Category Archives: Books (incl.Biographies – w.e.f.01 jan 2018 )

‘Who Is Responsible?’ Book on Partition Launched in New Delhi

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NEW DELHI :

New Delhi: 

A book titled “Zimmedar Kaun? Taqseem-e-Hind Ka Muqaddama Insaaf Ki Adalat Mein” (Who is Responsible? The Case of the Partition of India in the Court of Justice) was released by well-known Islamic scholar Hazrat Maulana Khalil-ur-Rahman Sajjad Nomani, at the Jasola Hotel here on Friday.

Authored by researcher Muhammad Sujood-ul-Aziz Al-Qasmi, the publication offers an unbiased, objective examination of the 1947 Partition of India. Utilizing primary documentary evidence, historical facts, and key correspondence, the author frames Partition as a courtroom trial to deliver a fair analysis of the respective roles played by the British Raj, the All-India Muslim League, and the Indian National Congress.

Key speakers—including veteran journalist Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan and senior journalist Masoom Moradabadi—lauded the author’s painstaking research and the book’s scholarly depth. Attended by prominent local religious figures, distinguished women, and numerous students, the gathering widely praised the volume as a landmark contribution to historical and socio-political literature.

Eminent senior Urdu journalist, columnist, and editor of “Jadeed Khabar”, Mr. Masoom Moradabadi, brought a sharp journalistic and analytical lens to the podium. Opening his address, he reflected on the purpose behind literary works, noting that while Urdu media frequently publishes book reviews, truly purposeful and substantive contributions remain rare. The supreme merit of Al-Qasmi’s work lies in its rigorous research methodology. Eschewing oral hearsay and unverified folklore, the author navigated authentic Urdu, English, and historical archival sources with academic discipline, producing an investigative masterpiece that warrants the highest commendation.

Transitioning to the broader context of Partition historiography, Moradabadi challenged the conventional narrative that places Muslims exclusively in the dock. He drew attention to significant analytical works published across the border, such as Syed Hasan Riaz’s monumental 1,400-page volume ‘Pakistan Naguzeer Tha’ and Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman’s ‘Shahrah-e-Pakistan’, alongside notable Indian contributions like Kamleshwar’s ‘Kitne Pakistan’. Addressing the core question of why this retrospective debate matters nearly eighty years post-independence, he underscored that the Partition remains one of history’s worst human catastrophes, claiming nearly a million innocent lives.

While political theorists often argue that a unified nation would have spared Indian Muslims their current socio-political vulnerability, historical realities demand deeper contemplation. Pakistan, founded upon religious nationalism as a “Mamlekat-e-Khudadad,” fractured along linguistic lines in 1971 with the emergence of Bangladesh. Highlighting the irony inherent in majoritarian political demands, Moradabadi shared his frequent counsel to proponents of a mono-cultural state: “If you wish to reshape India, as a “Hindu Rashtra” look first at the complex realities and fragmentation haunting Pakistan’s history!”—a challenge that invariably leaves proponents silent.

Detailing the grim socio-economic realities of migrant communities (Muhajirs) in urban centers like Islamabad and Karachi, he emphasized that the sacrifices underpinning Pakistan’s creation were heavily compromised by feudal hegemony and elite governance. The systemic marginalization faced by minority and migrant populations across borders serves as a poignant reminder of the failures of majoritarian statecraft. In India, the continuous weaponization of Partition to demand questioning of community loyalty constitutes a malicious scheme by fringe extremist elements. Moradabadi concluded with an earnest recommendation: to bridge cultural divides and counter misinformation effectively, this stellar research work must be translated into Hindi and edited by linguistic experts to reach a broader national readership where the book trade thrives.

Eminent Islamic scholar and founder-editor of The Milli Gazette, Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan delivered a keynote address characterized by intellectual rigor and fearless candor. Opening his remarks, Dr. Khan congratulated the author for steering clear of emotional rhetoric and adopting a balanced, scholarly methodology that refreshes historical debate.

Focusing on community communication failures, Dr. Khan observed that Indian Muslims have historically failed to articulate their grievances and historical narrative effectively to the global and national mainstream. Whatever documentation existed remained confined to Urdu—a language that itself became a victim of Partition’s linguistic reorganization. Had unity been preserved, Urdu would likely have stood alongside Hindi as a national co-official language. While English persists as an administrative bridge for non-Hindi speaking southern and eastern states, Northern India’s “Cow Belt” has overwhelmingly adopted Hindi as its vernacular baseline. Despite these shifts, Dr. Khan stressed the urgent moral imperative to protect and propagate Urdu, noting that after Arabic, the richest theological and literary heritage of Islamic scholarship resides within Urdu texts, surpassing even Persian in certain analytical compilations.

Reflecting on constitutional history, Dr. Khan recounted the tragic marginalization of Urdu during Constituent Assembly voting, where a initial majority favouring Urdu was overturned due to political compromises. He recalled that Begum Ezaz Rasul’s casting vote in the Constituent Assembly made Hindi the national language but she failed to extract the concession to make Urdu the second official language. He recalled Sardar Patel’s historic assurances regarding minority integration and political reservations and protections that minority leadership voluntarily relinquished in good faith within a secular framework, only to face systemic erosion decades later. Contrasting this trajectory with international models, he cited the Jewish community’s systematic efforts to memorialize historical persecution through literature, cinema, and rigorous legal protections across Western Europe. While external political actions continue to reshape global sympathies, minority communities in pluralistic societies must master modern bridge languages—specifically English —to project their contributions and historical truths accurately.

Challenging simplistic attributions of blame for the Partition, Dr. Khan offered a nuanced structural analysis. The tragedy cannot be reduced to a single culprit; colonial conspiracies played a decisive role. British imperial strategy abhorred the prospect of leaving behind a monolithic superpower comprising India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh—an economic titan commanding a huge chunk of global GDP. Colonial historiography, spearheaded by chroniclers like Elliot and Dawson post-1857, systematically injected communal poison into historical texts. In reality, the Mughal rulers and Muslim dynastic governance integrated disparate principalities into a cohesive economic and administrative grid stretching from Kabul to south India. Concluding his address, Dr. Khan endorsed the book as a monumental, objective contribution that paves the way for intellectual clarity. He suggested that the book should be translated at least into Hindi.

