Happy new year

Insha'Allah it will be a good one for everyone :) xo xo 

6 places in the world I'd love to see!

I'm currently waiting for my Microsoft Office to hurry up and download so in the meantime I thought I'd do a little travel wish list :)

6. New York

I'd do shopping, Statue of Liberty, Gossip Girl tour, Times Square, Central Park and the museums :D

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5. Paris

Although I live so close in the UK, I've never actually been to France. If I went I'd go to Paris and do all the typical touristy things.

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4. Faroe Islands

200 miles north of Scotland, I've always found this tiny Danish island collection interesting. It has a population of 50,000 and is known for its puffins. It reminds me of a place that would be in Middle Earth. I'd love to go there one day.

3. Tianzi Mountains, China

Google the photos, they speak for themselves. Would love to see these mountains in real life, they look incredible. 

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2. Turkey

Love the architecture of Turkish mosques. I would definitely check out the markets and beaches too.

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1. Socotra

Socotra looks like its on another planet, this is my absolute number one place that I really want to visit at some point in my life. It has nearly 700 species of plants and trees found no where else on earth, amazing!

Where are the places you'd like to travel to?

InaliAllah wa inailayhi rajioon... May those children rest in peace, and their sick murderers be recompensed in this life and the next. Ameen.

No words can describe sorrow created by the destruction of a small, innocent life. 

Book review: Apocalypsis series

I recently finished reading the Apocalypsis 4 book series by Elle Casey and wanted to give it a quick review.

The books are about an apocalyptic world where a deadly, unknown virus wipes out all the adults and children leaving just adolescents on Earth. It is set in America and is written from the point of view of the main character, Bryn, a 17 year old girl and talented fighter.

As they use up the food and resources, some resort to stealing, violence and cannibalism to survive as they do not know how to sustain themselves by growing crops or raising livestock. Bryn then sets out with her neighbour, Peter, and Bodo, a German boy they meet on the road, to escape from the cannibals and start a new life somewhere else - the books follow them on their journey. 

Things I liked about the series -

- Good storyline idea

- Fairly fast-paced 

- Some very well developed characters, I was especially impressed by the way she portrayed Coli and Brittany - both girls with mental illnesses. 

- Some excellently described scenes in the book, especially books 2 and 3

Things I didn't like -

- Written in first person, I much prefer more descriptive 3rd person writing as I feel it sets the scene much better; 3rd person would have suited this storyline a lot better. 

- In some parts the writing was sloppy and rushed, I spotted a handful of grammatical errors in the 4th book.

- The author would drag out some scenes, over-describing the most mundane interactions.

- Extreme feminist undertones. 

- Perhaps the thing I disliked the most about this series was how the author developed the character Bodo over the entire 4 books, he was one of the major characters and yet she didn't tell the reader what happens to him in the end. I'm all for a good cliff-hanger but I wouldn't even call it that. She does a little '5 year later' epilogue at the end and he isn't even mentioned in it whereas the other two protagonists are, as well as some less important characters. It looks like she was in a rush to get the book out, if she'd just put a little more effort into the ending to tie everything together nicely it would have given a lot more reader satisfaction.

Overall, if you're into dystopian novels I would recommend it for the interesting storyline, but if you're expecting something beautifully written with an intricately structured storyline I wouldn't bother.

Rating 3/5

Autumn/Winter Outfit Idea :)

Shawl by stylishmuslimah 

My favourite Blair Waldorf outfits!

I've recently watched the entire series of Gossip Girl after a friend wouldn't stop raving about it and I fell in love with Blair Waldorf and her style. Here are some of my favourite outfits from the show.

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Hope you enjoyed! Now I'm in dire need of some ponchos..
xo xo StylishMuslimah

Hijab Review: Scarves Closet

Sorry for being MIA recently, my new job is shift work and I've pulled the short straw and ended up with loads of night shifts these last couple of weeks. 

