GAYA Magazine Mar-Apr 2018 - The Ramadan Issue

INSIDE EID MODESSA’S KIMONO COLECTION LULLY SELB’S MODERN MALAY WOMAN ZAYARA COLLECTION

CAUGHT A VIBE IN SUNSET BOULEVARD

BREAKING FREE DIVING INTO MENTAL ILLNESS

FA SH I O N 

MODESSA’S KIMONO COLLECTION

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THE MODERN MALAY WOMAN EID COLLECTION BY LULLY SELB

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ZAYARA COLLECTION

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CAUGHT A VIBE IN SUNSET BOULEVARD

MAY / JUNE 2018

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SOLIKA - A LOOK INSIDE

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POMELO’S MODEST COLLECTION - RHYTHM OF NATURE

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MUNA KHALIF - BREAKING INTO THE SCENE

O PI N I O N 

COIN THAT MUST BE FLIPPED 

SHE’S GOT THE LOOK - 2018 MAKEUP TRENDS

REDA

FOOD 

RAMADAN BUFFET AT SALTWATER

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IFTAR FEAST AT KATONG KITCHEN

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SPINACH QUICHE RECIPE

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PERFECTLY GRILLED CHICKEN RECIPE

BE A U T Y 

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT & THE

H E A LTH 

BREAKING FREE

COVER Brand: Modessa Photography: Nathan D’Amour at View Studios

THIS PAGE Photography: Aanya Nigam Stylist: Saniyyah Billal MUA: Carmen Dianne Model: Saniyyah Bilal

Disclaimer: All rights reserved. No part of this magazine or content may be reproduced or used without the wri en permission of the publisher: C.A. Editorial Consultants. All informa on contained in this magazine is for informa on only, and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the me of going to press. The views, ideas, comments, and opinions expressed in this publica on are solely of the writers, interviewees, press agencies, and manufacturers and do not represent the views of the editor or the publisher. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy and honesty in both editorial and adver sing content at press me, the publisher will not be liable for any inaccuracies or losses incurred. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this magazine. If you submit material to us, you automa cally grant C.A. Editorial Consultants a license to publish your submission in whole or in part in all edi ons of the magazine, including licensed edi ons worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world.

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he blessed month of Ramadan is upon us again and whilst I count the days to a spiritual detox, I am also counting down the days to a diet as well. *just being honest. lol.* Running on fumes, I’ve been stress eating and that had led to an increase in weight and breakouts like you wouldn’t believe. If anyone has any advice on how to manage this, please, I am all ears. lol.

I cannot thank you guys enough for the amazing comments and love you have given us on our last issue - The Power Edit. It has got to be one of my fave issues to date. Whilst last month was all about power, strength and was packed with a punch, this time around, with the theme of Ramadan, we’ve decided to take it down a notch and keep it simple going back to our fundamentals - as you can tell with the simplicity of the cover.

Ramadan will be a time for us to go back to the fundamentals, a spiritual detox, to remember the reason why we’re doing what we’re doing, to seek (again) the connection with the Almighty…

And with that, on behalf of the GAYA family, we wish you and your loved ones a blessed Ramadan.

Ramadan Kareem,

Juliana Iskandar EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GAYA MAGAZINE

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Fashion

Modessa launches their Kimono Collection in time for Eid. Available at the end of May. Photos by Nathan D’Amour at View Studios

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KINZA kinomo in Ice

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HANA floral dress (left) LORI kimono in Mauve (right)

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Fashion

Caught a

Sunset Boulevard Written by Taylor Bennett

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It’s times when being a black Muslim woman, I have to be better than my competition. People may not want me to succeed based on how I look. aniyyah Bilal, Philadelphia native and founder of Curio Styling Consultants, has a strong vision in the fashion industry and an even stronger passion to create modesty and style for Muslim women. She is killing the game with her scarf and khimar styles!

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“You don’t have to sacrifice your modesty to have style,” she said in a phone interview Wednesday.

“Some women believe that you can’t have style because you’re Muslim,” she continued.

“Trying to be modest while styling includes having many basic pieces in your wardrobe. You can include long sleeve shirts to wear under maxi-dress to add sleeves. You can buy tunics, long dresses, regular shirts and vests to “modest-fy” your outfit.”

Saniyyah, who has worked with talents such as Mo’ne Davis, Amber Rose, Singer Keyshia Cole, Empire’s Bryshere Gray and others, admits that coming

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up in the industry takes hard work and sacrifice – she even faced others doubting her success in the fashion industry because she is a Muslim woman. She has some advice for up-and coming fashionistas.

“It’s so much to learn in the industry, but from my experiences, one thing that is important is finding a niche,” said Saniyyah.

She always knew she wanted to take up fashion in Philadelphia University, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Industry Management and an MBA in Apparel Business Studies Styling. However, she wasn’t sure what area of fashion she was interested in.

“I knew I didn’t want to be a fashion designer, so I studied different parts of the fashion industry, so I could figure out what I wanted to do,” she said.

She also suggested other ways to succeed in the industry.

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turban GUESS DENIM SHIRT. top & denim coat ZEYNA BY BOUTIQUE ZEYNA. graffi jeans JEANTRIX. green fanny pack SHOPITUDE STORE. black sneakers PUMA.

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“The market is over-saturated with photographers, artists, stylists and models. Making sure to differentiate yourself from others is important.

This means being who you say you are, professionally, and knowing your stuff,” said Saniyyah.

“Also, with finding a niche, you have to invest in yourself. Invest in your company. Invest in your website, whether it’s an editor for photos or whatever it is.

You have to invest in your craft and perfect it so you can stand out against your competitors.”

According to the fashion stylist and model, pursuing a fashion career with a pure heart is essential.

“People only see the end result and don’t understand what it takes to get there. A lot of it is not fun. As long as you’re not doing it for the money or for the fame,” she suggests. “You have to love what you do and keep your intentions pure.”

Saniyyah started out working with a fashion designer. At the time, she didn’t know that the work she was doing was styling. A normal day for her would be putting an outfit together, accessorizing, picking out shoes for 10 to 12 models for photo shoots and video shoots.

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floral kimono/robe & black sa n pants ZILEA belt HOUSE OF HEND jewelry & turban stylist’s own black velvet boo es KENSIE

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Her experience allowed her to build a portfolio made up of her own creative concept for designers, models, makeup artist, and hairstylists. When asked what her biggest fears are, she responded, “not living a life of purpose and not leaving behind a positive legacy. It’s times when being a black Muslim woman, I have to be better than my competition. People may not want me to succeed based on how I look.”

Saniyyah reveals that her favorite fashionista is Neelam Hakeem. Some other awesome facts about Saniyyah is that she is a community activist based out of Los Angeles & Philadelphia. She served as the fashion styling teacher for the non-profit youth organization SCH CAPA and as Alimah Scout troop leader at her local Muslim Girl Scout Group.

The fashion model has studied fashion in China and has worked with and was mentored by Faatimah Gamble.

Saniyyah’s hopes are to inspire and empower others through her craft.

“Dare to be unique & own it! ” Curio Styling

Team & Wardrobe Photographer: Aanya Nigam @Pixuhl Wardrobe Stylist: Saniyyah Bilal @CurioStyling Make-Up Ar st: Carmen Dianne @CarmenDianne Model: Saniyyah Bilal @HijabiModel represented

by Umma Models

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Fashion

the modern Malay Women 15

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ince its inception in 2015, Lully Selb has established itself as one of Singapore's leading modest fashion brand for women who choose to adopt an unconventional style, where prints on hijab are celebrated as an iconic fashion statement. The designs go from bold to modern contemporary to exclusive one a kind pieces that draws inspiration from modern art, architecture, street culture, nature and lifestyle.

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Lully Selb's creations are a work of art; an extension of the founders’ creativity and design philosophy. Women empowerment is at the core of everything that Lully Selb does, where modest fashion meets chic accents to give the modern Muslim woman, the freedom to express their unique individual personality with confidence and sophistication with each respective designs and style.

