"Overcoming Struggle During Ramadan" Khutbah by Dr. Laila Al-Marayati (6/26/15)

Khateebah Dr. Laila Al-Marayati delivers the 6th khutbah for The Women's Mosque of America on June 26th, 2015, with a special message regarding the holy month of Ramadan: Long days of arduous fasting combined with nightly prayers in a language we don't always understand make it difficult for many of us to achieve the level of spirituality that we crave during Ramadan. The answer lies in connecting to Allah (swt) through His life-giving revelation by reading the Qur'an in our native language. In addition, by practicing mindfulness while fasting, thoughtful giving, and forgiveness, we are able to experience more fully the blessings of this holy month.

Bio:
Dr. Laila Al-Marayati has been an activist in the American Muslim community for many years, having co-founded the Muslim Women’s League (MWL), an organization dedicated to strengthening the role of Muslim women in society. She spearheaded the MWL’s efforts on behalf of rape survivors from the war in Bosnia and was a member of the official US Delegation to the UN Conference on Women in Beijing. She also served as a Presidential Appointee to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Her activism is centered around women’s rights in Islam, reproductive health and sexuality, and violence against women. As the chairperson of KinderUSA, Dr. Al-Marayati helps provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinian children in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon. Currently, she is the Medical Director of Women’s Health at a community clinic in Los Angeles and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.