Unswtnd + Unfltrd

As Muslims, we have no other choice but to stand alongside our Black brothers and sisters.

In Ep. 18 of Season 2, we sit down with Remaz Khalaleyal to discuss the recent murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police, stereotypes and racism that exist within our own non-black community and the absolute need to go beyond the hashtags to actually make a difference.

George Floyd wasn’t the first Black man to be murdered at the hands of police brutality, but we are calling for his death to be the last. In this much needed conversation, Remaz opens up about how she’s taking care of her mental state following the news of the brutal killing.

It seems like the whole world is finally waking up to the calls of justice and equality that has been coming from the Black community for centuries, but much more work still needs to be done.

We talk about the need to have open and honest discussions surrounding racism within our own communities, homes and workplaces. Yes, those conversations  may be difficult and awkward, but that shouldn’t deter you from doing so.

As Muslims it is our duty to stand alongside the Black community. Allah gave you a voice to speak out against injustice and wrongdoing. Use it, but use it wisely. Remaz explains why more people need to stop and listen, before becoming the echo of white supremacy. Our role right now, as non-black Muslims, is to stand by their side, not in front of them.

How many times have you heard someone say, “ I don’t see color”?
Now although this statement might be made with good intentions, it is a prime example of just how powerful words are, and why we need to choose ours carefully. Remaz says hearing statements like this only make the black community feel devalued, unheard and as if a part of their identity is being stripped away,

Black men and women are taught at such an earlier age to dislike the color of their skin. Whether they are at home watching tv and see a commercial for skin-whitening products or shopping at Sephora and never finding a foundation shade relatively close to their own- the internalized hate is growing. Yet, their white-counterparts spend a fortune tanning their skin, plumping up their lips and braiding their hair. Remaz talks about her own experience as she learned how to love and appreciate the skin she is in.

So, you posted a picture on social media using #BLM, now what?

Our activism has to go beyond a 4 by 5 Instagram square. You have to actually follow through with that call to action. Remaz outlines how we can make a difference in our community to help end these horrendous attacks on innocent black men and women.

This is a revolution. When your kids study about the 2020 protest in their future history books and asked what you did to help, don’t let them down. Speak up, show up and support.

Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Remaz on Instagram: @reresolve_

Finding your tribe is important. That group of women who you can turn to for help, to have a good time with or seek advice from. But we all know, making friends as adults doesn’t come easy.

In Ep. 17 of Season 2, we’re joined by Fariha Rub, aka The Doctor Mommy, to talk about self-worth, cultivating friendships and finding purpose through pain.

Self esteem isn’t something they teach you in school, neither is it something instilled in us from birth. But building up our self-esteem allows us to recognize our self-worth. No matter what age you are or where in life you find yourself, holding on to your self-worth can help pull you out of situations you know aren’t right for you. Fariha explains how she came to learn the importance of self-love, self-compassion and why you must always invest in yourself.

We no longer find ourselves on the playground where life seemed easier and everyone wanted to be your friend because you got the jumbo crayon pack everyone wanted to play with. As adults, we find ourselves in new cities, with a new family, spouse, career, and limited free-time on our hands. So how do we find and maintain good friendships?

Fariha opens up about her past friendships- the ones that were toxic but had left her with valuable life lessons. She explains how she uses those experiences to build herself up and hold herself to a higher standard when it comes to choosing friends. She offers tips on how she found her current set of friends and how to tell if you’re in a toxic relationship.

Through all of the pain she had suffered in failed friendships, Fariha decided to create a safe space for women to join and support each other both spiritually and emotionally. This group helps encourage growth and gets like minded people under the same roof.

Whether you’re just getting out of a toxic friendship or moved to a new city and are looking to find your clique, Fariha proves friendship is crucial but only if it’s made with the right people for you.

Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Fariha Rub on Instagram: @thedoctormommy
For more information on how to join "Jannah Circle" click HERE

What goes on in your mind has the power to change your life. But when you have a million thoughts racing through your head all at once, it’s hard to focus on the present moment.

In Episode 16 of Season 2, we are joined by Iman Boundaoui to discuss mindfulness, cherishing the essence of time and how to better make sense of our mental chatter. 

One of the hardest quests in life is finding your life’s purpose. When it comes to choosing a career path, many of us just settle. Iman says the journey isn’t always an easy one, we have to do the work instead of waiting for our purpose to show up at our doorstep.