In his visionary presidential address, renowned Islamic scholar Hazrat Maulana Khalil-ur-Rahman Sajjad Nomani elevated the discourse from political critique to civilizational psychology and spiritual resilience. Analyzing the dynamics of societal rise and fall, Maulana Nomani emphasized that navigating severe socio-political adversity requires a balanced, composed psychological state. Despair, panic, and emotional reactivity cloud intellectual clarity and paralyze collective progress. Just as individuals experience biological cycles of health and illness, nations traverse historical epochs of ascendancy and decline governed by universal divine laws.

Addressing the contemporary hopelessness gripping the Muslim community, the Maulana asserted that the current cycle of decline is neither permanent nor absolute. Prophetic traditions explicitly outline periods of trial for the Ummah, but they equally promise a grand renaissance—a ‘Nishat-e-Saaniya’—wherein past prestige and moral leadership will be restored through divine providence. Achieving this revival, however, demands systematic intellectual, moral, and emotional training. During times of intense crisis, leadership must extinguish fear, kindle hope, and foster critical self-accountability.

Maulana Nomani cautioned against internal inferiority complexes fuelled by historical ignorance and unverified propaganda. The persistent self-doubt among the younger generation—questioning whether elders erred in pursuing Partition—stems from a superficial reading of history. A rigorous historical inquiry must examine the complex web of British divide-and-rule tactics, broken political pacts, and compelling existential pressures that forced communities into corners. He praised young scholar Muhammad Sujood-ul-Aziz Al-Qasmi for stepping forward with methodological rigor to counter emotionally charged, rhetorical narratives with archival documentation.

Presenting an extensive and deeply reflective introduction to his work, author Maulana Muhammad Sujood-ul-Aziz Al-Qasmi addressed the audience with an impassioned discourse on the imperatives of historical truth and collective memory. Nearly eighty years have passed since the partition of the country, yet the socio-political climate shows no signs of healing or progressive evolution. Muslims—who shed the most blood and offered unprecedented sacrifices for the liberation of their beloved motherland—find themselves regrettably thrust into the dock of public scrutiny today. An insidious indictment is consistently levied against them, branding them as the primary culprits and sole architects of the Partition of India. The rhetoric has reached such a distressing juncture that the community’s collective fate is brazenly framed around coercive premises: ‘Since a separate nation was carved out in the name of Islam, those who remained here must accept life as second-class citizens’, and ‘If Pakistan could be founded in the name of Islam, why shouldn’t a Hindu Rashtra be established in the name of Hindus?’

Reflecting on the psychological burden this narrative places on the community, the author noted that without access to true historical facts, even conscientious citizens are often left uncomfortable when confronted with such probing queries from fellow countrymen. For years, he harboured a profound internal conflict, mindful of the immense sacrifices rendered by Muslims during the freedom struggle—especially the tragic saga of the First War of Independence in 1857. During that dark period, freedom fighters were crushed in oil mills across the landscape from Chandni Chowk in Delhi to Lahore, and the bodies of martyrs hung from trees as grim reminders of colonial brutality. Even after enduring such devastation, following a principled and collective consensus, a vast majority of Muslims chose to remain in their homeland. Yet, when a portion of undivided India was partitioned in the name of religion, public discourse persistently questioned the moral validity of demanding equal citizenship and rights in the residual nation.

Though fundamentally flawed and unreasonable, this relentless propaganda deeply unsettled empathetic and thoughtful minds for decades. The author expressed profound gratitude to his mentor, Hazrat Maulana Khalil-ur-Rahman Sajjad Nomani, whose comprehensive lecture on the subject nearly a decade ago provided a vital paradigm shift in thought and critical analysis. Extensive reading followed, gradually dissolving the lingering, undeserved sense of collective guilt. In today’s climate—where hate-mongering elements are hyperactive and Muslim communities face constant taunts—an average citizen committed to national welfare easily falls prey to mental distress and a defensive posture. This environment pressures even the well-educated to entertain regressive notions. Consequently, uncovering hidden archival truths preserved in British libraries and independent historical records became an absolute necessity.

Unpacking the methodological challenges of historical inquiry, Al-Qasmi observed that writing history requires rigorous engagement with the works of preceding scholars. The primary challenge lies in navigating the conflicting ideological biases of historical actors and commentators to extract objective truth. Maintaining strict neutrality on a monumental tragedy like the Partition of India is exceptionally difficult, yet vital for scholarly integrity. History is not merely a chronicle of past events; it serves a higher purpose. Rather than recounting the entire chronology of independence, this study isolates a singular, crucial inquiry: Were Muslims truly the culprits of Partition, or were external and multi-party forces responsible?

Examining the multi-layered political landscape, the author noted that existing literature tends to mirror partisan narratives—British justifications, Congress frameworks, or Muslim League stances. Comprehensive works offering an inclusive Muslim perspective remain scarce, often prioritizing leadership actions while overlooking the tireless efforts of organizations like Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind to preserve a united country through workable constitutional formulas. The book endeavours to synthesize a holistic perspective, moving beyond mutual recrimination. With British archival documents now declassified, facts stand in crystal-clear clarity: the Muslims of India were not self-fragmented; rather, they were systematically partitioned under a calculated imperial strategy. Ultimately, the division weakened all parties, fracturing the largest global Muslim community since the Ottoman era. Finding answers to these foundational questions forms the bedrock of this timely research study.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home / by Zillur Rahman Haider / October 23rd, 2026

New book debunks stereotypes, reclaims Malappuram’s rich legacy

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Malappuram, KERALA :

The historical accounts of Malappuram were written by outside people

Release of the book on Malappuram Photo / Express

Kozhikode :

Why does Malappuram continue to appear as a trouble spot and the hub of religious fundamentalism in popular imagination and in some political utterances? A book on the history of the geographical area, which is part of the multi-volume project on different aspects of the district, asserts that the notion that Malappuram is a ‘fanatic zone’ was the creation of colonialists, which continues to linger in popular discourses even after the country became independent.

“People of this area fought against the British invasion and boycotted their language as a token of protest. Naturally, the colonialists had an antagonism towards the people.

But the tragedy is that there are people who still nurture the colonial mindset,” said Minister for Industries and IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty, while launching the 10-volume book ‘Malappuram: Geography, People, Culture’ in Malappuram on October 4.

“The areas under the present Malappuram came under British rule in 1792. Since then, there were resistances against the British and the colonialists brought a number of black laws like the Mappila Outrages Act to contain the agitations.

There were a number of British reports like that of T L Strange, which depicted Malappuram as an unmanageable spot,” said Moyin Hudavi Malayamma, one of the general editors of the volume.

