The 2019 Big End of The Year List of Muslim Fiction Plus By Author Umm Juwayriyah & Juwayriyah Ayed

Here we are again at the end of another year full of accomplishments, firsts, lessons, loss, discovery, and books - of course! As always, Juwayriyah and I are honored to have the opportunity to highlight some of the Muslim authors who published Muslim fiction and other works this year to add to the ever growing canon of diverse Western Muslim literature. This list intentionally highlights Muslim fiction and other works of literature written by Muslims who authentically lend their narratives, ideas, and thoughts to the world. These Muslim authors on this list represent Muslim communities from the West proudly. As always, I remind the world that Muslim authors, especially Muslim fiction authors, are necessary. They are vital. They are helping to reshape bookshelves at libraries, story times at homes and in schools,  and dreams of books worms waiting to slip into the worlds and lives of Muslims. This Big End of Year List of Muslim Fiction Plus is a important platform for marketing our strength and diversity and inclusion to the Muslim and non Muslim publishing world alike. Writing a book is a not an easy task. It's not a highest paid task. It's definitely not an easy sell  - especially for Muslim authors, whether traditionally or self-published or anything in between. It takes dedication and inner strength to wake up and write every single day to reach a publication date. It takes rejection and criticism and edits that seem endless and never 100% perfection. Writing takes grit and standing in your own voice - flaws and all, unashamed of your efforts. Therefore, I am appreciative of all of the Muslims on this list and any other book list for writing what makes your heart full and sharing it with the world.


















#1 Zaynab's Enchanted Scarf by Robyn Abdusamad

Zaynab’s Enchanted Scarf teaches young readers about the historical contributions of Africans and African-Americans with beautiful illustrations that reflect the modernization of today as well as the past. Join Zaynab on a magical trip where she finds the courage and strength to find her way home.  In this book, which is part of a series, little Zaynab travels to Africa to meet Queen Amina, Mansa Musa and Egyptian Royalty Ramses and Nefertiti.

#2 Zakiyyah's Talking Flower Garden

Join Zakiyyah and her cousin, Jalil, on an adventure with her flower garden. This book will educate children about some of the most beautiful flowers on earth while sharing stories about prominent Kings and Queens of Africa. It is sure to spark children's curiosity and encourage them to learn of their history.

#3 Picture This, Picture That by Thomasina Lee & Taahir Lee

Taahir is a four-year-old autistic boy whose brains work a little differently. He communicates in a special way but he likes to have fun just like you. Is there a special way you communicate with other people? What things do you have in common with Taahir?

#4 The Greeting Of Peace by Ismail Kamdar

Meet Yusuf - An excitable young boy who loves nature and learning about the world. In this story, Yusuf and his Uncle Abdullah take a walk in the local park and learn about the importance of remembering Allah, the Islamic greeting, and the rights of God's Creation.

#5 The Muslims Book 8: The Red Shoes

The Muslims book 8: The Red Shoes is a great addition to your Muslim children's book collection. In this book Huda wants to buy some new red shoes, but her mom refuses. Allah has already given Huda a lot of shoes. But Huda desperately wants some red shoes! Mom thinks of an excellent solution and together they both get what they want.'The Muslims', is an Islamic book about a Muslim family of 4. A father, mother, son and daughter, and their interactions with each other and the society around them. The books are meant to teach Muslim children Islamic moral lessons so they can better develop their relationship with their parents, friends, society, and their Lord. It will inshaa Allah educate them on how to respond to everyday challenges of life.If you're looking for a children's religious holiday book to add to your bookshelf, then look no further! Eidul Adha is sure to give a dramatic story while also promoting good morals and good conduct.

#6 Under My Hijab by Hena Khan

Grandma wears it clasped under her chin. Aunty pins hers up with a beautiful brooch. Jenna puts it under a sun hat when she hikes. Zara styles hers to match her outfit. As a young girl observes six very different women in her life who each wear the hijab in a unique way, she also dreams of the rich possibilities of her own future, and how she will express her own personality through her hijab. Written in sprightly rhyme and illustrated by a talented newcomer, Under My Hijab honors the diverse lives of contemporary Muslim women and girls, their love for each other, and their pride in their culture and faith.

#7 My Grandma and Me by Mina Javaherbin

While Mina is growing up in Iran, the center of her world is her grandmother. Whether visiting friends next door, going to the mosque for midnight prayers during Ramadan, or taking an imaginary trip around the planets, Mina and her grandma are never far apart. At once deeply personal and utterly universal, Mina Javaherbin’s words make up a love letter of the rarest sort: the kind that shares a bit of its warmth with every reader. Soft, colorful, and full of intricate patterns, Lindsey Yankey’s illustrations feel like a personal invitation into the coziest home, and the adoration between Mina and her grandma is evident on every page.

#8 The Gift Of Ramadam by Rabiah York Lumbard

Sophia wants to fast for Ramadan this year. She tries to keep busy throughout the day so she won’t think about food. But when the smell of cookies is too much, she breaks her fast early. How can she be part of the festivities now?