Now let’s talk about the unconscious mind. It has the ability to control everything in your life from your feelings, to behaviors and your experiences with others - if you allow it to do so that is. It will force you to be highly critical of yourself, thus causing you to drift away from your authentic self. Thankfully, Iman gives us a step-by-step guide on how to evict these unwanted thoughts. 

We are also in a time where we are connected to the entire world with just a press of a button, yet it’s so easy to feel alone. You would think that with the endless devices and apps that help connect us to our family and friends it would be nearly impossible to feel lonely. 

But many of us find ourselves feeling completely on our own, even in a room filled to the brim with loved ones. When it comes to loneliness and disconnection she offers advice on how we can overcome these issues before they turn into something more serious. 

We conclude with discussing the value of time. We know that it passes by with every blink of an eye, so why do we spend our time with things that are not beneficial to us? Iman explains ways that we can shift our perspective to see time as an asset worth more than just hours of bad reality tv shows or a dead-end full-time job. 

The goal is to live a happy and fulfilled life and with Iman’s advice we hope to shift gears and immerse ourselves in the present moment!

Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Iman Boundaoui on Instagram: @new.moon.coaching

Whether you think time is flying by or it's stuck at a standpoint, we’ve made it to the final ten days of Ramadan, alhamdillah!

In Episode 15 of Season 2, we are joined by Youssra Kamel Kandil to talk about how to make the most of the time we have left of this Holy month.

In these last Ten Nights of Power, also known as Laylatul Qadr, our reward for good deeds like prayer, charity and reading Quran are multiplied. Now is the best time to form and strengthen our bond with Allah (subhanu wa ta'ala) and Youssra explains how we can use dua to do just that.

The power of dua is strong and the response is always guaranteed.  Youssra walks us through the importance of duaa and the proper way to structure it.

Contrary to what many of us believe, you don’t need to wait to find yourself in a difficult position to call on Allah. Dua is powerful enough to change our Qadr and turn our calamities into blessings. You can use dua to ask Allah to protect your family from harms way, or to keep this Ummah safe, for example.

Now, on to what possibly is the most requested topic: Istikhara Prayer.

Most of us have heard about istikhara prayer and are told to perform it before making any big decisions - but when it comes to the actual act of performing, we’re truly lost.

“To speak that which is good”- Youssra breaks down the purpose of Istikhara prayer, the “myths” surrounding it and most importantly how to properly perform it.

This Ramadan we are asking Allah to protect you and all of your loved ones from anything harmful, and may Allah grant ease to those who may be suffering around the world. Join us in making dua, now that you know so much more about it!

Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Youssra Kamel Kandil on Instagram: @youssrakandil

Unfortunately, Muslims are used to being on the opposite end of racism and inequality. What’s even more disappointing than that, is when at times that intolerance may also be coming from our own Ummah. 

In Ep. 14 of Season 2, we sit down with Ayesha Jihad to talk about her experiences as a black Muslim woman and the struggles she has faced.

Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Ayesha explains her first bouts with racism and the effect it has had on her relationship with her identity. At a young age, she began distancing herself away from the parts of her that didn’t please her classmates. 

Ayesha says it’s important to note that everyone experiences racism in different ways and after a long conversation with her own father, she realized how unique her encounter with it truly is. 

When Ayesha and her family moved back to America, the racism didn’t stop - the mode just shifted. She walks us through key moments that stuck with her years later, like snarky remarks made at the Mosque, overhearing assumptions about her family’s social status, and audible gasps when others found out her brother was the one leading prayer.

Ayesha digs into how that racism has affected her in her most formative years, and the way it shaped her into becoming the successful twenty-something that she is today. 

You might be listening to this and thinking to yourself what can I do to help… Ayesha says the answer to that is the one you would least expect. 

And that’s listening more than talking. Oftentimes, we try to relate our struggles to others by sharing our “similar” stories. Instead, we should be intensively listening.

This episode is a crucial one and we are so blessed to have Ayesha share her story with us. It’s time to re-unify this Ummah, because at the end of the day the color of your skin, or the country you call home does not make you a more qualified Muslim.

Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Ayesha on Instagram: @ayeshajihad

The goal isn’t to just make it through this month, but it’s to leave it a better person than when we had entered it. 

In Episode 13 of Season 2, we’re joined by Fatima Shendy to talk about purifying our intentions, understanding Allah’s infinite mercy and all things in-between. 

