The Art of Juggling Projects

That’s a little misleading. It should be, the Art of Not Juggling Too Many Projects Introduction I, like any other writer, dream of seeing my work in print (or e-ink). I have half-a-dozen ideas that I want to get down on paper or onscreen, but with too many things on the go, I’m going to […]

How Not to Write Muslim Characters Part 2

In the last post, we explored the different stereotypical characterizations of Muslims. In this post, we will look at how to write a Muslim better. Muslims are like any other human being. They have needs and wants, they have family and friends, they have aspirations and goals. Therefore, ground your character in these qualities. The […]

How Not to Write Muslim Characters Part 1

I was recently asked to beta read a book for a writer friend that featured Muslim characters. It is always a difficult task writing about a diaspora that you are not from or intimately familiar with. So, the aim of this article is to provide you with a foundation to avoid the common mistakes. All […]

Why Am I On A Spiritual retreat?

Last year it was FOMO, this year it’s something else If you are a regular reader, you’ll know that I am currently sitting in itikaf. The word itikaf comes from the root of akafa, which means to stick, cling to or devote oneself to something. It is a religious practice that the Prophet Muhammad (peace […]

World Poetry Day 2025

It’s the UNESCO World Poetry Day today. This year’s theme is Peace and Unity. It’s also the 21st day of Ramadan, and I have secluded myself for the next 10 days in a masjid to seek peace within myself and oneness with the Almighty. In keeping with the day and theme, I will try and […]

COVID DIARY DAY 9130

It’s been 5 years since the lockdown. The human world was virtually under house arrest. The natural world 🌎 took a sigh of relief. Dolphins were spotted swimming in the Bosphorus, deer and mountain goats were seen roaming the streets of Britain and nature reserves saw a boom in animal populations. Introverts were supremely happy […]

Writing Update March 2025

This is a straight forward writing update in which I do not intend to waffle about random things (but may still end up doing). I’ve written three chapters of Alauddin and its already longer than the original thing I wrote in my teens. I’m also already making mental notes about things I want to go […]

Ramadan 2025

Wow. It feels like its only been a short while since I wrote my last Ramadan post. So many people who were with us last year at this time have passed from the world. As a Muslim, I am grateful for every Ramadan that I am alive to experience. Each one is another month to […]

Islamic vs. Muslim Fiction

A common misconception is that fiction featuring Islamic themes is Islamic Fiction. It is easy to confuse or conflate Islam with Muslims and is often done by the media and politicians, both intentionally and unintentionally. In this post, I will define these two key terms before explaining the conundrum of this blog’s title. Islam is […]

Muslim Historical Fiction

1. Introduction Historical fiction is difficult to define in the academic sense. Is it all fiction that is set in the historical past of our world? Brown (1998) suggests that its not that simple. Books set in Ancient Greece or during WW1 may easily be identified as having a historic setting. However, what about stories […]