#9 The Proudest Blue: A Story Of Hijab And Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad

With her new backpack and light-up shoes, Faizah knows the first day of school is going to be special. It's the start of a brand new year and, best of all, it's her older sister Asiya's first day of hijab--a hijab of beautiful blue fabric, like the ocean waving to the sky. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful, and in the face of hurtful, confusing words, Faizah will find new ways to be strong.

#10 Meet Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi

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 her big imagination, she boldly faces any situation, assuming her imagination doesn't get too big, of course! A creative thinker and curious explorer, Yasmin and her multi-generational Pakistani American family will delight and inspire readers.

#11 My Voice Is My Super Power by Shariea Shoatz

Helping children to know Body Safety Rules, and to speak up if someone makes them feel unsafe can be a challenging, and uncomfortable task for parents, caregivers, counselors and educators. Written from a child’s voice and perspective, My Voice Is My Super Power will help make the job a lot easier.Buddy is a young boy who teaches body safety, and helps his cousin cope with a real-life experience after she disclosed her abuse at their sleepover. With kid-friendly illustrations, and language, childen can read this book alone, or with an adult, to know the concept that their bodies are their own, their voice is their "Super Power", and they have the ability to use it to speak up, if they feel unsafe. This book will help educate, and empower, adults to teach children the concepts of: .Body safety .Unsafe touching .The dangers of keeping secrets .The importance of knowing the correct names of private parts .How to establish safe boundaries for children .

#12 Sadiq And The Green Thumbs by Siman Nuurili

When Sadiq's Dugsi teacher can't take care of his yard because of an injury, Sadiq reluctantly agrees to help out. To make it more fun, Sadiq gathers together some friends to help. Can they care for their teacher's garden and have fun at the same time?

#13 Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga

Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives.At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.

14. Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali

A marvel: something you find amazing. Even ordinary-amazing. Like potatoes—because they make French fries happen. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together. An oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like Zayneb’s teacher, who won’t stop reminding the class how “bad” Muslims are. But Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn’t bad. She’s angry. When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break. Fueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her. Then her path crosses with Adam’s. Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam’s stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister. Adam’s also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father. Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals. Until a marvel and an oddity occur. Marvel: Adam and Zayneb meeting. Oddity: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

#15 All American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney

Allie Abraham has it all going for her--she's a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she's dating cute, popular, and sweet Wells Henderson. One problem: Wells's father is Jack Henderson, America's most famous conservative shock jock...and Allie hasn't told Wells that her family is Muslim. It's not like Allie's religion is a secret, exactly. It's just that her parents don't practice and raised her to keep her Islamic heritage to herself. But as Allie witnesses ever-growing Islamophobia in her small town and across the nation, she begins to embrace her faith--studying it, practicing it, and facing hatred and misunderstanding for it. Who is Allie, if she sheds the façade of the "perfect" all-American girl? What does it mean to be a "Good Muslim?"And can a Muslim girl in America ever truly fit in? 

#16 Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her one hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn't want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid, who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and who dresses like he belongs in the seventh century. When a surprise engagement is announced between Khalid and Hafsa, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and the unsettling new gossip she hears about his family. Looking into the rumors, she finds she has to deal with not only what she discovers about Khalid, but also the truth she realizes about herself.

#17 The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

G. Willow Wilson’s debut novel Alif the Unseen was an NPR and Washington Post Best Book of the Year, and it established her as a vital American Muslim literary voice. Now she delivers The Bird King, a stunning new novel that tells the story of Fatima, a concubine in the royal court of Granada, the last emirate of Muslim Spain, and her dearest friend Hassan, the palace mapmaker. Hassan has a secret―he can draw maps of places he’s never seen and bend the shape of reality. When representatives of the newly formed Spanish monarchy arrive to negotiate the sultan’s surrender, Fatima befriends one of the women, not realizing that she will see Hassan’s gift as sorcery and a threat to Christian Spanish rule. With their freedoms at stake, what will Fatima risk to save Hassan and escape the palace walls? As Fatima and Hassan traverse Spain with the help of a clever jinn to find safety, The Bird King asks us to consider what love is and the price of freedom at a time when the West and the Muslim world were not yet separate.

#18 Pieces by Afsan Malik

As if track practice, yearbook meetings, and tumultuous friendships weren't enough, sisters Hannah and Noreen are catapulted into a disorienting new reality when their dad returns home from his medical mission in Syria a haunted and broken man. All of a sudden, their once tight knit family is falling to pieces. Little do they know, things will become a lot more crazy and unpredictable as each of them fights a different battle.

#19 Here With You by Umm Afraz Muhammed

Salma, a new bride who is happily married to her husband, moves into her in-laws’ house as part of their South Indian culture. A new life, a new beginning, and a new family in a new country. Staying in a place far away from her loved ones, with no one to rely on but her husband, she undergoes the realities of life living under the same roof as her mother-in-law. How will she cope with the lifestyle changes and the daily challenges? Will her dreams of having a good relationship with her mother-in-law come true? Or will she discover the dreaded monster-in-law?Fatima wants to be a good mother-in-law to Salma and yearns for a good relationship with her. Life and time throw opportunities her way to prove herself. Would she take the right decisions and keep her best foot forward? Or would she succumb to her ego and cultural stereotypes?This book is about the emotional tug-of-war between a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law. Sandwiched between the two most important women of his life is Faisal, the son of one and husband of the other.The story revolves around the lives of these three characters and the relationships they share with each other as they learn to stick together despite the ups and downs they face as a joint family.

