Review – The Umm Zakiyya Book Tour & Movie Screening

The Umm Zakiyya Book tour spanned 3 cites, and multiple events per city, including workshops. For South Africa, this comes at a time where more muslim women are exploring the genre of fiction writing, where there is a need to tell stories with islamic principles embedded in them, where narratives are being penned down and the writers are too shy to send their work out there into the world. The encouragement that comes out of this is to keep writing, and to let your literary voice be heard.

Baitul Hikmah stocks and publishes her books here in South Africa, with an aim to revive the Sunnah of IQRA! To read. There are a number of her publications available for purchase.

She shares her childhood experiences where her mom became Muslim and put a scarf on her head at the young age of being in kindergarten where this item of head covering becomes a point of ostracization of her muslim identity. In the Fourth grade she beats ups a boy for taking her hijab. A pattern ensues where Umm Zakkiyyah says “I did not exist as a human being” – This identity ostracization was accompanied with alot of pain with lead to journaling.

During the Nasheed and Book tour event, Umm Zakiyyah quotes Yasmin Mogahed:

The loneliest place to be is on a pedestal.
No mercy lives there. No understanding. No compassion. Only the expectation of perfection. Your humanness is not accepted on a pedestal–let alone celebrated.
The most precious people in my life are the ones who see all of me. The sensitive, emotional side, along with the fighter. The teacher, but also the crazy girl who startles easy, laughs too hard, and drinks her coffee with more cream than coffee. The ones that love and accept the whole package–mess, vulnerability, flaws and all

Umm Zakiyya uses powerful words to share the plight of the Muslim identity and the Islamophobia experienced by many individuals.

I dont know how to balance myself on a pedestal. i didn’t know that you had to show your hair, to show you breathe. In her address there is great contemplation on ones innate humannes, and trying to find words for that whice can’t be explained.

Allah swt didn’t create ugly believers , because everyone with imaan is beautiful.

A very profound take away for all writers is intention. Ask Allah to guide your words.  and don’t mess with things that contradict Tawhid.

Umm Zakiyyah imparts some reminders to benefit all.

• You’re looking toward the Aakhira.
• Your day is built around Salah.
• Portray the human side of the reality of the struggles. Try to remind everyone of one point: “Who is your Lord” . Remembering Allah is not just theory. Reflect on the 99 Names of Allah. Say subhanallah. Contemplate the foundation of imaan.
• Kibr makes us look down on others.
• Our job on earth is to be a reminder to others.
• Don’t scare people when reminding them of Allah. our reminders must be from a point of goodness.
• We believe our human made arrogance has made us judgemental..
• Allahumma siraat al mustaqeem – May allah swt keep us on the straight path.
• Ask Allah swt for Hikmah

The long awaited screening of the trailer :  His other wife. Here’s a preview from UZAuthors official Youtube Channel.