Between the Lines » Lubaaba Amatullah

Bubbles

Lubaaba — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:42:14 +0000

You know when you’re doing the washing, and the bottle of washing liquid emits a random bubble? You watch that bubble float around before either you pop it or it decides to give up on its existence by landing on some surface in micro-explosive glory.

Well, this has nothing to do with that. OK, just not with the washing bit. But let’s talk bubbles. Slightly bigger ones.

Our communities are developing and vibrant. Areas such as London’s Tower Hamlets present a haven of (particularly psychological) security by the strengthening of a close knit and supportive community. My couple of years . . . → Read More: Bubbles

They don’t really care about us?

Lubaaba — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:26:35 +0000

As I write, the top news on BBC News online (July 8th) covers the poignant memorial service held in Michael Jackson’s honour. Since his sudden death last month, we have witnessed the world pay homage to the King of Pop. The singer has topped album charts and stars and politicians alike have been showing respect to a man who has been a major icon for decades. And of course the Muslim community has been buzzing with questions regarding his possible conversion to Islam.

Whether or not you are the biggest Jackson fan a death is a death and therefore a . . . → Read More: They don’t really care about us?

The repetitions of ignorance and intolerance

Lubaaba — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:40:20 +0000

So, we are witnessing some ill-aimed swings at the veil. Again. There seems to be a shortage of imagination.

At any rate, we can congratulate Nicolas Sarkozy in managing to simultaneously display ignorance and a shortage of logic. The French President, as we know, has lashed out at the veil claiming it undermines a woman’s dignity. So shall we assume the auctioning of his wife’s nude pictures at Christies, New York, (which he had no problem with) is hardly undermining of a woman’s dignity? And if women being ‘cut off from social life’ is the concern, then I’m afraid such an . . . → Read More: The repetitions of ignorance and intolerance

Liberté

Lubaaba — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:22:20 +0000

Forgive me for picking up on the most cliché of topics – I’m not one to (usually) fall into the trap. But, sometimes things happen that, in spite of your rigidly polite upbringing, make you want to point and cry out, “SEE! Case in point!”

Recently, in my rambles I’ve been slightly more aware of the kind of treatment I’ve been receiving from the men I happen to come across. Not that things have changed, but I’ve just been a bit more aware. Let’s begin with an anecdote from Ms al-Azami’s recollections of recent history:

At my chosen salon (and . . . → Read More: Liberté

The golden age

Lubaaba — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:21:27 +0000

Walking along the Strand (lost in the swarms of city workers and feeling generally very small and insignificant, but that’s another story), I happened to notice an advert on a passing bus. Now I make a pointed effort to not look at adverts of any shape or form – my lowering gaze covers a broad range – because they’re all either inappropriate or designed to brainwash, or both. But this particular one did catch my eye. The sign was for an exhibition of ancient Egyptian relics taking place in London. The catch phrase was something to the effect of ‘discover . . . → Read More: The golden age