#20 37 Lessons On How To Gain From Loss by Huma Zuellah Ahmed

God created trials, so He could test you with your truth. You are born free, but you must learn to be pain-free. 37 Lessons on How to Gain from Loss: A Believer's Journey from Trial to Triumph is my own story of remembering, realizing and reaffirming this basic human truth. Drenched in pain, I had limped so far on the Road of Loss that I had lost my way back home. With bleak hope left on my trail, I finally approached the point of no return, awaiting to be consumed by my lingering darkness. However, upon setting my last step on the fall's edge, I was thundered by yet another torment--my biggest trial to date, of losing my mother, the center of my universe. Finding myself trapped in the most turbulent flight for the next twenty-four hours, I was taxed by a tremendous choice, not between action and non-action, or belief and unbelief, but rather between choice and none at all. Would I resist or submit to my tribulation?

#21 Keeping Your Muslim Man Monogamous by Khadijah Rashid

Two years into my marriage, I received the shock of my life. I discovered that my husband and the father to my newborn son, had been unfaithful. The next two years would be spent repairing the damage that had been done. But most importantly, to get to the root of where our relationship had gone wrong. What I discovered would leave me floored. Including the fact that a hijab-clad former friend had been the culprit. Her point of entry? A “sext” message, and a request to be his second wife. It was only by the grace of God, that I, and my marriage survived. And now I want to pass these lessons onto you. Whether you are thinking about marriage, or already married, inshallah this book will give you the tools to properly combat the “Polygamy Problem,” currently plaguing our communities. If you are a polygamist, or interested in it, inshallah this book will help you to see the hurt and destruction it can cause, if you don’t handle it correctly.

#22 Things That Shatter by Kaighla Um Dayo

In 2009, Kaighla—a young, single mother from the Midwest, and a fresh convert to Islam—married the Egyptian sheikh of a mosque in Brooklyn. Unbeknownst to her, he hadn't divorced his wife back home and was about to be deported. Two years later, she moved with him, her son, and their baby girl to his hometown in rural Egypt, where she was abused and neglected—along with his first wife—for the next four years. A story about what happens when Muslim women are broken by Muslim men and find the courage to heal themselves through the real Islam, Things That Shatter aims to shed light on abuse and healing within the Muslim community and to help vulnerable women protect themselves from men like him.

#23 Love Scripts Getting Through To Him by Naielah Ackbarali

An inspiring and uplifting story of a woman struggling to communicate her needs to her husband and how she overcomes it using Muslima Coaching’s wife tactics. A mother of two children and a doctor by profession, Sarah is struggling in her marriage. Travel with her in her journey to understand how to communicate her needs to her husband and witness her change her marriage with the advice of someone that she would least expect to give it to her. Sarah’s story is relatable, heart-warming, and a must read for every Muslim wife. The coach’s personal analysis of the lessons learnt is included too.

#24 To Keep From Undressing by Aisha Shanif

Aisha Sharif's debut collection is an exploration in belonging--to a family, to a community, to a faith. In poems that navigate the boundaries of these different types of belonging, Sharif examines both what is lost and what is gained.

#25 Leila In Saffron by Rukhsanna Guidroz

When Leila looks in the mirror, she doesn’t know if she likes what she sees. But when her grandmother tells her the saffron beads on her scarf suit her, she feels a tiny bit better. So, Leila spends the rest of their family dinner night on the lookout for other parts of her she does like. Follow Leila’s journey as she uses her senses of sight, smell, taste, touch to seek out the characteristics that make up her unique identity, and finds reasons to feel proud of herself, just as she is.

#26 Uplifting Black Muslim Youth by Sameera Ahmed, Hanan Hashem, Muneer Khalid

Black Muslim youth stand at the cross section of anti-Black racism and anti-Muslim sentiments. What is it like to identify with both of these uniquely marginalized groups? How are young Black Muslims thriving in these conditions? What can adults do to ensure optimal development? Following 10 years of work from the authors who have pioneered research on American Muslim youth and counseling Muslims, this groundbreaking book explores the complex factors impacting Black Muslim youth outcomes. Centering the voices of Black Muslim youth, this book summarizes the latest research and is a road map for individuals and institutions invested in transforming feelings and experiences of marginalization, to those of strength and resiliency.

#27 Unlikely friends by Sahar Abdulaziz

Irwin is not only the local Librarian; he’s also a book snob and an all-around grouch. There’s nothing he values more than his privacy. As a loner, he’s happy to be surrounded by books instead of subjected to the incessant blatherings of dysfunctional people. The one thing Irwin despises more than people is change. He’s content in his predictable, routine existence…until a young girl barrels her way into his dreary life and turns it upside down. Harper is witty, smart, free-spirited—but most of all, stubborn. Baffled by her need to gain his friendship, Irwin does his best to brush her off, but Harper refuses to budge. In fact, it only makes her latch onto him even more. Friendship, after all, can be found in the most unusual places.

