Another year wrapping up and gratefully we were able to put together another fantastic list of Muslim fiction by Muslim authors to showcase their talent, creativity, and dedication to authentic Muslim narratives. I've said it a millions and enshallah, I hope that I am able to keep saying it and keep spreading it and pushing it: Muslim fiction by Muslim authors is necessary. It's not easy work. It's not an easy sell to get the traditional publishing world to see us and our stories as necessary. So this list and others like it have become vital platforms for marketing our strength and diversity to the Muslim world and non Muslim world alike.
Juwayriyah and I are appreciative to all of the Muslim authors on this list! Thank you for writing your stories and sharing and networking with us at Author & Educator Umm Juwayriyah & #MuslimGirlsRead. Enshallah, I wish us all a successful and creative new year.
Your 2018 Muslim Authors and Stories are here:
Tethered to a man perfectly willingly to destroy her sanity, Bella must somehow find the strength within herself to leave and never look back. Logan appears to all who know him as a charming and adoring husband, yet behind closed doors, a dangerous, darker side emerges. To his circle of unsuspecting friends, he is the master of his destiny. To the trail of broken women left behind, a cruel and callous monster. But to his family and most of all Bella, he remains an inescapable and recurring nightmare. Trapped, isolated, and unable to seek help, Bella plots her escape, but time, as well as opportunity are quickly running out.
#2 Because of H.E.R by Jamilah F. Bashir, M.Ed
Growing up with a sibling that has a disability is not easy. At times Jamilah felt frustrated, sad, and embarassed of her little sister Aasiyah and her limitations. Having to help her her tie her shoes, get dressed, and look out for her, could be overwhelming. Through the experience she grew a deep connection with her sister as her protector and friend. Jamilah's journey growing up with her sister would shape how she would impact the world in the later years. Join her as she shares her amazing story.
Mukhtar is a young blacksmith facing everyday struggles to support himself and his widowed mother. Life is brutal and harsh, even harsher while the empire only looks after its own and the rest of the people are left to fend for themselves. In an impulsive moment Mukhtar frees four slaves from their captors. Little does he know how this will shape his destiny. As the turmoil unfolds, his mother unveils her most guarded secret - an ancient and once powerful amulet once belonging to his long lost father. The amulet sets Mukhtar on a path to unraveling a grim and dark part of his bloodline. Now at a crossroads of good and evil, he must face his life's greatest trials in order to save the empire from annihilation.
Fatima Al Fihri, the founder of the world's first university, is about a non fiction figure from Islamic history. It is a story about a girl who wants to contribute positively to her community, this is her dream. As she grows up she is faced with loss and is left with great fortune. However, instead of dwelling on her loss or greedily keeping the fortune to herself, she decides to the extraordinary: she builds a mosque which includes a place of learning. As years go by, the mosque becomes one of the biggest centers of her time and eventually the first university in the world.
In the village of Al'Aqrab there lived an orphan by the name of Musa ibn Rudainah. Shunned for what he inherited from his mother's legacy. He was ever the target of his people's scorn and contempt. Even so, his aging grandfather, Talha, knew that Musa was the rightful heir to their legendary Ladghatul 'Aqrab, a sword whose fame and glory were known throughout the all the lands. With the countless foes plotting to get their hands on it, Talha, the current keeper of the blade, must prepare his grandson for what awaits him of impending perils and predicaments.
Chowdhury writes about the hijab from her own perspective, as a symbol of of choice and empowerment as opposed to one of oppression. Her writing provides an authentic voice, which is extremely necessary when it comes to discussion of such topics. We are in desperate need of having more genuine, witty, and sincere Muslim female voices like hers to be at the forefront of our discourse. --- Sadia Ahmed
#7 The Ducktrinors
(Book 1 & 2) by Papatia Feauxzar
(Book 1 & 2) by Papatia Feauxzar
The world is coming to an end and Hanifa Ducktrinor can feel it. The seculars rule the world and keeping the sunnah and the deen intact became a challenge. Hanifa, the cadet of the Ducktrinor family, is a courageous young Muslim living in a time where practicing her religion is really hard. She wants to be the courageous, educated Coreishy woman she dreams of every day. When the opportunity presents itself to Hanifa to fight for her dreams, she realizes she might have gotten in way over her head.
