful to live in the advent of easy-access knowledge and information, how fun to be lazy and still know things. Also, S/O to my lovely friend Faheema for fact-checking this piece.

Important Note: These are light-hearted suggestions, NOT a replacement for actual therapy. Go to therapy, drink your water, eat good food.

• 5-4-3-2-1

If you spend an insane amount of time on therapy reels or in self-help books like I do, you’ve probably heard about this one at some point. This technique is helpful for anxiety and redirection; sometimes we get really stuck in our own head and just need to re-centre. Look around and find;

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can touch

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

(@micheline.maalouf for more tips on surviving anxiety and panic attacks)

• Dump those wack-ass thoughts into a Journal

As they say, get your head out of the clouds and your words onto the page. Well, someone said it somewhere and you know what? Personal experience speaking, they’re right. There’s tons of research you can do on this so I shan’t bore you here, but I will tell you that sitting down with your thoughts and actively working through them works wonders for clarity. Aim for understanding, not perfection.

(@amandarachlee had this really cool Skill Share course on journaling where she ALSO teaches you how to make really cute doodles)

• Sign up for Pilates, or some such active endeavor

Exercise and activity are good for your mental health. They are. Stagnation is the killer of growth and the breeding ground of overthinking. Out of your head, into your body. Hook yourself up with a solid trainer or gym, take up hiking, go swimming, schedule rock climbing or Zumba into your routine. Find what makes your body happy and DO IT!

• Spend time in nature

Greenery and fresh air are the stuff. Trust me bro, just try sniffing some raw oxygen, and watch how you catch the sneezes back on urban ground. Yes, I know that sounded like I was dealing you some drugs… I stand by what I said. Loving reminder that spending time out in nature means making Zikr. And the reward for this specific Zikr is up to 80 years optional Ibaadat (Fazail-e-Amaal). Bag those good deeds AND that fresh oxygen.

• Be the version of yourself you are right now

Thank you, Toy Story 4, I needed that one. Be present in the moment you’re in, whether stepping stones, learning curves or pieces of peace. Nothing lasts forever, you’ll never be who you are right now ever again. Imposter syndrome will always be around the corner trying to run you down and make you feel like you’re not doing enough, SLOW DOWN. You’re exactly where you’re meant to be and better days are ALWAYS up ahead.

• Actually standing on the ground

I know, I know. *Ground*-breaking. Real talk though, apart from it being Sunnah, walking barefoot on grass and soft ground is amazing. Making Muzakarah (as above), lying on the soft floor and even just standing out in nature, feet bared, heart open does wonders for the soul.

Extra resources because I’m feeling generous:

• @therapyjeff because the man is actually hilarious and I’ve used so many of his videos verbatim while having meaningful conversations, so it’s only fair that he gets a mention

• @strongmuslimah_lifecoach because she has an excellent boundaries workshop that honestly we could all benefit from

• @eats_sunnah for amazing nutrition and grounding advice

Restrains myself from mentioning every single person who influences me positively. There’s seriously such an amazing world of good, positive influence out there. I hope you find what you’re looking for.

I usually waffle, talk crap and am like 80% sure I’m on the ADHD spectrum so any weird stuff is legit from my own messy brain, but I hope you may have found some small benefit in all the rambling.

Smiles at you across the table as we sip beverages at a fancy coffee shop, Dia.

To share your thoughts on the article as well as your own tips, get in touch with us @shukr_hubb_sakeenah

PEARLS OF ISLAM

FAATIMAH AL FIHRI

When we think of age-old universities, we think of places like Oxford or Cambridge, and their founders, like Samuel Pearson or King Henry III. There are many historical figures who are known for their great contributions to education, but we almost never hear of the woman who was the main founder of the oldest educational institute in the world, Al Qarawiyyin.

Her name, Faatimah bint Muhammad Al Fihriyyah Qurashiyyah.

Not only is she an ancient legacy for women, but she is also an untold story for our generation and generations to come. What better way for us to appreciate the bridge between our childhood, youth, and old age than the story of a woman who is such a great motivation and inspiration for many women all over the world, and has been for centuries?

