sister-hood is an award-winning digital magazine spotlighting the diverse voices of women of Muslim heritage.
sister-hood is a digital magazine and a series of live events. We create platforms for women of Muslim heritage to speak for themselves, rather than being spoken for or spoken about. sister-hood challenges stereotypes and promotes the fearless, progressive, creative voices of women of Muslim heritage.
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New Year wishes for that little girl in Aleppo
I wish you love
The love that has no boundaries
The one of your mother’s smile.
I wish you silence
The silence with no echoes of cries
The one between the notes of music.
I wish you beauty
The beauty of an early morning
The one that rekindles your awe for life.
I wish you tenderness
The tenderness of your dressed-up dolls
The one with no ashes and no cries.
I wish you smiles
The smiles that draw themselves upon your lips
The ones that you cannot contain.
I wish you laughter also
The laughter that rhymes with silliness
The one that no memory may dim.
I wish you warmth
The warmth of sugar melting on your tongue
The one that makes you wiggle your toes.
I wish you tranquillity
The tranquillity of the breeze in your hair
The one that negates all fears.
I wish you healing
The healing of compassion
The one that leads to peace.
I wish you colours
The colours of infinite dreams
The ones that never go to war.
I wish you music
The music that stirs the soul
The one that will finally make you dance.
I wish you innocence habibti*
The innocence that was taken away from you
The one the world needs to heal.
You are our hope as humanity hurts.
You are the dream of a better tomorrow.
You are love hayati**.
* my darling / ** my life (words of endearment in Arabic)
Kenza Saadi
Kenza Saadi holds a BA from Cornell University and a PhD from Columbia University. Among other activities, she worked in the humanitarian field in war zones. She now lectures on ethics and publishes poetry.