Fashion is important for the Al-Khalidi sisters. I first met two of them, Nour and Maryam, in Oman during Muscat Fashion Week, where the sisters make everything they wear look effortless – from workout clothes to an abaya designed by Elio Abou Fayssal. With millions of followers, they have blogs devoted to their wardrobes and are often seen sitting front row at fashion shows around the world. Yet recently, they found themselves in their pyjamas heading somewhere unexpected.
As the sisters were about to get fitted for F1, Nour, the eldest and self-proclaimed most chaotic, noticed a stray cat convulsing on the pavement, white foam bubbling from its mouth. The sisters rushed to the vet in their pyjamas, prayer beads in hand. They stayed for hours, refusing to leave until the cat had stabilised, its laboured breathing finally evening out into something resembling peace. For Nour, the decision was instinctive, rooted in stories she’d grown up hearing about the Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, whose compassion extended to all of God’s creatures and even famously cutting off the sleeve of his prayer garment rather than disturb a cat sleeping upon it.
The vet assessed and treated the vulnerable cat whilst the sisters prayed for its health. The cat was revived and prescribed medicine to be administered routinely. They realised F1 could wait. Showing mercy was more important.
The journey to Mecca
That act of mercy during F1 weekend became a quiet prelude to how the sisters would close out the year. As the world prepared for champagne toasts and countdown celebrations, Nour, Yusur, Maryam, Dania, and their mother unanimously decided to spend New Year’s Day performing Umrah, a Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. “We wanted to start our year in the purest place on earth,” Nour shares. “Mecca touches your soul.”
The Iraqi-Finnish sisters based in Dubai were hoping to disconnect from the influencer world they inhabit daily and reconnect with what matters most: faith.
“We’re at events every day, in restaurants every day,” explains Maryam, the third eldest sister. “We needed to disconnect from social media and our phones. When we got to Mecca, everything changed.”
“I kept saying Alhamdulillah,” Nour adds.
Before departing, the sisters performed the prescribed rituals: showering, removing their jewellery, donning simple abayas, and praying two prayers. On the plane, as they reached the designated point called El Mikat, they recited their intention in unison. From Jeddah, they drove an hour and a half to Mecca, barely stopping at their hotel before heading straight to the Kaaba.
“We put our luggage down, didn’t even see our room,” Nour recalls. “We just grabbed our things and left. All of us together.”
She felt an urgency to get to the Kaaba, the black stone at the centre of the holy site, because she knew her trip was a divine gift. For their mother, who finds long flights difficult, Dubai’s proximity to Saudi Arabia has made these sacred journeys possible. Watching her cry tears of happiness upon seeing the Kaaba made all the sisters cry, too.
Just a dose of sisterly drama
Performing Umrah together means navigating the inevitable sisterly friction. “Oh my gosh, there’s always drama,” Nour laughs. “But there are levels, and our drama is the silly drama—not the deep one. Like, we fight about sharing shoes.”
Maryam slapped Nour on the wrist when Nour wanted to mindlessly chat. “She didn’t let me say one word of gossip,” Nour admits. “She didn’t let me curse. We were just focused on reading the Quran and praying.”
The physical logistics proved equally demanding. Navigating crowds of thousands, the sisters locked arms and circled the Kaaba. “The challenging thing is we had to be together,” Maryam explains. “If we lost each other, you couldn’t find them anymore. There’s no internet with thousands of people in the same place.”
For Maryam, this responsibility felt different from her solo Umrah years earlier. “When I went alone, I only thought about myself,” she reflects. “With my family, I felt more responsible. We had to focus on each other, especially looking out for Dania, our youngest sister.”
Dania experienced Umrah for the first time at 17. The older sisters felt an innate responsibility to guide her through every step, teaching her the rituals whilst maintaining their own spiritual focus. When an elderly woman asked Nour to assist her in some of the laps, Nour graciously added this stranger to their chain of sisterhood. They took five hours as they circled the Kaaba seven times, making duas.
“I prayed for a lot,” Nour explains. “Health, wealth, to keep this beautiful country safe, and God bless my two cats. I have to pray for them. And I always pray that God makes my end peaceful and I go to Jannah.”
Lessons from the Kaaba
The sisters returned to Dubai changed. “I see the Kaaba in my eyes wherever I go now,” Maryam confesses. The lessons were simple yet profound: forgive more, give more, release what you’re holding inside. Since returning, the sisters have committed to more charity work, like stocking Dubai’s community fridges.
“My mum taught us that if there’s a problem between each other, we have to solve it before we go to bed,” Nour explains. “You never know what will happen. Don’t keep it in your heart until you explode.”
For Maryam, who tries her best to maintain five daily prayers, the journey reinforced that faith isn’t about rules and punishment. “God always forgives us,” she says. “The main thing is don’t hurt people, treat your family well, and respect everyone.”
The updated New Year’s tradition
The sisters plan to perform Umrah every New Year now. The pull is irresistible, not just to the sacred sites, but to that particular bond that emerges from a sisterhood in Umrah.
“Don’t wait for anyone to tell you to go,” Maryam advises other sisters planning their own journey. “Don’t hesitate. When you feel it, when you have the chance—go. It’s an invitation from God.”
As influencers navigating a world often dismissed as vapid and superficial, the Al-Khalidi sisters have found their anchor. They aim to be positive influences by showing the world the beauty of Islam and Muslim sisterhood. “I influence, I don’t force,” Maryam says. When her non-Muslim friend in Finland expressed interest in Islam, Maryam happily invited her to join in prayer.
The influencer world and her Muslim world aren’t separate, according to Maryam. “At the end of the day, I want to be a good influence. I love supporting my followers and talking about self-love and prayer.” Maryam’s content has even influenced Nour, the sisters gush, inspiring each other to stay disciplined and consistent in prayer and good deeds.
After completing Umrah, the sisters worked up an appetite. Dinner was their reward, but sisterhood was the greater gift. “When Ramadan starts, you’re invited to our house for iftar,” Nour tells me as we part ways. I smile, honoured to witness their Muslim sisterhood.