Light in the Dark: Managing Mental Health in Shorter Days
As the days get shorter and the sun sets earlier, it’s easy to feel your mood dim along with the daylight. Maybe you’ve noticed you’re more tired or less motivated?...
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Mental Health and the Muslim Ummah: Faith or Therapy
“Just make more du’a.” That is the common answer many Muslims hear when they’re quietly breaking inside. For someone struggling with depression, anxiety, or trauma, this response can feel like...
Layering 101: How to Take your Fall Hijabs into Winter
Fall is the perfect season to prepare for layering! Winter is calling but that does not mean to stash some of your fall pieces. Before you begin to hide away...
5 Ancient Places in Syria That Still Whisper Its Soul
There are places in the world where history does not simply rest, it breathes. Syria is one of them. Every courtyard, every broken arch and weathered wall holds traces of...
Muslim Marriage Matters: Does Race Matter?
In a world where race and ethnicity influence hiring decisions and how strangers treat us, it is no surprise that these same factors often affect who we marry. If you...
Beyond the Headlines: Why Muslim Communities Must Stay Engaged
In a world where narratives about Muslims often get written for us and not by us, it’s easy to feel disheartened or disconnected. The headlines can be exhausting: conflict, misrepresentation,...
Anti-Blackness in the Muslim Community
It’s not easy being a Black Muslim woman in the United States. Right now, the current administration as well as state legislatures across the country, are aiming to erase Black...
Your Hijab as Self Care: Finding Comfort in Fabric and Intention
In the rush of our daily lives, we often look for self-care in grand gestures a spa day, a weekend getaway, or a complete digital detox. But true self-care is...
Female Scholars of Islam: Honoring Our Intellectual Heritage
The history of Islam is rich with the contributions of brilliant women who served as muftis, teachers, and keepers of sacred knowledge. From Nana Asma’u to Fatima al-Fihri, these women...
Building a Fall Capsule with VELA
Summer has stepped out and Fall has officially arrived. As we turn the page into a new season, we’re welcoming rich-toned chiffon hijabs, a beautiful touch of solidarity, and the...
Why Muslim Youth Are Leaving Islam
Across the globe, more and more Muslim youth are quietly stepping away from Islam. This trend is not always rooted in rejection of faith itself but in misunderstandings, unanswered questions,...
The Art of Slowing Down: Why Fall Invites us to Rest
As the vibrant energy of summer fades into a soft, golden hush, the world around us begins to exhale. Fall is a natural invitation to mirror the earth to shed...
Tradwives: Fiction, Fantasy, or Fun?
This is the era of the tradwives– the women who dominate our social media pages with homemade cheese-itz and multi-course dinners while wearing designer labels. The world has gravitated to...
Cleaning Up Your Sleep Routine: 4 Ways to Sleep Better
One of my favorite quotes as a child came from an unexpected source: Benjamin Franklin. On the topic of his daily routine he said, “early to bed, early to rise,...
Fall Foreword with VELA: FW ’25
VELA is opening fall with a statement: Fall Foreword. Built on the axis of dark academia and warm retro interiors, the lineup treats autumn as the opening chapter of the...
Gratitude Journaling: Faith-Centered Prompts for the Season
As Fall arrives and seasons shift, so do our reflections. This time of the year is the perfect time to pause and embrace the blessings around us. Faith and gratitude...