“The historical accounts of Malappuram were written by outside people. The people of Malappuram seldom got a chance to express what they actually are. Our project, in a way, is people writing their own history,” he added.

“Colonial records were the only available materials for those who studied the history of Malappuram. Naturally, those who wrote about Malappuram later were heavily influenced by these records.

The Hindutva narrative on Malappuram was built on this notion. Curiously, the Left is also parroting the narrative,” said Ashraf Valoor, one of the editors of the volume.

“Ours is an academic response to stereotyping. This is an alternative to the colonial and Hindutva narratives on Malappuram,” Valoor said. “It is true that early writers like EMS Namboodirippad viewed the 1921 agitation from the correct perspective. But later we see that the Left also internalised the colonial notion and that is why anti-Malappuram remarks are coming from some CPM leaders at regular intervals,” he added.

Valoor believes that the fact that the IUML is on the other side of the political spectrum also compelled the CPM to take an antagonistic stand towards the people of Malappuram. “Political enmity of some CPM leaders sometimes crosses the border and descends to communal level,” he said.

The volume contains academic articles on the process of ‘otherisation’ of Malappuram, the hate campaign during the formation of the district, the stories on the ‘aggression’ by Tipu Sultan and the communal amity in Malappuram. The project was envisaged by the Malappuram district committee of the Muslim Youth League and financially supported by the Saudi unit of Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), a feeder organisation of the IUML.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Kerala / by MP Prashanth / October 17th, 2026

Aligarh Beyond AMU: Atif Syed on the Forgotten History of a City That Outlasted Empires

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Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :

Atif Syed tells Booked how his new book recovers Aligarh’s overlooked past. The account places AMU within a longer history of battles, migration and heritage.

Aligarh Beyond AMU: Atif Syed on the Forgotten History of a City That Outlasted Empires

For many people, Aligarh is inseparable from Aligarh Muslim University and the Aligarh movement led by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. But the city’s history stretches across centuries, encompassing successive rulers, military campaigns, French families, forgotten neighbourhoods and monuments that remain largely outside the public imagination.

In a conversation with Marya on Booked, Atif Syed, author of Aligarh: The City That Outlasted Empires, discusses his attempt to recover these overlooked narratives and place them within a larger account of the city.

The project began as a personal curiosity. Born in Aligarh but having left relatively early, Syed wanted to understand more about the city beyond its familiar identity. As he researched, he found that much of the existing narrative concentrated on the more recent past, leaving earlier chapters comparatively unexplored.

Among the discoveries that surprised him were the French families who lived in Aligarh for generations. One of them, George Peche, learnt Persian and Urdu and became an Urdu poet. Syed also describes the historical accounts of visitors, residences, gardens and neighbourhoods that reveal a more cosmopolitan and layered past than is commonly associated with the city.

The story reaches back much further. Syed discusses the settlement’s earlier identity as Koil or Kol, the conquest associated with Qutb al-Din Aibak, and the detailed accounts preserved by Persian historians. He also examines the 1857 uprising in Aligarh and the Battle of 1803, when British forces fought the Marathas and their French allies.

For Syed, the city’s geography is central to understanding its history. Located along routes connecting larger centres such as Agra and Delhi, Aligarh repeatedly became entangled in wider struggles for power. Its older town played a significant role long before the development of the Civil Lines area and the expansion of the institution that would become Aligarh Muslim University.

This does not mean diminishing the university’s importance. Syed describes the Aligarh movement as transformative, but argues that focusing exclusively on it risks losing the centuries of people, personalities and events that came before. He compares the movement to the finale of a story: the ending makes more sense when the audience knows the entire plot.

The author also explains his approach to historical research. He says he relied on primary accounts, academic sources, historical journals and documentation, distinguishing traditional accounts from claims grounded in historical evidence. His aim was to make the book readable as a narrative while remaining careful about the sources behind it.

Preserving the city’s physical heritage is another part of the project. Syed says that some historical sites, including tombs and monuments hidden in narrow lanes, are difficult to locate. His book therefore includes a map linked to QR codes that direct readers to the sites. He hopes greater awareness will encourage efforts to conserve monuments that are in poor condition.

Aligarh: The City That Outlasted Empires is thus both a historical exploration and a tribute to the author’s birthplace. Its central proposition is that a city cannot be understood through a single institution, period or identity. To see Aligarh more fully, its lesser-known stories must be brought back into view.

source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> Books / by India Today Web Desk / October 16th, 2026

“Kashmir: A Journey Beyond Time”: Book Launch Triggers Debate on History, Article 370

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NEW DELHI :

New Delhi :

Advocate Irshad Ahmad’s book titled “Kashmir – A Journey Beyond Time” was released at the India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC) on Wednesday, bringing together former judges, political leaders, legal professionals and public figures who reflected on Kashmir’s history, natural beauty, political developments and the experiences of its people.

Speaking at the book release, Justice Iqbal Ansari, former Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, congratulated Ahmad and urged people to read the book to develop a deeper understanding of Kashmir. Recalling his own visits to the region, Justice Ansari said that Kashmir’s extraordinary natural beauty stood in sharp contrast to the difficult circumstances he witnessed there.

Describing Kashmir as a “tragic place”, he said its people were good and hospitable but had experienced difficult lives. He recalled seeing restrictions and challenging conditions during his visits and said these experiences left him deeply saddened.

Justice Ansari also discussed the historical circumstances surrounding Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India. Recalling the events following the end of British rule, he said Jammu and Kashmir was a princely state whose ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, initially sought to maintain an independent position. According to Ansari, the situation changed following the entry of forces from Pakistan into the region, after which the Maharaja sought India’s assistance and signed the Instrument of Accession.

He emphasised that the accession initially related to three subjects, defence, foreign affairs and communications, while Jammu and Kashmir retained substantial autonomy in other areas.

Justice Ansari subsequently turned to the history and constitutional significance of Article 370. He questioned the popular narrative that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was unaware of, or opposed to, the provision. According to him, discussions concerning Article 370 took place at Patel’s residence, while a draft letter concerning Sheikh Abdullah was also sent to Patel for approval.

He said Patel subsequently played a role in securing support for the provision within the Congress Working Committee. Justice Ansari argued that Article 370 was conceived as a constitutional mechanism through which the applicability of provisions of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir could be determined while preserving the state’s special constitutional position.