Faatimah was born sometime around 800AD in the town of Kairouan, which is modern-day Tunisia, and later migrated to Fez. She was a modest, kind, religious woman, who was caring as well and had a deep patriotic touch in her heart for her motherland of Tunisia.

Her story is told by Ibn Abi Zar’, and is mentioned in ‘The Garden of Pages’ or Rawdal Kirtas.

Since her story was told so long after her death, it has been somewhat hard to substantiate, with some modern-day historians going so far as to say that Faatimah was more of a myth and legend than a historical figure. There isn’t a detailed account we can give of her life, due to the burning of Qarawiyyin’s archive in 1323. Nevertheless, going on the narrations of older historians, we understand that she lived a devout and pious life according to Islamic laws and teachings, and was an intelligent and educated woman.

Aa’ishah WRITER

The woman who established the world’s first university.

She didn’t start out wealthy, but her father became a successful merchant later in life and this wealth was inherited by Faatimah and her sister Maryam after he passed away. It was this wealth that she used for her legacy. She could have used the money for anything she wanted, but we can see what an intelligent and visionary of woman she was, choosing instead to use it for something lasting, for a reward that is ongoing, and to allow people to gain beneficial knowledge even after her death. Fatima understood that her talents and resources were a gift meant to be used in service of her community. This is why she is called Ummul Banoon, “the mother of boys,” probably due to her focus on cultivating learning opportunities for the youth of Fez.

She and her sister were both very well educated in matters of Islamic jurisprudence, Hadeeth, and the Qur’an. Some accounts say both sisters went on to found mosques, Maryam in Andalous and Faatimah and Qarawiyyin, although some say the claim that Maryam founded a Masjid as well is far-fetched.

We know that Faatimah was married, and both her husband and father died shortly after each other. Imagine the emotional resilience and strength needed to not only keep going after such difficulty but to turn that difficulty into something beautiful and beneficial for others. The result: the oldest operational educational institution in the world, with a high-profile role call of alumni. Mystic poet and philosopher Ibn Al-‘Arabi studied there in the 12th century, historian and economist Ibn Khaldun attended in the 14th century, while in medieval times, Al-Qarawiyyin played a leading role

in the transfer of knowledge between Muslims and Europeans.

Faatimah, however, did not aspire for it to be such a great institute at the inception of the mosque. This was during a time when many Muslims were migrating, like Faatimah and her family, Muslims who were worshippers, keen on studying their faith. Due to a lack of resources and teachers to accommodate the number of people, Faatimah looked at an opportunity to build the Qarawiyyin mosque, which was named for the immigrants of her homeland. When her community outgrew the mosque, she purchased a mosque built around 845, and then rebuilt and doubled its size. It was supervised by herself, as the famous historian Hasan Husni Abdul Wahhab notes in his book, that she committed to only using the land she purchased herself, and she dug parts of herself as well. Another historian says the mosque took 18 years to complete, and that Faatimah fasted during the entire process, seeking aid from Allah. When it was finished she went inside, made Dua, and thanked Allah for blessing her.

Qarawiyyin was not announced as a teaching institute in the beginning, but it slowly became something else. The university focused heavily on Islamic theology and law, however, it expanded beyond these subjects. At its height, students were immersed in poetry, linguistics, history, theology, literature, philosophy, astronomy, grammar, geography, science, mathematics, and other traditional areas of study. All of these courses were provided free of charge.

It was built in the old part of Morocco, the ancient area of Fez. This is no legend as this university is con-

sidered the most ancient in the world according to UNESCO and the Guinness Book of World Records.

This woman with vision had been through difficulty, not giving up her modesty or faith, and putting her father’s money to good use. Here we are reminded of Khadeejah (RA), the wife of Nabi (SAW), and how she too inherited her father’s business and expanded it until she became known as the richest woman in Makkah.

After a life of service, piety, and generosity, Faatima Al Fihri passed away in the year 880. Her tenacity, vision, and commitment left an indelible mark on the world and continue to inspire countless men and women. We find the connection between the graduation hat, the graduation robes —a long dress — that can be traced back to her, and the customs she left behind.