#28 Open To Love Lyndell Williams 

Hafsah grows closer to Faheem, falling hard for the sexy younger man. He is smooth and stokes feelings she meant to suppress. Faheem uses all his charms to make sure Hafsah becomes his, but flirting can be a dangerous thing when committing to no sex outside of marriage. The two play with some serious fire that might burn them both

#29 The Lover: A Sufi Mystery

Zaytuna just wants to be left alone to her ascetic practices and nurse her dark view of the world. But when an impoverished servant girl she barely knows comes and begs her to bring some justice to the death of a local boy, she is forced to face the suffering of the most vulnerable in Baghdad and the emotional and mystical legacy of her mother, a famed ecstatic whose love for God eclipsed everything. The Lover is a historically sensitive mystery that introduces us to the world of medieval Baghdad and the lives of the great Sufi mystics, washerwomen, Hadith scholars, tavern owners, slaves, corpsewashers, police, and children indentured to serve in the homes of the wealthy. It asks what it means to have family when you have nearly no one left, what it takes to love and be loved by those who have stuck by you, and how one can come to love God and everything He’s done to you.

#30 Embracing The Light by Yerusalem Work

A short story collection that inspires faith and embraces our interconnected humanity.

#31 Disposable by Sarah Allen

When Caryn Blake, a prominent, black litigation expert, walks in on her cheating husband entertaining his latest girlfriend, she goes a little crazy. After everything she’s done for him; giving him the space to live it up, while she makes the moves securing a name for herself and fame for both of them, the betrayal is just too much. However, revenge is bitter-sweet, especially when it’s taken too far. Caryn decides to take a much needed break in the most remote state she can find. With nowhere to go, and no one to take her, Caryn makes the most of a bad situation, finding friends and a lover she never thought she deserved. When her face is splashed across the local news as a wanted criminal, she needs to return home and face the music. She’s not alone though. Her arsenal is loaded, and she has a wild card up her sleeve. Because as far as Caryn is concerned, she’s not disposable.

#32 Through the Fire: A Woman's Journey by Yasmeen Abdur-Rahman


Through The First: A Woman's Journey is Author Yasmeen Abdur-Rahman's debut book. It is for all women who are divorced, single parents, struggling to raise their children on their own 

#33 The 40 Day Guide to Reset Your Metabolism, Lose Weight and 

Optimize Your Health by Mubarakah Ibrahim

The mR40 method is a practical guide to help you eat and move, reprogramming your metabolism to burn excess fat, break sugar addiction, reduce inflammation, balance hormones, increase your energy and give you mental clarity and focus.


















Author Umm Juwayriyah, M.A. is internationally acclaimed author and urban educator. She has written five books, including the best-sellers, The Size of a Mustard Seed and Hind's Hands ~ A Story About Autism. She teaches, lectures, stages plays, travels regularly to speak about literacy and Muslim youth, drinks fancy tea, tries to bake, and loves to read Muslim fiction.

Juwayriyah Ayed is a full-time college student, world traveler, avid reader, lover of cats & color palettes, and cheese. She has co-authored two books, Hind's Hands ~ A Story About Autism and The Princess and the Good Deed. She is currently working on her first YA novel. 

Limitless Learners Contest by Education.com - Author & Educator Umm Juwayriyah

As salamu alykum readers & writers,

Long time no post! I sincerely hope everyone enjoyed and benefited from the month of Ramadan. I also hope you had a joyous Eid. I have been super busy behind the scenes and I am excited to get the posts flowing again next month, enshallah.

I just wanted to pop in and share an exciting offer from our friends over at Education.com. Education.com  has a new contest for students in or entering K- 5th grade called the Limitless Learners Contest! This contest is encouraging kids to think creatively about what education means to them and use their art, writing, and language skills to express their ideas. The Limitless Learners Contest will choose a winner from each grade level to receive $500 for college and a free lifetime membership to Education.com! You can also help your local library win free money as well and you know this blog LOVES to support local libraries. 

Follow the link and apply today! And don't forget to share this page with your friends and families!

Pre-Order Yaseen's Big Dream!

*New Book Alert*

Yaseen's Big Dream 

by Umm Juwayriyah 

Art by Azra Momin

Published by Djarabi Kitabs Publishing

February and March were busy months filled with lots productivity! The Black Muslim Authors Black History Month Event was held at NYU and hosted by myself and Author Layla Abdullah-Poulos! Now I get to introduce my latest Muslim fiction book, Yaseen's Big Dream! 

Yaseen dreams of helping his family, his friends, and his community. But is it really possible for a kid like Yaseen to do all of those thing?  Of course,  it is! 

Pre-order Yaseen's Big Dream for $12.50 to follow him on an adventure unlike any other! Books will ship out at the end of April, enshallah! 

This #BlackMuslimReads salutes our sister, 

Author Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins

Umm Juwayriyah:  You have an upcoming play based on your latest children's book that #MuslimGirlsRead loves, Bashirah and The Amazing Bean Pie: A Celebration of African American Muslim Culture. Can you tell us about the book and why you wanted to bring it to the stage? Also, can you give some insider details on the play itself?

Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins: Bashirah and the Amazing Bean Pie welcomes readers  into the world of young Bashirah  who is preparing  for Culture day at her Islamic school and the Eid holiday. Bashirah  and her family are African American Muslims and she plans to share a Bean Pie for her cultural dish. Bashirah gets help from Pop-Pop (grand-father) to learn how to make the traditional African American Muslim dessert. Honestly, I had intentions for the message of the book to reach 1 million people. I did not have any specific intentions to make the book into a play. I truly believe that Allah brings beautiful opportunities to us when we are ready for them. We do not necessarily know in what form the blessing will arrive. I was approached by the head of the theatre department at The Please Touch Museum to transform the book into a play. Now museum goers can see Bashirah and Amazing Bean Pie  from February 16th - March 7th for a total of 15 shows:

Please Touch Museum

4231 Avenue of the Republic Ave

Philadelphia, PA

pleasetouchmuseum.org

Umm Juwayriyah: Knowing the story of  Bashirah and The Amazing Bean Pie, I wont give it away, but can you explain a little about how you came up with the story? Why is the Bean Pie so significant and to whom?

Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins:  For me it represents a connection to the past, economic upward mobility, self-sufficiency, family, and community. I wanted to write a story that would have readers immediately know that the book was about African American Muslims. I (also) didn't want the current generation of Muslims to forget about the struggles and accomplishments that generations of African American Muslims made to the fabric of America  and the establishment of Islam in America. I wanted to honor the history and the thousands of Black Muslims who converted to Sunni Islam from NOI.  You would be hard pressed  to visit  a masjid founded by African Americans  and not find a bean pie after Jumu'ah.  It is ingrained in our culture as American Muslims. (Also) My father owned a Bean Pie factory. He employed  most of his family and baked thousands of pies a day.


Umm Juwayriyah: As this is Black History Month, how do you think Black American Muslims fit into the celebration and history?

Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins: Black American Muslims are Black Americans! We share the same history (and month of celebration). Many people don't know or choose not to acknowledge that between 10% to 30% of free Africans enslaved in the Americas between 1711 and 1808 were Muslims!

Umm Juwayriyah: Your books often showcase Black & Brown Muslim characters. Is that a conscious decision for you?  Why is it important to you to represent Black & Brown Muslim characters in literature?

Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins: It is important because Muslims have origins  from all over the world. It's all about the education and representation. If you don't highlight topics that are important  to you which in my case is the showcasing  of Black and Brown Muslims, who will? We cannot complain about the lack of diversity in children's books, media , etc. if we are not willing to do something about it. Heroes are born everyday. We have to be the change we seek in the world.

Umm Juwayriyah: Because it is #BlackHistoryMonth and #MuslimGirlsReads supports the #BlackMuslimReads initiative, please share your top five (dead or alive) #BlackMuslimReads.

Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins: 1. Servants of Allah by Sylviane Doiuf 2. Taking Action by Barakah Hassan. 3. Proud by Ibtihaj Muhammad 4. Tried & Tested by Umm Juwayriyah 5. If I Should Speak by Umm Zakiyyah

Umm Juwayriyah: As a Muslim mother and entrepreneur, you're quite active, mashallah! What two pieces of advice can you share with our readers, especially mothers & youth, who want to actualize their passions and goals?

Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins: Do what scares you but speaks to your heart! Keep your intentions pure and focused on pleasing Allah (swt).

Umm Juwayriyah: How can our readers stay in touch with you?

Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins: 


Instagram: @ameenah_diggins
Facebook: @AmeenahDiggins

Books by Ameenah Diggins

Bashirah and the Amazing Bean Pie

There Is Greatness In Me

#BlackMuslimHistory: Unveiling the Legacy: A Journey with Omm Rafiq

#BlackMuslimReads

Unveiling the Legacy: A Journey with Omm Rafiq

This article marks a culmination of over two decades of anticipation, a testament to the enduring impact of a remarkable individual on my spiritual journey. Each encounter, conversation, or perusal of her writings reignites the devotion within me, reinforcing my connection to Allah. In years past, I eagerly participated in her halaqat soaking in her wisdom and insights with fervor. Although those opportunities have become scarce, her teachings, advice, and counsel remain etched in my memory, her words resonating through the corridors of time.

My introduction to Omm Rafiq occurred during my formative years, a period of boundless freedom where writing and exploration were my companions. Yet, it was during beautiful stint in Khartoum, North Sudan, that forged our connection. There, amidst the tranquil embrace of the Nile River, she too embarked on her journey of Islamic study alongside her family.

The swift passage of time saw us separated by geography, with Omm Rafiq in Makkah and myself in Salmiya, our bond sustained by mutual acquaintances, shared travels, and stories. Approaching her with a mix of apprehension and reverence, I extended an invitation to delve into her life's narrative—a proposition that diverged from her understated existence. Known for her humility and quiet determination, Omm Rafiq had cultivated a legacy that transcended borders, quietly inspiring generations of women across Sudan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the U.K. and the United States.