I'm here today with a hijab review, not a regular thing on this blog but I liked the look of this site. It's a new site set up in England selling a range of scarves. I was sent the 'Azalea Ombre Paisley' scarf for review:

Dimensions: 180cm by 80cm. This is a pretty standard hijab size, enough to add folds etc, but not a maxi scarf. 

Material: 50% cotton, 50% viscose giving it a lightweight, soft feel. This combination makes for a great summer headscarf as it's more breathable than a fully viscose scarf (which I dread!).

Colours: Cute pastel colours that fade into each other, with a subtle paisley pattern. Nice summer scarf. So nice apparently that my mum has nicked it. 

Packaging: Loved it!

Price: £7.50. I've compared this with other ombre scarves out there and the price is reasonable.

If you want you can support this new business by checking out their fun collection of scarves here. :)

Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

“If you see the black flags, then remain on the ground and do not move a hand or a leg (do not get involved with them). A group of weaklings will appear, their hearts like iron. They are the owners of the state. They fulfill neither a contract nor a covenant. They call to the truth, but they are not its people. Their names are a kunya (i.e. 'abu'..) and their lineage are a town (i.e. Baghdad). Their hair is like the hair of women. Do this until they differ in it between themselves; Allah will Give the right to whomever He desires.” 

[Imam Nu’aym ibn Hammad, Kitab al-Fitan]

RIP Alan Henning, a truly compassionate man who dedicated his life to helping others, ironically and sadly, Muslims. 

Samira Salih al-Nuaimi

- May this brave woman rest in peace -

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I recently heard of the sickening news of the 5-day torture and public murder of an Iraqi lawyer in ISIS-occupied Mousel, Iraq. She was apparently sentenced by a "SHARIA" court as a punishment for apostasy because she criticised their destruction of religious sites on Facebook. You can read more about the story here. 

What I find horrific about ISIS is that they honestly think that by killing people, controlling women and destroying everything around them that they will be rewarded with "72 virgins" in heaven. Really.....?!!!! Anyone is totally delusional if they think that is what heaven would be about, or even contain. Honestly, they really had better enjoy life while they can because they are going straight to hell, where hopefully they'll have burning hot stalagmites shoved right up their backsides. 

Office outfit idea

Can't remember source :S

For style inspiration.. loving that bag!

Office hijab look by stylishmuslimah 

Wishlist!

Well, more of a shopping list :D

A new laptop!! I'm thinking of jumping on the MacBook bandwagon as the reviews are really good and it looks cool but I'm not sure if it's worth it. Does anyone know of any good alternatives? I'm not studying anymore and have an iPad so only use my laptop for the internet, watching films and occasionally games and word processing. I've seen laptops for a couple hundred pounds with good reviews but I'm not sure. I currently have a Sony Vaio which served me well through university but it's dying on me :'(

Armani Mania perfume. One of the nicest perfumes I've ever smelt! I've re-bought it twice and need to stock up again.

Benefit They're Real mascara. If you're looking for the best mascara ever made, look no further. I've tried manyyy mascaras in my time and this is by far the best. Again, I need to repurchase.

Work clothes! Sooo alhamduli'Allah I got a job recently which insha'Allah I'll be starting in a couple of weeks (eek!). And a new job means a new wardrobe, right? I am planning to go on a *little* shopping spree next week. Maybe I'll show you guys the stuff in a haul post :D

A silver watch. I'm really liking this one. I have it in gold but it looks just as awesome in silver..

This River Island peplum jacket.. I LOVE it! Hope it's still in stock next time I'm there!

A cat ^-^ I actually really want a puppy but the rents wouldn't ever let me. Cats are the next best thing though and they're so bloody cute!

Ahhhhhh!!! Cuteness overload!!

Anyway! Does anyone have any laptop recommendations? Or shall I just get a MacBook?

Rest in peace Steven Sotloff.