There are a lot of myths and folklore around her life, but nevertheless, this story is a beacon of light for women in Islam, for women who are visionaries, women who are studying, and women who dare to be different. This legacy she has left behind teaches us that we can become anything we want to be.

In 2016, the library underwent restoration, and the official reopening according to the Smithsonian, Quartz, TED, etc, confirms that it was the oldest continuously operating library in the entire world and that it was founded by Faatimah herself. It’s also important to know that the architecting charge of the restoration of the library was also a woman, Aziza Chaouni. Woman to woman, old to new, from Faatimah to Aziza, it is such a moment in modern Islamic history. The library contains a collection of over 4000 manuscripts, which include a 9th-century Qur’an and one of the oldest collections of Hadeeth.

So how do we get to the level of this incredible woman? It starts as children. It starts with young women. We need to be young women who have visions, goals, and dreams. We need to be mothers with vision for our children, who teach them beneficial knowledge with love and compassion. Like how Faatimah passed on her legacy to every single one of us studying today, like how she became a symbol of inspiration, our goal should be to be so revolutionary that we inspire our younger generations well to be everything we are and could not be.

May Allah reward Faatimah Al Fihriyyah, and all the women involved since the inception of Deen who have molded us into the women we are today. May we be like them.

Aa’ishah is a self-titled ‘forever student’, and an Islamic studies graduate and teacher.

To share your thoughts on the article, get in touch with us @shukr_hubb_sakeenah

There is no limitation in Islam to what you can achieve with the right intentions. So for those who dream to be pioneers, seeking change, and seeking knowledge despite obstacles, this story is for you.

SAMOOSAS & COLD FEET

Just because you had one bad experience, doesn’t mean they’re all going to be bad!

Dia WRITER

“Ok buddy. You’ve had way more than enough time to faff. I want to hear the rest of the story!”

“Girl relax. Come help me tie my Hijab. I really think this might be the one!”

“Ugh ok fine. But start the story in the meantime. If he really is your Prince Charming, he’ll wait a few moments while you indulge your ACTUAL favourite person.”

“Ok Ok! Where were we? Ow, don’t poke me with the pin!”

(Chapter Two)

It’s a good two months before I allow them to bring another proposal. I’m a lot more skeptical and don’t put in half as much effort this time around. I still drape a pretty scarf and look presentable, but you can clearly see I’m not trying to make an impression.

Ammi chastises me, “Apaa, change. Please. You look like you’re in mourning! At least put a bit of colour on your face!”

I’m adamant.

“Agh just because you had one bad experience, doesn’t mean they’re all going to be bad!”

“Ma,” I say, wringing my top and trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m not going to try and impress them. If the way I look turns them off, I swear I’m walking out the room.”

In the end, Ammi gives up and leaves me the way I am.

My worries don’t manifest after all, because the people are nice. Like, actually nice. The boy is sweet, his mother seems really accommodating, there’s no father in the picture and he’s got only one brother, married abroad.

They leave us alone for a few minutes to talk. A little while into the conversation, we reach an awkward silence. This is after discussing the weather (it IS quite warm for June) and what we studied (fresh out of high school: me; first year architecture: him). It becomes a bit uncomfortable as we try to grasp common interests.

“Do you like… adventure sports?” me

“Not really.” him

“So, architecture huh? You passionate about those old, big buildings, you know the ones from the old movies?” me

“I guess? I don’t really watch movies.” *silence* him

“Uhum, these… samosa are nice?” me, stuffing a samosa into my mouth so it might nudge him to start a

conversation.

“Gee.” (can you guess?)

By the time 20 minutes are up, both of us are embarrassingly relieved. When the parents ask us if they should start wedding preparations *wink wink*, the 2 of us laugh. It’s the only thing we seem to have in common. The family leaves, sombre but not entirely unhappy. The terms are good, it was just a proposal that didn’t click, nothing particularly relationship-breaking. Abba even jokes that maybe he’ll call the boy in for his renovations in his mansion one day- because that’s totally going to happen.