This year, Lully Selb made headlines as one of the first and only homegrown brand to showcase a body of work entitled "The Modern Malay Women" at the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange at Buckingham Palace, London, organized

by Eco Age. The collaboration between Farhanna Pura of Na Forrer from Brunei and Lully Selb is the first of its kind, where the region's most coveted modest fashion 16

powerhouses worked together to bring to the fore an evening dress that personifies the style and values of a modern Malay woman.

The modern kebaya, a traditional Malay outfit usually worn during Eid and special occasions, has a meticulous design structure, using only the best fabrics and premium songket - a fabric that belongs to the brocade family of textiles of the Malay Peninsula - to help showcase a fresh perspective of what it means to be a modern Malay woman and to look to the world of modest fashion as an exemplification of confidence in modest style. They follow a meticulous design structure, featuring natural fabrics, blends and hand painted ink on silk. The hand illustrated euca organic silk and Bruneian Songket (woven in gold thread) is truly a work of modern beauty.

The work is emblematic of the unique artistry of both brands and is exhibited proudly at Buckingham Palace where the event was graced by the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton and US Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour.

The results? A one of a kind black and white modern kebaya that personifies an elegant modest wear that is in trend with today's modern Malay woman.

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"THE MODERN MALAY WOMEN" AS SEEN AT THE COMMONWEALTH FASHION EXCHANGE AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE, LONDON

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As a proud Singaporean Malay and a fan of the brand, we could not be prouder of our sisters and Lully Selb’s creative duo, Selma Bamadhaj and Nur Rulhuda, who to us have broken barriers and taken the beauty of our heritage and tradition and brought it to the international stage.

We speak to Selma and Huda, and dive into detail on their collaboration with Na Forrer from Brunei, the creative process behind the piece and what it was like to be the first Singaporean modest fashion brand to showcase on such a level.

How did the collaboration with Na Forrer come about?

We were handpicked by the organiser, Eco-Age, to partner up with Na Forrer to represent Singapore X Brunei. Prior to this collaboration, we met Na Forrer at the HEYA Fashion Exhibition in 2015 where we both showcased our design under the Asean Designer Project, headed by Sheikha Hub. We first heard about the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange from Na Forrer.

She emailed us to ask if we were keen.

At first, we thought Na Forrer had chosen us but later we found out that, the organiser picked us from a list of designers that Na Forrer had proposed to them. We're very happy to have stayed in touch with Na Forrer, never thought that one day we'll cross path again for this wonderful collaboration.

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Tell us more about the creative process behind the fabric print. How does the print encapsulate the story of the modern Malay woman?

We chose to hand paint the textile as it captures a free style, abstract design; something that speaks bold, freedom and personal. And because the requirement for the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange was to share our culture and artisanal work, our idea was to express the shared identity and history between the 2 countries - Singapore and Brunei - which is the Malay costume.

We drew inspiration from the kebaya silhouette, batik motifs, Bruneian Songket and used all these elements and interpreted it with our own style.

Instead of using the traditional brown earth tones often seen on batik, we chose to use black and white, something modern and strong.

How long did the whole process take?

We started discussing in late October 2017. Upon agreeing to work with each other, we brain stormed and conceptualised in November, created moodboard, gathered ideas and came out with the final sketch by December.

We then sourced for an organic silk fabric while Na Forrer picked up a suitable songket that will match our print. After which, we tested on small swatches of fabric to make sure we got

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the desired effect we wanted. Because we had used a silk fabric, the intensity of the ink and the way the fabric was woven played a part.

We also experimented with wax and crackle effect (which we later used to produce a shawl for our local customers).

We worked during the Christmas through New Year to hand paint the 3-metre-long fabric, approximately about 4 days. After which, we delivered the fabric to Brunei, where she turned it into a modern kebaya one-piece dress.

How did it feel to see your work in Buckingham palace being seen by HRH the Duchess of Cambridge for example?

Super thrilled - Like OMG!!!

Alhamdulillah, dreams do come true.

We were even more thrilled to share the stage together with our idol designer Stella McCartney!

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What's your hope for the future of local designers to be seen on the international stage such as this?

I really hope that our local designers will strive harder and harder because when you work hard enough, Insh'Allah opportunities will come. Although there are lots of competition out there, you have to be very clear of what your brand direction is and somehow the right type of doors will open.

With this digital age, there is no excuse of us saying - Oh it’s so tough to go international. Slowly, but surely and I wish that there are more locally designed brands because Singapore is so unique, we just don’t bring ourselves out there enough.

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"THE MODERN MALAY WOMEN" LULY SELB’S EID COLLECTION 2018

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"THE MODERN MALAY WOMEN" - LULY SELB’S EID COLLECTION 2018

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"THE MODERN MALAY WOMEN" - LULY SELB’S EID COLLECTION 2018

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Lully Selb’s story is unique and one to be celebrated in the modest fashion scene. If you have not heard of Lully Selb, in our opinion, you should.

Founders and co-designers Selma Bamadhaj and Nur Rulhuda are an epitome of street style chic. Selma holds a Fashion Design degree from a joint university partnership between NAFA (Singapore) and Huddersfield University (UK); and Rulhuda, is a creative artist and Fine Arts graduate.

Their unique fashion taste is trendy and bold, without having to compromise on the values of their Muslim faith.

As designers, they prioritize thoughtful innovation to style and break barriers by designing shawls and dresses that mimic wearable architectural prints.

With a strong combined experience in fashion and fine art, the dynamic duo's entire design process is carried out inhouse and they personally ensure that only the best fabrics are used to create contemporary and stylish fashionable shawls for their customers.

The designers were significantly recognised for their hard work and were also featured in an article on Forbes Asia.

Tap icons to join Lully Selb online:

NUR RULHUDA (LEFT); SELMA BAMADHAJ (RIGHT)

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Fashion

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or decades, women have been on the forefront of change in modern civilization. From the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th century, to today’s #metoo movement, women have walked the line to voice political and social change. Yet through it all, we maintain our sense of femininity, charm and grace.

In a society that more often than not, dictates how a woman should dress, creating this notion that showing more skin is ultimately more beautiful, it is not surprising that modest clothing is pushed to the side-lines or worse, seen as somewhat backward.

confidence through modest clothing.

Focusing on minimalist designs, each piece is expertly crafted, creating stylish and timeless experiences. Every collection has a distinct palette; whether it’s a pop of color or soft nudes, the details are kept tonal – letting style and fabrication create the vibe.

In their Spring 2018 Collection, Solika draws inspiration from the blooming of flowers in the season. Hence beautifully capturing the essence of growth and journey. We speak to Chaya and Sarah about Solika, the Spring Collection and the future…

Thankfully, and once again through the power of the collective female voice, women are finally taking back the control of the narrative and saying – I am beautiful, no matter what I wear.

From this, modest fashion has begun to take over. Today we shed a light on one such brand.

Simple, minimalistic, yet bold in its stand – Solika – a Los Angeles based modest fashion brand – embodies those very women we speak of.

Founded in 2013 and created by best friends, Chaya and Sarah, Solika is on a mission to empower women all over the world to share their beauty and 25

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As we are all familiar, modest fashion is usually conflated with Muslim fashion. Yet, looking at the Solika style, it isn’t limited to one particular group of women. It’s refreshing.

What was the inspiration behind starting Solika and what sets Solika apart from other modest fashion labels?

Our dresses are for ALL women!

The heritage of the brand spawns from a powerful woman of the 1800’s who stood up for her beliefs despite society’s standards. Her name was SOLIKA. We specialize in Women’s Clothing and we design modest dresses that are minimal, sharp and timeless. We want our customers to feel, Strong, Confident, and Beautiful!

We are most proud of our strong branding! Our brand is full of inspiration and values.

What makes us different is that we keep strong to our branding and values.

Our clothes are modest yet fashionable, timeless, minimal and modern. Not only do we want women to feel beautiful when they wear our clothing, we want them to feel empowered!

