Barakah Roots

Essays on faith, motherhood, memory, and belonging.

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A warm watercolor illustration of a family practicing appreciation and gentle guidance at home. In the foreground, a Muslim mother embraces her smiling son as he completes his schoolwork, celebrating his effort with quiet affection. In the background, a father offers calm instruction to another child while a young girl listens nearby. Golden afternoon sunlight fills the cozy room, where books, plants, a lantern, and cups of tea create a peaceful atmosphere. The scene reflects encouragement, mercy, family connection, and the balance between recognizing effort and offering loving correction.

The Missing Ten Percent

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A soft, warm watercolor illustration in a gentle children's book aesthetic showing a Muslim mother in a long cream-colored gown and a dusty rose hijab. She stands in side profile, looking thoughtfully into a large full-length mirror in a bedroom filled with amber afternoon sunlight. Her hand rests gently on her waist as she contemplates her reflection. In the background, elements of a full, busy life are visible: a neatly folded stack of laundry on a chair, a children's book titled "The Little Muslimah" on a nightstand, and a framed Quranic reminder hanging on the wall that reads "And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs (33:3)." Subtle, magical light effects and star dust trail softly across the foreground.

I See Myself in Her

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A warm watercolor illustration depicting a mother building systems to reduce daily friction. Prepared fruit, organized groceries, reusable containers, and helping children reflect the unseen accommodations many women create to navigate chronic fatigue, brain fog, and limited cognitive bandwidth.

The Neurodivergent Tax

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Muslim woman in a hijab sitting by the sea at sunset in a colorful watercolor illustration, reflecting on midlife, caregiving, and renewal.

The Inner Thoughts of a Perimenopausal Woman

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A vibrant watercolor illustration of a festive all-women's Muslim pool gathering. In the foreground, a large buffet table is filled with samosas, fresh fruit, popcorn, and drinks. Women wearing beautiful, colorful hijabs chat inside a decorated living room, while one mother looks out a large window to watch children happily swimming in a backyard pool with a pink flamingo float.

When Everyone Speaks the Language of Invisible Work

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  • A warm, sunlit collage celebrating Muslim sisterhood and community. Women gather in a cozy home, chatting over tea while children play together in a backyard pool with bubble toys. A generous potluck table overflows with homemade dishes from different cultures, alongside desserts, coffee, and refreshing drinks. Other scenes show sisters sharing a reminder, helping clean up together, girls in pretty dresses, and quiet details such as a prayer mat, lantern, fresh flowers, and cups of coffee. Soft, natural tones and candid moments convey hospitality, friendship, gratitude, and the joy of opening one's home for the sake of Allah.
    Islam,  Sisterhood

    Laughter, Lunch, and the Last Hour of Jumu’ah

    July 14, 2026 / No Comments

    Yesterday was one of those days that left me physically tired but emotionally full. The gathering began at 3 p.m. on a Friday. To be honest, I wasn’t in the best place emotionally before everyone arrived. There were things weighing on my heart, and for a moment I wondered whether I would have the energy to host at all. To make matters worse, my Temu order hadn’t arrived in time. The decorations I had planned weren’t there, and some of the games I’d prepared had to be skipped altogether. A few years ago, I probably would have felt disappointed. Yesterday, I learned that none of it really mattered. Because the…

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    A close-up, light and airy shot of a woman’s hands holding an open Quran. Soft morning sunlight illuminates the pages and a simple notebook and pen resting nearby. The scene is faceless and serene, focusing on the texture of the paper and the quiet moment of reflection.

    Iqra, When My Mind Is Full

    April 11, 2026
    Warm collage illustrating the emotional atmosphere of womanhood, home, and financial vulnerability: a Muslim woman browsing rugs and fabric in a store, children resting on a worn family sofa, coffee and budgeting notes beside a calculator, a cozy lived-in couch with a laptop and tea, and a beautiful dream living room with new sofas and a large rug. The collage reflects the longing for softness, beauty, dignity, and emotional ease inside ordinary family life.

    The Quiet Vulnerability of Financial Dependence

    May 12, 2026
    A dramatic five-panel collage illustrating a first Umrah journey. The top panels show the Masjid al-Haram at night, a lonely desert highway at sunset, and the back of a woman in a black abaya. The bottom panels feature a car dashboard with a glowing 'Fuel Low' warning light and a pair of open hands raised in prayer before the Kaaba in Makkah. The imagery captures the transition from the vulnerability of a desert road trip to the spiritual sanctuary of the Haram.

    The Road to Makkah, My First Umrah and the Hijab in the Mataf

    April 12, 2026

About Me

Umm Abdallah

I’m an Indonesian mother of ten, now making a home in the Middle East. Most of my days are spent navigating the beautiful, heavy, and often messy reality of a large family and a body that requires me to move a little slower.

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