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This April, we're delighted to share our first audio interview of the year, with author Hajera Khaja! Hajera has been writing in one way or another for more than two decades now. She's currently a published writer of short stories and essays, an editor at Ruqaya's Bookshelf, and has been teaching creative writing and working as a writing coach since 2020. You can learn more about her and what she offers, as well as her publications, on her site.
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Happy March and Ramadan Mubarak to those who celebrate! This month, we're honoured to interview Charlene Smith, author of Game Changers: Stories of Hijabi Athletes from around the World. Charlene converted to Islam in 1999 when she was 19 years old. She has an identical twin sister, is married with six children (five boys and a girl), and has a 2 year old granddaughter. She loves reading, playing the daff, mountain biking, and downhill skiing.
This month, we were delighted to interview Sana Samad, a 39 year old Canadian Pakistani mother to two young boys, who are 8 and 6 years old respectively, and whom she currently homeschools. When not being a mom, playing sports, reading, or writing, she also runs a small business called Sweet Seconds Cookies, which serves the Oshawa/Durham region in Ontario. You can find her writing on Instagram as @sana.ess and support her business at @sweet.seconds.cookies.
When I was younger, I liked writing rhyming poetry. I wasn’t good at it, but I enjoyed doing it. As an adult, I love reading a good rhyming book or poem, but I find it harder to rhyme now because I don’t want it to feel forced. Creative writing was my way to express my feelings for others and sort my own feelings as well. Writing in journals/diaries, and letters that I never posted, is what got me through the first few years of being in Canada. Who were some of the major influences/supports, real or fictional, in your creative writing journey? Honestly, I don’t know. I loved reading books and stories by Enid Blyton as a kid. My parents always encouraged us to read. I think I got my love of writing from my mother, though. Even though I don’t remember her writing creatively, I do recall her writing in her journal every day for years. Apart from my parents, one of my maternal aunts and a few friends have also been extremely supportive of my writing.
This year, we wanted to showcase authors of all sorts here at Sakina Literary Society of the Arts, and give readers and writers a look behind the scenes at different Muslim authors' writing journeys. With this, we hoped to demystify the act (and art) of writing, to showcase the vast variety of Muslim authors and their works, and to encourage you to join them in their literary endeavours without fear. We start off our 2026 interviews with Nida Rashid, author of From You...to You, Post Parting, and HumDrums. You can find her on Instagram as @ennarre.
Did you always feel drawn to poetry? What got you into writing poetry?
Yes. I always felt drawn to tones and rhythm. Poetry appealed to me, ironically because of Quran recitation (in the Quran itself, it is repeated that the Quran is not mere poetry for entertainment). The calming tones, and various recitations led me to recognize how words can carry powerful meaning in their rhythm. When I discovered spoken word poetry on Youtube, I was completely mesmerized. Once, in high school, I had to present a biology project but had only 24 hours to come up with a presentation. I realized poems are easy to memorize, so I made a 3 minute spoken word poem about the topic. My science teacher was so impressed that science could be presented in an artistic form--I got an A. From then on, whenever I needed to remember a difficult topic--I wrote a poem. Who were some of the major influences/supports, real or fictional, in your creative writing journey? Sarah Kay - her spoken word on Youtube is what helped me gain confidence to speak my poems aloud. My friends - who would read my poems and tell me they felt something in reading it.
