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 close-up shot of a fold-down airplane tray table in a dimly lit cabin. Two empty metallic tuna tins are stacked on a white napkin. A brown leather journal with a pen and a red paper cup are nearby. To the right, a passenger in a dark sweater rests their hand on their belly. The scene is illuminated by a warm overhead reading light.
    Islam,  Marriage,  Reflections

    The Tuna Heist and the Moussaka’ah Mistake

    April 15, 2026 / No Comments

    Before I was the mom of ten, I was a girl with a tangled tongue in a very cold room. My husband and I were traveling to California to meet his parents. They hadn’t been at our wedding; they had never seen my face. This wasn’t just a trip; it was a Grand Opening. And looking back, it was the first real test of my Hayaa, my nerves, and my stomach. The Tangle of Tongue The US Embassy room was clinical and freezing. I sat there, a new bride, feeling the heavy weight of a secret: a tiny life was already beginning inside me. When the interviewer asked about my…

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    Warm collage capturing ordinary Muslim motherhood and faith-filled daily life: a missing white sock lying outdoors, hands on a steering wheel during a school run, soft morning sunlight in a quiet living room with plants, a woman holding Quran and prayer beads, and a calm breakfast moment with a child holding mugs. The images reflect the spirituality of ordinary Tuesdays, school-morning routines, and finding barakah in small repetitive moments.

    Faith Is Also Built on Ordinary Tuesdays

    May 11, 2026
    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

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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