In the face of my audacious request, Omm Rafiq displayed characteristic grace, her acceptance devoid of hesitation. It was as if the Allah hand had guided our paths once more, affirming the significance of our shared endeavor. With humility and reverence, I present to you my interview with:

Omm Rafiq ~ The first Black American Female Graduate of Umm AlQura University

Makkah, Saudi Arabia

As a Muslimah writer, I know that it is important to document modern Muslim history, Black Muslim history, and to show representations of Muslim Americans, especially, to the next generation, bi'ithnillah. Can you answer the following questions:

Umm Juwayriyah:  Tell me about your background? Were you born Muslim or did you revert to Islam? 

Omm Rafiq: I am originally from California. I embraced Islam in 1972 after a series of what seemed "accidental" or "incidental" events that eventually lead me (and my husband) to the guidance of Allah. I had been raised Catholic (and my husband was raised Baptist). We met some Muslims in Boston, Massachusetts where my husband was in college. We embraced Islam in Boston and then returned to California. We went there for him to get a master's degree, but left as Muslims, on a new path. Alhamdulilah.

Umm Juwayriyah: How did you end up studying in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? 

Omm Rafiq: When we first became Muslim in 1972 all we wanted to do was study Islam. There were precious few books in English available (in the United States), so we applied to the Islamic University of Madina. My husband received a response with one ticket to study. By that time our oldest daughter was born (so we didn't go). A few years later my husband met the Dean of the Islamic University of Omdurman (in Sudan) at a conference in the States. He invited my husband to study at the university with a scholarship. We sold all of our belongings and traveled to Sudan for a year. Things didn't work out as we had planned (the dollar was half its value, and the scholarship was about 25 pounds a month. It was equivalent to roughly $50 a month. ) Unfortunately, it didn't cover the cost of living.  My husband traveled that year to Jeddah and applied to King Abdul Aziz University where he was hired.  We left Sudan and have been here in K.S.A ever since.  We lived in Jeddah for the first year and a half. Because we wanted to study Islam, we put in a transfer to Makkah.

Umm Juwayriyah: Can you explain your studies? What did it entail?

Omm Rafiq: In order to enter Umm AlQura University in Makkah, one has to first learn Arabic. So the first step was to study in the University's Institute of Arabic Language (non-Native speakers). At that time, it was a three-year course. Now it has been lessened to two years. After the completion of the Mahad, then one was able to enter the University. I choose to study Aqeedah - Islamic belief (my husband studied Fiqh and its origins). It took us four years to complete our Bachelors' degrees. However, I had my 6th child while I was studying, so it took me a little longer than my husband as I didn't take a full load of classes for two semesters after I gave birth to my son. For each level of study, every student had to take a course in Qur'an as well. In other words, it was required to memorize a juz (1 part of 30 parts of  the Qur'an) each year. 

Umm Juwayriyah: Were you the only Black American in your courses? 

Omm Rafiq: At that time, there were no other Black Americans in my courses. But several Black Americans were in the Mahad (Arabic Institute for non-native speakers) while I was in the University. There were also a few Black Americans there before me studying but circumstances did not allow them to finish, Qadr Allah, Mashaa f'aal.  But Alhamduleelah, after I graduated, I knew of about three other African Americans studying there along with their husbands. 

Umm Juwayriyah:  We hear so much negativity about the Mumlaka (kingdom) - in the news and media and from modernists. For those who have never been to Saudi or had the opportunity to take a class there, how were Taalibatul 'Ilm (female students of Islamic knowledge) treated in Saudi Arabia?

Omm Rafiq: The women were treated like other students - I mean the foreign students were treated the same! Most people (Saudis) had a great respect for those of who chose to study Islam. And the students held their professors in high regard. Those students who were just studying and not working as well - their path was bit difficult as the stipend from the university was not enough to support a comfortable life. Those students had to seek funds elsewhere and some had to even send their families back home. My husband taught at the University in the English, so his salary was enough to support us (and study).

Umm Juwayriyah: What sort of challenges did being a wife and mother (to many) add to your studies? 

Omm Rafiq: If I could have, I would have devoted all my time to my studies. But I had six children. Our day was something like this: get up at Fajr (before sunrise), pray and then get everyone ready. School began very early here because of the heat. A typical school day was from 6:45 am until 12 noon. By then the day was really heating up and by 2:00 pm it was extremely hot. That was the time everyone was home until Asr (midday prayer). Everyday my husband would drive the kids to school, then drive across town to drop me off at the women's campus, and finally he would have to drive back across town to go to work. At the end of the day, it was the reverse for my husband. He would pick up the children, pick me up, and then we'd all go home. It was exhausting - cook lunch, short naps, and then the children's homework. All of this left little time for my (own) studies. Once I was complaining about this (exhaustion) and my husband quickly cleared my thinking. He advised me: "If you study hard and get all A's, but your children do poorly in school, then you have failed. If you help your children and do your studies and you receive C's and they succeed, then you have succeeded as well." Khalas! I continued to try my best to work everything in. Some nights, I just wasn't able to give my all to my studies. Alhamdulilah! 

Umm Juwayriyah: What was your most memorable experience from your studies? 

