Editorial
Assalamualaikum dear readers,
What’s Inside...
COVID-19 has inflicted a collective suffering to the world and has altered our lives in ways we would never have imagined. Many of us have also felt this pain on an individual level, having suffered through the illness ourselves or seen our loved ones suffering and sometimes losing their lives. But it seems now that a return to normal is on the horizon. Is this a time to rejoice? Perhaps. But what causes our joy and our hope? The general consensus seems to be that, since the COVID-19 vaccine is now available, the world is successfully about to “defeat” this virus. There is hope, because we have a tangible reason for hope. But what of our belief in the Might and Power of Allah SWT? A true Muslim, one who submits completely to the will of Allah SWT, does not only place his or her hope in external factors, or tangible resources. Hope, for a Muslim, is primarily a “cultivated state of mind” (as my friend calls it) encompassing our entire life. When we understand that nothing is possible without the permission of Allah SWT, we completely trust Him. We can let our hearts be at ease, knowing that if He wills it, our circumstances will improve, even if there is nothing that indicates improvement. And we can take precautions for our safety, knowing that our precautions as well as our faith in Allah will keep us safe as long as it is good for us. We tie our figurative camels and leave the rest up to Allah SWT. As the beautiful month of Ramadan approaches, we have a timely opportunity to pause and reflect. What are our hopes for ourselves and for those around us? What do we hope to see for our future and how will we accomplish that? Hope is always for the future, but we must continue to live in the present. And that present should be in service of Allah SWT’s pleasure and in realizing our greatest hope, that of success in the Akhirah, the ultimate future for all believers.
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Brain Games:
Editorial & Readers’ Voices
Ramadan Crossword Puzzle
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Ramadan, Renewal, & Resolution
New Beginnings, New Normal: Light at the End of the Tunnel
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Poetry Corner:
Ramadan: The Lamp, The Light That Gives Guidance
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Cook’s Corner:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Date Balls
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The Return of Hope
Light Upon Light
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Mindful Minutes: Having the Right Perspective
Because You Asked
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Alhamdulillah
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Step By Step
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Ramadan, My Reset Button
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Health Corner:
Nourishing Our Bodies to Nourish Our Souls
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10 Practical Tips for a Productive Ramadan
In this issue, we have an array of thoughtful articles and short stories, preparing us for Ramadan, and helping us to reflect on the current times. We are also excited to announce a new regular segment on mental health, “Mindful Minutes” written by Zoha Qureshi, a Relationship and Emotional Coach. Her first article in this issue is about how our perspective can guide our life. We also have another new segment for “Brain Games”. Solve, and enjoy!
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Please keep the entire Ummah in your duas this Ramadan, and onwards. Wassalam, ~Editor
Readers’ Voices
Assalamalikum, may Allah SWT reward you for the efforts the writers and staff put in to create this magazine. I truly enjoyed reading articles like how the prophets handled tests. This article struck a deep chord in me. The difficulties the prophets faced, the obstacles they had to overcome were indeed not to remove them from the path but to strengthen them on the journey of walking on the sirat ul mustaqeem. The reminders and inspiration I derived from reading this article were very beneficial. May you all continue to produce great work.
Mash’Allah this is a good collection of topics. I remember reading the ICNA magazine many years ago and I think the format is the same since then, which is fine because this seems to work. Here are my suggestions: Can there be bios after each author’s name? Or a page with contributing authors’ names and a short summary of their work. For example, is the poetry written by a young girl/woman? Also, I want to know who chooses the questions in the “Because You Asked” section? And how does one submit a question?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading some articles in this issue of Noor. They were reflective and profound. I would suggest the text to have different font usage & color for each article. It would also be nice to have a tarbiyah section dedicated to topics of personal development in an Islamic light. Looking forward to more spiritual reads.
Editor’s response: Jazakillah khair for your suggestion! We changed our practice of adding author introductions a few years ago, but we can reconsider it, Insha Allah. Questions for “Because You Asked” are selected by the editorial team from received submissions. To send a question, please email us at icnanooreng@gmail.com.
- Shireen Husein -
- Mehreen Ahsan -
- Farheen Beg -
Noor Magazine I 2021 | 5
