About Us
Our Identity
There is a growing number of Shia Muslims around the world who do not have a platform that showcases talent, creativity, and education centralized around their beliefs. Our devotion towards our Shia identities has been instrumental to the creation of this collective that stems from the love of the family of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This space strives to celebrate our collective identity as we rejoice through different mediums of art and creativity. As we remember the Prophet and his family (PBUT), we often think about how their stories have been passed down and are relayed through art in various forms.
We seek to manifest this tradition while also constructing a creative space for Shias all over the world.
And so we present the Ahlul-Bayt Collective.
a letter from the editor:
Growing up, I always noticed that Islam–especially Shi’ism–is both misrepresented and underrepresented in the mainstream media. As a minority group, we are constantly silenced, so I knew it would be difficult to find ways to encapsulate the beauty and reality of Shia Islam while educating non-Muslims and other sects of Islam. I felt as if there was no place for Shias and by Shias, so I decided to create one. My idea solidified in the winter of 2020 when I walked through a museum in Boston where Islamic art was showcased. Passing by the Shia artwork, I noticed many aspects were marked off in black as if to be hidden away from the public.
I remember feeling upset, but quickly realizing that I want to do something about this. And so I created the Ahlul-Bayt Collective.
– Zahra Abbas
MEET THE TEAM!
zahra abbas
FOUNDER
instagram : @zahra.abbassss
Zahra Abbas is a 20 year old political activist based in the Bay Area. She currently studies political science at UC Davis and aspires to tackle issues with underserved socioeconomic communities. She is passionate about bringing awareness to marginalized groups and their efforts for change. Zahra has achieved her brown belt in Martial Arts and aspires to be a comic book character.
SANAA LAKHANI
MEDIA AND GRAPHICS
instagram : @sahnahh
Sanaa Lakhani is a photojournalism major and creative based in Maryland whose primary focus is photography in its emotional, religious, and spiritual forms. She aspires to use her expertise to help communities around the world. During her free time, she enjoys reading far too many books, being a writer who never actually writes, and spending way too much money on boba.
ANNE-FATIMA SYED
MEDIA AND GRAPHICS
instagram : @thegirlwithascarf
Anne-Fatima Syed is a Design Media Arts major at the University of California Los Angeles. She hopes to help increase the representation of minority groups in creative fields by introducing a new perspective on design through her spiritual and cultural roots with visual storytelling. In her free time, she loves going on road trips, yelling at Zahra Abbas in a british accent, and word vomiting into journals.
SANNA RIZVI
MARKETING
instagram : @slayna.rizvi
Sanna Rizvi is a senior earning her Bachelors of Individualized Studies in Marketing, Public Health and Video Production. She aspires to work for an advertising firm in the near future. During her free time, she enjoys videography, being outdoors and spending time with friends and family.
SHANIA JAFRI
WRITING + EDITOR
Shania Jafri is a biological sciences major in the Bay Area. She aspires to become a doctor and innovate the medical technology field. She considers herself to be an ice cream connoisseur (she recommends vanilla ice cream drizzled with olive oil and Himalayan salt).
contributOrs
We thank these people for contributing to the Collective and setting the foundation for this organization to be where it is at today; we appreciate all those and would not be here without their dedication and passion! May Allah (SWT) bless these individuals for being a part of our journey and giving us wisdom.
Moulana Nabi Raza Abidi
Religious Supervisor
hassan
abbas
Website Management
wajih
kazmi
Marketing Contributor