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There’s usually so much pressure for designers to come out with their greatest collection season after season.

What goes into creating Solika’s collection each season?

We envision where we want to take the SOLIKA woman each season and we create the journey through colors, places and experiences that inspire us...then we assemble a collection that has a strong message behind it that will inspire our clients, not only to shop modest but to also feel the rich messaging behind each piece.

Solika’s Spring 2018 collection has a great mission/story behind it blossoming into the truth and the journey of woman #journeywithsolika, could you explain further to our readers how the story unfolds?

This season we focused our collection on growth and journey. We created our business based on a need in our community and our love for fashion but we always remained behind the scenes.

However, this season it was important to us that we connected with our customers and that we created a relationship with each and every woman who came into contact with our brand.

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So, we decided to share our journey... the behind the scenes, the personal growth, the hard work, the bumps, the struggles and successes…We felt that it was the perfect time to truly come into our own as many other women have in this era. Us, women live in very exciting times right now where we all seem to be in synch, sharing a voice and expressing ourselves through fashion!

For us, this collection was like a little seed that we planted 4 years ago that finally blossomed. Here is our story of Spring: Spring 2018 Collection Flowers don’t worry about how they are going to bloom, they just look for the light and step into their virtue – embracing the journey.

The synonymity can be seen this Spring as this collection inspires the Solika woman to blossom and trust the magic of new beginnings.

Inspired by floral landscapes and growth, this season features soft color palettes, light fabrics and evolved modern design creating a wardrobe of sophisticated and sharp essentials.

With detailed stitching and delicate silhouettes, we adventure into Spring with a fresh approach. #solika

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How has the response been for Solika and modest fashion in the US? Amazing thank god! We have been very successful in the US and we are working on creating an international presence. We would love to see our products in all different types of stores around the world and we are super excited about expanding into other communities around the world who like us are passionate about modesty.

We believe that our collections are for everyone not only modest dressed women. It's so beautiful to see women in our dresses regardless of religious views/ backgrounds. We are just excited that more women are embracing their modest fashion.

What can we expect to see in the future for Solika?

SOLIKA in different types of stores, Globally!

You can also expect more distinct designs, more out of the box branding, more beautiful editorial and creative direction, more brand awareness and most of all creating more product and purpose that will continue to empower women all over the world!

Tap the icons to follow Solika online:

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Fashion

RHYTHM OF NATURE

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omelo’s Rhythm of Nature Modest Wear Collection pays tribute to the fundamental elements found in nature and the inimitable beauty it brings to our world. The collection launched just a few weeks before the month of Ramadan, merging tradition and trends together. In this collection, Pomelo presents 70+ pieces ranging from clothing to accessories, for women from all walks of life seeking modest styles with a more covered-up aesthetic in mind.

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BUTTON UP MIDI SHIRT DRESS in green.

ASYMMETRICAL DENIM MIDI SKIRT. THREE TONE OPEN HOOP EARRINGS.

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LONG SLEEVE EYELET SHIRT. MIDI BOW TIE WAIST SKIRT in green.

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MIDI STRIPED KIMONO WRAP DRESS

BACK TIE RUCHED SLEEVES BLOUSE in pink.

PLEATED WIDE LEG SATIN PANTS in dusty pink.

MINI CROSS BODY MESSENGER BAG in red.

Rhythm of Nature aims to empower women around the world to express their individual styles regardless of their backgrounds and beliefs. Essentials crafted in lightweight fabrics, all in an array of earth tones and free-spirited silhouettes provide one with wardrobe staples meant to be worn beyond the festive period.

Influenced by the hues abundant in natural landscapes spanning from deserts to forests to oceans, this collection highlights a colour palette rich in warm, muted blues, browns, greens, and pinks.

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Conveniently bridging the gap between workwear and semi-formal affairs, shine in the subtle yet sophisticated Mock Neck Bell Sleeve Blouse that suits all occasions. Channel refreshing vacation vibes with the Midi Striped Kimono Wrap Dress in an all-over true blue shade and wrapped ladylike silhouette.

Allow bold bottoms to be the centerpiece of an outfit, take the dramatic Side Ruffle Elastic Waist Culottes or the dreamy ash grey Pleated Wide Leg Satin Pants, both pieces adding just the right level of volume to any look.

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WIDE BRIM BUCKET HAT in blue.

STRIPED BUTTON DOWN SHIRT DRESS.

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MAXI BATWING SLEEVE LOOSE DRESS in pink & light green

Accompanying the Modest Wear Collection, Pomelo continues to carry its signature weekly new arrivals, but now better than ever before. The number of new styles available each week will soon triple, offering items never before seen from the brand, including beachwear and premium line.

More frequent releases of Alita by Pomelo, a sportswear line where fashion fuses with function, and even more trendsetting accessories, round out the brand’s evolving assortment to truly become a one-stop shop.

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Starting at just 34 SGD, the Rhythm of Nature Modest Wear Collection is available at pomelofashion.com and the Pomelo App.

Tap the icons below to follow Pomelo online and on social media...

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Fashion

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irst-generation SomaliAmerican designer and activist, Muna Khalif ushered in a new era of women's fashion with the U.S. debut of her eponymous collection.

F THE DIANA DRESS in light blue | THE ASHA PANT in black print |

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After years of feeling neglected by mainstream western apparel brands, Muna Khalif set out fill the gap. With the mission of making chic, stylish, and professional ready-to-wear accessible to all women, including women of ancient traditions with specific standards of dress, she created The Muna Khalif Collection.

The collection made its initial debut during London Modest Fashion Week followed by a presentation and pop-up shop in NYC.

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Challenging widely-held misconceptions about the modern Muslim woman, Khalif's eponymous debut collection has been designed for those who – for either cultural ideals or personal preference – wish to present themselves with equal measures of modesty and style.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Muna Khalif about her collection, her vision and the future.

Hi Muna, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. We’re very interested in getting to know you and your label a little better. As we are all too familiar, there was a time when modest fashion wasn’t something familiar in the mainstream industry. And because of that gap, you had set out to build your label.

When exactly did you put pen to paper to begin work on your label and was there a turning point that made you want to start the Muna Khalif label?

Having freshly graduated out of college where, I spent a great deal of time focusing on entrepreneurship and the power of innovation, I felt empowered with the tools to realize what had long been a dream.

accessible to all women - including those who have specific cultural and religious dress codes. I started out waiting for someone else to create space for me to design with me in mind.

Muna Khalif was born out of impatience and a bold deceleration that I need to not wait for someone else - that I could in fact forge my own space and in turn create space for countless other women.

That is where the power of Muna Khalif comes from.

Could you tell us more about what the Muna Khalif label is all about?

In all honesty, I designed the line for women just like me and my sisters women who seek out demure and stylish pieces.

The line was really created with a metropolitan working woman in mind so that she may me feel powerful and effortlessly styled whether she is leading the board room or strolling through the city.

If you want to feel feminine, there are many playful pastels to choose from. If you’re looking to exude power, there are a number of royal tones to choose from.

This business was born out of personal struggle - but it has become so much larger than that. I have set out to design chic, stylish, and professional wear 40

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THE SEYNAB DRESS in light pink |

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What was the inspiration behind your collection?

The inspiration behind the collection came from my mother Seynab. For as long I could remember her style was so elegant, tailored and sophisticated.

She would gracefully walk into a room and her presence would light up and although it didn't have much to do with the clothing, it inspired me to create powerful piece that could exude such confidence.

The Muna Khalif brand was created and set out to challenge the widely-held misconceptions about the modern Muslim woman but you went a step further to create an inclusive brand that isn’t confined to a particular religious constraint. We love that. We are all about inclusivity. Was that a conscious effort?

Muslim women are no different than any other women in the world. We follow fashion trends, we know what’s current, and we have the same desire to look good and feel good about ourselves.