He stressed that claims concerning Article 370 and Patel’s role should be assessed in light of historical records rather than simply repeated as established facts. Referring to the subsequent abrogation of Article 370, Justice Ansari said there had been limited opportunity for a dispassionate public discussion about its constitutional and political implications.

He expressed appreciation for Ahmad’s effort to document his journey through Kashmir and said the book could encourage readers to engage more deeply with the region’s history, people and contemporary realities.

Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid also congratulated Ahmad on the publication. He said the book on Kashmir should perhaps have been written much earlier and suggested that greater engagement with the region could have contributed to addressing some of the problems associated with it.

Khurshid referred to the Supreme Court’s judgment concerning Article 370 and noted that Justice Iqbal Ansari had articulated his views on Kashmir and the constitutional provision. He also suggested that a separate book should be written on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and its significance in India’s constitutional and institutional framework.

Addressing the question of Kashmir’s relationship with the rest of the country, Khurshid said that even if some people believed the situation had improved, sustained efforts were necessary to ensure that the people of Jammu and Kashmir never felt separated from the rest of India.

He emphasised the importance of strengthening relationships with the people of the region and avoiding actions or approaches that could deepen feelings of alienation.

Recalling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s formulation of “Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat”, Khurshid described the phrase as an important message associated with Kashmir. He said India should work towards an era in which Kashmir makes a significant contribution to the country’s future and receives the attention and care appropriate to its place as the “crown of India”.

The author, Advocate Irshad Ahmad, described the occasion as a deeply emotional moment, saying he had never imagined that he would become the author of a book. Recalling his journey to Kashmir, he said he had initially travelled there as an ordinary visitor but returned with experiences and impressions that eventually inspired him to write.

Ahmad said the beauty of Dal Lake, mountains, valleys, shikaras and gardens, along with the warmth and hospitality of Kashmir’s people, left a lasting impression on him. These experiences, he said, became the foundation of his book.

He said the central theme of his journey was “Sangharsh”, or struggle, which he described as an integral part of human life and an important source of inspiration and strength. Referring to Winston Churchill’s well-known exhortation to “never give in”, Ahmad said the spirit of perseverance had remained an important part of his own journey through different phases of life, including engineering, politics and public service.

Ahmad said he had already published around 650–700 books and credited the encouragement of friends and well-wishers for motivating him to continue writing. He particularly addressed young people, saying that determination and sustained struggle could help them achieve their objectives irrespective of the profession or field they chose.

He clarified that Kashmir – A Journey Beyond Time was not intended to be a conventional historical work. Instead, he said, it was based on what he personally saw, experienced and felt during his journey through Kashmir. He also indicated that he planned to write another book dealing with Islamic culture and animal cultural history.

Sirajuddin Qureshi, former President of the India Islamic Cultural Centre, congratulated Ahmad for completing the book, particularly because the project had been undertaken quietly and without much public attention. He said the author deserved appreciation for presenting Kashmir in what he considered its proper context rather than attempting to write about the region without experiencing it firsthand.

Qureshi highlighted Kashmir’s natural beauty and recalled its longstanding reputation as a destination comparable to Switzerland. While acknowledging that numerous books had already been written about Kashmir, he said Ahmad’s effort to present the region through his own journey and observations added significance to the work.

Pradeep Rai, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, also congratulated Ahmad and reflected on the enduring significance of books. He said societies had undergone enormous changes over thousands of years, with rulers, communities and social structures changing, while Kashmir’s mountains, rivers and natural landscape had remained enduring features of the region.

Rai said books had the power to make writers’ names live on through generations because readers continued to remember authors through their works. Referring to his interest in Amir Khusro and writings in which Kashmir has been mentioned, he said successive dynasties and historical developments had shaped the region and its society.

He praised Ahmad for travelling through Kashmir and documenting what he personally witnessed. Rai observed that understanding contemporary Kashmir required a willingness to see the region directly and engage with its people and society.

The book release thus became not merely a literary occasion but a wider discussion about Kashmir’s history, constitutional evolution, social experience, natural beauty and relationship with the wider Indian society. Across their remarks, the speakers emphasised the value of documenting personal experiences and engaging with Kashmir through history, literature and direct human interaction.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> News> Society / by India Tomorrow / October 01st, 2026

Sarah Mehmood Writes Indian Muslim Fiction She Could Not Find as a Reader

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Karnataka (under research project), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Bengaluru:

Sarah Mehmood began as a reader. Today she writes fiction rooted in the lives of young Indian Muslims.

She found an online platform where young writers worldwide published novels chapter by chapter. She noticed a gap. Muslim fiction set in India, especially about young Muslim women, was hard to find.

“I stumbled upon writing by chance,” she recalls.

Curiosity became a wish to write the missing stories. She wanted authentic, positive representation and relatable characters for young women.

Her characters dress modestly, stay devoted to their Creator and hold ambitions for their futures. They follow their faith without being defined by it alone. They also face a universal tension between who society expects them to be and who they want to become.

This tension drives her book ‘Bowled Over by the Broken’. Sarah wrote it after readers dismissed events in novels as things found only in stories. She wanted to prove otherwise.

She drew on experiences familiar to many young South Asian women. Some hear taunts about a brown complexion. Others face pressure to marry soon after finishing their education. Some hear the assumption compatibility will grow after the wedding.

Sarah refuses to treat the wedding as the finish line. “Most stories end at the wedding,” she says. “In this book, the most eventful part begins after it.”

Her three self-published books share one idea. Faith and dreams belong together. “You do not have to abandon your religion while seeking to accomplish your dreams,” she says.

Sarah works as an Assistant Professor with a background in Food Science and Nutrition. Her training teaches her to question, analyse and look beyond the obvious.

She balances teaching, research and writing. Writing helps her cope with the load. “On days when I think I’m too busy for anything apart from work,” she says, “those happen to be the same days when I find myself scrambling to pen down my thoughts as a means of destressing.” She sums it up in one line: “Painters paint, bakers bake, and writers write.”

Her path from online reader to self-published author and academic followed no fixed plan. It began when she noticed a gap and decided to fill it. Her stories ask young Muslim women to keep their identity whole. They leave room for dreams alongside devotion and ambition alongside values.