Her brother Malik wants to be a teacher. He knows to be a scholar, you must have knowledge - ilm, amal - obedience to Islam, and ikhlas - doing everything to only to please Allah. Malik takes his deen seriously, but will it be enough to save the day?
In this ground breaking book about living with mental illness as an American Muslim, internationally acclaimed author, Umm Zakiyyah, shares the true story of Sakinah, "the Muslim Hippie" who thought she'd found a faith family and loving community after converting to Islam. However, as she lived with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, her manic-depressive states led her to be ostracized, confused, and ultimately rejected and alone.
This story gives a glimpse into the life of one Muslim woman as she finds her way from darkness of uncertainty to become a passionate mental health advocate.
Now that Zayd had made the Gold team, he's hustling hard and loving every minute of the season. But when the team starts to struggle Zayd can't help wondering if it has something to do with him. Even worse, his best friend Adam starts acting like he doesn't care about basketball anymore, even though they are finally teammates. Does Zayd have what it takes to be on point and lead his team back to victory?
Nanni's Hijab is a story about Nanni, a little girl who loves wearing her hijab. She wears a different hijab everyday. Her classmates enjoy seeing all the the different colors and designs of Nanni's hijabs, except Leslie. Leslie doesn't like Nanni or her hijabs. She tries to bully Nanni for wearing her hijabs to school. Leslie humiliates Nanni in the school yard infront of all their of their classmates by snatching Nanni's hijab off of her head. Read about how Nanni handles her bully.
#11 Saffron: A Collection of Personal Narrative by Muslim 
Women Edited by Zaheera Jina
Women Edited by Zaheera Jina
It's anthology of writing that draws on the lived realities of Muslim women. Food and cooking, hardship and conflict, intimacy, baby-making, children, living with in-laws, and self-esteem are some of the experiences unpacked in this collection of poignant personal narratives.
In Not Without My Hijab, DeOliveira walks you through her personal journey to self-discovery while navigating college, corporate America, and relationships. Her self-discovery leads her to create 11 steps to Reclaiming Your Faith.
Amongst many things, Dahumie's mom uses her imagination through mimicking small hand cymbal instruments different than hand symbols to help teach the Al-Khaliq (the Creator) attribute of Allah. Throughout the story, children learn that Allah has created all that exists.
The year is 2085! The world has reached the end of the evolutionary continuum. In this post-evolutionary word, truth and conscience are expendable. In the atheist dominated world, right and wrong are dictated not by God or His holy books, but by an overreaching World Government Organization. It is up to Kamil and Okoye to get the four points of the Dukyarian Rectangle to stop antagonizing each other and instead work together to unpend the WGO.
A young Muslim girl spends a busy day wrapped up in her mother's colorful headscarf in this sweet and fanciful picture book.
I Love My Hijab celebrates the beauty and diversity of the hijab! It was written to encourage young Muslim children to learn, love, and be proud of their Muslim heritage.
Meet Yasmin! Yasmin is a spirited second grader who's always on the lookout for those "aha" moments to help her solve life's little problems. Taking inspiration from her surroundings and big imagination, she boldly faces any situation.
Everyone in the village knows not to come near the cranky, old, monkey Rico or his precious bananas. However, after some unwanted encounters, Rico learns a life changing lesson.
As an Indian wedding gathers a family back together, parents Rafiq and Layla must reckon with the choices their children have made. There is Hadia: their headstrong eldest daughter, whose marriage is a match of love and not tradition. Huda, the middle child determined to follow in her sister's footsteps. And lastly their estranged son, Amar, who returns to the family fold for the first time in three years to take his place as the brother of the bride. What secrets and betrayals have caused this close-knit family to fracture?
