Yousra Samir Imran

West Yorkshire

Freelance Contributor at Freelance

Journalist, Author: Hijab and Red Lipstick (2020). Words in The New Arab, TRT World, Al Jazeera, Stylist, gal-dem & more. (Under Your Abaya was my fashion blog)

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hyphenonline.com

Articles

AI has ‘revolutionised’ Islamic learning. Is it coming for scholars next?

1 week ago | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

AI-powered websites such as ChatGPT can answer practically any question. They can summarise long articles, come up with travel itineraries and . ChatGPT boasts that it saves time for 400 million people a week, including busy professionals, students and parents. But religious scholars might want to think twice before relying on AI for Qur’anic references — something the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) discovered the hard way last month.
How to navigate Muslim motherhood in the digital age

2 weeks ago | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

Mothers may be incredibly time-pressed, but we still find moments to scroll through Instagram and TikTok reels — often to our detriment. Social media offers a plethora of resources on parenting and Islamic learning, but it can also be an anxiety-inducing cesspit of dawah bros offering hot takes on topics they have no authority on, such as being a single mum.
The Muslim-owned gyms making workouts more inclusive - Hyphen

1 month ago | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

From Batley to Cardiff, women-only health clubs are changing the face of gym culture
How should we choose the right madrassah for our child?

1 month ago | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

On a summer’s day six years ago as my husband and I walked in the park, our conversation somehow turned to madrassahs. It quickly escalated into an argument — albeit not a serious one — as I insisted our child would go to a Saturday school like I did, while my husband wanted them to go to an after-school madrassah five days a week, as he had. We had not even thought about trying for a baby at that point.
How should we choose the right madrasa for our child?

1 month ago | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

On a summer’s day six years ago as my husband and I walked in the park, our conversation somehow turned to madrasas. It quickly escalated into an argument — albeit not a serious one — as I insisted our child would go to a Saturday school like I did, while my husband wanted them to go to an after-school madrasa five days a week, as he had. We had not even thought about trying for a baby at that point.
‘We’re Muslim. Here’s why we’re happy giving our children the HPV vaccine’

1 month ago | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

At her GP surgery in Leeds, Dr Mariya Aziz says she has been performing more sexual health checks on young Muslim women than ever. But when it comes to Muslim parents, she adds, attitudes around sexual health are changing more slowly — leaving young people at risk. It’s a particular problem when it comes to the vaccine against human papilloma virus (HPV).
How a Yorkshire town became a halal food destination

2 months ago | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

On a crisp Wednesday morning groups of women gather in a bright cafe surrounded by white wisteria hanging down the walls, as they catch up over a halal breakfast of shakshuka and Spanish lattes. Some are here solely for the pistachio kunafa French toast, inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate.
I’m still learning how to navigate Ramadan with a young child

2 months ago | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

As all parents know, there are few times when we can have quiet moments to ourselves, especially in early motherhood. Those minutes become even more precious during Ramadan, a time when we are meant to drown out all the noise of everyday life and look inwards. However, connecting to your spiritual self can be tricky when you have a child to care for. I remember numerous times last Ramadanwhen my son pleaded for me to stop reading the Qur’an so I could play with him.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but what if you don’t have a village?

Feb 6, 2025 | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

Almost every day I hear the sound of a car pulling up outside my neighbours’ house — it’s their parents arriving to help with childcare. My husband and I don’t have this kind of support and I would be lying if I said I didn’t envy my neighbours’ setup. But with family members living abroad and others with deteriorating health, childcare is a juggle between my husband and me.
Muslim families are battling to get their autistic children diagnosed

Jan 10, 2025 | hyphenonline.com | Yousra Samir Imran

Bushra Alakraa is certain that the only reason her daughter, Laila, was finally referred for an autism assessment was because the health visitor who picked up the phone that day was Muslim. For two years, the 32-year-old mother of two had repeatedly told her GP and health visitors that she believed Laila, now almost six, had autism. She had noticed her daughter was showing signs of extreme anxiety and that she was semi-verbal — common symptoms experienced by autistic girls.