DALLAS, TX — August 27th, 2022. DJARABI KITABS PUBLISHING has officially released an anthology Not to be forgotten: Muslim women writers on lived experiences of the covid-19 pandemic edited by Muti’ah Badruddeen and authored by Muslim Women.

About the anthology: Original essays, short stories or poetry, rooted in lived experiences of Muslim Women; stories about people's lives and relationships affected by the pandemic, and its resultant lockdown and travel ban.

The COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly one of the most significant historical events of our lifetime and, if mankind survives long enough, the events of our times will be studied and mined for history. The lived experiences of those of us living today would form the bases of those explorations.

Every human being living through this event has a story to tell, of their experiences and how this event has shaped their individual lives. As Muslims, the impact on our faith, and vice versa, of living through these times cannot be trivialized. As Muslim women, we consider it important that our stories—experiences, struggles and triumphs—centering this pandemic be documented for prosperity.

Contains works of Warda Abbas. Leila Aboulela. Nadirah Ashim. Muti'ah Badruddeen. Reem Faruqi. Papatia Feauxzar. Basheerah Jones. Hameedah Kehinde. Shoohada Khanom. E A M Lymer. Afshan Malik. Sarah Musa. Aisha Oredola. Aminah Oke. Gina Petonito. Maryam A. Sullivan (Umm Juwayriyah). Tayyaba Syed. Tumkeen.

1. Why did Muslim Women decide to author and/or compile an anthology on Covid-19 ?

“I wanted us to write stories about the impact of COVID-19 on Muslim women—a memoir of sorts— a book of history for us, Muslim women. Our stories are often left untold.“ — Basheerah Jones, Author

2. What else do you want do we want the readers or the prospective buyers to know?

“As Muslim women, it is important that our stories - experiences, struggles and triumphs - centering this pandemic be documented for posterity. As we are all too aware, as readers, writers and creatives, if we do not tell our own story, no one will! Especially as Muslims, the impact on our faith, and vice-versa, of living through these times cannot be trivialized.”— Muti’ah Badruddeen, Author & Creative Editor

“I hope that every Muslim woman who reads NTBF finds herself on the pages of this anthology. There was so much loss during the pandemic, but there were a lot of wins and moments of self–discovery, too. I pray that years from now, when COVID-19 is a distant memory. NTBF will serve as a reminder of what we went through and how Muslim women pulled through.”— Hameedah Kehinde, Author & Copy-Editor

What do readers have to say about NTBF?

“Relatable”

“Needed”

“Therapeutic”

“Well-written”

Join us on ZOOM and social media for the official book launch!

Join the Zoom Meeting. Link below.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83153063974?pwd=cCs1RWMwZlFLL3hvTmMyZURLeUpIQT09
Meeting ID: 831 5306 3974
Passcode: 084648

About the Authors :

● Wardah Abbas

Wardah is a lawyer, writer and storyteller from Nigeria. She is the founding Editor of The Muslim Women Times and writes about gender, culture, equality and Islam ( www.themuslimwomentimes.com ) as well as a social justice activist who is especially passionate about the rights of Muslim women. She runs ‘The Mango Wordcraft,’” a storytelling company for individuals and businesses. You can see more of her work on Medium @Wardahabbas.

● Leila Aboulela

Leila was the first winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing. Her latest books include the novel Bird Summons and the short story collection Elsewhere, Home, winner of the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year. Leila’s work has received critical recognition and a high profile for its distinctive exploration of migration and Islamic spirituality. Her previous novels are The Kindness of Enemies, The Translator, a New York Times 100 Notable Books of the year, Minaret and Lyrics Alley. Leila was named Fiction Winner of the Scottish Book Awards and shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize. Her work has been translated into fifteen languages and she was long-listed three times for the Orange Prize. Her plays The Insider, The Mystic Life and others were broadcast on BBC Radio and her work included in publications such as The Guardian, The Washington Post, Granta and Harper’s Magazine. Leila is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Honorary President of the SSSUK-the Society for the Study of the Sudans. She was recently named Patron of Women’s Education Partnership, a charity funding educational projects in Sudan and South Sudan.

● Nadirah Ashim

Nadirah is a Nigerian medical student and speculative fiction writer. She is currently working on her debut novel. When she’s not studying or writing, Nadirah can be found scrolling through social media or consuming the books on an endless to-be-read shelf. You can find her on https://linktr.ee/fareedah

● Muti’ah Badruddeen

Muti’ah is a Nigerian author of contemporary Islamic fiction. An Obstetrician-Gynecologist and homeschooling mum, she struggles to write tales that reflect African Muslim realities during the early-morning hours. Her international debut novel, Rekiya & Z, is the 2021 Daybreak Press Book Award winner for Islamic Fiction, among others. She’s on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - all @deenprogress - and can be contacted via www.deenprogress.com Muti’ah blogs sporadically at www.deenprogress.wordpess.com

● Reem Faruqi

Reem is the award-winning children’s book author of Lailah’s Lunchbox, a book based on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States, Amira’s Picture Day, I Can Help, and a middle-grade debut novel in verse, Unsettled. After surviving Atlanta traffic for school drop- off, Reem spends her days trying to write, instead getting distracted easily by her camera and the buttery sunlight. Reem Faruqi lives in Atlanta with her husband and three daughters. You can find her at www.ReemFaruqi.com or on Instagram or Twitter.