The brand is really not just about the clothing but about the women who were the line. My hope is that this line serves to empower women everywhere to continue to strive for greater heights and to never dim their own light. We always design with an eye towards the powerful, 42

the global-minded, and the bold - the leading lady. It’s important for people to understand that “modest clothing” is not only meant for people who have religious or cultural quote on quote restrictions but it’s also done every day by modern woman. By providing the tools, woman now have the power to style the clothing how they see best fit to their lives.

In your opinion as an activist, do you think that fashion or through fashion, we can drive a social change in today’s context?

With fashion being one of the most powerful industries in the world, I do believe that fashion can drive social change. It’s incredibly important for consumers to be cautious of the clothing they consume, how long they keep it for and the steps they take to get rid to it. With technology, innovation and creativity we can make a sustainable impact in the world.

I believe the power lies with the designers to be more aware of how much material is being wasted by each cut, is it organic, how much water was used, etc. When the initiative is taken by the designer then consumers will feel more empowered and conscious of sustainable clothing and its impact in our environment.

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What can we expect to see in the future for the Muna Khalif label?

My long-term vision for the brand is to continue to innovate, to continue to marry styles that on the surface seem to contradict, and to reach a wider audience. Fashion and modesty do not inherently contradict. Fashion is simply about what is in vogue.

What’s so exciting about designing in this space is about reimagining the traditional, marrying the new with the old, and ultimately telling many women like myself that you don’t have to choose - that you can in fact be stylish and also celebrate your cultural and religious values.

Tap the icons below to follow Muna Khalif online:

THE CAROLINE DRESS in khaki |

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Fashion

zayara brings women together by creating affordable modest clothing with a feminine and classy feel.

Written by Juliana Iskandar

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A

fter doing this for many years now, I’ve come to realise that every modest fashion brand has its own unique story.

Yes, they all usually stem from the gap in the market at a time when modest fashion wasn’t even on the radar, where abayas were the closest thing to what we call modest fashion wear, where Muslim/ hijabi women had to pile on layers of clothes just to create a modest look.

Despite the similar humble beginnings, each story has its own distinct subtext usually stemming from the designer’s upbringing, reversion to Islam or one’s particular social cause.

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And I guess that is why I thoroughly enjoy meeting such individuals to listen to their story. Today I take a dive into Zayara – a UK-based modest fashion brand headed by the lovely Zainab.

Zaraya’s looks are classic and effortless, with a tinge of flair. It’s easy to see that Zayara’s intention was to allow the wearer’s individual style to flow.

Individual pieces can be mixed and matched to create something distinct to the individual - essentially telling the story that all women, regardless of colour, race, nationality, are beautifully diverse. I had the pleasure of speaking to Zainab, owner of Zayara, to hear her very own beautifully diverse story.

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Hi Zainab, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. So, what’s Zayara’s story? How did it begin?

Hello Juliana! Firstly, thank you so much for having me as a part of the Gaya family. It’s a huge honour!

Zayara is a series of lifetime events because I have been drawing since I could hold the pen in my hand, always messing up the walls in my parents’ home (for some reason it seemed a better canvas than the traditional paper haha); and I always loved drawing fashion portraits or clothing.

My mum used to take out my drawings to show guests whenever we had them over. I never loved my work though.

For some reason I would make something and dislike it straight away but people around me always acted amazed so I just gifted them.

Last year, I met the CEO of the fastest growing fashion houses in Kenya, House of Idil. We were just having a casual chat and she said she needed someone to do a sketch for her of a wedding dress.

She explained to me, in a few words, what she wanted and within a few hours I sent her the drawing to which she reacted in shock. She wasn’t expecting to see me translate so well what she had in mind and she encouraged me to 46

pursue this career either as a designer or better yet having something of my own. And I had always wanted that.

But let’s be honest, it’s not a cheap business to start. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive.

But her encouragement made me think.

It was always my dream but never dared to even think about it. Especially since I moved to the UK at the age of 19, by myself; I come from a poor family, and had a baby 2 years ago which can stretch your finances. But I am not a person to follow rules and when someone tells me I can’t do something that’s when it sparks the fire in me and the next thing I know, I had a clothing manufacturer, made the website and everything was starting to take shape.

Bear in mind my budget to start was a hilarious £200. But I wasn’t going to let that get in my way. It was hard, at some point I couldn’t even afford to buy hang tags so I had to do them myself. I am a bit of a geek too so that was handy because I saved a lot of money on website design, marketing, photoshoot, editing etc. Alhamdullilah in the first month we sold out within two weeks.

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IDIL RUFFLE PEPLUM TOP LIGHT BLUE

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So, you have been drawing since you were a toddler? Masya’Allah, that’s inspiring. Did you always want to be a fashion designer?

I have always been drawing and remember everyone around me was asking me to sketch something for them.

Either my school mates were asking me to do their art homework for them, or people were crazy about seeing their portraits drawn and I slowly started asking for something in return.

I guess you could say I had the business mind since young haha! And actually, drawing helped me survive my move to UK because I started selling my drawings in order to support myself financially. For some reason I was always drawn towards fashion though.

And I loved drawing fashion portraits I would find in magazines. I would rip the page and make a drawing that would take at least 6 hours. But I am not the person to draw over a period of a week.

Where does your inspiration for your designs come from?

My inspiration comes from everywhere.

I think that everything is in front of us but we are being distracted by our busy lives that we forget to pay attention.

Even looking at nature you can see colours and colour combination and you can tell if two colours go well together or they don’t. Look outside your window and you will see at least five colours.

I also like to experiment so sometimes even if I don’t feel very inspired I still just grab my pencil and start scribbling and see where it takes me.

However, my main inspiration is from years 1930s and 1940s when peplum and bows were popular and gave the body silhouette while still covering the back. Which is why you will find that many of my tops and dresses have that hourglass silhouette.

If I start drawing, I will not do anything else until I finished that drawing. Hence why now I only draw for my brand and I make sure I have nothing else to do at the same time.

I love coming up with new ideas and then see them come to life. It must be the most fulfilling thing ever!

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Having had a look at your collection, we notice lots of casual, every day wear including hijabs. What does the Zayara collection represent?

I always loved clothes that are simple yet different. I love unique styles but without having to be an expert to know how to wear them or combine them.

Layering for example is not for everyone. Many women simply don’t know how to layer and don’t have the time to search and watch bloggers and YouTube videos with lookbooks.

I would search “modest clothing UK” abayas were the only types of clothes I could find. And if I wanted to buy tops from other shops they would either be too short, or too long or too tight or too open or if they were more modest, they would simply not be good quality which for me is very important.

So, I wanted Zayara to be inclusive to everyone. Zayara represents unity between women and we desperately want to eliminate this separation that has been created. Nowadays Muslim women are

I wanted Zayara to be inclusive to everyone.

Zayara represents unity between women and we desperately want to eliminate this separation that has been created.

My clothes are all about ease that’s why you will find that most pieces can be worn with jeans for a casual look or with a skirt and you’re ready for an evening out. I love clothes that you put on and you are guaranteed that someone will make a comment like our bestseller - the ‘Idil Ruffle Peplum Top’. It is so simple, yet modest, it covers all the right places, yet so unique and pretty!

When I reverted to Islam back in 2012, I wanted to still keep my European style but still be modest. I wasn’t ready to switch to abayas just yet but whenever 50

changing and they are starting to turn more towards this casual style and they shop from non-Muslim (owned) websites. But you can rarely find a nonMuslim woman shopping from a Muslim (owned) shop. This is what I want to eliminate. That’s why my clothes are suitable for EVERYONE and are mainly casual. Because although dresses are beautiful, and we will have some too, women these days are busy. They are mums, they are entrepreneurs, they are professionals and they prefer to wear something that you can quickly throw on and still look modest and feminine.

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FILSAN SET BLOUSE + TROUSERS MAROOON

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Also, our main fabric is of very good quality, extremely easy to iron and won’t wrinkle easily. All our tops and dresses are wudu friendly (they have zips on sleeves). Perfect for the busy women.

Everyone has their own journey to Islam, as a Muslim revert, could you share with us what yours was like and how has that contributed, if any, to the Zayara brand?

