A Muslim Woman’s Diary

Covered from head to toe with only her eyes visible, the sight of a Muslim woman on a western city street rarely fails to provoke a strong reaction. Feelings of shock, horror, repulsion, pity or even fear are not uncommon. But have you ever wondered who it is behind the veil and what makes her tick? Ever wondered what her life is really like and whether her dreams, hopes and aspirations differ from yours? From My Sisters’ Lips offers a rare glimpse into the lives of a community of women, most of whom are converts to Islam, and invites you to share their joys, sorrows, convictions and faith.

When Na’ima B Robert abandoned her western lifestyle and embraced Islam six years ago, it was not a decision taken lightly. Yet soon after she took her first tentative steps towards covering, she felt empowered; no longer judged on physical appearances alone, no longer seeking the approval to feel beautiful – or using her looks to wield power over men – the experience effected her greatly. Before long she grew in confidence and courage. As she says, ‘Something just clicked. I thought, “Good, don’t look; don’t compare me with your latest squeeze, don’t try and guess my measurements – my body is my own business!”‘
From My Sisters’ Lips offers a glimpse into the lives of just some of the extraordinary women who, like herself, have chosen to live behind the veil. What emerges is a vivid and intimate portrait of a sisterhood; as they speak candidly and with conviction on a diverse range of subjects ranging from marriage to motherhood, stereotypes, submission and self-image, we hear the strong, proud voices of those who are seldom heard.

Like other guides to good health, Healing Body & Soul advocates abandoning an unhealthy diet and altering a sedentary lifestyle, but this book goes beyond the mere physical aspects of health. Amira Ayad is a practitioner and researcher with a Master’s in Pharmaceutics and pursuing her Doctorate in Natural Health. She writes: During the course of this work, I try to explain how you can combine the rich tradition of Islamic teaching with beneficial contemporary scientific knowledge in order to lead a holistically healthy and happy life. The book is divided into five chapters, each concerning one of the five components that make up your body, mind and soul, clarifying in each chapter how to look after that part of you and keep it healthy. During the course of the book you will notice how these bodies are interconnected; the health of one is highly dependent on the wellbeing of the others, so that a happy, healthy life entails a balance between all of them. Healing Body & Soul presents holistic Islamic health science in a simple yet comprehensive user-friendly guide to better health. Healing Body& Soul is an invaluable reference that encourages and empowers people to take control of their health and their lives.

The writer is a survivor of an accident that altered his life. He is a man who managed to overcome adversity and transform bitterness into personal success, as his literary gains outweighed his physical restrictions. Where his physical condition limited his movements, his creative writing opened up a new horizon that enabled him to freely interact with his readers.

This is a real-life account of how a human being can overcome obstacles, giving effect to the epithet: ‘What does not kill me makes me stronger.’ The autobiography defines patience in two ways: first, as a bitter experience and then second, as the ability to tolerate and turn one’s misfortune into investment. The accident that the writer suffered has paralysed his body, but at the same time it has unleashed his writing talents. (Yousef el-Sharoni, Egypt)