The global silence of the Sunni sect is defeaning. Considering it is those of the extreme Sunni sect who are committing these atrocious acts of murder in Iraq and Syria I would have thought there would be an uproar around the world of Sunnis condemning ISIS. But apparently it's only fashionable to wear Gaza wristbands and condemn Starbucks these days.

I hope Allah (swt) grants Steven Sotloff, and everyone else murdered by ISIS, martyrdom. Insha'Allah the end is near for ISIS and all those who support them, be it openly or in their hearts.

Feminism and misandry

I've wanted to bring up this subject for a while but have held off as almost every female I speak to proclaims herself as a 'feminist', I'm starting to wonder if there are actually any females out there at all that see the massive flaw, coupled with the healthy dosing of hypocrisy, in the feminist ideology. 

Here I present a list of reasons I would never identify as a feminist in the Western world.

1. Equality Feminists believe that women do not have political, cultural, economic or social equality with men and that they must fight in order to attain this. In the Western world this goal has already been attained. To argue that women in the West don't have all the opportunities that men have and most of the time have things a lot easier, is laughable. In addition the very idea that the feminist moral compass only permits them to fight for female equality as opposed to human equality in general makes them lose even more credibility. 

2. Pay gap Feminists will often complain about the so-called 'gender pay gap'. In reality, women are more likely to choose to work fewer hours throughout their working lives, lowering the average (mean) wage of women. Women take maternity leave, and shock-horror, many choose to raise their own children. Men are twice as likely to work more than 40 hours per week as women, that is a fact. When you apply for a job the wage is fixed and advertised before interviewing, it does not change when a women gets that job. 

3. Objectification There is a belief amongst feminist that men are perverts who 'objectify' and degrade women. This viewpoint is constantly pushed everywhere in the media. What does 'objectify' mean anyway? "To reduce a person to the status of a mere object to be used" - this word is thrown around far too much by feminists to accuse men of being perverted; I see it as the result of the highly negative portrayal of male heterosexuality that has been over-taking the Western world for decades. 

It has gotten so bad that studies have found most men would be extremely reluctant to help a lost child or woman in need of help for fear of being suspected as a pervert. Simply put, if a man looks at a woman that the woman doesn't find attractive then he is a pervert, but if she thinks he is good looking then he is flattering. Who is really being objectified in this case? As for women being used to sell things in the media, they are not being forced, it is their choice to show or to cover up their bodies. Plus there are many occasions where male bodies have been used to sell things targeted at females. 

4. Media portrayal "Women are always sexual objects in the media blah blah blah wah wah wah". All you have to do is look at films and stereotypical characters in programmes to see that the vast majority of the time the 'villain' is a male, the attractive 'victim' is the female and the sweet, lovable character is the (feminine) gay guy. In addition, there is a huge about of double-standards and hypocrisy in what is acceptable for men to be portrayed as verses women. For example, it is completely normal for men to be portrayed as dirty, lazy idiots (and often, animals) in adverts and programmes and for the woman to be the sensible one that is clean and pro-active. Examples below. 

Imagine if those adverts were switched around for the woman to look like an idiot? Feminists would be the first to complain and get these adverts banned. But if men are portrayed in this way, they are expected to not complain and if they do, they're told to quit winging and 'man-up', probably by feminists. If feminists truly wanted equality, they would be just as pissed off by these sorts of negative portrayals of a single gender. 

Also, imagine having an advertising campaign for men like the Dove one for natural beauty with a bunch of overweight men in boxers talking about body-confidence? It'd be laughable. But for women, it's encouraged and woe to the man that criticizes it. 

5. Violence towards men vs. towards women If a man hits a woman he's a swine and deserves punishment. If a woman hits a man, she was probably just defending herself and she should be congratulated. Violence is never right, for either gender but feminists don't care about violence towards men. And the reality is that violence towards men committed by women is not less prevalent than the other way around, but men are less likely to report it or to be visibly injured by it. Why does society accept women's violence?