Omm Rafiq: There were many, but I think this one was significant: At this time TV stations would come on with recitations from the Qur'an and they would close with the Qur'an. One night I was studying late while everyone was asleep. Shaykh Ali Jaber (may Allah have mercy on him) recited an aya or two from Surah al Baqarah. He recited very slowly and distinctly:

قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى :كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ {28

I felt a shudder as I understood every _ single word and thus the seriousness of the aya (verse)! It was then that I realized that I was (actually) absorbing and learning. Sometimes, I had thought, I would never get it (Arabic). I had begun studying at the Mahad the age of 35! That isn't the ideal age to take on a new language. The Arabic language is complicated and I (sometimes) further complicated it by thinking I had to replace every word I knew in English with an Arabic word.... impossible. Allah showed me I could it -- I was doing it!

Umm Juwayriyah: Did you know when you started studying that you were among the first Western Muslim women to join Umm AlQura and graduate?

Omm Rafiq: No, that wasn't something that I thought about. As I mentioned earlier, there were other sisters there in different programs from Canada, the US, and Germany. I was (just) there for knowledge, not recognition. 

Umm Juwayriyah: What degree do you hold?

Omm Rafiq: I hold a BA in Aqeedah from Umm AlQura University in Makkah

Umm Juwayriyah: What year did you graduate? 

Omm Rafiq: 1992

Umm Juwayriyah: Subhan'Allah, I was just starting middle school around that time. What advice do you have for your Muslim sisters back in the West - especially the youth?

Omm Rafiq: Strive to be best possible Muslimah you can be. Don't make comprises. Comprises start small and then they become bigger and more frequent.  Choose good companions who remind you of Allah and are not all about the dunya! Always ask Allah for help and to keep you on the straight path sincerely. 

Deen Clips: Imam Azza

Written by Omm Rafiq

It's early in the morning; Fajr was about an hour ago. School is on the Ramadhan schedule (about 10 am til 3pm) so the house is quiet while everyone is taking naps. The weather is cool for here but not yet cold. The windows are open, and I can hear an occasional bird chirping. While reading Qur'an and working on memorizing a surah, it made me think. It takes me back to our first arrival in this country. This is a continuation of a Deen clip from my experiences as a Muslim. Often, we become affected by a person, some little thing they did or said. I want to tell you about my neighbor in Jeddah, a mother of six when I first met her who planted a seed and then kept tending it and watching it grow. She was just Azza then, but now they call her "Imam Azza".

We moved to the new apartment building after being in Jeddah for six months. My children were aged 7, 5, and 3 and were all going to school. My housekeeping routine was easy. I found myself with extra time. I wanted to study Qur'an. My husband had been going to a local masjid for several months. One day he came home and told me that one of the brothers said his wife held classes at her home. The lived in the building right next to ours! I didn't know this woman. I had never seen her, so I was a bit nervous to go to her home for the first time. 

She opened the door, welcomed me, and brought me to her guest room. She was from Egypt and a Qur'an teacher in one of the public schools in Jeddah. She was also eight months pregnant. Twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays she had women and girls come to her house to study Qur'an with her. Her home was a small three-room apartment. In the first room, the sisters were studying Juz' Tabarak, in the second room the women were studying surah Al Baqarah. In the third room, the women were study another juz, but the name escapes me now. Her place was small but was filled with women and girls learning. Imam Azza had another one other teacher come into the lessons and help while she circulated the rooms teaching. I was put in the first room with the sisters working on Juz Tabarak. The students were working on surah Haaqah. Imam Azza opened her mouth and began her recitation. It was so beautiful, clear, and it had a nice rhythm to it. I sat as if in a trance listening to the beautiful sounds flowing from out of her throat. Then the students repeated after her. I repeated with them. I think they were assigned the first page of the surah to memorize by the next class. When maghrib came, all the women gathered in the guest room and Imam Azza provided all of us with long flowing salat veils to wear. After we prayed, Imam Azza served everyone a glass of mango juice. I remember that pointedly because there were so many of us there and yet, she had not just taken time out of her day to teach us, but to serve us refreshments as well.

We all left after the refreshments were finished. I remember the exuberant feeling that engulfed me after having spending times with those sisters and Imam Azza. I continued to attend regularly her classes. It wasn't long before she had her baby. She only missed one lesson before she was back to teaching us. I had been amazed at her energy and dedication. It was then that I learned first that women could recite and touch the Qur'an while on their menses and with post-partum bleeding. Soon I finished memorizing surah Al Haaqah, but it had been very difficult for me. Imam Azza suggested I continued with Juz Amma as it was better suited for me until my Arabic and reading improved (and it did eventually). I began memorizing the last chapters of the last Juz of Qur'an. Then summer came.

I was pregnant then with my son Muhammad so we returned to the States. When I returned to Saudi Arabia, it was Ramadhan. I continued to study with Imam Azza until I gave birth. While I was in the hospital, the Naseef family (specifically Saddiqah Sharifuddeen) opened the first Qur'an school for women in Jeddah (and the first in the Kingdom). My neighbor and Qur'an teacher decided to no longer teach out of her home. She decided to join the Qur'an school for women with Khalah Saddiqah.