“Hey, sorry it didn’t work out,” the boy says on his way out (yes, it is in fact the most amount of words he has said to me in one go)

“Agh it’s all good. Plenty of fishermen out there.” “Pardon?”

“Never mind,” I say with a slight smile. “Good luck. I’m sure there’s someone out there you’ll make very happy.”

“Thanks. You too.”

Yeah… me too. I close the door with a sigh.

Things died down a little after that. I didn’t get any proposals worth real consideration and I was so busy applying to university that I wouldn’t have had the time to consider it anyway. One or two nice guys did call and I did think about giving it a chance, but it was all just missing something. I just wasn’t finding “The Guy”. You know, the one where everything just… clicks? This whole drama led me to a realisation, either I had;

1) way too high expectations or

2) Just really unsuitable proposals

I was gutted, but I had things to do. So things, I did. All the while pushing my unmarried state to the back of my mind and avoiding the one other thing I wasn’t ready to accept;

3) maybe this simply wasn’t my time to be married.

(End of Chapter Two)

Can’t wait to know what happens next? Well, neither can we! Catch Chapter Three just a few pages away!

This is a work of pure fiction and crazy, caffeinated delusion. Any resemblance to real life people is completely coincidental. Dia

A FOUR-LETTER WORD

Faheema Gaffoor WRITER

This world is bleak. We know that already. People are dying from hunger and poverty. Covid only put a dampener on our attitude. Racism still continues to plague our mind-sets and women are still not respected (but hey! At least we can vote, right?).

But do you know who does not care about this right now? Who live in their own little world, where their biggest worries are probably their report card or going to bed early?

Children.

The epitome of innocence and purity, not tainted by the toxicities of the world.

I mean, at least that’s what you’d think right?

Wrong.

Remember, the world is a dark place and unfortunately, children are not an exception. Yeah, a lot of us are lucky to grow up and dream about our futures and even live those dreams. SubhanAllah!

Other kids though… not so lucky. You already know where this is going, and if not… well get ready

for the necessary spotlight on the children of:

Palestine

Syria.

Uighur.

Yemen.

Afghanistan.

I can go on with the list of countries where children are affected in multiple ways. If it’s not war, it’s education, starvation, lack of shelter or abuse. The children of war stricken areas like Palestine and Afghanistan die, lose their families, or cannot obtain their right to education because of the decisions adults made. These wars were started for a variety of reasons like power dynamics or rebellion and that has resulted in the rights of people caught in the middle being violated. Homes are destroyed or women and children become “spoils of war” in some cases and are traumatised beyond repair. Even in your regular powerhouses like the US and the UK, they may not have children affected by war, but they can be plagued by the other “monsters” of the world – rapists, kidnappers, pedophiles and sometimes, even their own families. In 2023, child labour is still prevalent

THE SHS ‘ZINE

in countries like North Korea as well as parts of South America and Africa. These children are mostly victims of human trafficking that are forced to work under different circumstances which are almost always, indecent.

They are children, but they do not have the right to be according to the monsters of the world – mostly people just looking to make a quick buck or two.

So many of these kids, like in Palestine, want to play outside because that is what kids do. But what happens when they do… the cost of it is not their parents shouting at them for staying out late, it’s Israeli soldiers killing them. Like 14-year-old, Qusai Radwan Waked, who was playing on his rooftop in Jenin or 3-year-old Mohammed Al-Tamimi who left his house with his family to attend a birthday party.

You would think life would stop for these people… and it does sometimes. But they hope for a better tomorrow and continue as normal.

And the kids in somewhat stable countries like South Africa, they see, hear, and believe it or not, understand the multiple atrocities that occur in countries like Palestine. They may not know all the details but they know it is wrong and they hope too, for a better world.

We all do.

Hope is what makes us scream in the streets waving our

Palestinian flags high. Hope is what lets us tweet our frustrations and make our voices heard. These atrocities go from timeline to timeline making people acknowledge what the media does not show them. Hope is those children throwing stones and yelling at armed Israeli officers.

Hope is a four-letter word that fuels people’s will to live.

