• Lost and Found 

    Lost and Found 

    Iffat Mirza Rashid, Bentley  When I saw that it would be International Day of Education on January 24th – not something I was aware of before – I didn’t know that by the time I’d come around to writing this blog post, a ceasefire in Gaza would have been reached by now.   The disbelief…

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  • Media Frenzy

    Dr Amtul Kafi Yadullah Bhunnoo, London In 2024, the planet Earth surpassed the critical threshold of a 1.5 °C increase in average global temperatures above pre-industrial levels for the first time. Climate scientists confirmed this alarming milestone on January 10, 2025, indicating that the world has, at least temporarily, failed to adhere to the targets…

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  • Ayesha Naseem Mirza, Walsall The recent discussion around the supposed necessity to ban cousin marriages in the UK has emerged following comments from Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Richard Holden to the House of Commons. The case to impose such a ban is suggested to promote better public health and to decrease the likelihood of…

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  • Dr Qurratul-Ain Anni Rehman, London (Dr Rehman is the National President of the Ahmadi Muslim women’s organisation here in the UK) As 2025 approaches, here in the UK there will be preparations for welcoming in the new year with fireworks and parties and reminiscing about 2024. However, for many people in the world 2024 will…

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  • Iffat Mirza Rashid, Bentley Certain debates seem to arise out of nowhere. And though as a fairly indignant teenager I would have bothered arguing about (quite literally!) anything, until the cows came home, now I find myself learning to pick and choose my battles. Having said that, I think it’s important to address certain non-issues,…

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  • Podcast 25: Empowered Reflections and Lasting changes

    Fatiha Nadeem and Saba Anwar talk about how the New Year is often seen as a time for new beginnings and fresh starts but while it’s a wonderful opportunity to set new goals, it’s essential to remember that self-improvement is not a one-time event. They discuss that personal growth and self-improvement are lifelong endeavours, and…

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  • Reflections On 2024

    Reflections On 2024

    As 2024 draws to a close, Lajna members share their memories of significant times during the year. Ayesha Naseem Mirza 2024 brought all sorts of changes and experiences and strangely they happened in a pattern. The year started with a challenging time personally, a phase when I could say I was lost and uncertain about…

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  • Dr Amtul Kafi Bhunnoo, London   In recent news, Richard Holden, a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) has sparked some discussions with remarks about potentially banning cousin marriages with the guise that it will promote public health. 1 However, this proposal crushes personal freedom, cultural identity and scientific understanding. Richard Holden’s words clearly stem from us…

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  • Iffat Mirza Rashid, Bentley At seventeen, in the Reina Sofía Modern Art Museum, I stood before an 11 foot tall, 25 foot wide painting – the monochromatic, cubist work of art that depicted the brutal massacre of thousands in 1937, at the height of the Spanish Civil War. A room dedicated to a singular painting,…

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  • Podcast 24: The Double Standards of Western Feminism

    Ayesha Naseem Mirza and Saira Bhatti talk about how biased and indifferent Western feminism is, especially considering its current silence on the suffering of Palestinian women. They discuss how feminists in the West position themselves as champions against patriarchy and misogyny but are part of a system that perpetuates those very things. Their brand of…

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