As I mentioned, I am not a rule-follower.

I don’t do anything I don’t understand first. So being born in a Christian family and country, everything that Christianity teaches was very contradictory to me.

The main idea that you have to go to a priest regularly to tell him your sins for me was funny. I was always thinking, why? Why would I tell another person my secrets? He’s not any more special than me.

And generally, the whole idea of just follow and don’t ask, just didn’t suit my personality. I have to have answers and very logical ones in order for me to follow. So, when I moved to the UK and was introduced to different cultures and faiths I started being more curious and Islam seemed to be the only religion that could answer all my questions and actually made sense.

at all and I think it’s because I always had principles that Islam teaches…but why? Only Allah knows.

My faith did contribute to the Zayara brand because without faith and trust in Allah I wouldn’t have started this with such a small budget. I would have been scared and most probably would have given up. But my faith makes me put all my trust in Allah therefore it keeps me level headed and calm and that helps me overcome the usual start-up hiccups.

What can we expect for the future for Zayara?

Oh so many things! And such exciting things! InshaAllah, in the nearest future we will have Zayara Premium, where we will be selling occasion wear including premium hijabs, shoes designed by myself, accessories and maternity and breastfeeding wear as well as sizes up to 6XL. And also, last but not least, mother and child outfits which I believe are the cutest thing ever!

We will also include a printed lookbook with step-by-step tutorials and the latest fashion news along with every order for our customers who need just a bit of inspiration.

Tap icons to follow Zayara online:

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Beauty

got the

LOOK

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When it comes to trends, we say, go for it. Well, unless it’s those furry nails they had last year or the weird eyebrow trends, which personally we wouldn’t even go near. But hey, if you can rock them, we say - you do you, babe!

Thankfully, this year’s makeup trends aren’t that wild. From gold highlights (thanks to Rihanna’s Fenty) to blue under eyeliner, we’re going to take a look inside this year’s makeup “let’s-give-it-a-try” trends.

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CHARLOTTE TILBURY BAR OF GOLD. SKIN GILDING HIGHLIGHTER

FENTY KILLAWATT FREESTYLE HIGHLIGHTER

Hi, light!

So yes, as we said, thanks to the invent of Fenty, the gold highlight is IN this year. Go all ‘Gold Finger’ with this trend, gurrrl…

TARTE RAINFOREST OF THE SEA GLOW GODDESS HIGHLIGHTER (LIMITED EDITION)

TOO FACED LOVE LIGHT PRISMATIC HIGHLIGHTER

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No eyeliner? No worries.

An eyeshadow would do the trick.

COLOURPOP SUPERSHOCK SHADOW.

URBAN DECAY 24/7 GLIDE-ON EYE PENCIL

Pop of colour!

The upside-down liner was all the rage last year and it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down. The tip here is to inject a pop of colour in them eyeliners. Blue is perfect for any skintone but hey, if you’re adventurous, go for purple or pink. You do you girl!

TOO FACED SKETCH MARKER LIQUID ART EYELINER

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SEPHORA EASY SMOKY EYE STICK EYESHADOW

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COVER FX SHIMMER VEIL

NARS DUALINTENSITY EYESHADOW

Shimmer and Shine!

While we’re on the subject of eyes, popping a little shimmer and shine in the inner circles of your eyes would make those beauties pop. Have fun with pops of colour like pink or baby blue.

MAKE UP FOR EVER STAR LIT POWDER

NYX SHIMMER DOWN PIGMENT

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BENEFIT THEY’RE REAL MASCARA L'ORÉAL VOLUMINOUS LASH PARADISE MASCARA

Clump it up

Don’t you hate it when your mascara clumps up? Don’t fret. This “accidental” look is IN. These are by no means a new thing, btw. Remember the iconic supermodel Twiggy?

She rocked those thick long lashes back in the day. The key here though is to keep the rest of your makeup minimal.

You don’t want to end up looking like a member of the Adam’s Family.

DIOR DIORSHOW PUMP‘N’ VOLUME MASCARA

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MAYBELLINE THE COLOSSAL SPIDER EFFECT MASCARA

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Opinion

nisa’ = women

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT & THE COIN THAT MUST BE FLIPPED WHEN I WAS EIGHT, SERIES OF AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS WERE ADDED TO EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. I WAS FASCINATED BY THE FASHION CLUB AND PROMPTLY JOINED IN. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR FIRST SESSION WHEN MY TEACHER CAME IN AND PLUCKED ME OUT.

“You don't belong here. You're too smart to stay in the fashion club. You have to join the debate club instead.

It suits you.”

At twenty, I asked her about that day.

And she said “I was empowering you.

Look at you now. Soon to be a lawyer.”

“I didn't feel empowered then. I felt denied. Disempowered, even.” I told her.

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To me, there are certain words that would seem to defy all conventional definitions. Words that refuse to be confined to a particular concept, words that refuse to be shackled by our understanding of them, words that refuse to conform to our individualistic need to label. To stamp upon and discard with. So they exist; mainly to question our set belief system, forcing us to admit we were never as smart as we ought to be.

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Maybe never will. Words like love and hate, right and wrong, strong and weak, success and failure, freedom and constraint... Woman...empowerment.

Empowerment - noun (plural empowerments) 1. The granting of political, social or economic power to an individual or group.

2. The process of supporting another person or persons to discover and claim personal power.

3. The state of being empowered (either generally, or specifically).

The first time I visited a prison yard, I met a woman who'd been there for so long she'd forgotten what the blue skies behind the electric fence looked like.

But she'd laughed the loudest.

Genuine laughter that bounced off the walls and reverberated down the entire prison. She was in for attempted murder of her now ex-husband who'd sexually assaulted his stepdaughter. And it didn't take a moment for me to gasp and say “But it's wrong! You shouldn't be in here! He should!�.

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And in that time,...in that moment, I knew that the concept of what is 'wrong' and 'right' was one that eluded our humanistic tendencies for definitive finality.

To me, freedom was the clean air outside the prison yard, the clear skies and the sounds of the mockingbirds.

To her, it was in the realization that she'd saved a life. To the legal system, it was in apprehending a criminal.

The basic principle behind the concept 'empowerment' is choice. Freedom - to choose, to make your own decisions, to say 'I want to do this, I don't want to do that. I want to be this or that.'

It has however, become a seemingly strange concept for some people - based on religious, moral or sociocultural grounds - to accept or even respect these decisions. Understandably everyone's concept of empowerment is relative.

I recently watched Khadija Gbla's TED talk 'My mother's strange definition of empowerment' and it resonated deeply and soundly what some deep-rooted cultural definition of empowerment is.

For Khadijah's mother, it was in the mutilation of her clitoris. For Khadijah, it was in the right to have a say in what happens to her body.

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In most African backgrounds, women empowerment can be in the form of marriage, childbirth and the superhuman ability of a woman to endure pain and suffering and grief while smiling through it all - this was a theme extensively explored in Buchi Emecheta's 'The Joys of Motherhood'.

That was empowerment for us. It is still considered - by people who keep to the old ways, choosing to unlearn - as such.

However, from the first Women's Suffrage Bill that was presented and promptly rejected, women started to take back the narrative. Deciding for themselves how they wanted to be empowered -The Women's War, or Aba Women's Riots, was an insurrection in British Nigeria that occurred in November 1929.

The revolt broke out when thousands of Igbo women took to the streets in protest, resultant of direct market tax and a blatant restriction of the role of women in the government. The riot was a strategically executed anti-colonial revolt organised by women to redress social, political and economic grievances, encompassing women from six ethnic groups (Ibibio, Andoni, Orgoni, Bonny, Opobo, and Igbo), organized and led by the women.

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This was a feat at a time when women were supposed to sit down and stay there. Subsequently, women started to drive cars and apply for colleges and it wasn't long before the Victorian woman - who sewed and bore children - became a narrative that will no longer be acceptable, replaced by the images of women in boardrooms, courthouses, hospitals, laboratories...parliament.

