From Tehran to Caracas, the voice of a Muslim woman rang out—Sahar Emami, embodying a revolutionary vision of womanhood.
A prominent anchor for Iran’s Political Deputy, she redefined the image of a Muslim revolutionary woman with her strength and poise. Her presence alone sends a powerful message: Womanhood is revolution.
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An In-depth Conversation with a Romanian Muslim Woman Who Embraced Islam and Made Iran Her New Home.
In this special feature by Jahanbanou News, we engage in a dialogue with Zahra Oberado, a Romanian woman who converted to Islam 33 years ago. Currently residing in Qom, Iran, she works as a dentist after migrating from Romania five years after her conversion. Zahra’s journey from living under a communist regime to embracing Islam is inspiring and offers a unique perspective on faith, identity, and cultural shifts. (Part 1)
Zahra Oberado, originally named Spana Loubita Oberado, was born and raised in Romania. At the age of 19, she embraced Islam and later moved to Iran after five years, fulfilling her long-held dream. Now, 33 years after her conversion, Zahra reflects on her life before Islam, the communist regime in Romania, and the deep spiritual transformation that followed her conversion.
“I was raised in a communist system where family life was emphasized, and individuality or personal freedom was often discouraged,” Zahra explains. In Romania, girls like her were expected to excel academically and professionally, with the hope of becoming “the ideal woman” a career-focused, fashionable, and successful person.
However, Zahra felt that something was missing. The deeper questions about life, faith, and purpose were unanswered in her surroundings.
Her exposure to Islam came during her university years, where she met students from Muslim-majority countries. Unlike her Romanian peers, these students were notably polite, disciplined, and exhibited a lifestyle distinct from the casual, party-focused culture that pervaded her environment. “I was curious about them,” Zahra recalls. “They didn’t engage in the same activities we did, and they maintained a sense of modesty that intrigued me.”
In particular, the Muslim students’ respect for one another and their devotion to their faith sparked Zahra’s curiosity. Through patient discussions and exchanges of ideas, she began to learn more about Islam, its principles, and its way of life. She was particularly struck by the modesty and the spiritual depth these students demonstrated, which contrasted sharply with the secular and materialistic values prevalent in her society. “I felt an inner pull towards Islam. It wasn’t an overnight decision, but I eventually embraced it, and it became a turning point in my life.”
Zahra’s conversion was met with confusion and resistance from her family. Raised in a secular environment with high expectations to be successful, her decision to wear the hijab and adopt a Muslim lifestyle seemed like a step backward to her family. At first, they thought her new Muslim friends had influenced her to join a terrorist group. “They couldn’t understand it,” Zahra recalls. “They thought I was being deceived.”
Over time, however, her family saw that her choices were genuine, and while they still didn’t fully accept her conversion, they came to respect her decision.
Under the communist regime in Romania, gender equality was heavily emphasized, but the values underpinning it were rooted in the ideology of labor and collective work. “In the communist system, work was the highest value, and women were expected to contribute equally to the workforce,” Zahra says. As a dentist-in-training, Zahra was assured of employment upon graduation, as state-controlled industries guaranteed jobs for everyone. “But women had little room for personal expression,” Zahra observes. “Even family life was often seen as secondary to one’s work.”
In terms of marriage, roles were dictated by the state, and women were expected to fulfill their duties as workers and mothers, all while being subject to strict surveillance. “Even in my personal life, I was expected to conform to societal norms,” she explains.(This report continues)
Interview: Faeze Aghamohammady
Iranian women are making significant strides in the field of astronomy and space exploration, with numerous achievements both domestically and internationally. A recent event, “Girls, Pioneers of Space,” highlighted the contributions of Iranian women to the space industry and celebrated their groundbreaking work.
The event titled “Girls, Pioneers of Space” was held at the “Mina Dome” Planetarium located in the Abbasabad Cultural and Tourism Complex on the evening of October 26, 2023, in collaboration with the International Girls Friendship Association and the Asian Mayors’ Forum.
The ceremony was attended by Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the 14th government, Zahra Behrooz Azar, Deputy for Women and Family Affairs in the 14th government, Yelena Serova, Russian cosmonaut, Yelena Luchitskaya, Russian analog astronaut, Vafa Sedqi, project manager of Payam and space expert, and Seyed Mohammad Hossein Hejazi, managing director of the Abbasabad Cultural and Tourism Complex.
Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the 14th government, emphasized the achievements of Iranian women and girls in various international arenas, saying: “Just as our women and girls achieve great success both inside and outside the country, they are also making achievements in the fields of astronomy and space, which is a source of pride and honor.”
Referring to young Iranian researchers and scientists, Mohajerani added: “Our girls are famous on Earth and in space as well.”
“As someone who works in the field of education, I appreciate the efforts of these dear ones and continue to learn from young Iranian researchers and scientists.”
Seyed Mohammad Hossein Hejazi, managing director of the Abbasabad Cultural and Tourism Complex, continued by stating that the 560-hectare Abbasabad lands have been able to play a significant role in tourism and science.
He said: “It is a great honor for Iran and this complex that Iranian girls and women have been able to hold a scientific event at an international level, and this is very valuable.”
According to Hejazi, the Mina Dome Planetarium is one of the two specialized astronomy observatories in the country that is available to astronomy enthusiasts.
The managing director of the Abbasabad Cultural and Tourism Complex emphasized that at a time when the enemies of this homeland are trying to sow seeds of despair in people’s hearts, considering scientific and cultural approaches, we can create honor for the country on the international stage.
He also referred to the membership of the Abbasabad Cultural and Tourism Complex in the “United Nations World Tourism Organization” (UNWTO) and said: “Last year, the Secretary-General of this organization came to Tehran and was very surprised after seeing the existing facilities.”
He stated with confidence that all the technology of this complex has been reverse engineered by Iranian experts and knowledge-based companies. With such capabilities, we need to introduce these achievements to the world.
In continuation of this event, Vafa Sedqi, project manager of Payam and space expert, provided explanations about the Payam satellite and the influential role of women in the science of astronomy.
The subject of space science and children’s worldview, along with a scientific workshop for children and space, were other programs that were introduced to children and adolescents at the “Girls, Pioneers of Space” event.
It is worth mentioning that Hanane Khoramdashti, winner of the gold medal at the 2024 International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad, Baran Pourseif, winner of the bronze medal at the International Robotics Olympiad, Mojdeh Delirsharmi, director of the International Girls Friendship Association, and Yelena Luchitskaya, Russian analog astronaut, were honored at this ceremony.
From: irna.ir
Self-care has been a hot subject lately, and it should be something we have all heard of by now. It’s important for achieving a healthy lifestyle, in balancing our mental and emotional health and just dealing with life in general.
self-care is not always a general list of things to do that applies to everyone, but that different categories of self-care apply to different people. Moms, for example, may benefit from a specific set of self-care activities. An already mentally healthy person may benefit from a certain type of self-care. But those who struggle with depression (whether it’s clinical or situational, or similar types of mental health issues)… ahh. They are a whole other ball game. Now throw in being a Muslim.
The problem with people who struggle with being depressed is that you may not want to practice self-care at all. We’re told that it is doing what we want, right? Something we can indulge in. Something that we like. For a depressed person, that is nothing. Depending on how bad your episode or situation is, nothing seems like something we’d like to do.
You want to stay in bed. You want to not shower. You want to either not eat anything or over-eat everything. You want to not socialize with anyone. As a Muslim, you have five daily prayers that you may not want to do
The thing is, self-care may not always be something we find indulging. It may be something we hate. Yes, as ironic as it sounds, sometimes it is the opposite of what you want to do- but it is what you need to do in order to take care of yourself and get out of the rut.
Dragging yourself out of your room to make a healthy smoothie. Taking a walk. Forcing yourself to go out with that group of friends tomorrow when you don’t want to. And getting up with no motivation for life to drag yourself to make wudu and pray, as awful as that sounds, is self-care for the depressed person. But it won’t feel that way to them- at least not immediately
They don’t want to do it. And the other cute things like bubble baths and hobbies may not appeal to them. They want to be left alone. They don’t seem to like or have an interest in much. Nothing seems fun enough, or worth it. It all just seems…. pointless. But to let yourself lose your connection with Allah (SWT), to let yourself become isolated from the companionship of friends and family, which Allah (SWT) created for us for a reason, and to let your physical health go down the drain, that is the opposite of self-care. That is self-destruction
Here is a list of eight self-care tips for the Depressed Muslim that may get you started
God, that is the last thing on your mind, right? It’s hard to take care of your health when you’re already not well, but your body will thank you. Science AND psychological studies have proven time and time again that what we eat can affect our moods. What you’re eating could even be causing your depression. Try to read up on this, there’s so much knowledge out there on what to eat to make you feel better.