When Ramadan comes around most of us expect a miracle to occur. We suddenly expect our connection to God and to our prayer to strengthen overnight, but when that doesn’t happen we’re left feeling empty and disappointed. Fatima explains that sometimes that disconnection comes from the struggle to understand the true purpose of the month and just who our Creator is.

Building a solid relationship with Allah starts with the intention to do so. Fatima talks about the importance of purifying those intentions in order to discover where that disconnect lies. It’s crucial to sit down with yourself and ask, “why do I want to be closer to Allah?” and “am I truly practicing the religion, or am I going through the obligations, robotically?” 

It’s a blessing to be able to memorize Quran - but do you know the meaning behind the Surahs you are reciting?  Learning Islam on a deeper level can help bridge that gap and bring you closer to Allah. We discuss the importance of understanding word for word what we are reciting while we perform our daily prayers. 

This brings us to the guilty conscience that leaves us with a pit in our stomach and an unnerving feeling we just can’t seem to shake off. But as Fatima explains, that guilt is a blessing in disguise - it is a gift from Allah to remind you that there is hope for you to follow the right path. So, if you missed a prayer or find yourself further distant from the faith than you would like to be, use that guilt as a way to pull yourself back onto the right path. 

Fatima also discusses the importance of forgiveness. While often times we are slow to forgive friends and loved ones who do us wrong, we are even slower in showing remorse toward ourselves. Allah is the most forgiving, so why do we ignore his calls to seek His forgiveness? 

We end this episode by diving into topics like envying another person’s spiritual journey, tips on how to make the most of the Holy month and simple ways we can inch closer to the kind of Muslim we hope to be. 

No matter where you are at on your spiritual journey, we hope that this episode can help get you to where you wish to go. Ramadan Mubarak, and may you achieve all you set your heart on this month!


Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Fatima on Instagram: @fatima.shendy

With Ramadan on the horizon, most of us are wondering how we’ll survive the coffee-withdrawals, thirst and random hunger pains.

In Ep.12 of Season 2, Zainab Ismail aka Zainab Fit For Allah gives us some insight on how we can achieve a healthy and successful month of fasting. 

Prepping, both mentally and physically, for Ramadan is crucial. When it comes to our bodies, what we put in it affects our overall mood and well-being. Zainab suggests trying to limit “junk foods” and cutting down on caffeine before entering the holy month - this will help alleviate any shock to your body the first week of Ramadan.

When it comes to what we should eat - that’s a question on everyone's mind this time of year. 

Specifically, for Suhoor, Zainab gives us many helpful and easy tips on what food and beverages to consume that will help keep us satisfied and hydrated throughout the day. Speaking of beverages, Zainab introduces us to the Prophetic drink made of dates and Zamzam water and the significance behind it. 

Once the sun sets and it’s time to break our fast, our eyes can be hungrier than our stomachs. It’s important not to over-indulge and to truly listen to your body. Zainab outlines which foods she recommends breaking your fast on and which she says you’re better off avoiding. 

We also discuss working out during Ramadan and how it doesn’t have to be tedious or impossible. We talk about what time of the day is best to burn some calories, how we can sneak in workouts without overworking ourselves, and the importance of staying active. 

Got a week off of fasting? We had one more question for Zainab and it was in regards to that time of the month for us women. Instead of seeing this as a curve ball, Zainab tells us the best ways to utilize this time most efficiently.

We hope you enjoy this episode that’s jam packed with simple yet important tips for Ramadan! As always, we wish you all a blessed month of peace, love and spiritual healing!

Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Zainab on Instagram: @zainab_fitforallah

We have waited all year for this month: Taraweeh prayers, azumas surrounded by loved ones and the chance to bond with family and friends!

But this year we’ll forgo the gatherings for our own safety and this Ramadan will definitely be one to remember. 

In Ep. 11 of Season 2, we sit down with Saja and Suha, the women behind Amasi Decor, to talk about celebrating the holy month while social distancing. 

Just because this Ramadan doesn’t look like any others that we’ve participated in, it doesn’t mean we still can’t bring the excitement into our homes. 

If anything, it means we really should be amping it up!

Saja and Suha explain how we can get both the younger generation and our elders to take part in Ramadan festivities. 

There are so many ways to bring that spiritual feeling back this year: decorating our homes, designating certain corners of our living spaces for prayer and Quran readings and creating new traditions to pass along to our little ones. 