The year is 2018. And a woman can be whatever she wants. Is it so terrible then that she 'chooses' what she wants to be?

Why is the woman in the burka called disempowered? Why is the woman whose dream it is to cook and clean and bear children for herself or others called ambitionless? Is such a woman's 'choice' relegated because it doesn't fit a general image of what you believe her empowerment should be? Here, we must flip the coin and stress the need for claiming one's own narrative.

There's nothing wrong with having a certain idea of what YOUR empowerment should be. But what you should never do is force that concept on others. If my idea of empowerment were to be a criminal lawyer and go out there wiping injustice, I have no right to tell my colleague who might want to be a stay-at-home mum that THAT is what her own concept of empowerment has to be.

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...the basic principle behind the concept 'empowerment' is choice. Freedom - to choose, to make your own decisions, to say 'I want to do this, I don't want to do that. I want to be this or that.'...

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And I think we should ask. Always.

Every single time. 'How do you want to be empowered?' 'What does your empowerment look like?' It is not granted - piece at a time to be lorded over our heads - dangled like candy threatening to be taken away if we do not behave. It is and should always be a full package, encompassing every other like concept; freedom, choice, equity.

Because empowerment cannot be that if it doesn't come with the freedom to choose. It is then our duty as women,

as humans, to learn to respect - if not understand, if not love - another woman's choice to do with her empowerment as she sees fit.

Empowerment as a concept that acknowledges the different struggles of different women from different parts of the world, does not conform but stresses the importance of our individual freedom, unfettered by social expectations.

THE WRITER: ZAINAB ONUH-YAHAYA Zainab Onuh-Yahaya is a modest fashion enthusiast and college student. She enjoys reading, writing and dreaming up minimalistic fashion hacks.

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Opinion

Written by Isra Abdou REDA IS ARABIC FOR "FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S SATISFACTION". REDA IS A VISUAL ART STORY ABOUT THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF HIJABS OF MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND THE HATE THEY GET FROM BOTH SIDES: ISLAMOPHOBES AS WELL AS WITHIN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY.

“Aren’t you scared of being denied job opportunities because of the headscarf?”

“The headscarf hides our precious women from man´s evil eye.”

“You are quite cheeky and glammed up for a hijabi.”

“According to my relatives at home, my decision of wearing my hijab in a casual way with my hairline being visible, makes me a non-Muslim.”

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“Sarah from our parallel class wears a burqa now, or whatever they call it in the media. I have always known there is something suspicious about her.”

“I feel ashamed for women who call themselves hijabis but walk around in tight jeans and bright colours on their heads. My sister would not be allowed to do so.”

“Women in Iran are fighting for multiple decades to take it off and over here we are oh so "tolerant", literally celebrating this oppression. F**k Muslims!”

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“I find women in niqabs extremely erotic, especially when they are wearing sexy eye make-up.”

“Our sister in Islam is wearing way too much make-up for a hijabi (headscarf wearing women/girl). Astaghfirullah (I seek god's forgiveness).”

“This is Germany. Take that sh** off, you f-ing terrorist.”

These are just some of the comments I have heard over the years. And these statements almost always precede the same demand: JUST TAKE IT OF ALREADY! It becomes clear that these hateful vibes not only come from right-wingers, but also from within the Muslim community. Hate unites.

My name is Isra Abdou and I am a 22year-old fine arts student. I was born and raised in Berlin, but my parents are Egyptian. I visit my beloved Cairo once a year to keep in touch with family, friends, the culture and my roots. I have been wearing the hijab for 10 years now.

It was my personal decision.

I would say that there wasn't much thought behind my action at this time.

I was really young, when I told my parents that I want to try to wear a hijab.

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I just did it because I was just wanted to and always thought it was beautiful.

Wearing it was never part of the problem. The reactions I get though, were and are the worst part.

I consider myself lucky because my classmates where Arab so the hijab was nothing new to them. I had a great teacher at this time, because as a German woman she treated me the same as everyone else.

My elementary-school was near to the center of town and one day, as I was walking home from school, two men started putting their hand in my veil and tried to touch my hair. I was really scared and ran home. That was the first time, my eyes were open to people’s hate towards the hijab.

I had to do an internship at a school as part of my study. When I went into my interview, the principal told me that I was actually perfect for the position and I could start my internship there BUT he would never ever give me a real job as a teacher (at this point he gestured toward to my head) “because of that thing there”. I was mortified.

I dropped out of my first university almost 2 years ago. At this point I started to focus on myself, trying to figure out, “Who is Isra? And what is she hoping to achieve?”

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I was looking for new opportunities to tell my story and to search for new jobs. I noticed that my hijab or being a Muslim was always an issue at interviews. Since I decided to become a teacher, people began telling me that I have to stop wearing a veil to find a job in Berlin.

Berlin's Labor Court has ruled that women are not allowed to wear the veil because of an ideological neutrality law. Meanwhile other cities are hiring women just like me, because they say a hijab has nothing to do with an ideological law and it does not affect anyone if a woman wears a headscarf (while they're working).

This led me to curate a visual art story called REDA. I felt compelled to tell this story after hearing comments on how women should stop wearing a hijab, because (in their words) “this is f-ing Germany” or because “their pants are too tight and it's not halal - so take it already off”.

Moreover, there are women who don't wish to wear the hijab but are being forced by men or even politics. The hijab is a personal choice - one that is made between yourself and God and no one else. However, the hijab loses its main point if you’re not wearing it for that reason. Hence, the hijabs in my visual art piece are transparent.

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Frankly, I don't know if the hijab truly empowers a woman. But in my opinion, I think it only makes you stronger if you wear it out of your own free will. In this case, a hijab can give you power and self-confidence.

Many people hate the hijab and see it as a form of oppression. The best way to change that, I feel, is to talk to these people and to raise your voice. Try to understand where this anger is coming from and show them that there is no reason to be afraid of a veil.

These people say that “Islam is a hateful religion�. Sadly, people who say that, don't know the religion and don't know the difference between a peaceful religion and bad people.

Tap the icon below to read more about the REDA project...

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Food

RAMADAN BUFFET

AT SALTWATER altwater, a Halal certified restaurant, celebrates Ramadan Mubarak 2018 with a plentiful buffet spread for everyone.

From 14 May to 15 June 2018, chefs prepare a dinner feast for Muslim guests to break fast to, and non-Muslim guests to enjoy from SGD 48++ per person.

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Ramadan specials include Tauhu Goreng – savoury fried tofu with shredded cucumber and carrots in a spicy Thai chilli dressing, Soup Kambing – 68

a mutton soup boiled with onions, garlic and various spices for hours to bring out a rich and aromatic flavour and Oxtail Rendang – a melt in your mouth dry curry meat dish braised in turmeric, coriander seed and other fragrant spices.

Saltwater favourites such as Do-ItYourself Village Rojak, Nonya Seabass, Village Laksa and Durian Pengat Shooters are also available on rotational basis.

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What’s more, Saltwater’s favourite Chill & Grill will be available daily. Guests can enjoy free-flow meats and seafood including Scallops, Satay Chicken, King Prawns, Lamb Chop, Cheese Sausage, Stingray and the signature Tomahawk Wagyu Beef Ribs, all made to order.

SEAFOOD KERABU WITH RICE VERMICELLI

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Dessert lovers are spoilt for choice with sweet confections including Goreng Pisang, Assorted Nonya Kueh, Durian Cake, Talam Jagung, Gula Melaka Chendol, Assorted Jellies and French Pastries and more!

Prayer rooms are available for all Muslim guests use.

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DURIAN CAKE

Saltwater’s Ramadan Mubarak 2018 pricing and timings are as follows: Monday to Thursday (6.30pm to 10pm) SGD 48++ per person Friday to Sunday (6.30pm to 10pm) SGD 58++ per person Children aged 6 - 12 dine at 50%, children aged 5 and below dine free with every paying adult.

