Khawatir

When Mountains Disappear

A reflection on the passing of Dr. Yaqub Mirza, quiet stabilizers, and the call to become mountains who hold the Ummah steady after loss.

Jan 21 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

14

1

2

November 2025

Ruminations: Father-Son Conversations

The unseen inheritance we give our children: courage, honesty, and the strength to stay gentle.

Nov 15, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

13

3

2

October 2025

When Companionship Became a Community – Part 2

From first principles to floor plans: practicing suhba (companionship) here and now.

Oct 30, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

8

4

3

When Companionship Became a Community – Part 1

Suhba (companionship) as formation: the Prophetic architecture of belonging.

Oct 15, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

10

2

2

September 2025

Friendship: Deep, Not Wide

A story of nearly 20 years of friendship—imperfect, unlikely, and maybe, just maybe, for the sake of Allah.

Sep 30, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

19

3

4

The Trials of Transition: What We Leave, What We Carry

To leave is to lose, but also to trust that Allah writes more than we can see.

Sep 15, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

26

8

August 2025

The Chatbox Can Listen, But It Can’t Care

Why AI Can’t Replace the Sacred Bonds of Human Companionship

Aug 30, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

19

5

From Good to Great: Why You Can’t Bypass the First Step

“Bury your existence in the earth of obscurity, for whatever sprouts forth, without having first been buried, flowers imperfectly.” – IbnAtaillah…

Aug 15, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

18

5

5

July 2025

Cultivating Community: The Juice Is Worth the Squeeze

What we long for is real—connection, safety, meaning—but the fruit only grows where hearts show up and hands keep tending the tree.

Jul 30, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

14

3

Humility: A Non-Hajj Story

The disappointment of being rejected from performing Hajj with a beloved teacher forced me to explore humility in the company of another.

Jul 15, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

16

3

3

June 2025

Ruminations: Grief, Mentor Matrix, + Therapy

“When are you going to write again?” was the final question my therapist asked me, and I knew he got me.

Jun 23, 2025 • Abdul-Malik Merchant

9

1

April 2025

Trepidation

The house gleamed, but his heart trembled. What burden was hiding beneath the surface of a simple Suhba?

Published on The Guest House • Apr 24, 2025