While it’s hard to ignore the dark side of the world, we can’t forget the light because they don’t. We, as Muslims, have the ultimate symbol of hope. Our faith. And suffering Muslims believe that so fiercely that they can fight back.

We make Dua that Allah protects our children, or our neighbour’s child. That He protects the children of Palestine and grant them Jannatul Firdous.

We have hope in Allah and I think that is enough to keep the fire alive and fighting until justice is served.

May Allah ease the pain of our fellow humans suffering worldwide InshaAllah Ameen <3

Faheema is a student currently doing a BA in Psychology. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this article, get in touch with us via @shukr-hubb-sakeenah.

HELPERS OF THE COMMUNITY

THE BALLOON FOUNDATION

Aa’ishah WRITER

The Balloon Foundation is a non-profit organisation that aims to provide opportunities of empowerment as well as sustainable aid, supporting community members in a variety of ways and measuring success not by monetary size, but by more qualitative measurements such as the scale and effectiveness of efforts.

A BRIEF HISTORY

The Malaika orphanage in Hillbrow is where The Balloon Foundation first started. The orphanage houses between 85-95 children in a dilapidated building and is in need of many necessities. The Balloon Foundation runs a mentorship programme at the orphanage and assists the home with their monthly groceries and expenses.

At The Balloon Foundation, they know that sometimes all it takes to change the world is a little support. Since their founding in 2018, they have been determined to make an impact. The core of their efforts is to bring their team’s fresh ideas and passion to the range of activities they are involved in, while displaying the conviction behind their beliefs.

OTHER PROJECTS:

The Female Factor Programme is an empowerment-based programme. The Balloon Foundation runs workshops with girls from underprivileged environments on topics such as self-esteem and period poverty. They also provide sanitary pads to these young women. The Balloon Foundation is an advocate against gender-based violence. They have run anti-gbv awareness campaigns and provided empowerment training to survivors of gbv.

They also run a youth club for members under 18, formed to provide a sense of social responsibility in young people and give them opportunities to work with others in a meaningful manner. They have collaborated with many schools on various projects, including Roedean School, Houghton Muslim Academy, Mayfair Montessori And Winchester Muslim Montessori.

Other projects include:

• Charity Week International Fundraising

• Winter Warmth Drives

• Elderly Care Home Visits

• Borehole And Water-well Crowdfunding

• Malaika Orphanage Holiday Programmes

• Eid / Ramadhaan Projects With Malaika Orphanage

• Ourbani Drive

• Medical Screenings With Ima

• • #Womenluvempowerment Campaign

• With Whatladiesluv

• Empowerment Webinars

And many more!

in Hillbrow is where The Balloon Foundation first started.

The Malaika Oprhanage

HOW CAN YOU ASSIST TBF?

The Balloon Foundation runs many more successful projects and programmes. They are also open to collaborations and new ideas so feel free to contact them!

Website: www.theballoonfoundation.org.za

Email: theballoonfoundation@gmail.com

Instagram: @theballoonfoundation

Twitter: @theballoonfoun1

Message or call: +27 81 428 9568

You can also:

Donate towards their many projects

Follow and share their posts and initiatives

Become a volunteer

Use your skills to empower others

SAMOOSAS & COLD FEET

WRITER

“Woah woah woah. You’re not ACTUALLY serious? You’re not really getting married are you?”

“I told you…”

“Yeah yeah fine whatever. ‘He’s the One’. What about me though? And what about poor Maajida? You just tanked her proposal while you’re off dancing in the sunflowers.”

“Don’t worry munchkin, both you AND Maajida are going to be just fine. Now, are you going to hug me and congratulate me or not? You know you’re going to be one of my bridesmaids, right?”

“Of course I know! Hey wait… One of?!? Who’s the rest…?”

“Hush now. Wouldn’t you like to check back in with Maajida?”

Allah has created a partner for each of us, perfecting our love story. In this generation, where impatience is ample, we must trust in Allah as He has fashioned an exact moment when we are destined to meet our soul mate, perfectly created to fit one another.

(Chapter Three)

“I hate him.”