OXTAIL RENDANG

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Food

IFTAR FEAST AT KATONG KITCHEN

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rom 14 May to 15 June 2018, Halal certified Katong Kitchen celebrates Ramadan with a special Iftar buffet spread from SGD 48++ per person for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Chefs whip up an evening feast including Ayam Masak Merah – an aromatic spicy yet sweet chicken dish, Sotong Masak Kicap – sliced squid fried with spices including cinnamon, chilli in a spicy soy sauce,

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Sayur Lodeh – a delicious curried vegetable dish, and Seafood in Nonya Fish Curry Sauce – fresh prawns, fish and mussels doused in tangy Nonya style curry. Katong Kitchen’s Peranakan favourites featuring Katong Laksa, Ayam Buah Keluak, Beef Rendang, Durian Pengat Shooters and Cempedak Crème Brulee are also available on rotational basis.

SEAFOOD IN NONYA FISH CURRY SAUCE

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Additionally, diners with a sweet-tooth are in for a treat with the dessert spread, including Assorted Nonya Kuehs – Ondeh Ondeh, Kueh Salat, Rainbow Kueh, Kueh Lapis, Kueh Seri Muka, Pandan Chiffon Cake, Ondeh Ondeh Cake, Assorted Jellies and Tarts, and more!

Separate prayer rooms for all female and male Muslim diners are available.

SAYUR LODEH

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Katong Kitchen’s Ramadan Mubarak 2018 pricing and timings are as follows: Monday to Thursday (6.30pm to 10pm) SGD 48++ per person Friday to Sunday (6.30pm to 10pm) SGD 58++ per person Children aged 6 - 12 dine at 50%, children aged 5 and below dine free with every paying adult.

AYAM MASAK MERAH

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Food

Spinach Quiche

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INGREDIENTS 1 unbaked pie shell 5 ounces frozen spinach ¼ cup chopped onions 4 ounces cream cheese ½ cup shredded cheese 4 eggs 1 cup milk ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

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METHOD 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

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Cook spinach and onion together in skillet until onion is soft and spinach is completely thawed, cool slightly.

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Cut cream cheese into small cubes and place in the bottom of pie crust.

Top with spinach and onion mixture.

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In a mixing bowl beat eggs. Add shredded cheese, milk, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

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Pour egg mixture into crust.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until center is set. You may have to cover it with foil for the last 10-15 minutes so the crust doesn't get too dark.

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Take out of the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm.

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Food

P erfectly Grilled Chicken 79

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INGREDIENTS 3 chicken breasts 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon of ground coriander ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika ½ teaspoon of sea salt ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper 2 tablespoon of olive oil

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METHOD 

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

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In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, sea salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix until combined.

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Rub mixture over both sides of the chicken.

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Place chicken on grill and grill each side for 4-6 minutes depending on thickness. You just want to make sure there is no pink in the middle.

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Health

BREAKING G

rowing up, I never knew mental illness was all around me.

I wasn’t aware that it affected me every day. My free time, my imagination, my dreams, and my view of the world - it touched every part of me without me knowing.

It was all around me, the silent suffering.

It was not until I reached adulthood that I could really make sense of it all and give it a name. The vibes I felt from certain people. The sadness, the intense feelings, I could literally see in the room as I walked in. I knew instinctively if something was wrong wherever I went.

I can still link memories of places to feelings therefore there are some places I was fearful of and some places that gave me hope and this was due to the energies of the people who were around at the time.

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Written by Faizah Malik

When you notice suffering everywhere, you learn not to cause anyone to suffer.

You take care not to tread on anyone’s toes, to offend, to even imply that you need anything, I learnt early on not to bother anyone. I was the ‘good girl’ who would be told to take care of the others; I took on a protective role with my siblings and became aware of so much at a young age, wise before my years.

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Although I forged my own identity, I never really caused any harm to anyone because of this need to be considerate, the need that would in turn make me suffer. I used to feel the world’s weight on my shoulders, I felt everything too greatly and somewhere along the line I had told myself it was my responsibility to make sure others didn’t suffer and when they did, it would cause mental and physical suffering within myself alongside with them.

I believe empathy is borne out of struggles and not something we can just turn on and off: I suffer therefore I recognise the suffering in you; it’s like an unseen energy that only you can feel.

In this way however, you suffer deeply too and the load on your shoulders greatens until you learn to lessen that load and share it with others and let them help you in the way that will benefit us all.

You see, vulnerability reveals our human -ness. The very thing we think that will make others see us as weak or incapable is the very thing that draws people to us.

We need to be able to reveal our true selves, otherwise we are all just wearing masks and no one truly sees the real us and the effort it takes, the energy, the falsehood, to wear those masks and to uphold them, which can lead us to destroy our authentic selves.

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The self we need to connect with and bring out into the world, free of masks and pretences - leading to a peaceful and content life.

However, to take the mask off, we need to communicate, but – we’re not allowed to reveal our mental health issues. Why? It is seen as a weakness, or low emaan (faith) and you should merely ‘pray’ away the sadness though you may already be praying desperately. People don’t think it happens to you if you have faith or if you’re ‘strong’, and yet it can happen to anyone for it is not a test of

If we understood that mental health exists, if we knew the different ways in which it can manifest, we might understand the behaviour we see as ‘crazy’ has an explanation.

If we applied empathy and knowledge of the mind to the way in which it can affect a person’s behaviour, the way in which they view the world and make decisions, how it affects them physically, emotionally and socially, then we may be able to help them feel more understood and supported.

We need to have those face to face interactions, the ‘check ins’, the ‘how are you really’ conversations, the ‘let’s talk about how you’ve been feeling coffee’s’, the ‘I’ve just come to see you because I couldn’t see how you were over the phone’ visits. how resilient you are, rather it is simply the effect of having too much to bear or being strong for too long, and sometimes chemical imbalances that we definitely can’t influence easily.

We desperately need to change the rhetoric around mental health. We grow up hearing ‘he’s crazy, she’s crazy’, with it being accepted as the true evaluation of a person’s behaviour and I wonder when we say this about someone, where exactly is our empathy?

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We would also be well equipped to stop the stigma, when you grow up hearing this type of damaging narrative, it’s likely to prevent you from seeking help, because if you’re hearing voices, or having negative thoughts, self harming, or feeling worthless, you may see it as some sort of failure and you certainly don’t want this label of ‘crazy’ applied to you.

Perhaps this is why we find so many in the Muslim community suffering in silence, men especially, because they

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have not witnessed self awareness and emotion in their role models. They remain unaware of how the strongest man of mankind bereaved, wept, struggled, sought company and was very aware of himself, and his well being the Prophet Muhammed pbuh.

However, they’re not taught this version of “manliness”, which leads to doubts of their manhood if they were to ever go against the norms.

For women, we are told to cry and get over it because there are bigger things to be doing than dwelling on our depression. We are told that women are emotionally strong, this is constantly reinforced and while there is no doubt that women can be strong, isn’t this another way we are shutting women up from saying they need help? Are we allowing women to admit they are struggling? If Allah SWT made a woman’s nature to be different to men and put in place rights for women to be protected on all accounts, due to this very nature, then why are we spreading a different dialogue?

We grew up seeing self sacrifice on every level from our mothers and we are taking it one step further with careers and community work to be done in our ‘extra’ time but there is not actually any ‘extra’ time - we are just replacing our self care time with more work.

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Instead of being appreciated and praised for being wonderful mothers and wives and sisters and daughters, we now make women feel like they are failing on every level.

Imagine the lessons we are teaching the future generations of boys and girls?

The dialogue simply needs to change.

Instead of asking what’s wrong with people we need to ask what’s happened to them. What have they been through?

When we ask if someone’s okay, are we really asking to know? Are we listening to the answer?

I wonder if we only scratch the surface of people's lives and maybe if we took the time to delve deeper, we would affect people in a more beneficial way.

As someone who’s always hated small talk, the truest time I knew was when I was travelling and met philosophers, artists, musicians, great minds to have great conversations with. They were people who weren’t afraid to share their deepest most thoughts with me from the word go. The conversations I had were deeper and more authentic than some of the daily interactions of five minutes here and there even with loved ones and that’s a sad reality.

