battuta Halal Travel Magazine | March 2022 by Halal Travels

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EDITOR’S LETTER Salaam, and welcome to our eighth issue of battuta, our halal travel e-magazine that aims to inspire people to enjoy the world as much as we do. It takes time to make your mark in any facet of life, but with battuta, MashaAllah, it has gone from strength to strength, and it is fulfilling to be part of this trajectory, Alhamdulilah. We attempt to bring you exciting and thought-provoking content from our Muslim world. We highlight significant social and cultural changes that are surfacing, with Muslims taking the reins and emerging successful in different sectors of the economy. We also have the pure pleasures of life that you have come to count on finding in our pages: travel, art in architecture, fashion, and food. You can access all our previous issues on our battutamagazine.com website. Join our battuta community and post your experiences, allowing you to enjoy your travel memories more, knowing that you have / will help someone else.

Managing Editor Haifa A Hussein

It is exciting times for our parent company, HalalTravels.com, and Dr. Mehmet N. Akkurt will share the highlights. Muhtar Emirguliyev discusses the Grand Mosque of West Sumatra - Indonesia, recipients of the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture. Our HalalTravels Experts have rounded up the best experiences in Antalya, Turkey’s top vacation destination. IRADA’s fashion collection in our Travel in Style category will come in handy for your next trip. The Spotlight is on Durioo and its founder, Sinan Ismail. A role model for many Muslims. Allah SWT created us as custodians of this beautiful planet. Dr. Marium Husain is back with specific goals to keep in mind when traveling so we may not do any harm unconsciously. Our guest influencer is popularly known as the Muslim Travel Girl, an award-winning blogger, and speaker. Look out for her travel tips. Vefa Yabanigul’s Reflections article inspires us to travel to new locations and, in the process, discover ourselves. A unique style of writing that takes you along his journey and, simultaneously, makes you think. The Halal Business News section features Miami Modest Fashion Week, the first Fashion week held on American soil. Halal Tourism News highlights destinations open to unvaccinated travelers and highlights El Halal Amigos, a halal restaurant you should visit next time in California. We hope you find battuta magazine informative and enjoy reading it as much as we enjoy piecing it all together for you. Enjoy!

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Editor in Chief Mehmet N. Akkurt Managing Editor Haifa Hussein Art Director Vefa Yabanigul Graphic Designer Yusuf Tezel Writers Muhtar Emirguliyev Um Akram Contributors Marium Husain, MD, MPH Muslim Travel Girl Vefa Yabanigul Isra Ibrahim HalalTravels Experts

CONTENTS:

Grand Mosque of West Sumatra The Grand Mosque of West Sumatra, also known in Indonesia as Masjid Raya Sumatera Barat is situated in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Islamic Architecture From Around The World: Grand Mosque of West Sumatra

Top 4 Experiences in Antalya HalalTravels Experts

Travel in Style IRADA Collection

SPOTLIGHT: Durioo

Q&A with a Muslim Influencer Muslim Travel Girl

Food Corner Marium Husain, MD, MPH

Reflections Vefa Yabanigul

Halal Business News Miami Modest Fashion Week

Halal Tourism News

Spotlight: Durioo

The story began when Sinan Ismail graduated from the University of Science in Malaysia. His field was Mathematics, but his passion had always been towards 3D.

We have shared some links but Battutamagazine.com is only responsible for its own “content” and not the information, content or product(s) found on third party web sites.

G E T I N TO U C H

Q&A - MuslimTravel Girl

Salaam, I am Elena, the MuslimTravelGirl. I am an awardwinning blogger and the creator of MuslimTravelGirl.com, the largest Muslim-friendly site in the West, helping Muslims travel the world in style without breaking the bank.

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Dear valued readers, I am here to deliver the warmest greetings from the ever-growing HalalTravels team. We are forever grateful to our valued readers, our biggest supporters from day one. HalalTravels continuously accomplish great work and find ways to serve you better with your ongoing support. As we start 2022, leaving two challenging years for the travel industry behind us, I am honored to share exciting updates and great news from HalalTravels.com. Our growing software development team is humbled to serve our valued customers with an even more user-friendly website. Navigating our website, HalalTravels.com, and finding handpicked Halal properties with unbeatable prices worldwide has never been easier. Go ahead and check out the new look and make sure you do not miss the excellent early-booking deals. As promised, we continue to expand our inventory daily. Halaltravels.com is the official agent of Halal hotels in Turkey, and we guarantee the best prices. Along with our diverse selection of secluded private villas, we just added over 100 directly contracted villas to our inventory. We are working hard to continue building our list of directly contracted properties to avail the best prices to you. Our global presence is now made more robust with the integration of two more channel managers. Moreover, you can now choose to pay as you desire with the integration of our new payment gateways. Visit HalalTravels.com for a hassle-free booking process. The year 2022 started fast for HalalTravels, MashaAllah. We are having a great come back with many new and returning customers. Thank you for putting your trust in us. We are happy to help you book your dream Muslim-friendly solo, couple, or family getaway at the best prices. Our Individualized Customer Support Team is available to answer your questions so you may travel with peace of mind. There is more exciting news coming soon. With our new loyalty and referral programs, we will express our appreciation to our loyal customers in the form of even more savings. Be on the lookout as something exciting is on the way. Thank you for being part of our journey. HalalTravels.com’s Team Lead Mehmet N. Akkurt, PhD

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Islamic Architecture From Around The World: By: Muhtar Emirguliyev

Grand Mosque of West Sumatra - Indonesia

Join us in recognizing one of the winners of the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture. The Grand Mosque of West Sumatra, also known in Indonesia as Masjid Raya Sumatera Barat is situated in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. It happens to be the largest Mosque in West Sumatra and the second largest in Sumatra.

