Assalamu Alaikum HH FAM!!

I'm Noor Suleiman, the new Content Editor for the blog! I am so excited to join the Haute Hijab family! Melanie and Ahmed have built something amazing together, and I am blessed to be able to work with them and the rest of the team.

So who am I exactly? I'm a chocoholic, and I love pineapples and palm trees - they make me happy! I'm also a daughter, a sister, a mother, a wife, a friend, and most importantly, a servant of God. At the core of anything I do in life, I want to please Allah (S), and I pray never to lose sight of this. 

I am blessed to have grown up surrounded by very strong, inspiring and empowering women, and I credit who I am to them. I've also spent a significant portion of my life working towards empowering Muslim girls and women.

When I was 16, I was sitting in a small religious youth gathering at my masjid, and I complained to my teacher that it wasn't fair that the boys had a youth program and a youth camp while the girls had nothing. I expected sympathy, but instead, I got a shrug and, "Ok, so start one."

That statement lit a fire under me, and since then, I have never been the same (thank you Amo Fikry!). He was right. If I see a gap, I shouldn't wait around for someone to fill it. I can and should do it myself. That's been my motto ever since. Needless to say, that summer the girls in my community had their first ever girls camp, as well as a girls youth program that runs year round to this day.

I chose to tell you this story for a few reasons. First, as Muslim women, we are empowered and encouraged by our religion to use our skills and talents for the betterment of our communities. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Always do something constructive with whatever capacity you have. Be a do-er. Second, do not wait around for others to empower you. It won't happen, and if it does, it will be on their terms, not Allah (S)'s and your own. Lastly, you are who your friends are. I did not singlehandedly create the girls camp or the girls' youth program - It was a shared effort with my best friends.

Your life is what you make of it. I don't say this as someone who spent her entire life "having it together." Trust me, I know it is easy to fall into a slump. It is easy to stagnate and I've been there before. But let me tell you, during the times when I wasn't serving others in some way shape or form, I felt like a part of me was dead. I am the best version of myself when I am learning and helping others. That's when we as humans shine. That's what Islam and ukhuwwa (sisterhood) are all about.

My mission as the new editor is to curate content that will inspire and empower. I want to build on Melanie's mission by highlighting stories of inspirational Muslim women and giving them a platform to use their voices for good, continue building a sisterhood around Haute Hijab, and make it the #1 destination for Muslim girls and women to turn to for inspiration, motivation, faith, fashion, and fun!

This blog is ultimately for you, our reader. As such, we welcome suggestions, feedback, and contributions. You can reach me anytime by email at Noor@hautehijab.com.

Catch you on the blog!

With Love,

Noor Suleiman