I regret tossing out my NCERT SST textbooks in the raddi, they were proof of how far the overton window has shifted in less than a decade, with standard government approved textbook material about minority rights in 2015 being borderline seditious in 2024. my political science and sociology textbooks in 2016 and 2017 had entire chapters on babri masjid demolition and the 2002 pogroms and how BJP rode that wave of hate into electoral victory, and now that same material can only be published in online-only paywalled journals at the threat of lawsuits, violence, and denial of FCRA licenses.

i love religious imagery and depictions of religious guilt but it's so upsetting that most of the time it's christianity which is taken into discussion. don't get me wrong, i enjoy media surrounding christianity as well, but some diversity would be nice. especially since there are several religions being followed in this world, and not everyone relates to catholic guilt lol

Banda Khafa ho jaye Khair hai par Rahman Khafa nahi hona chahiye

-Aishay Gul (Jannat Kay Pattay)

-Ar-Rahman is one of the 99 names of Allah which means The most merciful,The entirely merciful,The most Gracious. Allah’s mercy has no limits and he is graciously bountiful to all his servants in every way especially when its about about his mercy and forgiveness. He loves when we ask for forgiveness from him for our sins.

This quote doesn’t mean that you should make just anyone sad. It simply means that you should not do something haram (unlawful/forbidden) by Allah in order to please the humans of this land created by Allah himself. So its best to displease and sadden the heart of the one who is telling you to commit a wrong action instead of disobeying your creator- Allah (swt).

Much to think about…

Hello! It's been a while! Update - work and my dissertation is kicking me to the curb. I genuinely wish I had the time to work on this project more but alas... I will be free come July, I just gotta hold out until then...

In the meantime, have a Haroon I made for a friend <3

finished vol 2 of The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya today

and can i say ITS ON MY SHELF BOTH OF THEM

oh MY GOD

i am literally gesturing to the floor right now its so good

the character relationship THE ACCURACY OF THE MUSLIM REP THE MAIN ROMANCE like tis SO REALLLL

and the mc's faith is front and center and its like not just an aside IT GUIDES WHAT HE DOES

LIKE IT TACKLES ORIENTALISM SO WELL

i started crying in the middle of study my guys its OS GOOD

if i had money i would buy it but like like the first vol is $45 and the second is like $60 something and im too broke for this ISIDSIJDIODI

ANYWAY READ

READ THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL

ITS FREE TOOOOOOO

FEAST YOUR EYES AND YOUR SOUL UPON IT

<< The poem Baharay Gull was caroling to >>

The cosmos is your creation, And the straight path is the one you've illuminated. Guide our steps towards your divine will, O Lord of elevation.

The girl from the billionaire's dream

Zayan's heart was pounding wildly. A few beads of sweat were glistening on his forehead. He stood outside the small house, unable to muster the courage to knock on the door. He didn't know why, but a strange fear gripped his heart. He didn't even know what he was afraid of.

On the other side of the door was the woman who had haunted his dreams for so long. And just a few days ago, he had learned that she was not a dream, but a reality. She was a part of his life. She was his wife. The mother of his children.

Zayan didn't know how to face her after so many years. What would he say to her? Why hadn't he come all this time? And even more importantly, he still didn't remember anything about her. He had only thought of her as a dream until now.

And Muntaha…was she still waiting for him? Or…Zayan couldn't think beyond that.

Maybe that was why he couldn't even muster the courage to knock on the door.

She was his wife, but he didn't remember her. Despite that, she held a special place in his heart. Even though he had forgotten her, he didn't want Muntaha to forget him. A strange desire was growing in his heart that she would still be waiting for him.

With great courage, he knocked on the door. He felt like his heart was about to burst.

The door opened.

COMING SOON!!!

Book Review - Home is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo (🇸🇩 Sudan)

[image 1: book cover, photographic - a young Black woman's face, serene, is surround by various types of orange flowers - lilies, daisy-like wildflowers, butterflies; image 2: a map showing Sudan in northeast Africa, south of Egypt; image 3: Sudanese women gather for coffee - four women in saffron and red dresses with head coverings sit around a low octagonal table set with traditional coffee - source: wikimedia]

Home is Not a Country

Author: Safia Elhillo

YA World Challenge read for 🇸🇩 Sudan

Review

Before leaving for the ER a few weeks ago, I threw a bunch of books and audiobooks on library hold so I could read on my phone. I didn't get to this one during my stay, but I listened to it over the next couple of weeks.

First, I have decided that poetry/novels in verse must be listened to on audio especially if the author narrates (which they often do). Elhillo narrates beautifully and gives the book oceans of depth.

Nima is a teen caught between countries. Living in America, she doesn't feel accepted. She is also disconnected from the trauma that gives the previous generation a complicated relationship with their home country. She becomes a "nostalgia monster", as her friend Haitham calls her, listening to the old Arabic songs on cassettes from her mother's generation, searching for culture to belong to. Resentful of an imagined perfect life, she personifies Yasmeen - the name she was almost given - into someone to be jealous of... until something happens.

This novel starts out as a poetic narrative of a second-generation immigrant, slowly evolving in a magical realism adventure with a twist! With themes of belonging and being careful what you wish for, Nima is a relatable and imperfect heroine. This was an enjoyable and thoughtful read.