6. Value Feminists might complain that women are objectified and degraded by men and that their value is based directly on the way they look but the value of men is related directly to how 'useful' they are in society and how much they are willing to put the female life ahead of theirs. Almost everyone in the world will have heard of the phrase 'women and children', in wars, accidents, emergencies and famine the life of the woman and the child automatically takes precedence over that of the man. What's more, men are expected to put the life of females before theirs, always, and the man that doesn't he is a worthless, selfish individual. By simply being a woman, you have more of a right to life than a man. Not convinced? Who would the majority of people save first from a burning building if there was a man and a woman trapped inside?

To conclude, feminism in somewhere like Afghanistan is great but in the West feminism is just a way to promote hateful degradation of masculinity and to forge yet another group of 'victims' to be positively discriminated and given special attention. Want to be treated like a man? Stop winging like a woman then. :)

My top 6 favourite films of all time!

6. The Help (2011) - almost as good as the book. Excellent actors all round.

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5. Toy Story (1995) - no commentary necessary.
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4. Harry Potter (2001-2011) - the books are definitely better, but the films are pretty awesome! I'm sort of glad that Chris Columbus only directed the first two; I like David Yates' take on the last four films the most. Although at times some of the acting was a bit wooden I think Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Micheal Gambon and Helena Bonham Carter always did an excellent job.

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3. Atonement (2007) - a heart-wrenching, beautiful love story. I think what really makes this a great film is the excellent choice of actors, especially the child and young-adult Bryony.

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2. The Hobbit (2012-2013) - Desolation of Smaug and An Unexpected Journey. I was happy when I heard that Peter Jackson (director of The Lord of the Rings) was directing these films, I knew then that they'd be amazing and they did not disappoint. I cannot wait until December for The Battle of Five Armies to come out!

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1. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) - I've lost count of how many times I've watched these films and I'm still not sick of them. I can't fault a single moment in the entire trilogy, or any of the actors - I love it all :D If I had to pick one as my favourite, it would probably The Fellowship of The Ring.

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It was quite difficult reducing it down to just 6 as there's loads more that I like but these are definitely ones I've watched at least several times :D What are your favourite films of all time?

Have you ever noticed...

...that watches in adverts are always set to 10 past 10?

 You will now! :D

No Woman, No Drive...

:')

Thoughts on A Thousand Splendid Suns

I just finished this book and am in love. It's just as good as - or perhaps better than - the Kite Runner, a story I did not at all expect the author to top. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it!

The story covers a period of time from the 1960s all the way to post 9/11 Afghanistan and follows the lives of two very different Afghani females whose lives suddenly become intertwined in the most tragic of circumstances. Together they endure relentless suffering and experience the most acute kinds of pain, loss and sacrifice. Despite it's heart-wrenching storyline, I think that the underpinning themes of the book are of human-resilience, both physical and mental, the ability to display love in the harshest of environments, and most importantly, the power of hope.

I couldn't rate this book any less than 10/10. 

P.S. Eid Mubarek! :D

"The son of Adam will not be dismissed from before his Lord on the Day of Resurrection until he has been questioned about five things: his life and how he spent it, his youth and how he used it, his wealth and how he earned it and spent it, and how he acted upon what he acquired of knowledge."

Prophet Muhammed (S)

Thoughts on Hijabi Mipsterz?

I quite like the video and some of the styles in it. It would be interesting to know what your thoughts are. Judging by the comments on the video, it's very mixed, but are people just over-reacting to something that seems like a bit of harmless fun?

Smart hijab tip #3: Dress + boots

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A really simple and easy way to create a smart outfit for work is to pair a dress of knee length or longer with black jeans and high boots. Something along the lines of the following outfits but perhaps without the massive head things and weird accessories. 

I put together a Polyvore outfit for inspiration.. 

Smart Hijab Style by stylishmuslimah