Taken from story appearing in awazthevoice.in Sarah Mehmood’s stories are happening in the world of India Muslims

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Features> Latest News> Markers of Excellence / by Radiance News Bureau / October 08th, 2026

Mahtab Qadr, the Versatile Artist of Urdu Poetry, Prose and Journalism, Passes Away

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), NRI's / PIO's, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jeddah, SAUDI ARABIA / Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

OBITUARY

Bengaluru :

Hundreds of thousands of Urdu lovers across the world are mourning the passing of Syed Sarfaraz Ali, widely known by his pen name Mahtab Qadr, a versatile poet, prose writer and journalist who selflessly dedicated over five decades of his life to protecting and promoting Urdu in the Arabian desert.

Mahtab Qadr breathed his last in Hyderabad, the city of his birth, on Friday. He had come from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — where he spent most of his life in the service of Urdu — for a knee surgery. He passed away before the procedure could be performed.

He was 70.

According to family sources, he will be laid to rest in Hyderabad on Saturday afternoon. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

Born in 1956, Mahtab Qadr earned his Master’s in Library Science from Osmania University. He served as a medical librarian at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah for nearly three decades.

A multifaceted literary personality, Qadr was a distinguished poet, prose writer, sketch writer, translator, organiser and travelogue writer. He was also the founder of “Urdu Gulbun,” an active literary forum in Jeddah.

Above all, he was a fellow traveller on the delicate and rugged path of journalism. When the Jeddah-based English daily Saudi Gazette launched its Urdu supplement, Mahtab Qadr was part of its editorial team.

A native of the Deccan, with its fertile literary and cultural traditions, Qadr’s own thought and craft reflected the same depth and diversity. At a time when Urdu faces growing challenges in India, he kept the lamp of word and pen alight, working tirelessly for its promotion.

His published works include poetry and prose collections Chhaon-e-Sahra, Sabz Sahra and Nazriat-e-Mahtab, and the travelogue Awargi Thodi Si.

There is a distinct movement in Qadr’s writings; they break stagnation. His poetry and prose are marked by a freshness and energy that grips the reader. His style was unconventional — he moved off the beaten track to explore new subjects and ideas. While his poetry carries a note of romanticism, it also reflects a deep insight into social issues. His literary sketches reveal a subtle understanding of human psychology and nature.

His contribution was not limited to his own writings. Through Urdu Gulbun, he provided a vital platform in Jeddah for Urdu lovers, where literary gatherings were held and emerging writers found encouragement and expression. His journalistic writings for the Urdu supplement of the Saudi Gazette were both thought-provoking and instrumental in promoting the language.

His travelogue Awargi Thodi Si is a testament to his love for travel and his keen powers of observation. Narrated with simplicity and fluency, it transports the reader to the places he describes, making his prose accessible to readers from all walks of life.

In his passing, Urdu has lost a sincere and tireless servant whose writings compelled readers to think and sought social change through literature.

_______________

Syed Athar Hasnain Rizvi is a senior journalist. He was associated with the National Herald in New Delhi and the Saudi Gazette in Jeddah. He can be contacted at: sahrizvi35@yahoo.com

source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick>Personalities / by Syed Athar Hasnain Rizvi / September 25th, 2026

Zubair Rizvi lived and died glorifying Urdu language

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Amroha, UTTAR PRADESH :

Zubair Rizvi speaking at a function of Urdu Academy

It was February 21, 2016. A seminar on Urdu was in progress in the Qamar Rais Hall of Delhi Urdu Academy of Delhi. The president of the Urdu Academy Zubair Rizvi rose to speak. He apologized for becoming emotional and said it was difficult for him to speak. Zubair Rizvi had been heading the Academy for 30 years and the audiences too it as the idiosyncrasy of a reputed poet. He left his speech midway and walked slowly to his chair and sat down in it. Rakim Numan, the chief guest, who was seated close to him found him feeling uneasy. He rose and rushed towards Zubair’s seat. Before he could pour water from his bottle to the doyen of Urdu litterateur, he had collapsed.

Majid Deobandi, vice chairman of the Academy immediately ran towards Zubair. People lifted him and rushed him to the hospital. A few minutes later Zubair Rizvi was declared dead.

The gem of a litterateur from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, died working till his last breath and amidst fans and admirers. He was laid to rest the same day in his ancestral cemetery in Amroha.

Zubair Rizvi

Zubair Rizvi was a writer par excellence. He was also the best scholar with an awakened consciousness about the literary heritage of Urdu. As a popular poet, he enjoyed adulation and cherished admirers. He made his mark as a successful poet in mushairas all over the world including India Pakistan, Canada, etc., and introduced a new tone to contemporary poetry. He was also a successful broadcaster and a staunch intellectual critic. During his days with the All India Radio, he was posted as Station Director of the Rampur station for some time.

One of his famous poems, Yeh Hai Mera Hindustan, which he read with gusto at many a Mushaira, not only gained great popularity among Urdu lovers but was also included in many textbooks.

Zubair Rizvi was born on April 15, 1935, in a scholarly family in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh; the atmosphere in his family was filled with religious and spiritual fragrances. His father Muhammad Rizvi and his mother Fahmida Rizvi were famous religious and scholarly figures.

A distinguished poet, Zubair donned many hats in his prismatic career: Broadcaster; Secretary, Urdu academy; Lecturer, Mass communication; Jury for AIR, Writer, and Magazine composer.

He began his career at the famed Hamdard Dawa-Khana, followed by a position as an interviewer, scriptwriter, and interviewer at AlR, Delhi where he interviewed celebrities such as Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Lata Mangeshkar, and Dilip Kumar.

He rose to the position of Director of Sports at AIR.

A sher of Zubair Rizvi 

A postgraduate of the Delhi University, Zubair Razvi, joined Urdu Academy, Delhi as Secretary after 30 years of service at All India Radio. He was the director of the Urdu Academy for two years, and during this time he did an incredible job of promoting and helping Urdu lovers learn the language. He held seminars on popular topics such as The Role of Urdu in Bollywood which was attended by Yash Chopra, Gulzar, and Farooq Shaikh to name a few.

He was appointed a member of many jury committees for script selection and also appointed as a guest lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Jamia Milia Islamia Delhi.

His journey as a poet started from Hyderabad at a very early stage; around the 1950s. He had the chance to share the stage with then-famed poets like Kaifi Azmi and Ali Sardar Jafri. Soon, he made a place for himself as an Urdu Poet. Be it critics or less-informed audiences, Zubair Rizvi is regarded very highly by both as an Urdu poet, writer, and a significant contributor to Urdu Literature.