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Before approving the design of the Mosque, West Sumatra’s regional government had conducted a competition to identify the winning design for their future Mosque. The competition had 323 participants from all over the world. Rizal Muslimin, a local architect, was selected as the winner of the 2007 competition, and he proceeded to design the Mosque. SubhanAllah, fourteen years later, his design was once again recognized on a global stage by winning the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award or AFAMA for Mosque architecture in the 21st Century. This award showcases the work and design of Mosques from countries with a Muslim population. Construction of the Mosque began on December 27, 2007, and was completed on February 7, 2014, due to budget restrictions. The regional government, local people, private companies, and even foreign governments helped make this Mosque a reality. The Saudi government provided 50 million dollars for the Mosque’s construction in 2009; however, this coincided with the 2009 West Sumatra earthquakes. Thus, the funds were diverted to the rehabilitation of earthquake victims and the restoration of West Sumatra. The Turkish government donated rugs to the Mosque in 2014. The majestic Mosque was designed to resist large earthquakes, having a concrete construction that can move back and forth with the ground while remaining stable and without collapsing. The Mosque’s most distinguishing feature is its roof, a modern rendition of the traditional top of Minangkabau vernacular dwellings. The roof concept of the building mixes traditional architecture, local textile culture, and a wellknown Islamic narrative, which is worth mentioning here since it provides the very essence of the Mosque’s design.

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Islamic Architecture From Around The World ~ Cambridge Central Mosque

When the Prophet PBUH was 35 years old, before being a Messenger of Allah SWT, He was asked to resolve the Qurayshi elders’ disagreement about the best manner to move the Black Stone to its current location in Mecca. Quraysh had to rebuild the Kaaba because it was not in excellent shape due to many cracks. They were initially scared to demolish it, fearing Allah’s punishment. Still, Al Waleed ibn Al Mugheerah took an ax and started the demolition, but he kept saying, “Oh Allah, we only intend to do good.” They rebuilt the Kaaba using only pure money. They divided the Kaaba into parts and gave each Qurayshi tribe a portion to rebuild. Then, they disagreed about who would get the honor to put the Black Stone, Al-Hajr Al-Aswad, back. They were on the verge of a serious conflict, but Abu Umayyah, the oldest amongst them, suggested that they would listen to the first person who entered the precincts of the Kaaba and would abide by his suggestion. Allah SWT made Prophet Muhammad PBUH be the person to enter.

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Quraysh called Prophet Muhammad Al Sadiq Al Ameen, truthful and trustworthy, so they were happy to see that He would be the one to decide on the issue. The Prophet PBUH removed his turban, placing the fabric on the floor. He put the Black Stone on the cloth and instructed them to carry it by grasping its four corners. The four Qurayshi clan leaders moved the stone by stretching the turban in four directions, resolving the conflict. Cloth is one of the most renowned local cultural artifacts in Sumatra. Sumatran woven textiles, known as “Songket,” are among Indonesia’s best textiles. The designer of the Mosque was able to incorporate cloth into the roof ’s design as a way of representing the fabric that the Quraysh tribe’s four clan heads used to hoist the Black Stone to its current location in Mecca. The four corners of the roof of the Mosque are shaped like a “gonjong,” as found in traditional Minangkabau houses.

Cambridge Central Mosque ~ Islamic Architecture From Around The World

With an area of more than 40.000m², the Mosque has three levels and can accommodate 20,000 people. The ground floor has a prayer room, ablution area, and parking space. The other two levels house the prayer areas. The Mihrab resembles the shape of the Black Stone with the roof engraved with the names of Asma-u-Allah AlHusna in gold but on a white background. The Grand Mosque of West Sumatra successfully integrated its purpose as an architectural structure that expresses its spirituality by adding elements of the local culture. Despite being a place for worship, the Mosque’s uniqueness and splendor have attracted many tourists.

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Antalya

TOP 4 Experiences in By: The HalalTravels Experts

Nestled between the Mediterranean and the Taurus mountains lies Antalya, Turkey’s primary holiday destination. In a previous article, we had mentioned Antalya for those willing to plunge into Discovering the Turkish Riviera but Antalya is so unique it deserves to be highlighted as a destination in its own right. Antalya’s weather allows it to be categorized as a year-round vacation destination on Turkey’s Turquoise coast, with world-class beaches and endless sunshine that draws millions every year. This article has classified what to see and do into four major categories that will offer an in-depth guide to visiting Antalya.

1. History Antalya boasts an ancient past that draws many history enthusiasts. It was founded by Attalus ll of Pergamum around the 1st century B.C., who called it Attaleia. It later changed hands around 130 AD and became a Roman city. The Byzantines controlled this area until 1207, when the Seljuk Turks took over and renamed it Antalya. The Ottomans conquered it in 1391. After World War l, the Italians occupied Antalya for a short period. However, Ataturk successfully brought it back into the Turkish fold in 1921.

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The Kaleici area, which includes the Old Town and the Old Harbor, has some remarkable landmarks. Let us begin with Hadrian’s Gate, an archway built in 130 AD that serves as a gateway into the city. This Gate has two towers built on either side, reflecting different periods. The Southern Tower has an inscription that attests to its Roman origin, and the Northern Tower was rebuilt by the Seljuk Sultan, Alaeddin Keykubat l.

Antalya’s distinctive landmark has to be The Fluted Minaret. With a height of 38 m, this mosque has become a symbol of the city of Antalya today. Built by the Seljuk Sultan, Alaeddin Keykubat l, it stands to represent unique Anatolian Turkish architecture. Closeby is Antalya’s Clock Tower, a commandeering structure in the Old Town, Kaleici neighborhood. The Tower dates back to the second century, but the clock was added later, around 1901. Hidirlik Kulesi is also one of the oldest surviving monuments in Antalya. The specific function of this Tower remains shrouded in mystery, but the vantage point allows you to have spectacular views of Antalya Bay. A 45-minute drive to Aspendos will lead you to a treasure trove of ancient structures, primarily the theater. Antalya’s coastline is around 657 km. Various day trips can be scheduled from Antalya to venture out and discover more historical ruins and remnants in this ancient city or its environs. Patara: was a substantial naval base during the times after Alexander the Great. It was also a thriving port during Roman times. Xanthos: was the capital of ancient Lycia. Here, one can see a blending of Lycian traditions and the Hellenic influence. The tombs in Xanthos are examples of funerary architecture in ancient times. Simena: has an ancient stone citadel that was once a vital watchtower against pirates. Myra & Demre: Myra was once an important city in Lycia and is now an open-air museum. Demre, named after the river Demre, has an incredible sight of abandoned Greek villages when the population exchange took place in 1923. Hierapolis & Pamukkale: Hierapolis is an ancient Greek city, and Pamukkale is the natural travertine terrace formations in the archaeological site. Pamukkale, translated as “Cotton Castle” in Turkish, is an experience never to be missed. The mineral-rich thermal waters are a sight for sore eyes and have healing properties. Perge: dates back to around 1000 BC. The theater and stadium of this ancient city are well preserved. Perge’s stadium could seat up to 12,000 people. You need to close your eyes and visualize what it was like in its heyday.

