Assalamu Alaikum & A Warm Welcome
Sincerely, Sumayah Substack Edition
Telling stories about finding home, healing, and the subtleties of being human
I’m Sumayah Hassan, I offer mentoring and support groups for Muslim women. You might know me as the voice behind the Sincerely, Sumayah podcast, a co-host of Honest Tea Talk, or from my Instagram where I post daily snippets, thoughts, and insights.
I created this substack as the home of my longer, deeper content since Instagram is primarily designed to be a visual medium. Social media is fickle, your account can be deleted at any time. We’re being forced to deal with ever-increasing ads and algorithms showing our content to a fraction of the community.
I also wanted a place where I could be my entire self. That means being able to talk about things that make me laugh, cry, or want to scream. I have always wanted to be more of myself online, but I was—and still am, to some degree—filled with fear about how I would be received. As someone who started out teaching Qur’an workshops, I’m aware that there was an unspoken expectation, and even responsibility to represent and embody what it means to be a religious person.
Deep down I have always been the same person. Over the years it’s been a journey of negotiating with my shame and shadow qualities to decide which parts get to be shared and seen. This substack is where I choose to take that leap. I’m expressing more of myself in paid posts because I have the safety of offering that to an exclusive group of people who trust and believe in me so much, that they’re giving me permission and enrolling to see more.
Bottom line: I am ever-grateful for the community I’m blessed to have on Instagram, but it was time to look for a new home. That's what this is.
Thank you for reading this long-winded page, and I look forward to connecting more deeply with you.
Sincerely, Sumayah is a reader-supported weekly publication. To receive new content and support my work, consider becoming a subscriber, it’s free!
There is a tier for paid subscribers at £6 a month, and posts in their entirety will be paywalled. If you are already subscribed, you are among the kind-hearted souls making this labor of love available, and from my heart to yours: I appreciate you more than you know.
Why subscribe? You’ll get:
The Sincerely, Sumayah (SE) podcast, where I speak about things I normally wouldn’t touch on my public podcast.
Access to the Casual Conversations with Interesting Characters, unedited, unscripted podcasts where I explore the minds of my favorite people.
Access to Dear Sumayah an advice column where I answer your questions
Most importantly: a way for people who appreciate my work to show love & sustain Sincerely, Sumayah.
And of course, all of the publicly available content will always be free!
If a paid subscription isn’t an option, and you’d like access to this content, email me at sumayah@substack.com and I’ll take care of you.
Want to Ask Me A Question?
for the Dear Sumayah advice column or otherwise
Go ahead and email it to me at sumayah@substack.com
Disclaimer: Sincerely, Sumayah is not therapy or a mental health service, nor is it a substitute for counseling or mental health services of any kind. I am not showing up in this space as a counselor— I am showing up here as a creative and fellow human. If you are looking for mental health support or therapy, please consult with your local mental health resources.
