Salams friends,

Alhamdulillah for the ceasefire! May Allah ﷻ preserve it, granting much needed respite to the Gazans.

An important part of shaping Palestinian self-determination from this period of turmoil will be the formation of institutions, that can inculcate a vision for a “Promised Land” despite being surrounded by rubble.

Institutions are “social technologies”, that pattern the operating system of a people. A historic Palestinian institution I came across recently is Dar al-Fata al-Arabi.

It was started by a group of intellectuals in the wake of the Nakba, who weren’t as concerned about their material displacement as they were about the loss of cultural heritage that came with it.

Their objective was to transmit this heritage & identity through publishing stories that would broaden the cultural horizons of Arab children.

One of their works in 1986 was this poster of the alphabet, showcasing the intertwined relationship between language & culture in the Palestinian vernacular.

As Edward Said noted, language is itself a site of resistance, through the ideas embedded in them, and as a medium for preserving those ideas. To learn more about this institution, this article goes more in depth.

Like language, art has always been a vessel for the deepest truths of a civilization. They allow ideas to live well past the people who gave them a visual dimension, because symbols can’t be bombed or taken hostage.

Motia Studios

Motia Studios is trying to preserve & beautify these Palestinian stories through thoughtfully designed stickers.

Motia has designed these as tokens to raise awareness, inspire meaningful conversations, and as a gentle gesture of solidarity.

The issue of Palestine is one that effects all Muslims, not just due to the shared connection with the Holy Land, but more importantly, due to the bonds of brotherhood.

Ramadan Guide

Ramadan is just around the corner, and I’ve prepared this guide to help us make this our best Ramadan yet. It’s packed with helpful resources from scholars, tafasir & technology to go deeper into the Qur’an, home decor to celebrate this month, and much more.

Zaila Collection

Zaila is not just a fashion brand; it embodies the transformative power of economic opportunity and creativity. Genuinely: one of the best enterprises I’ve seen while at Muslim Hub, from the aesthetics of the clothes to the impact it has.

Zaila Collection’s clothing is elegant, and well-constructed.

Not only does it employ single mothers, domestic violence survivors, female refugees, and widows, the brand channels 100% of its proceeds to provide vocational training, fair employment, support for transitional housing, and legal aid.

🛍️ straight from the souq

1. Traversing Tradition & Sacred Footsteps: platforms for Muslim dialogue.

2. Juba Farms: fresh camel milk in the United States.

3. Fajr.io: get a call to wake up for Fajr.

4. Awraaf: handcrafted Moroccan garments.

5. Palanquin Tours: guided tours for Muslim women.

Travel with HTG

Halal Travel Guide curates group tours designed to connect you with Islamic heritage, with plenty of natural scenery, halal food, and friends to share this all with.

What I love about this company (started by Soumaya Hamdi, Sami’s better half), is that they really do support the local community & economy. Their itineraries are filled with activities indigenous to the regions, from historic Silk Road bazaars in Bukhara, to making fig dishes in Bosnia.

Some other events:

• If you are in Australia, or have always wanted to go down under then GMW Sydney is your calling!

• Muslim Mental Health Conference: April 11-12 in Michigan - registration with early bird prices is now open.

Sign Up at MuslimHub.co to stay updated as we add things every week.

If you have any feedback, a product suggestion, or just want to say salams, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

This will be my last newsletter, as my time at LaunchGood has come to an end. It’s been a pleasure sharing these with you, and I pray that we will cross paths in the eternal, if not the physical realm.

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

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