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2. Beaches With a shoreline that extends for 400 miles from one end to the other, travelers will surely find a spot that fits their unique needs. Whether you choose to be close to the hustle and bustle of the city center or opt for secluded bays, the options are pretty spectacular. Sarısu Kadınlar Plajı: This beach is located in the city center and is a sheltered public beach where only women can swim. Cleopatra Beach is the longest beach in Turkey and the Mediterranean region. In addition to the softness of the sand and the cleanliness of the water, it is quite shallow for 150 - 200 meters, so families with children prefer to bring their young ones here for safety reasons. There is a medieval castle here as well. Konyaalti beach is a blue flag beach that extends for 7 km. The blue flag attests to the water’s cleanliness and safety for swimming. You will do more than lounging on the pebbly sand with many amenities nearby and a buzzing promenade.

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Cirali Beach: an hour and a half drive away from Antalya airport leads you to this beach tucked away amongst pine trees and citrus orchards.Stretching on the sand and getting lost reading a good book seems perfect in this rural area. Lara Beach: is also a blue flag beach and is by far the most popular beach in Antalya. It is 15 km long, but only 2 km has been set aside as a public beach. The rest serves as the beachfront for many of the upscale hotels in Antalya. With its light brown sand and clear crystal water, Lara beach is a lively place to be. Kaputas Beach: With picturesque views that take your breath away, you have a perfect stretch of sand that glistens against the turquoise colors of the Mediterranean.

3. CuISINE Bathed by the Mediterranean Sea, Antalya is rich in fish and seafood, which constitutes a very healthy diet. Grilled fish is a staple in Antalya. Meat lovers will not be left disappointed either. The iconic meat dishes like kofta and kebab are made from beef, lamb, and chicken that have been roasted, grilled, fried, or skewered. You may be wondering about vegetarian meals. Well, Turkish cuisine incorporates a lot of vegetables. The vegetables are locally sourced and are delicious and nutritious. A purely vegan meal is bound to be a filling and satisfying meal even for meat lovers. There are some dishes that you must try like: Gozleme: is one of Antalya’s best street foods. They resemble pancakes but with stuffings such as cheese, potatoes, spinach, or chopped meat. Borek: is a savory pastry filled with cheese or minced meat, topped with powdered sugar. The secret to these pastries has to be the super-thin hand-rolled dough that they use. Pide: is also another must-try street food in Antalya. They resemble pizza but are not circular. It is a thin and long flatbread baked in a special oven with meat, vegetables, and cheese as toppings. Kuzu tandir: is a grilled specialty that involves slow cooking lamb shanks. The meat becomes soft and tender and easily falls away from the bone. Best eaten with meze dishes as a starter. Yengen: is a sandwich with melted cheese, halal salami and sausages, sucuk, pickles, and tomatoes. Dondurma: is Turkish mastic (plant resin) ice cream that is perfect for dessert. Yanik and Tava Dondurma are unique to Antalya. They are very cold, stretchy, and available in different flavors. You are bound to hear the words “Afyet olsun,” which means enjoy your meal. Don’t forget to compliment the food and the chef with the words “Elinize saglik.”

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Top 4 Experiences in Antalya

4. ActIVITIES The additional calories you are bound to gain with all the delicious food will naturally be offset by all the activities Antalya offers. In addition to swimming, paragliding, visiting museums, parks, and malls, there are some unique activities that you can engage in Antalya. Coasteering: involves following a route on the rocks along a shoreline. It doesn’t involve any technical climbing equipment but uses protective gear such as helmets, wet suits, life jackets, rubber shoes, and gloves. It includes bouldering, traversing, swimming, and maybe some cliff jumping. It will make you have fun and feel alive since it combines the sea and lots of adventure. Catch a Cable Car ride: The glass-enclosed cable cars take you on a panoramic excursion over Antalya. You can also be dropped off for a scenic hike. Watching the sunset here is breathtaking. Canoe over the sunken Simena ancient city in Kekova: The pristine clear waters allow you to get glimpses of the past. An earthquake had destroyed the city in the 2nd century AD. Kekova is a protected area, so swimming, diving, and snorkeling are prohibited. Watching flying fish will add to any child’s excitement.

Dive with the Caretta caretta turtles: Antalya is one of the largest nesting areas for the endangered Caretta caretta sea turtles. These loggerhead sea turtles are credited with keeping Antalya’s beaches free from jellyfish. Visit Sandland Antalya: Sandland covers an area of 10,000 square meters and exhibits sand sculptures of gigantic sizes made by artists worldwide. Its theme changes every year. It has a section dedicated to children too. Antalya Aquarium is among one of the world’s biggest, and walking through the tunnel offers everyone a chance to see the underwater creatures in person or watch them in 4D at the Aquarium’s Cinema. Its associated Snow world Ice Museum gets you to let yourself free with the igloos, sliders, and snowballs. The truly adventurous can experience the world’s dangerous creatures in the aquarium’s “Fear Trophy” section.

A villa with an infinity pool in the cute little town of Kas - Antalya, with its cobblestone streets, sea views, Turkish breakfast and tea, and the sparkling sun, gives a whole new meaning to the word Gunaydin, Turkish for good morning. What a view to wake up to! Life is about moments that take your breath away, and an unforgettable holiday experience on the Turkish Riviera is definitely one of them. Get in touch with us at HalalTravels.com, and we will be more than happy to curate your getaway.