● Papatia Feauxzar

Papatia is the Founder of Djarabi Kitabs Publishing and Fofky’s Bookclub. An American author, barista, and publisher of African descent, she lives in Dallas, Texas with her family. She is the Online Editor at Hayati Magazine and has been featured in the Dallas Morning News, DFW Child and Voyage Dallas. She blogs at www.papatia.wordpress.com and www.aducktrinormom.wordpress.com .

● Basheerah Jones

Basheerah is the pen name for a social justice lawyer who enjoys journaling and loves to travel even though she hasn’t done much of it. An aspiring writer, this anthology was her brain child and she hopes to write more in the future. A Muslimah who finds herself constantly struggling to please Her Rabb and parent her mini-Muslims, Basheerah wants to travel the world to see the beauty of Allah’s creation and homeschool her mini-Muslims someday.

● Hameedah Kehinde

Hameedah is a mum (of three kids), an English teacher, and Head of School in Abuja, Nigeria. She loves to read, hang out with family and close friends, sleep, eat, try new foods. and generally have a good time. Hameedah hopes to be a host for a Muslim radio show or a creator of cool, useful products for women and children. Or, in a perfect world, both. She enjoys meeting people.

● Shoohada Khanom

Shoohada is a British-Bangladeshi children’s author and writer who lives a busy life, home educating her children amidst other motherly responsibilities. In her rare free moments, she likes to read, write and sip tea. Connect with her on www.shoohadakhanom.com

● E A M Lymer

E.A.M. Lymer is a Home Educator, Theatre of the Oppressed Practitioner, and Student of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). She has written picture books for young children and is now drafting young adult fiction. She is on Instagram @EAMLymer .

● Afshan Malik

Afshan, a Chicago native turned southern belle, works as the Director of Development at Rabata. She is the author of the 2019 young adult novel Pieces and enjoys browsing bookshops, rolling rotis, and soaking up the Texas sun with her husband and five children. Afshan can be found on FB/IG @afshanmalikwrites, Twitter @afshan1009 and on her website www.afshanmalik.com

● Sarah Musa

Sarah is a children's book author of Ahmed and the Very Stuck Teapot. She hopes to write fiction for adult Muslims someday— books that truly represent Islam. She is a mother of six, from teenagers to toddlers. She loves farming and country life. She is on Instagram as @sarahmusawrites.

● Aisha Oredola

Aisha is a Nigerian Public Health Practitioner and Writer. Her work has been published in the African Writers Review, Bad Form Review x Literandra Issue 5: African History, Blue Minaret Literary Journal, and elsewhere. Find her on www.twitter.com/aish_dols and www.instagram.com/@aish.dols.

● Amina Oke

Amina is a Nigerian copywriter and creative non-fiction writer who helps online brands increase their revenue with email, and enjoys sharing her thoughts on spiritual development for Muslims. She can be found on Instagram @amina.oke.

● Gina Petonito

Gina is a writing mentor and coach; founding member of Writing Your Way, a full-service writing mentoring business. She assists with resumes, cover letters, college essays, fiction, non-fiction and classroom papers and projects. As the founding member of Academic Women Reclaim Your Power, she helps academic women weather current job market precarity by coaching them to start their own side businesses to achieve financial security. Dr. Petonito is currently editing her historical fiction novel Coming Home, which explores the human impact of gentrification and redevelopment.

● Maryam A. Sullivan (Umm Juwayriyah)

Umm Juwayriyah is an African-American writer and author of the As Sabr Publications Best Sellers: The Size of a Mustard Seed, Hind's Hands, The Princess, and The Good Deed, Yaseen's Big Dream. She is the #MuslimGirlsReader Founder, New England Muslim Sisters Association Editor- in-Chief and the 2018 Highlights Foundation Fellow.

● Tayyaba Syed

Tayyaba is the multiple award-winning children's author of The Blessed Bananas and Hafsa’s Kisses. She has written for over 20 titles including Encyclopedia Britannica and the Jannah Jewels chapter-book series. A journalist who has had bylines in publications such as NPR, Chicago Parent and Islamic Horizons, she is an active volunteer for Rabata, teaches writing to communities, leads a local women’s halaqa, and has worked as the Creative Developer for Noor Kids educational books. As a public speaker, she has conducted 100+ literary and faith-based presentations from all over North America to Qatar and Turkey. Tayyaba holds a Teacher Certification through the Ribaat Academic Institute and is an elected member of her local public school district’s Board of Education. She lives with her husband and three children in Illinois.

● Tumkeen

Tumkeen is an award-winning and bestselling Canadian author, writer, and poet who lives in Detroit, USA with her husband and six children. After the international success of her first book Breathe: Reflections & Poetry from the 2020 Lockdown, Tumkeen is currently working on a memoir.

NTBF’s books—eBook and paperback— are available on Amazon, DKP’s Bookstore, and Fofky's Online Book Café. You can also find the book on Goodreads.

CONTACTS

Djarabi Kitabs Publishing

PO BOX 703733

Dallas, TX 75370

USA

Email: editor@djarabikitabs.com