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Category Archives: Maha Monday

Maha Monday: My new piece’s past

Dear Maha, (Name withheld) I have been dating for a few months now. I thought he was perfect until last week when he told me a few things about his…

*New* Maha Monday: I’m worried that my faith wavers

Hello – It has been a minute! Thank you for all of your gracious messages that continue to filter in, and for your kind words asking after me. I am…

Maha Monday: Lying to your partner about having babies

A woman has been taking contraceptives behind her husband’s back. Wow. She’s come to me to ask WHAT? (I all-too-often honestly don’t understand how people function.) That you don’t want…

Maha Monday: No polygamy, folks

At Chai Latte Diaries, a man wants to marry more than one woman. His wife has already said she will divorce his sorry ass if he does; she’s come to…

Maha Monday: On Muslim women dating non-Muslim men

A very unpopular subject this week about an often silenced conversation r- Muslim women being involved with non-Muslim men. We all know the ruling, but I focused on our freedom…

Maha Monday: Literally, how far would you go?

If you met someone who lived in a part of the world you had never considered moving to, would you cut your losses or would you pursue it and not…

Maha Monday column: Daughters-in-law

A Momma-in-law had hoped that she and her new daughter-in-law might become fast and intimate BFFs, but the daughter-in-law has very different ideas about family-in-law entanglements… “…the duties and obligations…

Maha Monday Column: When your gut screams against marriage

At Chai Latte Diaries, a woman is caught between her family’s pressure to pursue marriage, and her gut’s panic to absolutely NOT. “Fun Fact! It is always hard to find…

Maha Monday Column: Secretly mourning the death of a past suitor

At Chai Latte Diaries, a woman secretly mourns the death of a past suitor. A little at sea, she is uncertain of what to tell her husband and how to…

Maha Monday Column: (New) Marriage counseling

At Chai Latte Diaries, a newly married woman asks what she should do when her husband won’t let her join his alone marriage-counseling sessions. On his own. By himself. Without…

Maha Monday Column: Inheritance & the Single Daughter

This week, I was asked about inheritance laws and allowances by a single woman, the only daughter with two brothers: …your parents can in fact provide you with the inheritance…

Maha Monday Column: What is ‘love’ and how do we lose it?

At The Chai Diaries, a man’s wife tells him she doesn’t “love [him] anymore” – confused, lonely, and worried about their children, he reaches out and asks what (if anything)…

Maha Monday Column + Video: On being romantically rejected and shamed // Rules for a break-up

At Chai Latte Diaries, a woman gets shamed and mistreated for telling a man she cares about him. I think he is a knob-head who reacted disproportionately, and then gave…

Maha Monday Column + Video: What is Gaslighting & breaking the cycle of shame

At Chai Latte Diaries, I am asked to explain what is ‘gaslighting’, one of the more insidious forms of emotional violence: The effects on the gaslightee are: – To doubt…

Maha Monday Column + Video: When people feel good only by belittling others, women who are too “strong”, and having issues

At Chai Latte Diaries, a man belittles a woman for a reality entirely out of her hands, and she is beginning to internalize the gender-specific nonsense with which women must…

Maha Monday Column + Video: His lukewarm interest & timing

At Chai Latte Diaries, a man kind of likes a girl. But maybe he’s not sure. Also, he might not be ready. Maybe. What should he do? If she is…

Maha Monday Column + Video: When Friends’ True Colours Are Shady

At Chai Latte Diaries, I am asked for advice on an unwelcome and insecure-male-driven ‘love triangle’ as well as how to react to when our good intentions are maligned: This…

Maha Monday Column + Video: On Trusting Others

At Chai Latte Diaries, I am asked how to re-engage trust after our trust has had its bottom handed to it, by no fault of our own (or, as always,…

Maha Monday Column & Video: On sex & chore obligations

At Chai Latte Diaries, I’m asked about sexual and household obligations inside of marriage: (1) Islamically speaking, sex as mutual pleasure is (without coercion) an obligation for you and your…

Maha Monday Column + Video: On missing chances & take a break from dating

At Chai Latte Diaries, a woman depleted asks how to take a break from the dating scene, and mentions something about how the grass is greener: You jump off the…

Maha Monday Column + Video: Friendship after dating?