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Travel in Style

IRADA Collection

Life in the big city ... leave home early for work knowing that you are meeting up with some friends later in the evening. With no time to come back to change, you leave knowing that you have chosen clothes perfect for both situations. A spur of the moment travel idea gets momentum amongst the friends. You look down at your clothes and smile. You know you are always ready for an adventure, no matter the weather or the circumstance. For inquiries: please email modest@miamimodest.com

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S POTLIGHT: By: Um Akram

“Actions are but by intention, and every man shall have but that which he intended.” Prophet Muhammed PBUH

Omar & Hana have taken the Muslim world by storm MashaAllah, becoming a household name for Muslim families regarding Islamic cartoons, but have you ever wondered who was behind it, who developed it? Read on to learn more. The story began when Sinan Ismail graduated from the University of Science in Malaysia. His field was Mathematics, but his passion had always been towards 3D. After graduating, he decided to pursue his passion, so he practically taught himself and worked with three different companies in the 3D Industry to develop the necessary knowledge and experience. Sinan established his own company with his wife and his friend back in 2008, and they called it Digital Durian. Incidentally, Durian is a famous and popular tropical fruit in Southeast Asia. It was a fruit of perfectly unique character and fondly regarded as the “King of Fruits,” so naming their company Digital Durian was branding themselves as the “King of Digital.” Sinan Ismail, Co-Founder of Durioo

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The dream was to create cartoons and animation, but animation was costly and was practically impossible for a new start-up. Hence, Digital Durian’s initial services were limited primarily to B2B multimedia and servicing jobs. Things didn’t go very well in this sector, so in 2010 they diverted to a B2C model and focused on servicing the wedding industry. In 2012, they won the MDEC contest and got funding from the Malaysian government to work on animation and prepare a trailer to pitch to broadcasters. Their first animation was Didi & Friends, but the cute science explorers didn’t quite make it, and rejection was the order of the day. When Sinan’s son was a one-year-old, an attempt to entertain him served as the precursor to launching Didi & Friends as nursery rhyme superstars. Didi & Friends launched on YouTube in 2014, and it was a massive hit in Malaysia and Indonesia. It was dubbed into seven languages that translated into 5 billion views and 7 million subscribers on YouTube. Then, they developed their second cartoon animation in 2017 called Omar & Hana. This specifically targeted Muslim children to teach them good Islamic values and virtues. It has 3 billion views and 7 million subscribers as well. It has aired in 25 countries and is dubbed in English, Arabic, Urdu, and Malay.

Born to parents who were both lecturers and graduates from Azhar University, loving to make people happy and being a parent himself determined Sinan’s path from early on as children’s entertainment. He aimed to create something that would impact, and the easiest way to make a difference was through blending education and entertainment. Sinan always wanted to create Islamic cartoon content with his father but could not realize that dream since his father returned to his Creator in 2014. This unrealized dream of working with his father served as additional motivation to use the platform at his disposal to spread good messages about Islam. Sharing the beauty of Islam at an early age was meant to give children strong foundations who would insha’Allah grow up to be better Muslims in the future. In other words, it was a form of Dawah, and Sinan noticed there were a lot of blessings and barakah from doing the Islamic cartoons. So in 2021, when his partner wanted to part ways, it was evident that Sinan would stick with the Islamic pathway and choose Omar & Hana.

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SPOTLIGHT ~ The Muslim Influencer Network

Kids may love Omar & Hana, but they may also want to watch other cartoons. Still, not all cartoons on YouTube are suitable or align with Muslim values. Therefore, in August 2021, the vision became bigger. The previous business model wouldn’t go in tandem with the big goals, so to create more impact necessitated changing the model to a more sustainable model. So, the mission was to be the Disney and Netflix for Muslim Children, a platform, an ecosystem that would accompany children from 1 - 12 years old and allow Muslim content creators not to struggle the way he did. Durioo will offer more variety for children and peace of mind for parents who know that their children will not see the wrong kind of content. Durioo was born to have more significant potential and an enormous impact not just for the Dunya but was also a project that will serve in the Akhira insha’Allah. Why name it Durioo, you may ask? A global platform necessitates a name that many can relate to. Durioo is the scientific name for the fruit, Durian. It was catchy and had a sentimental connection to Digital Durian, Sinan’s first company. Today, Durioo has two co-founders, Sinan and his wife. She focuses on the business’s operations, people, and experiences, and Sinan focuses more on the commercial and content elements. Like any other start-up, Sinan’s journey was very challenging, especially in the earlier days. He attests that when he started, his niyah just wasn’t right. It was solely about making more money and serving his purposes, but understanding that entrepreneurship is not about yourself; instead, it focuses on creating value for other people was quite a defining moment in his journey that led to a 180-degree change. Talking to your users and understanding what your customers need is vital for the success of any company. Persistence, not taking “no” for an answer, striving, and pushing forward resonates with many entrepreneurs.

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Gearing the Niyah towards helping people solve an unfulfilled need and focusing on Ihsan by putting in the effort to create the best quality content that kids would love, enjoy and learn from has set Durioo apart from other companies that also produce Islamic content. Durioo is a platform, but they also create content, and their past successes are a testament to their knowledge of creating content. Sinan doesn’t hesitate to credit his competitive advantage to the fantastic team of 50 individuals that makeup Durioo. The values shared at Durioo revolve around having the right Nia, Du’a, Tawakkul, staying positive no matter what, and finally working hard. Sinan understands that he has a big responsibility on his shoulder towards the Ummah because the media is a tool. Knowing the “why he does what he does” and the accountability towards Allah SWT keeps him grounded in choosing what content to create and broadcast. Will it benefit the Muslim Ummah? Can we make an impact? These are the questions that serve as his major criterion, a standard that defines all the other steps.

