FAith Beyond the Surface

Writing Belief That Breathes What does it mean to truly believe something – and how should that shape a character’s every breath? Recently, I interviewed Arthur C. Clarke and Hugo Award winning author, Adrian Tchaikovsky in which we discussed his recent book Bee Speaker and the Dogs of War series. During the conversation the matter […]

The Power of Rituals

In this post, I will be examining how rituals and rhythms can be used to enhance the creative process. I will also be providing an update on all the writing projects I have planned, sharing my thoughts on Season 1 of Fantasy & Faith coming to a close and providing you with a taste of […]

Religion and fantasy

Introduction Tales of the fantastic have always been intertwined with faith religion. No doubt the genesis story in the Bible and the origins of the universe in mythologies of ancient times have inspired many a writer to come up with belief systems for the peoples of their world(s). Early fantasy writers such as Tolkien and […]

5 Things to Know About the Hajj

The Hajj is annual pilgrimage that draws nearly 2 million people every year and has been the literal mecca for pilgrims since the time of Ibrahim (Abraham), peace and blessings be upon him, which is some 4000 years. In this post, I will share with you 5 things you may or may not know about […]

How Not to Write Muslim Characters Part 3

Muslims, like Christians, have formed various denominations and splits. This post will give you a lightspeed understanding of what they mean and how that may relate to your character. One Ummah Muslims have a lot of similarities to each other, and there is this over-riding concept of One Ummah (roughly translates to nation). The Ummah […]

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 […]

Tarnished Heart

Last year I ended Ramadan with a reflection. This year, I want to up the ante and finish with a reflective poem. Three hundred and thirty days a year, Has blackened my tarnished heart, For the thirty days of Ramadan, Immersed myself in fasting, Supplications and recitation, Remembrance of His Names Salutations on His Beloved, […]

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 […]

Ramadan Days

We are half-way through Ramadan. I thought it maybe interesting for you to gain an insight into what my days look like currently. Work days start with sehri (breakfast) at 4am in the morning. My go to is porridge and dates. After breakfast, I brush my teeth thoroughly and perform ablution for prayer. The fajr […]