❝ I grew up going to Sunday school
Little girl with big eyes and a bigger hunger for God Mouth so full of Arabic before I even knew what my tongue was capable of Allāhumma ṣalli ’ala sayyidinā Muhammad And that word — sayyidinā -- That master Sat in my chest like a stone I was too scared to name Because where I’m from, Master was not a title of love Master was not a title we gave willingly Master was the whip that bent backs Master was the auction block, the blood on the bark of southern trees Master was the reason my last name ain’t the one God wrote for me So how do I, a Black woman, Descendant of the stolen and the unspoken, Pray with the word master on my tongue and mean it with love?  "The Storyteller" - Thierry Lamare ❝ I am the Black girl that crossed the dark sea Carrying in my body the seed of the Free Now home on Native land I am the woman who worked on the field Bringing the cotton and the cane to yield I am the one who laboured as a slave Beaten and mistreated for the work that I gave Children sold away from me, husband auctioned off, mamas voided too No safety, no love, no respect was I due A prey to white violence, a slave to white lust No value, low-priced Back then I sucked salt and bit the dust Four hundred years deep in the South But God put a song and a prayer in my mouth God put a dream like a steel drum in my soul Freedom gave fire to this body turned cold Now, through my children, I'm watching the seed grow, Post up like the Fruit, Now, through my children, I'm hitting the goal. Realize child the blessings denied to me I couldn't read then, I couldn't write I had nothing back then, not even the night Some days the road was hot with sun But I had to keep on till my work was done I had to keep on! No stopping for me-- I was the seed of the coming Free I nourished and nursed the dream, the struggle That nothing can smother Deep in my breast-- The Black mother I had only one hope then, but now through you, Black children of today, my wildest dreams must come true All you dark children in the world today out there, Remember my blood, my sweat, my tears Remember my years, heavy with sorrow- And make of those years a torch for tomorrow. Make of my past a road to the light, A revolutionary path Out of the darkness, the ignorance, the night. ❞ * Written by Zaakirah Rose ﷽ "I think that in order to struggle you have to be creative. In my life, creativity has been something that has sustained me; it awoke my spiritual struggle." A few weeks ago we heard of the death of Assata Shakur, who chose to be called, ‘she who struggles for community and is thankful’. She was a daughter, sister, mother and revolutionary fighter, a woman who saw injustices and wanted to fight against it. She died free in Cuba but in exile from her birth nation of the United States of America. This is the outcome of those that are true, those that stand up against tyranny and oppression. They are mocked and vilified - and if those tactics do not work, then they face imprisonment, torture, exile or death. We have seen the tyrannical techniques played out against people like Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and many other freedom fighters and revolutionaries. If we want to know who is on the right side of history, see who their enemies are. The entire United States government, both left and right, demonized and hunted our sister Assata Shakur, branding her a terrorist - the first American woman to be put on the terrorist watchlist...even though all charges against her were either dropped or acquitted. Yet she remains on the list to this day. This is the price of making true change, of speaking the truth, of actively standing for truth. We honour our sister, her sacrifice, her commitment to her people, and her solidarity with all oppressed people in the world. May Allah have mercy on Assata Olugbala Shakur.  "A woman’s place is in the struggle."
The Hajj solidified his journey towards traditional Islam and embracing a more inclusive and universal practice. It was a transformative experience that fundamentally shifted his worldview. The following excerpts are taken from letters written from abroad. Jedda, Saudi Arabia April 20, 1964 Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and the overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by the people of all colors and races here in this ancient holy land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciouness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors.
Last night, April 19, I was blessed to visit the Holy City of Makkah, and complete the "Omra" part of my pilgrimage. Allah willing, I shall leave for Mina tomorrow, April 21, and be back in Mecca to say my prayers from Mt. Arafat on Tuesday, April 22. Mina is about twenty miles from Mecca. Last night I made my seven circuits around the Kaaba, led by a young Mutawif named Muhammad. I drank water from the well of Zam Zam, and then ran back and forth seven times between the hills of Mt. Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. There were tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans, but were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe could never exist between the white and non-white. Dreams are often indications from beyond this place Where life plays out confined in time n space Intersecting with the mind yet flourishing from beyond thought A tale told without restraint meanings found yet at times lost Ever consider the entirety of That where they're from Just look at The Eternal Energy pouring forth from the sun This Fountain never falters and will never dry It's the What for all to notice - not the How or Why Dreams. Peaceful realities amongst this here show and prop Have you ever absorbed the Ultimate Reality of the thought Absolute is only One Source - Grand above all you hold dear Open yourself to This warmth and absorb truly without fear * From the Author Assalamu alaikum. I am 48 years old and I'm going through this life and its blessings with challenges looking to solidify and ground myself with good company insha Allah. I've sent this in because my Lord gifted me this blessing and I hope to give and receive through this connection with the Sakina Literary Society of the Arts. - Noorjahan Shaikh Would you like to publish your work with us?
Submit your work for consideration - we are accepting all forms of creative expression! |
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