The Muslim Influencer Network ~ SPOTLIGHT

Parents are increasingly worried about children spending time watching cartoons and playing games. Durioo does offer a beneficial, safe, and fun alternative for Muslim children. Still, Sinan also points out the importance of parents monitoring what their kids watch and the amount of time they spend as screen time because, in his words, “at the end of the day, screens can’t turn on without parents handing over the remote, the tablet or the phone.” Campaigns are in the works to educate parents and even children soon insha’Allah. Experiences beyond the screen have also been planned, like books, plush toys, and products that kids can play with outside. Partnerships are important when the mission is to reach as many Muslim children in the world. A lot of collaborations will and must happen insha’Allah. Durioo cannot do this alone. Individual Muslims and Muslim companies have to join hands to address this big issue and Amana. So far, there are three core productions with two animation companies in Malaysia. One is a social impact company and is doing a cartoon that raises awareness about the environment. Moreover, Durioo collaborates with kindergartens in Malaysia and is open to doing more globally, insha’Allah. Fatima and Maryam Masood in the USA have also signed a deal to do content expected to roll out in the next 2 to 3 months insha’Allah. Sinan’s vision for the future is to have more content on the platform and insha’Allah, hopefully reaching as many Muslim children out there one way or another through their platform, cartoons, merchandise, and even through sedaqa as well. They want to create an impact, and Durioo and Durioo+ are starting points. So, the obvious question is, how can you and I be part of this social change. Subscribe if possible. If you do subscribe, tell your neighbors, friends, and family so that all can benefit from it. If you are aware of other Muslim producers or other possible collaborations, please come forward and share their email or social media handles to business@durioo. com. Sinan is currently part of the YCombinator, the best Start-Up Accelerator in the world, representing us all and the future Muslim generation. It is a happy feeling to know that there are people out there who care and work to make a difference for our Ummah. While working on this article, I could pinpoint Sinan’s humbleness when he avoided rating his success but instead chose to say Alhamdulillah. Sinan truly embodies the words, “I love to make people happy... And I’m blessed to be able to do that.” He wears a smile or sends you a smiley face all the time, reinforcing what the Prophet PBUH taught us about Smiling. We wish him, his wife and all his team members the very best in their future endeavors insha’Allah. May Allah SWT bless all their efforts, and we conclude by saying in this edition of “battuta” spotlight, Durioo stole our hearts. :)

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Answer: Cowry shells

The Maldives is 99% water, but do you know how many coral islands make up the Maldives?

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Here is an interesting one. What was once the currency of the Maldives and now featured on Maldivian coins?

Answer: 1,192

Traveler’

’s Trivia

Dhivehi is the language spoken in the Maldives, influenced by many cultures over the years. Which languages do you think have influenced Dhivehi?

Answer: Dhivehi has been shaped by various languages, including Arabic, Sinhalese, French, Portuguese, Persian, and English.

Answer: The highest point is on Villingili Island, and at just 2.3 meters, it is the lowest high point of any country.

At an average of only 1.5 meters above sea level, the Maldives is the lowest nation in the world. How high do you think is the highest point in this lowest nation?

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Q&A Elena Nikolova Our guest influencer for this issue is Elena Nikolova, most popularly known as the Muslim Travel Girl. Welcome, Elena! Please introduce yourself more to our readers. Salaam, I am Elena, the MuslimTravelGirl. I am an awardwinning blogger and the creator of MuslimTravelGirl.com, the largest Muslim-friendly site in the West, helping Muslims travel the world in style without breaking the bank. I am also an expert speaker on Muslim travel.

Visiting and living in different countries are different experiences. You have so far lived in 5 countries. How was that experience, and what is your favorite country you especially liked to call “home”? I lived in 5 different countries during various stages of my life, so they have all affected me differently. Currently, I consider the UK my home since I have lived here technically the longest, but also because we have put more roots here. My second home country is Greece since these are the primary years I have spent growing up there. I also loved Qatar, and my daughter was born there, so it holds a special place for me. Honestly, I can’t pick one country that I love the most. I remember a friend telling me before I moved to the UK to study that you will get the “expat” syndrome, where you will feel a piece is missing no matter where you are, and this is how I feel most of the time. When I am in the UK, I want to be in Greece, especially in the summer, and when I am in Greece, I want to be somewhere else. Alhumdulillah it is a blessing to have such a problem

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MuslimTravelGirl ~ Q&A

“Leave the road, take the trails!” ( Pythagoras ). You encourage people to interact with locals when visiting a new destination. Tell us more about how many countries you have been to so far and how fulfilling it is to learn about a country through the eyes of its local people? I have been to 30+ countries, and I always find that traveling and interacting with locals shows you the true identity of a place. It also breaks down the barriers of people from different religions or cultures. I have seen this first hand with my family. They didn’t know Muslims from real life but only from the media. When I started traveling with my parents and my mum, they realized quickly that there is so much more to Muslims than what the media says. Also, when traveling and meeting locals, you don’t get the glossy version, but you truly deep dive into the destination itself. You learn about places to eat local food that is not a tourist trap. You learn of places the locals visit to hang out and see what their lives are truly like. I grew up in Greece and on the island of Corfu, so I know from experience when tourists come, and they want to see only the tourist places, buy the overpriced souvenirs and then go back home having felt they have seen the country. Then we had the tourists that wanted to know us, spend time with us, ask us about places we used to eat or enjoy and get a feel for the real country and Greek life.

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Q&A ~ MuslimTravelGirl

Success is not a linear line is a saying that most entrepreneurs keep reminding themselves at every opportunity. How did your love for writing grow into a business? Were there times you contemplated giving up? I contemplate giving up every single day! Then I open social media or my emails, and I read the emails people send me with questions or appreciation for helping or inspiring them. I didn’t start MuslimTravelGirl in order to turn it into a business. I started because I wanted to share my travel hacks and the good deals I kept finding. It just grew up from there since there weren’t many Muslim blogs seven years ago. I often feel like an imposter. I have my doubts, COVID hit the travel industry hard, and it was very disheartening seeing your work go down. But ultimately, I love what I do. I love teaching people, communicating with them, learning new things, and sharing them with my readers. I have had readers from the first day I started, and I am truly grateful there are millions who have read the site at some point. We have grown, we have had our ups and downs, but honestly, it is worth it because of the people. I didn’t start the blog to make money, which is the case with many people today. Nothing wrong with wanting money or making money from your hard work but quality and putting people first has always been my number one goal.

