Entering The Weaver's Nest
On new beginnings, introductions, and being a young Muslim writer.
Welcome to the weaver's nest, a deeply personal space in which I hope to share some thoughts and reflections on the things that matter to me. I invite you to come as you are as we try to make sense of our respective journeys, in community with others who are trying to do the same. In writing about and reflecting on my experiences as a young Muslim person, my hope is that this space will allow us to cultivate our capacities for deep love and openness; to explore our fears and vulnerabilities without judgment; to learn what it means to hold space for community.
My name is Aasif. I grew up between the neighbourhoods of Mayfair and Houghton in Johannesburg, South Africa. Iām deeply passionate about poetry, hip-hop, and navigating faith through the prism of liberation/decolonial theologies. I believe that tawhid, belief in the Oneness of Allah and the Final Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), is truly radical and empowering in the context of a society that has been (and continues to be) so deeply damaged by colonialism, apartheid, and the failures of the post-1994 dispensation. While I have been trying for some time to grapple with the question of what it means to be Muslim in such contexts, Iāve recently found myself gravitating towards new shifts, openings, and focal points in my questioning.
I really value the opportunity to delve deeply into, to grapple with the complex histories, motivations, and stories that underpin so much of how we show up in the world. Writing offers us a space to do that; to dig beneath the surface and to engage questions that resonate with us. Be they of ourselves, of one another, or of the conditions that weāre trying to navigate to the best of our abilities, our questions play such a significant role in focusing our attention and energy. For that reason, my hope is that this space will serve as an opportunity to sit with, explore, and reflect on the questions that matter to us. Questions that will allow us to unearth and access our deeper sources of joy, passion, and imagination.
I also come into this space as someone with a particular affinity for weavers. I love watching them build their nests after gathering the materials that they need from their surrounding environments. I love the care that they put into the building process and get excited whenever I see them swooping down to pick up some sprigs of lavender or lemongrass from the garden, knowing that these will come to feature in the spaces that theyāre trying to build. In much the same way, I hope that we can work to beautify this space, so that you may find care and companionship in these words.
May Allah place Barakah in this endeavor.
With love, Aasif.