Fayzaa Manaa

A 1947 Ghost Train

A Painting of the Partition Between India and Pakistan

By Iman Akram

Growing up, I heard stories about my great grandfathers who helped Muslims get on the last overcrowded refugee trains going from India to Pakistan during the 1947 Partition. The railway journey should have been a symbol of hope and escape, but it was instead the physical manifestation of death, destruction, and the sheer chaos of the Partition. If a train passed by, everyone knew where it was going, so everyone knew the people inside that train were Hindu, Sikh, or Muslim. That made them easily identifiable targets. Trains would be attacked and passengers viciously murdered, raped, and abducted. Neither side was innocent — oftentimes, trains pulled into new Pakistan or new India silent and full of dead bodies. These so-called “ghost trains” would be scrawled with messages like “A gift from India” or “A gift from Pakistan.”

I was inspired by Saadat Hasan Manto for much of my imagery – the canvas is eerie and gruesome, yet the main figures A 1947 Ghost Train , Iman Akram (2022), Oil on canvas , 16 x 20 inchesare unidentifiable. It’s unclear what religion, gender, or age the forms are, and the train’s name has been covered with smeared blood. The forms are painted in cold wax, a medium that gives texture to oil paints. This makes them three dimensional and nearly come out of the page, somewhat ironically bringing the forms back to life, contrasting with the background of the train. Every community suffered immensely during the Partition of India and Pakistan, regardless of which side of the border they were on, and this painting is meant to emphasize that.

THE WATC H LIST

Every year, Al Bayan staff puts together The Watch List — a play on the infamous terrorism watchlist that Muslims are regularly (and often unjustly) placed on — that highlights the recent work of Muslims in popular culture. Check out everything we’ve been watching, reading and listening to over the past year!

Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester By Eman Hamed

Photo Via Madison Square Garden There are very few places in this world where I feel an overwhelming sense of comfort, familiarity, and peace. This past October, I experienced such a niche sense of community and these emotions at Hasan Minhaj’s King’s Jester show right here in Chicago. I had never seen so many Brown people in one place at once (not even Salatul Eid) - but seeing so many Muslims and people who look like me made me recognize the value of Muslim figures in media like Hasan Minhaj. He does more than make us laugh or make us believe we are relatable: he literally brings us together, unites us and bonds us in ways we cannot cultivate on our own.

I don’t plan on spoiling the show, but, if you can, see his show in person (he’s still on tour across different cities throughout the country!) because it’s so much more than a comedy show. It’s a raw account of the discrimination Muslims in America face, a testament of our strength and our dedication to our religion. It was inspiring and heartfelt. If you are unable to see his show live, not to worry, King’s Jester is coming to Netflix in 2023.

Elite By Taymae Mimouni

The popular Netflix show, Elite, does a great job showing the world that Muslims are, in fact, real. Or, well, they managed that for one season. Although the show briefly depicts realistic struggles, certainly those of hijabis in Europe, it still raises the question; why did Nadia take off her hijab? In season two of the show, Nadia is told that she must either take off her hijab or be expelled, a situation that many hijabi girls face in Europe. But we later see Nadia entering a bar, hijab-less, all for the sake of impressing our token white savior, Guzman. After that, Nadia falls away from Islam, and seems happier with Guzman and her brand new “friends.” We even see that her father is immensely disappointed in her behavior, giving viewers the impression that islam, and the hijab, was forced upon her. This show is a wonderful example of harmful Muslim stereotypes, made even more evident once one finds out that there are no Muslim women writers for the show.