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MuslimTravelGirl ~ Q&A

You became a Muslim in 2009. One of the interesting posts on your social media page was to “show Islam without talking about Islam.” Nations like Indonesia became Muslim after observing how Muslim merchants behaved in earlier times. How did you use this strategy to win back your family’s support regarding your decision to become Muslim? I show them the changes that matter more, like being kind to them not pulling away once you become Muslim. Showing them that Islam gives charity, helping the family everything that I can do. I don’t tell them this is not allowed in Islam, or I can’t do this or keep mentioning Islam. I have no intention for them to convert or for me to talk about religion. I want to show them the kindness and true spirit of Islam to the best of my ability. Then they can make their own decisions. My sister has read the Quran, and my mum has lived in a Muslim country with me. I am happy they accepted my decision, and I didn’t have to lose their love the same way I lost my childhood friends.

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Q&A ~ MuslimTravelGirl

You started your travels solo. How has the experience changed with your husband and now with your daughter, MashaAllah?

What travel tips can you share with us to make affordable dream vacations a reality for many?

I think each stage has its benefits and memories. Traveling solo was great because you didn’t have to accommodate anyone apart from yourself and what you wanted to experience and explore. Then, things started to change as a couple because, obviously, you have to add someone else to the mix.

There are so many travel tips that you can find on MuslimTravelGirl.com, but personally, I love loyalty points. They help us travel in style and experience things that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Our most recent adventure took us to the Maldives. We stayed at one of the most expensive hotels, but we paid the same as if we were on a 3-star budget option.

When I was pregnant, people kept saying, now that you have a baby, you have to slow down. In reality, we didn’t. We just adapted and kept going. My daughter is two and half years old now and has been to 8 or 9 countries already, Alhamdulillah. It is very important to have a routine when you travel with a child and stick to it. Then there are fewer tantrums, they know what to expect, and you all enjoy your adventures. As a parent, you need to know that you won’t be able to explore at the same pace as without children, but for us, this was ok. I love traveling with my daughter and showing her the world. She is a confident little girl who loves her adventures and plane rides, and I believe she is well behaved because she knows what to expect and what we expect of her. We stick to her routine and food timings, so she has something that stays constant, and then we all enjoy our time. Traveling with her is tiring, but I wouldn’t change it because the memories we are making and the experiences we are accumulating are definitely worth it.

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Also, one of the things I always suggest and people don’t take me too seriously is to have a travel plan. I start at the beginning of the year, looking at Eid holidays and summer holidays, and then creating a plan by keeping an eye on all the hotel and airline sales. This way, I know when to book and save money. So many people are last-minute travelers missing on offers because they decided too late. Nothing wrong with spontaneous holidays, but if you have created a good travel plan, you can enjoy them with savings too.

MuslimTravelGirl ~ Q&A

As a Muslim and Hijabi influencer, what have your challenges been when traveling? How did you deal with them? The biggest realization I had when it came to travel was when I converted and started wearing the hijab. As a white convert without a hijab, I was never stopped or questioned. Once I started wearing the hijab, I started getting padded down more often. It never really bothered me since it is their job, but it did make an impression. Also, as a hijabi, whether you are an influencer or not, you represent Islam when traveling, so I always try to be nice, smile, and be polite when traveling because this is the impression I want people to have of Muslims. I honestly don’t find any challenges as a hijabi traveler or influencer.

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Hijab is part of my style and my life. I realized that the more often I travel, people are very open and curious. If they look at you, it is mostly not because they are racist but out of curiosity.

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Q&A ~ MuslimTravelGirl

A person’s past doesn’t define his future. Allah SWT guides whomever He wishes. You have channeled your love for traveling into helping other Muslims to travel around the world, and in the process, you have inspired many. Thank you for taking the time to respond to our questions, and please feel free to share any final thoughts. I am very happy to see more and more Muslims traveling and being confident in their identity. I feel that there will be so many good things coming our way with the development of Muslimfriendly destinations and more.

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Food Corner: Tips on How to Eat Sustainably while Traveling By: Marium Husain, MD, MPH

1. Continue to Travel “Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20). This pandemic has hurt not only our physical health but also our mental health. Now that restrictions are lifted and vaccinations have demonstrated their effectiveness, it’s an exciting time to go back out into the world and travel. We encourage people to travel and learn about the amazing world with all its cultures and beauty. One reminder is that traveling locally can decrease fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions and help rebuild the local economy after the global COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Eat Locally One of the great aspects of travel is the food! Eating new and flavorful foods and learning about the culture behind cooking and sharing increases your appreciation and understanding of different places. What is also encouraging is that foods grown locally tend to have less pesticide use, less greenhouse gas emissions due to decreased transportation costs, and less preservatives. You can also help the local economy by investing in their local food systems. For more information on food systems and faith, please visit: https://www.faithandfood.earth/.

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3. Halal is not just Halal meat It’s easy to find and eat halal foods during your travels. In addition to eating halal meat, it’s refreshing to know that plant-based foods and seafood are also halal. Eating more locally-sourced fruits, vegetables, salads, fish allows you to eat halal AND promote sustainability.

4. It’s Tayyib AND Halal “O people! Eat what is lawful and pure on the earth, and do not follow the footsteps of the Devil; undoubtedly, he is your open enemy.” (Qur’an 2:168). It’s important to remember that the Qur’an not only discusses Halal foods, but also Tayyib foods. The way our food systems are designed are for mass production with long shelf lives to withstand transportation to wherever food is being exported. Avoiding these processed foods and focusing on naturally grown and prepared foods are better for your health, the local economy as well as taste!

5. Avoid waste

6. Offset your carbon emissions

“And do not waste, for God does not love the wasteful.” (Qur’an 6:141)

As fun as exploring is, traveling, in particular, tourism accounts for 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. There are ways to offset the amount of carbon that is emitted from traveling. You can calculate the amount of carbon and help invest in clean energy and technology.

No matter how pure and halal food may be, it can always be wasted. It’s estimated that almost 40% of food is wasted throughout the world. It can help to not order too much food all at once and to plan for leftovers. Knowing where you can donate extra food or compost the food waste can be helpful as well.