The Maha Monday series is now officially a video & column response, with this the first one. It’s grainy and has terrible lighting and I may have made up the…

MahaMonday: Your spouse tells you they don’t love you

At Chai Latte Diaries, he tells us that she’s told him she doesn’t love him anymore. Now what? As to what can be done now, in your present situation: the…

MahaMonday: Acting on rumors

There are a few rumors running around this budding emotional entanglement. What then? Here, I advise you to keep things simple and clean. I very strongly encourage you to ask…

MahaMonday: 1st date awkwardness

At Chai Latte Diaries, she’s asking how to get past first date awkwardness: The most important response to your Qs however, is that you are not a fisherwoman and men…

MahaMonday: On ‘fading’ (aka ‘ghosting’)

Dear Humans: STOP THIS PRACTICE. It’s gross. At Chai Latte Diaries, a dude whose meh about commitment has instead chosen to ghost on women. Repeatedly. He’s now looking to change…

MahaMonday: Online dating & safety

At Chai Latte Diaries, a mansplainer tries to mansplain a woman’s safety away; I get into the perameters of safe online (and offline) dating scenarios: Always, the first three rules…

MahaMonday: Islamophobia Is The New Black

At Chai Latte Diaries, I am asked how to deal with the recent hate-driven executions of Yusor Mohammad, Deah Shaddy Barakat, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, and Mustafa Mattan: The answers to…

MahaMonday: Mothers & daughters

Because  mommas be crazy, this is a reminder of how we – their seeds – need to respond: I have been there. Often. I don’t know one daughter who has…

MahaMonday: Match-making aunties & wedding season

At Chai Latte Diaries, I’m asked how to answer the world’s most boring and predictable answer (which is handed out to all biological and non-biological aunties at the annual Global…

MahaMonday: Marriage & caring for elderly parents

A gentleman at Chai Latte Diaries asks me how to address the challenges of marriage while he cares for his elderly parents who live with him: From a Muslim angle,…

MahaMonday: Love & abuse

(TRIGGER WARNING.) At Chai Latte Diaries, an incredible woman reaches out to ask about the end of her marriage to an abusive man, how to deal with her family who…

MahaMonday: Writer’s block & contempt

He asked how to get rid of writer’s block. In answering, I told him that his bigger problem is his contempt for the success of others; also, that he, like…

MahaMonday: One’s nose where it don’t belong

At Chai Latte Diaries, a fella wants to stick his nose where the sun don’t shine, where he has no business to stick his nose. ¿Por qué? Because he has…

MahaMonday: Divorce & family

At Chai Latte Diaries, I was asked how one might handle extended family who is frumpy frumping about a female member’s divorce and her life-choices. I frown all over my…

MahaMonday: Marriage Qs

At Chai Latte Diaries, a woman asks me what she should ask him, he who is engaging her for reasons of marriage. A simple Q, in response to which I…

MahaMonday: Online monogamy

At Chai Latte Diaries, Bro A spends a couple of minutes having a conversation with a woman online on a dating site.

MahaMonday: When they don’t love you anymore

At Chai Latte Diaries, a man’s wife tells him she does not love him anymore. As to what can be done now, in your present situation: the good news is…

MahaMonday: Friendship’s End

At Chai Latte Diaries I’m asked about the heartbreak of broken friendship. I can also tell you that if you wish to be a healthy adult who does build and…

MahaMonday: Regarding his silence

At Chai Latte Diaries, a currently sad (surely beautiful and amazing) little monkey has asked a man out and met with silence. What now?: …your way forward is clear –…