Photo Via Spotify

Adiga Music Band By Rwan Ibrahim

Adiga Music Band is a Sudanese trio based in Dubai that formed in 2016. This group produces beats that bring traditional rustic Sudanese sounds to present lo-fi beats. The “classic” Sudani sound is typically composed of melodic song structures played by musical instruments like the violin, accordion, oud, tabla, or bongo drums. Sudanese music is upbeat and dramatic, yet personal proclaiming a story. Adiga Music Band blends the old with the new by taking classical sounds and emotions and reproducing them with a twist—using modern instruments like the acoustic and electric guitar, digital piano, bass, and drums. Their beats are creative and groovy. Not only have they turned into one of my go-to instrumental tracks to put on repeat and either do work to or unwind to, but they have given me a new appreciation towards Sudanese artists that make Sudanese music more accessible to younger generations who may not always feel connected to the “traditional” sound.

Muslim Women Taking Over TikTok By Ruba Memon

@zahra

Going viral for her video on relatable college struggles, Zahra, previously known as @muslimthicc on TikTok, quickly rose to fame on TikTok. She uses her platform to make a range of content – from travel vlogs to random TikTok trends to fit checks. Zahra integrates her Muslim identity within her videos without it becoming the whole purpose of her page. In addition to her funny, relatable videos, she has made informational videos explaining Ramadan and used TikTok trends to portray how Muslim women are forced to dress by the West. If you wanna listen to a soothing voice, learn about self-care, watch random vlogs, or just support a

Muslim creator, you know what you have to do!

@saharayar

Sahara, known as @saharayar on TikTok, has taken TikTok by storm. After gaining traction for her modest outfit of the day videos, Sahara began making a range of videos as well, such as reacting to popular shows or showing various hauls. What I love about Sahara is exactly what she went viral for – her modest OOTDs. Growing up, fashion has always been something I have loved and it would sometimes be hard seeing a lack of Muslims within the fashion space, but Sahara is everything I have dreamed of and more, and I hope she inspires other young Muslim women to follow in her steps.

@iconiccpinkk

As one of the most prominent Muslim TikTokers, Munera, known as @ iconiccpinkk on TikTok, primarily uses her platform to create comedic videos. Munera went viral after duetting videos where she pretended her hijab was being pulled as part of a TikTok trend; ever since then, she has continued to include her Muslim identity in her videos by joking about hair reveals or posting funny hijab tutorials. Additionally, Munera makes relatable content about having siblings. If you ever need a good laugh, you need to check out Munera’s page!

Never Have I Ever By Noraan Mohamed

Season two of Never Have I Ever debuts Aneesa Qureshi, a charismatic, attrative, Indian-Muslim student, into the world of Devi Vishwakumar, the main protagonist of the Netflix teen comedy series. As the new student at Sherman Oaks High School, Aneesa’s confidence and radiance pose a threat to Devi but soon they become good friends. As a Muslim, Aneesa demonstrates the intersectionalities of being Muslim, female and the daughter of immigrants. While Aneesa is human and makes mistakes, she has good intentions and looks out for her friends. Though chaotic and a rollercoaster of emotions, Never Have I Ever’s imperfect portryal of Aneesa humanizes Muslim youth and nuances the conversation about expecations on Muslim-American women.

Nehmasis By Rwan Ibrahim

A hijabi singer/songwriter?!? Say less. Nemah Hasan, Nemahsis, is a PalestinianCanadian hijabi singer/songwriter on the rise. Some may know her from her soothing and soulful song covers on Tiktok and Instagram, but her single “What if I took it off for you?” and recent debut EP “Eleven Arches” are beautiful bodies of work unlike any other. Never before had I listened to songs alluding to the hard truths, insecurities, and experiences hijabi women face and must overcome. She details the adversity of being the exception and tokenized, as well as the reality of having ambitious music goals as a hijabi woman. In her EP, she pulls heartstrings singing about persevering from internal struggles of understanding her identity as the daughter of immigrants, standing for what she believes in, and worrying about the perception of others. Simply put, Nemahsis’ voice is full of sincerity and emotion as she conveys vulnerable stories through every lyric—lyrics that echo the thoughts of anyone whom has ever felt the need to compromise a part of themselves to fit the ‘norm.’ Her music is absolutely compelling.