A compilation of poems, prose, and quotes, and reflections on hope, healing, and empowerment and faith as we journey through life's trials and triumphs as we rise and fall. It invites us to listen to our heart's truth to find the peace our soul longs for and to be resilient in our pursuit of purpose and finding fulfillment.
In this story Hadi and Sameer's mom explains having compassion to her children by underlining the universal value of having acceptance and love for others, regardless of our differences.
Ivorian cuisine has started to gain recognition across the globe. In addition, many Ivorians are seeking restaurants to enjoy their favorite foods to enjoy their favorite traditional and street foods. Others simply want to know how to cook the foods their ancestors made. This is the cookbook for you. It's an easy to follow guide that will introduce you to Ivorian foods or quickly fall in love again.
The Forbidden Relationship illustrates the dangers of haram relationships. It offers deep insights into what a haram relationship is and why it is deemed wrong, all the while providing practical steps to on how to avoid such relationships and if need be, how to deal with the aftermath of such a relationship. It's a must read!
Ammarah thought she was ready for marriage. She'd thought the idea over for months before bringing it to her parents. Now that there is a chance that she might actually get what she wants, Ammarah is far less certain. Eaten up with anxiety over her own shortcomings and the impending challenge of altering herself to fit what a good wife should be, Ammarah has to decide what her next step will be. Will she let fear overwhelm her or will she find the courage to start her new journey?
Calling in a debt to get your granddaughter married was tacky. This time it was dangerous, too. Ibrahim Khan had devoted his life to ensuring that he was the most dangerous man in town. And now, his beloved granddaughter was the one suffering for it. Iman still couldn't understand why kicked her out! She'd forgiven him, but she was above using it in her favor.
Adam had come to sorely regret the day Ibrahim Khan saved his life. If he'd known then that the help came with strings, he'd prayed for death, not life.
Princess Alishba wears a VERY big crown and fancy frocks so people think she is arrogant and stuck up. In reality she longs to wear comfortable clothes like ordinary people - and her large crown actually hides a secret! Make sure you grab this book for your kids.
Miss Never Pleased is the story of a relatable character in today's children's lives. She was naive and self-obsessed and nothing could please her. The diary belonged to a girl who longed to be perfect but failed miserably. She learns to embrace people and life with imperfections and discovers the art of living a happy life.
Adam Lyons is a successful New Yorker who has never known his mother except that her life ended moments before his began. An unexpected letter from Pakistani grandmother sends him on a quest he didn't know he needed - a path towards satisfying his spiritual hunger.
Iman, who lives on the opposite side of Central Park, couldnever have predicted the turns her life took. In her search for peace, she must submit to a fate she is desperate to escape.
But Max has his own plans. His entire life he has been waiting to give them what they deserve rather than what they desire. Now, he has to end things once and for all. His problem? He has to survive two life sentences to fulfill his hunger.
A thriller about three Muslim highschool students who must uncover the conspiracies of the Sefids, a mysterious international organization.
Zaafir is an intelligent, sports loving, and handsome guy who is adored by girls at his university. But he likes Ajlal who barely hangouts with anyone on campus. Ajlal has no interest in the popular Zaafir. She doesn't think he is a religious man at all. Fate will bring them together, but how? Read the book to find out how the mystery is solved.
Would you help to look for a famous diamond if you knew it might cost you your life? Zaid had no idea of the danger involved when he and his sister Zahra joined with new friends, Layla and Adam, in a quest to find the missing Moon of Masarrah diamond. Their idyllic summer vacation takes many twists and turns as they rummage around Bayan house for the elusive gem. Will they succeed in solving the riddle that will led them to the long lost diamond? Or will they be scared off by dangerous enemies to stop them at all cost?
Bashirah and the Amazing Bean Pie shares a fantastic story of a multi-generational African-American Muslim family. A Ramadhan and Eid story filled with faith, food, and family.
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| Author & Educator Umm Juwayriyah, M.Ed |