For more information, please visit https://native.eco/ https://sustainabletravel.org/ “A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.” – Moslih Eddin Saadi

Marium Husain, MD, MPH, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hermatology/Oncology Fellow Founder, Science Jummah

March BATTUTA

Reflections: Have You Ever Met With Yourself? By: Vefa Yabanigul

I meet myself every time I travel. The first time I traveled out from my nest in Istanbul - Turkey, it was the most unique, breathtaking experience I have ever had, and today, it is still the most astonishing moment of my life. I was just 12 years old. We traveled to Saudi Arabia, and my father held my hand and told me to close my eyes and not open them until we were right in front of The Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca. I was aware that I would see the Kaaba, but I was just a child and wasn’t aware of the feelings I would experience in the next few minutes. I closed my eyes and held the hand of my father. My father said, “Open your eyes!” Today (after 16 years), I still cannot describe that feeling, the anticipation, and the excitement. It was something I had never felt before, and I never felt after that day. We all have an event that has taken place in our life where it has been etched into our memory and never goes away. For me, that event took place in Mecca. I fixed my gaze on the Kaaba, and it was simply mesmerizing. As I moved towards it, it was getting closer and closer while getting larger and larger. I could feel the goosebumps overwhelm me. It was so real, and I felt like I was all alone with the Kaaba. I can’t remember any other person in the Masjid Al-Haram. I felt very close to Allah SWT, and for some reason, I knew that He would accept all my dua’s. Even if I was a 12-year-old child, I felt all the fantastic feelings that emanate from laying your eyes on the magnificent Kaaba, its beauty, greatness, and significance. InshaAllah, everyone who wants to visit Kaaba will have a chance to do so. It is definitely a life-changing experience. I wanted to start this article with my Umrah trip because those feelings and those experiences shaped my life. I always saw the Kaaba on TV and in pictures, but that trip taught me that I must physically be there to feel, experience, and explore any new destination.

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A year later, I traveled to the Balkans for three weeks on a school trip. We went to Bulgaria, Macedonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro. I felt so grateful and blessed to get such a chance. I was 13 years old, and I had already traveled to seven countries. There are many historical or touristic places in those countries, and I visited those but what I remember today is not the historical places. It is the feeling of exploring the unknown. By just walking in the backstreets of a foreign city, you can feel the people’s history and culture. When I visited the Balkans, my initial reaction was that they were different countries, different people with different cultures. However, at the age of 18, I revisited the Balkans, and it was a totally different experience. I realized that the things I sought to see and feel while I grew up were changing. I went to Bosnia and Macedonia 4 times, and each time it felt different. These countries were so similar to Turkey since they were part of the Ottoman Empire for a long time. I was able to identify similarities amongst the people, the culture, and even the language. We had so many shared words.

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Long conversations with the locals were reminders of a painful past endured with the Ottoman Empire’s breakup. Growing up in a Muslim country shields us from fully understanding the daily struggles and appreciating the strength and steadfastness that our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters have to endure as minority groups in different parts of the world. Visiting them felt like expressing support to wipe away the wistfulness they experience. With this new perspective of discovery and seeking knowledge, I started traveling as much as possible. Today, I have traveled to 19 countries, maybe more than 30 times. I visited the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Syria, South Korea, Japan, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, Russia, Netherlands, and Switzerland. In some of these countries, I stayed only for a day, and in some, I stayed for two years. Each time I travel, I learn something new and experience a different feeling. I explore not only a new country but also a new path in my life. I have friends who have never traveled to another country, and the first thing I say is to go to Mecca if possible. Just go and experience it, and you’ll never be the same again.

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Every country is different. The culture is different, the gestures, the language, the food… and if you travel enough, you’ll realize that it doesn’t matter. We are all the same. We feel the same feelings; even if our cultures, languages, foods are different, we all feel the same emotions, and that is what matters. This universality of emotions allows me to relate to every person I meet. Today I’m not traveling to explore new countries, cultures, or foods. I’m traveling to explore myself, and each time I travel, I find something new.

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Halal BUSINESS

NEWS Modest Fashion Week at the American Riviera By: Isra Ibrahim

Miami Modest Fashion Week (MMFW) is indeed the FIRST Modest Fashion Week in the United States. It is a unique and innovative Modest Fashion week built on ethics, culture, education, and innovation, focusing on fashion, art, and trade. The architect and founder of MMFW is Norsham MohamedGarcia, a Malaysian-born and American immigrant for more than 30 years. Founded in 2019, Miami Modest Fashion Week is based in Miami, a gateway to Latin America, located a few miles from the Caribbean Islands. It is lined with white sandy beaches and has been called the American Riviera, also known as America’s Healthiest City. Miami is a premier world-class business location, the address to 1,300 multinational businesses, where residents speak up to 128 languages, and with the fastest-growing number of women entrepreneurs in the USA. It boasts luxury boutiques, fashion hotels, and designer stores galore as an international center of commerce. Norsham Mohamed-Garcia, Founder of MMFW

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Despite being known as the “city of skin and beach” for Halal travel lovers, Miami is the city to experience during Miami Modest Fashion Week because there are many attractions to enjoy, including the beautiful sandy beaches. Miami is a tourism-friendly place with a built-in scene for every lifestyle, from the rich culinary offerings, the historic Art Deco architecture, the vibrant arts, and the sports and culture scene. Miami is flourishing in fashion and is the world’s cultural capital. Miami’s appeal to international retailers has joined the ranks of New York and Los Angeles, especially for European and Latin brands entering the USA market. Miami has become a 24-hour city and is internationally significant, increasingly becoming a must-visit global destination for travelers worldwide. Miami Modest Fashion Week All Rights Reserved. ®

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Halal BUSINESS

NEWS Norsham stated, “My vision is to create Miami as the Destination Hub for Global Modest Fashion Weeks.” At first glance, the concept of a global modest fashion week being forged in Miami seems ironic yet quite amusing. The hallmarks of Miami branding are contrary to the allure and aesthetic of modest fashion. For both consumers and observers of modest fashion, it has been a long-held assumption that “modest fashion” as an industry is localized to a cultural and social landscape far and outside the mainstream and high fashion. It has been socially synonymous with “Muslim fashion” and, as such, considered to be “dark” and, well, quite boring. Despite the vibrancy of dominant Muslim cultures with the various colorful array and use of layers and materials to adhere to modest customs, the religious connotations with modest fashion stem from orientalist misconceptions. These ideas are without merit if one is immersed within the modest fashion industry.