As soon as I was able, I signed up to join the women's Qur'an school. Imam Azza was no longer my teacher. I used to see her every time I went to school though, but it wasn't the same. A couple of months later, I finally completed juz Amma at the school, then my family moved to Makkah, Alhamdulilah. Azzah stayed in Jeddah and worked at the Qur'an school for many years. Then I heard that she had finally opened her own Qur'an school for girls. I was really happy for her. By that time, I was involved in my own studies at Umm AlQura, but I kept hearing about Azza. She had opened another school and then another, and yet another. Many of my friends put their children in those schools to learn Qur'an, just like I had done. Everyone loved the schools, teachers, and their leader -- Imam Azza!

In all, Imam Azza opened 16 Qur'an schools through out Jeddah - eight for girls and eight for boys! May Allah reward her and her family greatly. I always think back to her little apartment in Jeddah and her children scrambling around while women and girls recited Qur'an. I always admired how her husband and older sons would vacate their home for us twice a week for Muslim women and girls they didn't know to learn Qur'an.  

The last time I saw Imam Azza she had come to Makkah with some friends to offer condolences to me on the deaths of my two daughters who had died in an automobile accident. Imam Azza was the mother of 10 who had started 16 Qur'an schools.

Please make dua for her and her children. Please make dua for my two daughters who passed away. Allah have mercy on them.

 اللهم  أجعل خيرَ امرنا  أواخرها, و خيرَ عمالنا خواتمها, و خيرَ أيامنا يوم نلقك

Allahumma, aj'al khaira 'amrina awakhiriha, wa khaira 'amaalina

khawatimaha, wa khaira ayyamina yaum nalqaka.

O Allah, let our last days be the best days of our life and our last deeds be the best of our deeds, and let the best day, the day we meet you.

Omm Rafiq  

Makkah

3 Ramadhan 1419/ December 21, 1998

#BlackMuslimReads - Righting Wrongs By Writing Our Stories, Empowerment & Leadership

#BlackMuslimReads

A mainstream African American women's magazine finally decides to feature a Muslim woman in hijab on the cover. They can't find one Black Muslim woman -- even though hundreds of them purchase their publication.

A prominent non Black Muslim organization questions a prominent non Black Muslim leader on issues about Black American life and trauma and police brutality only for the non Black American Muslim leader to spew the criminalization of blackness as he tried to White wash away White privilege.

A major non Black American Muslim organization moves their major conference into a metropolitan  area that is over 63 percent Black American and schedules a conference the same weekend as the largest Muslim women's conference that has been running for over 30 years and run by Black American Muslim women.

 A group of Muslim leaders gather together to protest DACA on Capitol Hill and are arrested in their support of young immigrant Dreamers. Boom - It Goes Viral!

Young African American Muslim girl in Philadelphia prevented from playing in a school basketball game because of  her hijab. No one knows her name!

Do you see where I am going with this? Too many times these types of situations occur in our communities and we either disregard it or get mad, Twitter fight over it, and forget about it until the next upset occurs. 

But what if we jumped out of that matrix? What if we stopped reacting to negativity? What if we beat a new path where we controlled our own narratives? 

#BlackMuslims have the numbers and efforts to lead! If we just looked to see the positivity in our own communities, we would have enough stories to write about for the whole year! 

We have sent many community members to study abroad and learn not just secular studies, but many in our communities have traveled to study Islam and Arabic. It is important that we write about these young scholars and honor their pursuits. It's important for us to support them and give them opportunities to share and speak and have a place at our tables.

We have many Black  Muslim sisters in our communities raising and rearing Muslim children successfully. Many of our sisters who have birthed five or more children go unnoticed and uncelebrated in our communities as if birthing one child is easy, let alone five or ten! They are a wealth of knowledge and experience and love that we have to take the time and energy to care about. We have to write their stories! We have to validate and cherish their experiences. We have to make room for these sisters in our communities to share and teach other young expecting Muslim women what they know. 

We have so many Black Muslim entrepreneurs in our communities across the United States. Many of these talented and creative brothers and sisters make clothing (that always gets copied), clean houses and businesses,  cook halal meals and desserts, tutor the youth, design websites, teach the Qur'an online and in their own store fronts and they deserve their story to be told!

We have so many Black Muslim educators, Alhamduleelah!  They are sharp-minded academics, dedicated teachers, professors, paraprofessionals, researchers, administrators in every type of school/college/university in the States and abroad. They get up before Fajr and they go bed way after Isha five days a week making sure their lesson plans are on point and that their students will be well prepared. They spend their own money to provide the essentials for their students and many of their students are our own children! We have to write their stories! We have to support and champion their works. We have to create and support tables for Black Muslim educators to come together and network. We have to be proud of them and encourage them to continue teaching. 

We have so many dedicated Black American Muslim fathers mentoring their children and other children in our communities. These brothers are our Abus, Babas, Daddies, Stepfathers, uncles, brothers and grandfathers, too in the communities who volunteer at every event, encourage and cheer on all the community, help and love up their wives without being asked, work hard and tirelessly to support their families and give sadaqah. These brothers need their stories written. 

As you can see we have important stories in our communities! We don't need to sit around and wait for something foul to happen to us. We can and should happen to us! We have to support us and raise up our leadership. We have to empower our youth and children to feel good about the good they do without others from outside of our community clapping. We have to right our wrongs by writing our good stories. And don't stop at just writing! We have to be proactive. We have to gather to support each other. We have to create, engage, and work on being the best community we can be to each other!