“I don’t think he really cares,” Nadia says, not taking her eyes off her screen, her fingers still dutifully typing away.

“He’s evil. Pure, unbridled evil. He’d make shaitaan himself proud.”

“Maajida Mastaan!”

“Ok, sorry, that wasn’t nice. Astghs, Taubah Taubah. But really Nadz, who does this to a person?”

“It’s your job.”

“Oh-em-gee! Thank you sooo much for reminding me,” I bite back sarcastically. “What would I ever do

without your sage wisdom?” She rolls her eyes and flips me off, not missing a beat. I look down at the pile of work on my desk and groan.

I work for a publishing company, as an editor. It’s tiring, grueling work, but I love it. Well, most days anyway. I ended up studying at WITS. Mohamed, my twin brother, got accepted for BCOM at the same time as I did so we moved to Res for a bit. Life is interesting that way, you never know what to expect. For example, I always thought I’d become a famous writer… until I realised that I… suck at writing. Editing on the other hand? Now there was the answer to the rest of this chapter of my life. Of course I’d enjoy my life a lot better if I wasn’t under the reign of Bobby Patel, Dictator of the Realm. But hey, we take what we get. Usually he’s just mildly annoying, but this past month has been… a trip.

‘ATTENTION FOLKS! We interrupt the smooth sailing of Adora Publish-

ers to present: DIVORCE; The Bobby Patel version.’

This unfortunate state of events has left me drowning, in work. It’s lucky, I guess, that I have classes in the evening to give my brain a break even if I am really behind in my Arabic.

Looking back on the last few years, I guess I make shukr that I didn’t end up getting married so early because it gave me a chance to really get into the things I love. Getting the degree, completing my Dawah course, furthering my Islamic studies, it’s been a joy to learn more about my Deen, dreams and ultimately, myself.

“Hey!” Nadz leans over, “9 o’clock.” She lets out a low whistle. “Dayum, whose Momma do I need to speak to, to get me a piece of that?”

I look up from my computer, then immediately wish I hadn’t.

“Do you think he’s single Maaj?”

My heart’s hammering and my cheeks are heating up.

“Maaj? MAAJ!”

I snap out of it, “Uh, um, yeah sure

Nadz,” I say SUPER convincingly.

Nadz raises an eyebrow.

I clear my throat, “He looks nice.”

I attempt to duck down and busy myself, but Nadz is too fast. She puts a perfectly manicured hand down on the papers I’ve just picked up and I’m forced to meet her gaze.

“You’re flustered! I can even see it through your pardah! What’s going on with you?”

“N-nothing.” My heart beats faster as the guy walks closer. I know Bobby’s office is behind me, but I can’t help but feel like he’s walking straight towards me.

“Oh My Soul,” Nadz says, her eyes widening. “You know him! Come on Maaj, SPILL!”

“It’s not important!” I angry whisper back, trying to keep an eye on him and be very discreet at the same time.

“Oh COME ON! You’re practically overheating!”

“Nadia! Drop It!”

Rob, from a cubicle over is giving us angry eyes. Yes, Rob, me too, I would like to get back to work.

“Maaj, tell meeee.”

“There is nothing to tell!”

But I know it’s too late. She’s already wound up. There’s no stopping her now.

“Ugh, look, it was a long time ago. He’s not important.”

Nadz gives me an unconvinced eyebrow lift.

“We just went to Uni together.”

“Oh sure, because this is how you react to every guy you went to University with.”

“He’s just…” I relax slightly as he enters Bobby’s office. “Yes? I’m listening..”

“He’s… an old friend.”

“An old… WAIT a damn minute.”

I groan and drop my head into my hands.

“This is THE GUY. Right?” She’s whispering but it feels like the whole office can hear her.

“Y-yes,” I stammer, barely audible.

“No freaking way. The guy. In the flesh. Not bad Maaj,

you didn’t mention he was a catch… actually come to think of it… you didn’t really mention anything about him.”

I swallow, trying to settle the lump in my throat. Why now, here… after all this time?

Nadz is unfazed though, “Maybe it’s fate Maaj. I mean, out of all the Publishing houses in the city, he came HERE. Y’know who else is here…” She stops. “Maaj, are you okay?”

