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The latest Azizah features Kadiatou Diallo, whose son was shot 41 times by New York City police officers after they identified him as a rape suspect.
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‘Azizah’ Magazine Celebrates the Diversity of Muslim Women
By Meeta Malhi
Special to AsianWeek
When you think of a contemporary Muslim woman, what do you see? Is it the CNN image of an Afghan woman in a baby-blue hijab, covered from head to toe? Or is it the James Bond vilanness whose deep-set eyes are framed by a black veil, seducing the audience through her mystery?
Whether the image is of oppression or temptation, Tayyibah Taylor, publisher and editor-in-chief of Azizah magazine, has swept these negative images aside to reframe the Muslim woman in a positive way. As a contemporary Muslim women’s magazine, Azizah captures the eclectic voices, personalities and accomplishments of American Muslim women.
This month, Azizah commemorated another four issues with a celebration in Oakland, reaffirming the magazine’s mission and once again giving Muslim women a space of their own.
Editor-in-Chief
“There are articles of substance. Azizah is not a ‘how to’ on being a Muslim woman,” Taylor affirms. “It is for Muslim women to reflect upon themselves in a positive way. When they flip through the magazine pages and can relate to positive images, there is a sense of validation.”
Wearing a cherry-red hijab, matching jilbaab (coat), and blocky silver jewelry, careless of inquisitive glances, Taylor embodies the bold attitude that Azizah captures in its stories and photographs.
Born in Trinidad to a Christian family, Taylor discovered Islam at the University of Toronto while studying the sciences. “There was a very short jump from the sciences to religion. My parents thought I was just going through another phase with Islam,” Taylor recalls.
As a young wife and mother, Taylor received opportunities to strengthen this growing spiritual connection through her husband’s employment. Taylor’s husband received an opportunity to train for the NBA abroad, so the young family of seven packed up and moved to Saudi Arabia for six years. Taylor recalls the segregation in Saudi Arabia, which gave her time in an exclusive space for women. She also had access to women with spiritual knowledge.
“Islam is a state of being. It is not something you do. I cannot separate being a Muslim, being a woman, a person of color and a human being. Islam looks at every aspect of your being.” Taylor speaks like a priestess delivering a sermon. “Men have been the primary interpreters of Islam. Men and the media have defined Muslim women. This has resulted in a profound gender asymmetry in the Muslim community.”
Making the connection between Islam and her love for writing and reading, Taylor gave birth to Azizah in 1999. According to Islam, debt is not an acceptable form of financial circumstance. Based on this spiritual framework of money, Taylor used her life-savings to start Azizah.
“I have not been to the bank yet.” Taylor proudly states. With a current circulation of 2,000, Taylor has stayed solvent through two main sources of income — subscriptions and magazine advertisements. She plans to expand the circulation to 6,000 by distributing to Barnes & Noble and Borders in the near future.
“Azizah reflects all Muslim women. We are everything,” Taylor asserts. The past three issues featured U.S. Muslim women from African American, Latina and Middle Eastern backgrounds. Azizah’s next issue will spotlight a Pakistani filmmaker from Canada.
The latest quarterly edition features Kadiatou Diallo, the mother of Amadou Diallo — a West African Muslim immigrant living in New York City, who was shot 41 times by four New York City police officers who identified him as a rape suspect, in front of his apartment door. Based on her son’s death, Kadiatou Diallo started a New York City resistance campaign against police brutality. Azizah framed Kadiatou Diallo on the front cover in vivid blue, the face of strength during times of crisis.
The glossy publication is also filled with articles on the current immigration policy, polygyny from a child’s perspective, information about the Patriot Act, vibrant Muslim outfits for women, recipes, artwork, poetry and the latest pics from travel spots.
Reception
Calligraphy of Thought poet Dena Mohammed Rifahie opened the Azizah reception in Oakland with her poem “Freedom,” rhyming the Islamic concept of beauty for the audience:
“Ethnic cleansing dreams portrayed as the false enemy. ‘Get that rag off your head!’ Girls clowning me. What is freedom to you is oppression [to] me. Keeping my modesty makes me free.”
With a baby strapped to her back, Azizah writer Hena Azam explains what Azizah means to Muslim women, “With Azizah, we have moved from the humiliating concept of a woman’s corner. We now stand side-by-side with our brothers to aspire to Muslim leadership in this country.”
Women attending the reception expressed optimism about Azizah and a desire for more in future issues.
“I want to know what is going on internationally with other communities,” says local community activist Kawsar Elshimawi.
Community member Titilayo Makini says, “More articles on artists who do not follow the traditional dress code, more on creative women. That is what I want to see.”
Between the speakers’ beats and affirmations and the splashes of color from hijabs, Azizah’s reception reflected the emergence of a truly new contemporary Muslim woman.
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