Maybe we should put out a Muslim magazine called Mozzies! It could be like the Muslim version of the Onion, or something like that…
Anyhoo, here’s a new magazine providing a platform for contemporary Muslim culture. I will probably subscribe and maybe I’ll write some reviews about the latest new mags, insha’Allah.
Saifuddin said,
January 25, 2008 at 8:29 am
BismillaharRahmanirRahim
as-salaamu ‘alaikum. “Elan: the Contemporary Muslim Magazine” magazines are interesting things. Do you know who is publishing this magazine, are they Muslims?
-Saifuddin
Sabiwabi said,
January 25, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I think that the tittle ‘Mozzie” would be great! We could make it like an underground mag for the cutting edge Muslims. I think the idea would be similar to the Jewish mag called “Heeb”.
You may have started something here Izzy.
Aaminah said,
January 25, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Asalaamu alaikum.
I’m with you and Sabiwabi.
It’d be nice if the fashion spreads were the artistic quality of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar but actually MODEST women, inshaAllah. Elan looks interesting, but I am very turned off by their fashion spreads which are high quality but look no different than secular mags that are way too sex-appeal oriented.
Umm Zaid said,
January 26, 2008 at 8:36 am
I can’t get past the flash on the site. Dumb not to offer an alternative.
Nailah said,
January 26, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Oh I love the Onion, we could definitely use MOzzies
Samira said,
January 26, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I agree with you Aminah! I am not biased against sisters who choose not to cover but there is a strong need for a fashion publication that is beautiful and that features hijab fashions. Insha’Allah when HerModesty finally gets its print publication out we will have that!
darvish said,
January 26, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Nice looking magazine
Thanks for the tip 
Ya Haqq!
izzymo said,
January 26, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Walaikum salaam fellow Mozzies!!!!!
Saifuddin: It looks like it’s most Muslims with some non-Muslims on the staff. I’m not sure, though. I guess when the 1st issue comes out, we’ll know for sure.
Sabiwabi: That’s cool name.
Actually, Umm Zaid of Sunni Sisters gets total credit for the word Mozzie. But are we ready for a Muslim “Heeb”? I’ve seen “Heeb” before and some of their stuff is borderline blasphemy. We can be funny Mozzies but maybe we shouldn’t go that far. LOL
Aaminah: I’m sorta conflicted. There’s a lot of sisters who wear clothes like that and they would want to be represented. But on the other hand, I would like to see Muslims challenging preconceived notions of beauty in the West (ie: sex kitten, scantily clad model). Let’s just see what the first issue brings.
UZ: Yeah, it is quite cumbersome. Plus it seems like a rip off of Brother Ruh’s website at Visual Dhikr.
Nailah: Are you saying you would contribute?
Samira: Me, three. When is is finally coming out?
Darvish: No problem, brother.
Aaminah said,
January 27, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Asalaamu alaikum.
I looked at the first issue online. There is a feature that let’s you take a peek at an article. The article that came up for me (I don’t know if it is random and you get a different one or if everyone sees the same one) was a cool article about a Turkish Muslim designer. She says that her clothes are meant to be Islamic but because of her design skills they also appeal to a wider variety of Muslims and non-Muslims, alhamdulAllah, while remaining totally acceptable for use by practicing modest Muslimahs. Unfortunately, the photo spread that went with this very nice article showed mini-skirts and fishnet stockings, super high-heel boots etc. The poses of the models were VERY overtly sexual, spread-legged etc. I get that they want to appeal to a diverse group of Muslims. I get that not every Muslim woman wears hijab, and yeah, some do dress trampy even. But I think any magazine that purports to be for Muslims should have a MINIMUM standard of appropriate dress. Which is why I love Azizah; not all the women in it are in hijab and there is a diversity shown of different Muslim women in-so-far as how they create modest dress out of a variety of styles and options, including distinctly “western” styles… but they are never un-Islamic looking at least. If I wanted to see the kind of poses and skin revealed in Elan, I would just read Vogue (to be fair, I do think the artistic quality of the magazine rivals Vogue etc and am proud to see that!). In a Muslim magazine, I do expect to see some semblance of appropriate Muslim attire, even if there is a variety and they are not all with a head scarf or include 3/4 length sleeves or what I personally consider a little too fitted or whatever. NONE of the photos in the spread I saw were remotely appropriate, and TBH, I don’t think they were strictly that particular designer’s work either based on her statements about her clothing.
Maybe the sneak peak is meant to be controversial… maybe the print edition will have a better mix. You’ll have to tell us what it’s like when you get it, Izzy, inshaAllah.
Aaminah said,
January 27, 2008 at 3:23 pm
PS – You also need to let us know how ethnically diverse it ends up being. The article I saw, all the models were typical skinny white women. But, since it was to be featuring clothing by a Turkish designer, I give them the benefit of the doubt that they may have used Turkish models or whatever and done it “on site”.
I hope, inshaAllah, that the magazine does end up including a more clear diverse size/shape/skin color to show the whole spectrum of real Muslim women, inshaAllah.