Cover of one of Zubair Rizvi’s books

In verse, he mainly tried his hand at Ghazal, Nazm, and Geet. He has over 17 books to his credit, some of the more important ones among these include, Lahar Lahar Nadiya Gahri (Collection of Poems), Khisht-e-Deewar, Musafat-e-Shab, Purani Baat Hai, Dhoop Ka Saibaan, Ungliyaan Figaar Apni, etc.

Two books have been written on his life and work and he has compiled and edited 24 books.

His remarkable contribution to the field of literature can be fathomed by the breadth of awards he amassed during his lifetime. These included: The All India Radio New Delhi- External Services Division Award; Sant Gyaneshwar National Award for the year 2009 by Maharashtra Urdu Sahitya Academy; All India Mushaira Award of Honor S.C.D. Govt College SAHIR Memorial Society Ludhiana (2002); Urdu Academy Delhi Award for Ghalib Aur Funoon-e-Lateefa; Consulate General Of India, Jeddah, Saudia Arabia- Certificate of Appreciation; Certificate for Sufi Studies-Maharaja Ranjit Singh Police Academy (2001); Karnataka Urdu Academy, Bangalore; Urdu Academy at Delhi Secretariat presented an award to his book Sang-E-Sada; Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy, Lucknow Award for Sang-E-Sada (2014); National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language -World URDU Conference (2016).

As a poet, his beyond-the-borders following can be gauged by the different mix of mediums that his works have featured. A few of these special features include: Door Darshan Serial “Khali Haath”, written by Dr. Harikrishna Devsare, had Zubair Rizvi’s lyrics. In five Indian states, the NCERT Urdu curriculum has selected Zubair Razvi’s iconic patriotic song” Yeh hai Mera Hindustan, Mere Sapnon Ka Jahan Is Se Pyaar Mujhko” for school textbooks. He was also quite famous for his recitals and was invited to Mushairas in Asia, Canada, Europe, and especially America where he once performed in 15 different states in one tour.

Zubair Rizvi’s passion for Urdu was undying, and to spread this language of love to lands far and wide, he started the famous magazine Zehn-e-Jadid – Bari Zaban Ka Zinda Risala, which is now being published and edited by his wife Jamshed Jahan.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Siraj Naqvi / December 12th, 2023

Mughal Memoirs Offer Window into Court Politics, Society and Cultural Change, Says Romila Thapar

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NEW DELHI :

New Delhi :

Renowned historian Romila Thapar, speaking at the launch of her memoir “Just Being: A Memoir” at the India International Centre on Sunday evening, drew attention to the rich tradition of memoirs and biographies associated with the Mughal period, describing them as important sources for understanding not only rulers but also the political, social and cultural environment in which they lived.

Rather than speaking extensively about her own memoir, Thapar used the occasion to discuss memoir as a genre of writing and its value to historians. She explained that memoirs and biographies provide more than accounts of individual lives. They also reveal how authors viewed their societies, political surroundings and the people with whom they interacted.

In this context, Thapar highlighted the writings produced during the Mughal period, particularly those associated with Mughal rulers and members of the imperial court. She said these writings were a lively form of historical and literary expression and offered insights into both the public and private worlds of the Mughal elite.

Thapar pointed to the memoir of Babur as one of the most notable examples. Babur recorded his experiences in Ferghana and Kabul, as well as his battles and efforts to establish a kingdom in the frontier region between north-western India and Afghanistan. According to Thapar, Babur’s writing style was remarkably comfortable and informal, with descriptions of major political and military events interspersed with observations about everyday life.

One of the characteristics that makes Babur’s memoir particularly engaging, she noted, is the way serious accounts of warfare and state-building are accompanied by apparently ordinary personal observations. She referred to Babur’s well-known comment that melons in India were not as sweet as those in Ferghana. Such details, Thapar suggested, make the memoir more than a record of battles and political achievements. They provide glimpses into the personality and preferences of the ruler himself.

Thapar also discussed the memoir associated with Humayun, which differs from Babur’s account because it was compiled by his sister, Gulbadan Begum. She described the work as having a stronger biographical character while still containing valuable observations about Mughal court life.

The memoir, according to Thapar, provides glimpses into both the public and private dimensions of the court. It records aspects of the relatively hidden or “surreptitious” life of the court alongside its more visible political activities. This makes such writings particularly valuable to historians attempting to understand how the Mughal court functioned beyond formal descriptions of imperial power.

Thapar also referred to Abul Fazl’s Akbar Nama, describing it as almost a combination of biography and history. The work chronicles the activities of Emperor Akbar while simultaneously providing an account of the wider historical circumstances of his reign. She noted that subsequent Mughal rulers either wrote memoirs themselves or had their lives recorded, producing accounts associated with Jahangir and Shah Jahan.

One of the most striking features of these writings, Thapar said, was the cultural change visible between the period before Akbar and the writing produced during and after his reign. The writings reflected considerable interaction between the author and the surrounding cultural environment, as well as a growing sense of inquiry into the world around them.

Thapar stressed that this cultural interaction is significant because historians need to understand the world as it was perceived by individuals living in a particular period. Mughal writings, she argued, provide evidence not only of how rulers viewed themselves but also of their relationships with the people over whom they ruled and the communities with whom they lived in close proximity.

Such interactions, she suggested, could alter aspects of the lives and cultural patterns on both sides. The memoirs and biographies, therefore, should not simply be read as official records of imperial achievements. They can also be examined as accounts of encounters between different groups and cultures.

Thapar gave particular importance to the writings of Mughal women, observing that some women’s memoirs were highly political. She referred to Jahanara Begum, the daughter of Shah Jahan and sister of Aurangzeb, who wrote about life and politics within the Mughal court.

The importance of such writings, she suggested, lies in the way they bring together ordinary concerns and political observations. Everyday experiences could appear alongside reflections on society, court personalities and political developments. The narration of political activities gave these memoirs a distinct political edge, allowing them to capture the historical moment from perspectives that might otherwise remain underrepresented.

Thapar said these writings also reflected the “mixed identity” of the Mughal elite. The court was not an isolated political institution; it was a space where different cultural influences, social relationships and political interests came together. Memoirs and biographies provide evidence of these interactions and help historians understand how individuals negotiated their identities within that environment.

Her discussion also drew attention to what is missing from historical sources. Thapar expressed disappointment at the absence of comparable reflections on the emerging elite in Sanskrit sources, particularly because some high-caste officials had written about court politics. The contrast demonstrates how the survival and nature of historical sources can influence modern understanding of a particular period.

