Life and the Times of the Messengers (H/B)

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.

The objective of the book is to help parents save their teens from the negative impact of popular teen culture and succeed in raising them as strong, confident personalities who can contribute positively to their community and to the North American society at large. The book starts by explaining what is meant by rebellion, and discussing if it is inevitable in the life of a Muslim Teen. It then covers three basic ideas. The first idea deals with the causes of teen rebellion in general and additional factors that contribute to Muslim teen rebellion in particular. The second main idea covers the signs of this rebellion and how it manifests itself in the behaviour of our teens. The third and most important part of the book deals with a comprehensive solution consisting of three components, the most significant of which is the Prophet s SAAW example in dealing with youth, then the role that parents can play complemented with the community s involvement. The proposed comprehensive solution cited in this book will be of great benefit to various communities in general and to Muslim teens and youth in particular.