“I- it was so long ago…” I don’t know if I’m just in shock but I feel cold.

“Woah, hey,” Nadz reaches out for my hand. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep.”

“No, no it’s… okay. I guess it just took me by surprise. He-,” I smile wistfully and shake my head. “He probably doesn’t even remember me.”

“If this reaction is anything to go by, I’m pretty sure there’s more to this.”

I laugh, finally coming out of it. “Old news, Nadz.”

“Ohoh, so then you wouldn’t mind me asking him?” she teases playfully.

“Nadz! Absolutely not!”

“Oh, hey there handsome stranger!”

“Nadiya Malik have some morals.”

“Oh look, he’s..”

“He’s coming this way,” Rob finishes. He pushes his glasses up and sighs. “Will you’ll calm down now please? Some of us are working…”

He doesn’t reach the end of his sentence because just as I register what he’s said, I hear;

“Maajida? Maajida Mastaan?”

And there’s that lump again.

Catch Chapter 4 in Issue 4 of our SHS ‘zine!

This is a work of pure fiction and crazy, caffeinated delusion. Any resemblance to real life people is completely coincidental. Dia

Recipe Time WRITER Rizwana

If you end up giving one of these yummy recipes a go, please show us! Find us over at @shukr_hubb_sakeenahwe’d love to hear from you!

Hungarian Tart

A good dessert is like a warm hug. There’s nothing better than reminiscing about your childhood and trying to pinpoint those core memories where you first started to develop your favourite foods and flavours.

One of my core memories was seeing my mom in the kitchen grating dough. To me that was one of the strangest phenomena I had come across in my 8-year-old life, and I had to know what on earth was this strange concoction that my mother was attempting to create.

Hungarian Tart is a year-long favourite as well as a yearlong debate in our house; mixed Fruit Jam vs Strawberry Jam at every family event. Since I am the one baking, my opinion trumps all, and automatically I always select strawberry- because why not?

Vegetable Pies

This is the quintessential tea-time treat. This is something quick and easy and tastes just like “when you come home absolutely starving from a long day of school and you would really like to gobble up everything in your sight”.

These pies are what earned me the title of “pie lady” in my family, I loved them so much that every opportunity I got after I

learnt how to make them myself, I absolutely made it.

These pies are inspired by a recipe from my Khalla’s and my Mother’s time away at boarding school. This was something that they were often served as a tea time treat and a little part of their high school experience that they brought back home to us to try out!

Contributors

Dia

Dia has self-diagnosed logorrhea and often finds herself in precarious situations because she lives by the principle, “No regrets.” Hence, most of her life is lived in anxiety, but like, in a good way?

Dia is a trainee Doula and wellness coach with a passion for mental and sexual-health advocacy. You can reach her @douladia on Instagram or email via douladia@gmail.com

Aa’ishah

Aa’ishah is an Islamic educator and graphic designer. She’s all about empowering women and believes that the power of compassion can (and will!) change the world. When she’s not behind a screen, you can find her dissecting ancient Arabic texts or volunteering at her local NPO. Email her on aaishahjamal@icloud.com or DM her on Instagram @aaishah_j

Rizwana

As the saying goes “a little cupcake never hurt nobody”. Rizwana is a baker and bibliophile from a small town (village) in Botswana. She is currently studying Computer Science with the University of London. To see more of her baking and reading exploits you can follow her on Instagram @cupcakes.by.r and @rizwana.jpeg

Faheema

Faheema is a student currently doing a BA in Psychology. That being said, she loves discussions surrounding any topic such as mental health, human rights, and fictional characters. She also enjoys reading, writing and obsessing over fictional worlds. Should you wish to contact her, feel free to do so on her Bookstagram @fictionalfay or her Twitter @kazoo_brekker

Meemz

Meemz is a daydreaming artist and cosmetic chemistry student. She loves experimenting, calisthenics, lots of tea and sometimes talking in the third person. You can find Meemz on Instagram @faerieformulae or email aamina202@gmail.com