As tired as you may be, laying in bed for hours will actually make you more tired, perpetuating a cycle of fatigue. Sunlight and exercise have immense healing effects and do wonders to make you feel better. Lack of vitamin D, has been shown to cause depression. Exercising increases the chemicals that make you feel better, and also increases your strength. So go take even a small walk down your block if you need to. It will clear your head, get your blood moving, and help you in the long run
You may feel like you are too far from God to pray. You may feel ashamed, or just too tired. Some of that may even be from shaytan, by the way. Tell yourself that even though you might make the worst wudu, and have the worst salat, you’re still going to get up and do it. You’ll feel better after. While one should not have such a low standard for salat, it is more important to do it. Tell yourself that it may be subpar now, but you’ll get better with it as you go along. After your salat, pour your heart out to Allah (SWT). Tell him what you’re going through. Talk to Him. Cry to Him. Ask Him for help. You will feel peace, and you will start to crave salat, God willing.
Just try to choose people that are positive and keep good company. You may not feel like doing so at all, but keep in mind that shaytan often uses the tactic of isolating us, because that is when he can bring us down the most. There’s Hikmah (wisdom) in why Allah made us social creatures and preferred us to pray at masjids in congregation. We are stronger when we around other good people. We are more vulnerable when we are alone.
. If you need to give in for a little bit, do it. But give yourself a time limit, like an hour, and then you will get up. You may actually feel exhausted because you have over stimulated your sleep hormones from being in bed often. If you are really tired, go sit next to a window with sunlight and do nothing. It’s still much better than being in bed. Keep in mind that depression is like an extremely large, and extremely heavy ball. It seems impossible to move it at first. You’re exhausted from pushing. But once you get the ball rolling, it picks up speed from there. Likewise, while simple tasks such as even showering can seem impossible, if you push a little to get the balling rolling, it will get easier from there.
More specifically Surah Baqarah that can be found on YouTube. We are taught that Quran is a Shifa (cure). There are also many duas for depression or anxiety that one can make.
. Even if you feel like you are not the type, or it just doesn’t seem like your thing. Forcing yourself to write a little each day can help you clear your mind and let out pent up thoughts. It will help you to start understanding yourself and your emotions better.
This can seem scary and foreign to many, and maybe even be the biggest obstacle. But seeking help from a therapist and possibly even medicine (relax, a therapist can’t shove pills down your throat if you don’t want to do that) can be the start to a better life; which also may seem scary depending on how far down you’ve gone. But trust me, you’ll be happy you did.
RESEARCH; University professor says “Hijab Can Protect Women from Depression”
Mariam Noor, the hope for heart disease treatments
Mariam Noor, a PhD student in medical engineering, has developed a medical device that will help the human heart improve blood flow. This device will probably eliminate the need for heart and other cardiovascular surgeries.
Noor said:” A prosthetic heart valve is an effective form of treatment, but it’s also a relatively complicated surgical procedure that brings with it a number of risks and complications in the long term. Now we have found a solution that can make it easier to treat patients This solution, is annulus shaped device which has been succefully tested by researchers, showing a historic promise and is hailed by cardiologists everywhere as revolutionary.
Mariam Noor added: ” I look at surgical issues through the lens of an engineer, because there’s a lot of physics and mathematics in our cardiovascular system. My approach has been to understand how the aorta works and then transfer this knowledge to design a ring that can recreate normal anatomical conditions in patients.”
We looked at the geometric pattern of the main artery in a pig with a ring and in a pig without it, and we could see that we can actually preserve the natural dynamics.
Mariam Noor added at the end:” After few years of testing, heart patients will see the benefits of the small ring that seems to be able to cure leaking heart valves.”
Somalis in the diaspora welcomed Mariam Noor’s historic achievement in this great invention.
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