Thapar’s larger argument was that memoirs should be read critically rather than treated as straightforward factual records. The value of a memoir lies not only in whether every event has been recorded accurately but also in what the author chose to observe, emphasise or ignore.

This approach is particularly relevant when reading Mughal memoirs. A ruler writing about his own battles, a court historian describing an emperor, or a woman writing about life within the imperial household each presents a different perspective. Their accounts reveal their individual experiences and assumptions as much as they reveal the historical events themselves.

She emphasised that biographies and memoirs are therefore commentaries on both the individuals being described and the contexts in which they lived. The author, even when writing about another person, inevitably reveals something about himself or herself through the selection of events and the interpretation of personalities.

Thapar’s discussion placed Mughal memoirs within a much longer tradition of biographical writing in India. She noted that biographies existed well before the Mughal period, citing works such as Banabhatta’s seventh-century biography of King Harshavardhana and the Ramacharitam of Sandhyakar Nandi. However, Mughal-era writings developed within a distinctive cultural and political environment and offer particularly valuable evidence of interactions between rulers, court elites and wider society.

Her comments ultimately suggested that Mughal memoirs should be viewed as more than chronicles of emperors and their achievements. They are records of personalities, political relationships, cultural encounters and changing perceptions. Babur’s observations of his homeland and India, Gulbadan Begum’s account of Humayun and the Mughal household, Abul Fazl’s expansive portrayal of Akbar, and the political observations of women such as Jahanara Begum collectively demonstrate the diversity of voices connected to the Mughal court.

For historians, Thapar argued, these texts are significant precisely because they allow the past to be viewed through the eyes of people who experienced it. Their subjective nature does not diminish their historical value; instead, it provides another layer of evidence about how individuals understood their world.

In her remarks, Thapar ultimately presented Mughal memoirs as a bridge between personal experience and history. By reading them alongside other historical evidence, historians can move beyond the conventional story of kings and battles and gain a deeper understanding of the society, politics and cultural interactions that shaped the Mughal era.

Professor Kumkum Roy, professor of History, formerly of JNU; Professor Neeladri Bhattacharya, professor of History, formerly of JNU; and Ambassador TCA Raghavan, former High Commissioner to Pakistan, also shared their views. At the same time, Professor Kunal Chakravarti moderated the event.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education> In Depth> Society / by Mohd Naushad Khan / September 08th, 2026

Karnataka Sahitya Academy to chronicle lives of 59 freedom fighters jailed in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Karnataka (under research project), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KARNATAKA :

The Academy has formed a committee comprising academicians and researchers, and they will be publishing a book on the lives of the freedom-fighters from Karnataka titled ‘Yaaroo Ariyada Veeraru’.

“59 persons from Karnataka, who were part of the 1857 rebellion, were imprisoned in the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. We don’t want their names to be erased from the chronicles of India’s freedom struggle,” says L.N. Mukundraj, president of the Karnataka Sahitya Academy.

Aiming to study the lives of these incarcerated people, the Academy has formed a committee comprising academicians and researchers. Soon, they will be publishing a book on their lives titled ‘Yaaroo Ariyada Veeraru’.

The Cellular Jail in Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was used by the British to exile freedom fighters and political prisoners who had to endure brutal and inhumane conditions.

Committee set up

Mr. Mukundraj explained, “We formed a committee led by writers and historians K.P. Suresh and Vijay Poonacha to study those from Karnataka who died in ‘Kala Pani’, as the punishment was called.” In the State Budget 2026-27, former chief minister Siddaramaiah had announced the publication of such a book.

The committee comprises 15 persons, of which eight will collect documents, and seven will do the fieldwork. The documentation team will search for documents in places that were earlier part of the Bombay Presidency. “Dharwad district is one place where we might find the details of many of these freedom fighters in government archives and libraries. The majority of them hailed from Nargund town in Gadag district.”

South Indians forgotten

Mr. Suresh added that those from southern India rarely figure in the annals of the freedom struggle. “These 59 persons incarcerated in Cellular Jail were mostly from north Karnataka and Uttara Kannada district,” he said, adding that often only big names like Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar are highlighted while talking of those who suffered in Cellular Jail.

Some of these individuals were part of the rebellion of Halagali Bedas in 1857-58, from the village of Halagali near Mudhol. Writer Latha Guthi has published a book on the theme, called Kari Neeru. “This book is a source for us. Our field team and documentation team will head to different places in Karnataka to find such sources. We have decided to put up banners in the villages of these freedom fighters urging people to come forward, and tell us if they know anything, or have documents,” said Mr. Suresh.

Some names…

Among the 59 persons from Karnataka imprisoned in Cellular Jail were Balakrishna from Bidar, Gopal Bhandari from Karwar, Faras Khan from Nargund, Bikaji Ganesh Gokhale from Nargund, Vitu Gawli from Karwar, and Abdulla Moiuddin from Nargund.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by Rashmi Patil / June 30th, 2026

The stories hidden in the ordinary: Andaleeb Wajid on writing young lives and everyday Muslim worlds

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Karnataka (under research project), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

In an interview with Maktoob, author Andaleeb Wajid reflects on writing young lives, Muslim women and ordinary Muslim worlds, while discussing her latest novel Have You Met Me?, her memoir on grief and a writing career spanning more than 50 books.

In an interview with Ashikha N for Maktoob, writer Andaleeb Wajid discusses her latest novel Have You Met Me?, her enduring engagement with young adult fiction, writing across genres, the experience of writing her memoir Learning to Make Tea for One, and the complexities of writing Muslim women and ordinary Muslim lives.

Andaleeb Wajid has built a distinctive place for herself in Indian popular fiction by writing stories that find drama the familiar — in families, friendships, love, food, growing up and the small negotiations of everyday life. A prolific writer, she has published nearly 50 novels across genres, with young adult fiction and romance forming an important part of her body of work. Her books have found a devoted readership for their accessible, warm and deeply relatable characters. Her YA novel The Henna Start-Up won the Neev Literature Festival Award and the Crossword Book Award in 2024, while Asmara’s Summer was adapted into the Amazon Prime series Dil, Dosti, Dilemma. She has also written about grief and loss in her memoir Learning to Make Tea for One. Her latest book, Have You Met Me?, returns to young readers with a story of family, memory and belonging. Across her work, Wajid has remained interested in the lives women and young people lead beyond the usual binaries of rebellion and conformity — and in giving ordinary lives the space to become stories worth reading.