Speaking of traditions, we each share our memories from our childhood and what we plan to incorporate into our daily Ramadan practices this year!

Being away from family and friends may be the toughest part, but Saja and Suha walk us through how we can still maintain those relationships while also practicing social distancing. Zoom iftar date, anyone?

Explore all AmasiDecor has to offer this Ramadan by shopping their website and make sure to check out their Ramadan playlist and other freebies!

Head over to their site to receive 20% at checkout by using promo code: UNSWEETENERS20

Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Amasi Decor on Instagram: @amasidecor
Shop Amasi Decor HERE

*TRIGGER WARNING*: In this episode we discuss mental illness, suicide and self-harm in length. If you feel the content discussed may be triggering, please either proceed with caution or feel free to listen to any one of our previous episodes. We have also provided a list of credible resources below.

In Ep.10 of Season 2, we are joined by psychotherapist Berak Hussain as we dive deep into mental illness and self harm in the Muslim community. We discuss ways we can emerge out of this sea of sadness and hopelessness.

This is a very sensitive topic, but with that being said, it's a discussion that needs to be had openly. Although, suicide is the second leading cause of death in teens to those who are in their mid-thirties, it's nearly impossible to know the true impact it has on the Muslim community, since these deaths may go unreported.

For families who’ve lost loved ones to suicide, they are often left grieving behind closed doors, putting an extra layer of pain to their suffering. Berak explains how we, as a community, need to do better in supporting one another and learning to be less judgmental.

There is a misconception when it comes to this topic in Islam and Berak adds that the only way to clear the air is by bringing the discussion of mental health to the forefront in places like our homes and mosques, which can encourage those suffering in silence to get the help that they may need. But before that can happen, more work must be done in order to make that help more accessible.

To understand what drives a person to commit self harm, you have to get to the root of the problem. Berak explains that there are many reasons and triggers that can lead someone down that road.

Now, what can we do to help? Berak walks us through ways we can be of assistance and certain signs we can keep an eye out for.  We also walk through exercises to help us create boundaries between us and those who may be toxic to our mental health - this includes our own family and relatives whom we may share a roof with.

If you or someone you may know is struggling w/ suicidal thoughts please reach out to a licensed professional. We have listed a few resources available below:

RESOURCES: National Institute of Mental Health  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help/index.shtml

National Alliance on Mental Health -  https://www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-HelpLine/Top-HelpLine-Resources

Naseeha Youth Hotline- Provides our community with the tools needed to address mental health. With our confidential helpline, our youth receives immediate, anonymous, and confidential support. https://naseeha.org/

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline-  Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) The Lifeline connects callers to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals

Crisis Text Line- Text “HELLO” to 741741 The Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, connecting them with a crisis counselor who can provide support and information, anytime of any day.

National Domestic Violence Hotline- 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) The Hotline provides lifesaving tools and immediate support to empower victims and survivors to find safety and live free of abuse. If it’s not safe for you to call, or if you don’t feel comfortable, visit https://www.thehotline.org/help/  to chat with a trained advocate.
Finding a therapist during Covid-19 visit- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/online-counseling

Follow Berak: @berak_h

We often hear stories about why people decided to convert to Islam, but what’s life like after taking the shahada?

In Ep. 9 of Season 2, Rebecca Khan shares with us her journey to becoming Muslim and what attracted her heart to the religion.  

A change of diet, new wardrobe and a flip in lifestyle, Rebecca opens up about her struggles with her identity post-converting. She explains adjusting to the change and how she managed not to lose sight of herself throughout it all. 

While some who are new to the religion change their name, Rebecca explains the decision behind keeping the one given to her at birth, and why she believes everyone should make their own personal choice in  what feels right to them. 

Being born and raised a visible minority is a struggle in itself, but becoming one in your twenties is on a whole new level. The now-mother of two shares her initial experience of wearing the hijab publicly for the world to see for the first time, and how she handled any negativity thrown at her. 

Rebecca also gives us a glimpse into her new business venture - Safinah Sailing! It’s a halal luxury yacht experience that offers private chefs, prayer spaces, halal food, and privacy. All of the things that make for an incredible getaway! 

We hope this episode gives you an insight of what a convert/revert experiences as they are welcomed into this new chapter of their lives.

Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Rebecca on Instagram: @rebecca.khan
Check Out Safinah Sailing