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At the inaugural Miami Modest Fashion Week, international and national designers from Indonesia, Malaysia, France, Morocco, Russia, and the USA, exhibited their collections and showcased the cultural nuances and bold vibrancy of patterns and colors. For instance, Indonesian designer, Jeny Tjahyawati, featured her collection with a street couture x parasol island look. She utilized Miami’s natural landscapes for her design inspirations.

The very fact that this intellectual thought process can occur within modest fashion demonstrates how powerful the discourse of how global modest fashion really is. This ongoing education of culture and communal respect lies at the essence of why Norsham decided to transform Miami Modest Fashion Week into a creation beyond just the catwalk. As the MMFW creative director, she always says with strong conviction, “Modest Fashion has a lot of substance. It has a soul.”

As written by Stephan Rabimov for Forbes recently, “The thriving $227 billiondollar market [modest fashion] has cemented its place in the American retail landscape with the inaugural Miami Modest Fashion Week in 2019. Fast forward to 2021. You know a fashion trend has arrived when it is being promoted by the United States diplomatic mission in Italy!”

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Halal Tourism

NEWS 10 Destinations that welcome Unvaccinated Travelers By: Muhtar Emirguliyev

Since the COVID-19 vaccine implementation began a year ago, international travel has been much more manageable. Still, many countries are only reopening their borders to people who can verify they’ve been adequately vaccinated against Covid-19 and, in some special cases, boosted as well. However, there are still a few intriguing spots to visit in 2022 that still welcome unvaccinated travelers. Turkey: Visitors to Turkey aged 12 and up will need to have a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure or present an approved COVID-19 recovery certificate if they do not have proof of vaccination. Passengers are subjected to random testing at the airport and must complete a Turkey Entry Form at least 72 hours before departure. Egypt: All travelers flying to Egypt must have a negative PCR test result obtained within 72 hours of their flight departure time. According to the American Embassy in Egypt, travelers from North America will have a 96hour testing window due to these airports’ extensive trip and transit time. Travelers must show a Q.R. code on paper copies of their test findings. Children who are 5 and under are exempt from this requirement.

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U.A.E.: Visitors from the U.S.A. must have a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours before departure. However, traveling to Abu Dhabi requires a negative test result 48 hours before departure. Greece: Travelers from the U.S.A. over the age of 5 need to present a negative PCR test result taken no more than 72 hours before arrival or a rapid antigen test conducted within 24 hours before travel. Cyprus: Anyone traveling to Cyprus will need a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours or an antigen test taken 24 hours before departure. Visitors aged 12+ will have to undergo another PCR test upon arrival at the airport and remain isolated until negative results. However, this often takes a few hours and costs around $20.

Portugal: Passengers with a negative RTPCR test within 72 hours of boarding their flight or a negative Rapid Antigen Test administered 24 hours before departure can visit Portugal. Children under 12 don’t require a vaccine certificate or test. Visitors must complete a Passenger Locator Form that produces a Q.R. code needed to show the airline personnel. Croatia: Travelers who do not have proof of vaccination but have a negative viral test result, such as a PCR test less than 72 hours old or a rapid antigen test that was taken 48 hours before travel, can visit Croatia. Visitors must also fill out the Enter Croatia web form and upload their documents and information before arriving in Croatia. Dominican Republic: Guests do not need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test. However, all travelers entering and leaving the country will be required to fill out a free electronic entrance and exit form that includes the Traveler’s Health Affidavit, Customs Declaration, and International Embarkation/ Disembarkation forms. Mexico: Tourists here don’t need vaccine verification, a negative test result and will not need to quarantine either. However, enhanced health screening, such as temperature checks and questionnaires, is a must upon arrival at the airport and the resort.

The Bahamas: Holidaymakers that are over 12 years old can visit the Bahamas with a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result no more than three days before their arrival date. Travelers must apply to get a Bahamas Travel Health Visa at http://travel.gov.bs and enroll in COVID-19 health insurance that covers travelers for the duration of their visit. The cost is included in the visa application and is calculated based on the length of stay. Since travel restrictions change frequently, it is advisable to check for the latest updates on government and airline websites. Happy travels!

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Halal Tourism

NEWS El Halal Amigos: A fusion of Muslim and Mexican traditions in California’s South Bay By: Muhtar Emirguliyev

El Halal Amigos features some of the most popular dishes in authentic Mexican cuisine that are 100% halal. El Halal Amigos offers traditional Mexican food like tacos, burritos including brisket barbacoa, chicken a pastor, and carne asada with gluten-free tortillas. Hisham Abdelfattah, the founder of El Halal Amigos, has Filipino and Palestinian heritage and is a South bay native. Abdelfattah’s love and passion for cooking began at an early age when he was helping his mom at home. He started his first job at the young age of 15, where he occupied different roles within the restaurant industry. He attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and was busy managing restaurants like Tacolicious, Main Street Burgers, and The Cheesecake Factory by the age of 20. Visits to Mexico added to his fascination with Mexican cuisine, and he was able to identify the Islamic/Arabic influences in this cuisine. The Moors from Muslim Spain brought spices to Mexico, and the Lebanese immigrants brought Shawarma.

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In 2020, Abdelfattah bought a food truck and made his dream of El Halal Amigos a reality, bringing together his appreciation of Mexican traditions and his faith as a practicing Muslim. Abdelfattah is dedicated to preserving El Halal Amigos as authentic as possible, securing flavor from the farmlands of Zitacuaro, Michoacan, to street-style cooking techniques in Mexico City. When Abdelfattah and his friends started the El Halal Amigos food truck, the world was struggling with the pandemic. Nevertheless, every month he donated a portion of his earnings to charity by collaborating with Islamic Relief USA. Two years later, they became a local favorite, and they recently opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant in San Jose, California.

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