I know life gets in the way, and with technology, our feelings get lost in translation. We need to have those face to face interactions, the ‘check ins’, the ‘how are you really’ conversations,

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the ‘let’s talk about how you’ve been feeling coffee’s’, the ‘I’ve just come to see you because I couldn’t see how you were over the phone’ visits.

Sometimes empathy and compassion require bravery. We need to be able to penetrate those walls that people surround themselves with, when they are suffering. When people isolate themselves, we need to notice, and search for them and check up on them.

We need to see behind the smiles and the ‘I’m okay’s’ and we need to not be afraid to ask if there is more that needs to be said. We need to offer ourselves up as guardians and supporters to those who have no one else to turn to and we need to also make sure that we take care of the ones closest to us.

In this way we can take care of the world, one person at a time. We have to adjust the mentality of “someone else will help” and start by seeing yourself as someone who can make a difference, to one life, to one soul, with one word, one conversation, one text, one gift, one hug, one smile, one intention, and one message of ‘I am with you’.

Having suffered from mild depression myself, I now know how isolating it can be and that it’s got nothing to do with how strong you are and if I’ve ever told you to just be a bit tougher then I’m sorry.

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Depression for me was like a weight on my stomach when I tried to get up in the mornings. It was like a weight on my head when I tried to sleep at night.

It was a weight hanging off my shoulders when I tried to motivate myself to do the things that needed to be done. It was a weight around my ankles when I tried to leave the house, and it was a weight on my heart that stopped me from feeling any joy.

It robbed me of time and made me do the one thing I hate more than anything.

It made me do a lot of nothing.

Doing anything else was exhausting beyond despair.

I would sit feeling paralysed, unable to do the many things I wanted. Things I knew would help and give me hope, get me closer to the goals I cared about but could not yet taste because this ‘mental fog’ would not allow me to.

There was a constant whirr of thoughts, buzzing around in my brain where one thought led to another, and I would find my whole body tense and aching just from the strain of thinking. At the time, I didn’t acknowledge that my mental strain had manifested into a physical pain, but I now realise, many of our illnesses could be eliminated if we recognise and address the underlying psychological issues.

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Sure, I functioned enough on a physical level that no one would need to worry, and in some ways, I overcompensated, I took care of my children, the house, the needs of those dependent on me, additional activities, but I was just piling on the physical load, ignoring the dire need to mentally unload - and at that time I didn’t know how to ask for help.

It goes against what we think about depression. Stereotypically it would be dealing with a constantly sad person but we forget how many people are functioning depressives or have ‘invisible’ illnesses.

Before I found my faith, I spent a lot of time in the Mind, Body and Spirit sections of bookstores, I would lurk in that corner and want to scoop up all the books and absorb the wisdom they had to offer.

I was drawn to the positive thinking ideology and I believe a lot of my resilience came from reading those books. Looking back, I can see that I tried to follow mantras about ‘being positive’ and not dwell on negative things. I wonder if that was a certain danger zone many of us put ourselves in though, that we think we have to be

We seem to have this fear of being anything less than perfect. It is this fear that keeps us trapped within our suffering.

We see their smiles and not their pain, we see their strength, but not their struggle to ‘overcome’ and hide or beat their illness. They suffer the most and so are the most emphatic, as I’ve come to know, my physical pain, my mental struggles, my trials have all made me more emphatic, more compassionate, more able to look outside of myself, and it gives me an important awareness which can help me in aiding those who are also suffering.

It becomes a personal duty.

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happy and light all the time, we hate our darker experiences and thus we push them so deep that it’s almost as though they don’t exist and that is the start of an unhealthy mental state.

Something happens when you suppress emotions and when you experience trauma, it’s as though you can feel yourself leaving your body, or that’s how it was for me. I lived in London in my 20’s and what had once been fun and exciting, the height of my career and living on a disposable income, eventually

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became train delays, suffocation on the underground, absorbing the anger and energy of the people around me, never feeling rested and always rushing, not to mention the loneliness of living in London in a part where ‘neighbours’ just didn’t exist and it was a very isolated place to be.

I remember wanting to be able to tell someone, to say I didn’t feel quite right, but I couldn’t do it. It seemed silly. What would I say? I almost already knew the answer I would get, or I thought I would get anyway - to just get on with it, to be stronger, and what was the problem anyway, because if you looked at my life from the outside, as we nearly always do, it looked perfect.

We seem to have this fear of being anything less than perfect. It is this fear that keeps us trapped within our suffering. We just need to be able to break free and we can only do so once we allow ourselves to put this fear aside, peel back the layers and show our true selves.

We would be amazed by how many others are wearing the same scars as us, are crying the same tears, are struggling with the same issues, and even better, how many have wonderful lessons and wisdom to share with us, that may just change our lives, that may just save us.

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Mental health and self-empowerment go hand in hand. I believe with the right knowledge of how our minds work, we can become more resilient and use our traumas and our difficult experiences as stepping stones for growth. A teacher once told me that he felt having therapy was a privilege, for how many other people can you talk to in your life who will listen without judgment, without holding back whilst navigating your way through your thoughts and learn things about yourself, how many of us have precious time allocated for this?

This self-growth and enlightenment is about holding ourselves accountable and utilising what we know by educating others with events, workshops, and freely available information. I believe this is empowerment for people, who otherwise would have felt that they did not have a voice in how they were treated - having an important role in the decision making of their treatment if any is key.

Knowledge is power. Whilst denial is common and can occur in some cases, sometimes we need someone neutral to tell us what they see as we may not be able to hear it from the person closest to us and take it as criticism, sometimes it takes hearing it from a third party to understand that there is an issue and knowing this ourselves is the first step to healing.

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What is the first step to pulling ourselves out of a difficult situation? What comes before the decision is made?

Bravery.

It takes courage to recognise that something is not right within yourself in a world of ‘perfect illusion’.

We can talk about mental health all we like, but we will always have those “got it together” people we look up to, and so until those very people stand up and show their vulnerability, show the less ‘instagrammable’ part of their lives, the lows behind their wall of success, and the way they cope, then these words remain stagnant, and that’s how, ‘A Muslim’s Mind’ project was born.

It’s about showing the raw side, the real face behind the public face, behind the ‘glamorous’ photos and lifestyle.

Behind the smiles is a story that we felt needed telling.

So what else can be done?

We need to widen our support network.

How many of us get lost in the world, with only our thoughts for company, which if they are positive can set us free, but if negative, can slowly torture our souls until we feel numb - there needs to be those special humans in your life that can stop you from stepping into that dark space.

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We also need to remember that just because our mental health does not affect us, it could another. The very life we help to rebuild - could be the one that’s holding the tools to rebuild ours if we were to ever need them. The love we bring into the world will only come back to us in abundance and I truly believe that the answer to mental wellness is in taking care of others, of being of service to others because by creating wellness in another, we are also creating a world of wellness for ourselves to dwell in.

One of my favourite quotes is “Be the person you needed when you were younger” - Ayesha Siddiqi. We sometimes search for the things we missed in our childhood, whether love

or acceptance, company or praise, and by becoming that person we may be able to bring the light to someone else’s present darkness.

Go be that light and watch how it surround you. Watch how it heals you in places you didn’t know you needed healing. If you’re in the darkness and you’re searching for that light, reveal your struggle, so that others know you’re in need of that light because none of us need to suffer in silence when we have each other.

If you or anyone you know is in need of support please contact your GP or use the Get Help page at: www.inspiritedminds.org.uk

THE WRITER: FAIZAH MALIK Faizah Malik is a writer and the founder of online accessories boutique Kenze. She is one of the authors featured in 'Mirror on the Veil', a collection of personal essays on the subject of veiling, which is available on Amazon. She is also a PR Officer at Inspirited Minds, which is a faith based mental health organisation based in London and writes for their blog, as well as her personal blog, The Treasure Box. She is studying Counselling and Psychotherapy and lives in Milton Keynes, England.

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