★  ★  ★ ★   4 stars

Other reps: #muslim #immigrant

Genres: #poetry #contemporary #magical realism

How Many Hints Does It Take to Change Your Life: a "Take a Hint, Dani Brown" review

Class is in session! Get ready to take some notes (and a hint or two). My review for "Take a Hint, Dani Brown" is here!

Content Warning: Take a Hint, Dani Brown deals with issues related to anxiety, loss of close family, and brief mentions of emotional trauma. It is still a romcom, though, so the heavier topics are balanced out very well. Also, if you’re under 18, I’m once again gonna be your internet elder and advise you to stay in a child’s place. This book isn’t for you. Reader discretion is advised. Spoilers…

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🦇 Courting Samira Book Review 🦇

❝ I didn’t want my existence to rest on what everyone else thought about me or wanted for me. I wondered how long I had been this way: not really moving forward but sideways. ❞

❓ #QOTD What trait (personality-wise or physical) is a hard No during first dates? ❓ 🦇 As a 27-year-old Muslim girl living at home, Samira Abdel-Aziz is no stranger to arranged matches; first dates under the supervision of both sets of parents. As a fan of rom-coms, Samira knows it's unlike that her very own Palestinian Muslim Westley will come and sweep her off her feet, but a girl can dream. At least, it was dreaming until she meets Menem; gorgeous, charming, sweet...and the brother of her cousin's husband-to-be. Between work at a bridal magazine, helping her borderline Bridezilla cousin with the wedding, and officially courting Menem, it all feels like too much. Can Samira find her personal happily ever...and the truth about herself in the process?

💜 Subhan Allah, a book that finally speaks to the realities of growing up in a moderately traditional Muslim household (let alone a Palestinian one!!). I've read quite a few books featuring Muslim main characters, but this is the first that captured the authenticity. Samira endures arranged matches, the pressures of meeting parental expectations, and the stressors of singledom (as if our stories aren't complete until we're married). All my favorite, delicious Palestinian delicacies are mentioned (Samira, I feel you, wrapping warak dawali / stuffed grape leaves is HARD). I adored the comparison between Jane Austen / regency era England courtships and Samira's courtships to make the concept easy to understand (I've seen a few people tag this with the "arranged marriage" trope, and that's inaccurate). Much of Samira's internal dialogue is witty and fun, making her easy to empathize with. I'm also grateful for the RANGE of female Muslim characters portrayed in this book, from pious to less traditional to a little bit wild (mild by usual standards, trust me). It was also a joy to see a few familiar names (my mother's, brothers, aunt's...to name a few). I hope this story is a glimpse into Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab cultures to those who read it!

🦇 Unfortunately, the pacing really dragged. None of the plot points felt fully fleshed out. Samira's internal dialogue contains too many fleeting or repetitive thoughts to really give the story juice. A lot of the internal conflict she experiences lacks emotional depth. Is she feeling the pressure to meet potential matches because she's getting older (her cousin is getting married, which usually encourages family members to put pressure on the singles)? Does marrying a friend, even for a minute, seem like a good idea because it's easy; because she knows him? Despite her mixed emotions, we don't really feel the tension or stress she's experiencing. There's no real spark of chemistry between the man she's courting (or Samira and her friend) either, which is perhaps the most frustrating. Without that chemistry, the "love triangle" trope falls flat. The subplot of Samira realizing she wants to become a photographer, not a writer, is the only piece of her character that exists outside anything wedding-related, but there's no real payout there. I thought, and hoped, that would be the meat of the story; that Samira would realize she doesn't need to get engaged or married in any rush when she can focus on her own growth instead. The ending feels rushed and unnatural when Samira could have done the unexpected. Despite inching toward 30, Samira also comes off as juvenile (which I've seen some people say "perhaps that has to do with the culture" in reviews, which HURTS).

🦇 Recommended to anyone looking for a light rom-com (with a few dashes of friends-to-lovers potential and meddling besties). Definitely ideal for fans of Bridget Jones's Diary.

✨ The Vibes ✨ ☪️ Contemporary Romance ☪️ Muslim & Palestinian MC ☪️ Love Triangle ☪️ Jane Austen / The Princess Bride References ☪️ Arranged Matches (NOT Marriage)

🦇 Major thanks to the author @amalmdawad and publisher @harperviabooks for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

200. O Relutante Fundamentalista (The Reluctant Fundamentalist, 2012), dir.ª Mira Nair

would you ever read my novel if i publish it?

Brushing off the dust after a long time! I can still sketch - now onto colouring (and all the other backgrounds).

A mysterious jukebox, old vinyl records, and cryptic notes on music history, are Shaheen’s only clues to her father’s abrupt disappearance. She looks to her cousin, Tannaz, who seems just as perplexed, before they both turn to the jukebox which starts … glowing?

Suddenly, the girls are pulled from their era and transported to another time! Keyed to the music on the record, the jukebox sends them through decade after decade of music history, from political marches, to landmark concerts. But can they find Shaheen’s dad before the music stops? This time-bending magical mystery tour invites readers to take the ride of their lives for a coming-of-age adventure.