Andaleeb Wajid’s latest novel, Have You Met Me?, is also her 52nd novel. For Wajid, the book carries a strong connection to her childhood, particularly the summers she spent with her cousins at her grandmother’s home in Vellore. Recalling what made the book special to her, she says, “It’s special in many ways. Growing up, my siblings and I met my cousins in my grandmother’s home in Vellore. We actually had an old jhoola, like the one you see on the cover, and those summer holidays were some of the best times of my life. Time had a different quality to it, there was no homework or tuition and the day could just be spent doing nothing, lazing around on the jhoola, playing card games with my cousins. I wanted to relive that, recapture that but also focus on what it means to grow up and become distant. And I wanted to put that in a contemporary context and see how that story would flow.”

The book adds to a body of work that spans romance, YA, horror, mystery and children’s fiction. Asked about moving between genres, Wajid acknowledges the variety is intentional: “I don’t like to be boxed into just one genre, and that’s why I write across them. I also get bored if I have to write in the same genre over and over again. Switching genres is a way for me to keep my writing exciting and fresh, especially because every genre has its own rules and I have to be alert enough to know what I’m working on.”

Young adult fiction, however, remains particularly important to her. Explaining what draws her to the genre, Wajid tells us, “It’s not so much young readers but the themes that I like exploring in YA novels. It’s a different level of seriousness when you look at a young adult book. What might seem ordinary to an adult might be a life-changing moment for someone younger and I like to focus on those moments and draw them out. A good YA book for me is one that gets the young generation without trying too hard, but is also not preachy and trying to tell them how to live. A good YA novel is a good book, and it’s just the characters who are younger.”

Her approach to fiction is markedly different from the experience of writing Learning to Make Tea for One, her memoir about grief. Speaking about the difficulty of turning her own experience into a book, Wajid notes, “Writing this was one of the most difficult things I’ve done but I felt like it was something I needed to do. Grief fades over time and changes as we grow older, which is a good thing. But I also wanted to hold on to it and remember how it felt, which is a bit strange since I haven’t read it from start to finish even once, after it was published. I think it was a way of catharsis for me, and as a writer, writing is how I process everything, including my wounds. Fiction always comes easily. Creating imaginary lives where everything works out for everyone in the end is fun. Writing about my life felt starkly different in comparison.”

Wajid also writes romance under the pen name Inaara Sheikh. Explaining the decision behind the pseudonym, she says it was not primarily about artistic freedom. “The pen name is very new, just a year old, and I’ve written plenty of romances under my own name already and will also continue to do so in future. Inaara was more of an experiment to see how things would work on Amazon KDP where I self-publish these books. The reason for moving to Inaara wasn’t about creative freedom, but more a marketing move. When I self-publish more and more books under my name, I feel it gives a certain message to publishers which probably deters them from wanting to take my books. This is the main reason why I decided to self-publish on Amazon with a pen name.”

The sheer scale of her bibliography has also brought with it labels such as “prolific woman writer” and “Muslim woman writer”. Wajid points out that her response to these descriptions has changed over time. “Well, it used to irritate me at first but now I don’t bother myself with it. I can’t help the way others think about me, but what I can do is be consistent in writing and publishing. Eventually, I think people will see me as just a writer and not a Muslim writer. In any case, I don’t mind any longer. All women writers face this in different ways because they’re already being called ‘women’ writers. You don’t hear of any male writers being called ‘men writers’, do you?” 

At the same time, her Muslim identity has inevitably shaped the way readers encounter her work. Her Muslim characters are often allowed to exist beyond their religious identity, and Wajid elaborates this was not initially a deliberate representational strategy. “I didn’t think so deeply about it at first. I was writing stories about people like me, people I knew, the kind of life I was familiar with, if a little fantastical. However, readers felt like this was such a refreshing change to read about ‘normal’ Muslim lives and it really made me wonder, how much things have changed that a depiction of normalcy seems so out of the ordinary.”

Family is similarly central to her fiction, something Wajid connects directly to her own upbringing. “While families are supposed to be a safe space, this isn’t something that always happens and I like to see how characters evolve inside families that are not regular, that are fractured in their own ways.” Her female characters, meanwhile, have become increasingly assertive over the course of her career. Reflecting on that evolution, Wajid observes, “It probably has to do with my own evolution as a person, not just a woman. Also, I have this understanding that women are conditioned from a young age to settle, to adjust and to make do with whatever they are given. I think writing characters with more agency than women might have in real life is my way of making them aspirational.”

That agency does not necessarily require her female characters to reject their families. In Everything Sucks, for instance, the women negotiate family expectations without necessarily turning away from family itself. Wajid sees this less as rebellion than as a process of finding one’s place. “I think women are beginning to understand which battles to fight and which to not waste their time with. It isn’t so much as rebellion as finding one’s place in the world. Many women see themselves in relation to others and I think it’s important that they see themselves on their own too.” She sees a similar gendered distinction in the way ambition is perceived. Speaking about Abir, the protagonist of The Henna Start-Up, Wajid observes, “Ambition in women is considered unbecoming, no matter the context. There’s always a hushed sense of ‘oh, that one’s a hustler’, but this doesn’t apply to men. If a man hustles, he’s considered worldly-wise. For a woman, she’s considered to be aiming too high. Abir’s ambition in The Henna Start-up doesn’t care about how she is perceived, which is something I find inspiring.”

When asked which stereotype about Muslim women she would most like to see disappear, Wajid does not hesitate. “Just one? Sorry. It has to be the whole hijab/abaya perception as being oppressed and that we need someone who doesn’t subscribe to these so they can ‘come and save us” Her understanding of Muslim womanhood has also been part of her development as a writer. Looking back at the early stages of her career, Wajid recalls, “I think early on, I focused on my identity as a Muslim woman in India and I did not shy away from it in my writing. Understanding who I am goes a huge way in making my books the way they are.”

Even after 52 novels, Wajid is already working on what comes next. She adds, “I’m currently working on a Young Adult novel, as that’s one of my favourite genres. I would love to write crime fiction but I feel that it’s too realistic and also requires the sort of research I might not be able to do.”

With more than five decades of writing still ahead of her in spirit, Wajid’s work continues to find significance in lives that are often considered too ordinary to become stories. For Wajid, perhaps, there will always be another ordinary life, another relationship or another moment of growing up waiting to be turned into a story.

source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktooob Media / Home> Literature> Bookshelf / by Ashikha N / September 06th, 2026