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| "None of you is truly a believer until she wishes for her sister what she wishes for herself." (Bukhari & Muslim) |
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| MWA MEMBER WEEKLY INTERVIEW MAY 8, 2006 |
Q: How did you first learn about MWA?
A: Okay the official term of MWA I learned about on the
S4D group about a month or so ago, the original idea of
sisters writing what is on their minds I came across of
about…hmmm…I’d say 3 years ago. Right after I converted
to Islam (Alhamdulillah!) I went searching as many of us
do for some sister support stuff! I came across a group
called Sisters4Dawah. This group was owned, ran,
organized, monitored, mothered over by a very opinionated
(smile) sister named Aishah. She was just plain Aishah back
A: Okay the official term of MWA I learned about on the
S4D group about a month or so ago, the original idea of
sisters writing what is on their minds I came across of
about…hmmm…I’d say 3 years ago. Right after I converted
to Islam (Alhamdulillah!) I went searching as many of us
do for some sister support stuff! I came across a group
called Sisters4Dawah. This group was owned, ran,
organized, monitored, mothered over by a very opinionated
(smile) sister named Aishah. She was just plain Aishah back
| Copyright © 2006 Muslimah Writers Alliance. All Rights Reserved. |
| Website Content Disclaimer: Articles and external links posted on this website do not necessarily represent the views of the Muslimah Writers Alliance. |
Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: 2 months ago, 5 years ago, 12 years ago, and 22 years ago. At different stages
in my life I have wanted to write, circumstances have kept me from pursuing my
goals.
Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality - or hope to make it a reality?
A: Define reality! I wrote a play for my 6th grade class, that was a dream at the
time. By the age of 13 I wanted to achieve world recognition of course, that too
was a dream! Okay, seriously though, my dream becoming a reality would be the
day I can write something that can affect the lives of many in a positive way
Insha'Allah.
Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?
A: Okay, let's get one thing clear off the bat - I don't have a writing career! I have
aspirations of someday becoming a writer! (smile) I can only tell you that
whenever I have attempted to write about anything that I personally did not hold
near and dear to my heart, whether fiction, non-fiction, politics, etc., it sounded
phony. Maybe readers wouldn't necessarily be able to tell that the work wasn't
sincere, but trust me, somebody out there would detect it, and more importantly,
you know it yourself.
Q: What are you working on right now?
A: Getting my thoughts straight. I would like to write a novel about my Mother,
the most fascinating person I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing!
Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive
way.
A: Authors: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Anton Chekov, Leon Uris, Aleksander
Solzhenitsyn, Pablo Neruda, Jorge Rojas, Daphne DuMaurier, Mary Stewart, Carlos
Castaneda.
Books: "Que viva la musica" (Andres Caicedo), "Time Enough for Love" (Robert
Heinlein), "Little Women" (Louisa May Alcott) (I wanted to be Jo cause she is the
writer ! lol), "Das Kapital ", "Communist Manifesto" (Marx and Engels), "Tess of
the D'Ubervilles" (Thomas Hardy), "La Voragine" (Jose Eustasio Rivera), and too
many others to list really, I’ll just call this my sampler!
Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would
consider an outstanding work?
A: I am having my husband read to me every night from Al Frankens book " Lies
and the Lying liars who tell them". Perhaps not much in way of great literary prose
but awesome if you are a Liberal!
Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: Injustice of any kind. I could write an entire essay on this subject, maybe one
day I will.
Q: What have you enjoyed the most about being an MWA member?
A: Gee I didn’t realize there was going to be a survey afterwards! LOL You could
have served snacks or at least tea and cookies!
The truth is I like the fact that it’s a small group (yes, I know we want it to grow),
but a lot of times in sister groups you tend to get lost in a sea of members. There
is a tendency for the formation of cliques - where some people are blatantly
excluded. Wipe that shocked look off your face, you know exactly what I mean! I
just had the nerve to come out and say it! LOL!
I love everyone of the sisters in this group for the sake of Allah SWT!
A: 2 months ago, 5 years ago, 12 years ago, and 22 years ago. At different stages
in my life I have wanted to write, circumstances have kept me from pursuing my
goals.
Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality - or hope to make it a reality?
A: Define reality! I wrote a play for my 6th grade class, that was a dream at the
time. By the age of 13 I wanted to achieve world recognition of course, that too
was a dream! Okay, seriously though, my dream becoming a reality would be the
day I can write something that can affect the lives of many in a positive way
Insha'Allah.
Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?
A: Okay, let's get one thing clear off the bat - I don't have a writing career! I have
aspirations of someday becoming a writer! (smile) I can only tell you that
whenever I have attempted to write about anything that I personally did not hold
near and dear to my heart, whether fiction, non-fiction, politics, etc., it sounded
phony. Maybe readers wouldn't necessarily be able to tell that the work wasn't
sincere, but trust me, somebody out there would detect it, and more importantly,
you know it yourself.
Q: What are you working on right now?
A: Getting my thoughts straight. I would like to write a novel about my Mother,
the most fascinating person I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing!
Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive
way.
A: Authors: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Anton Chekov, Leon Uris, Aleksander
Solzhenitsyn, Pablo Neruda, Jorge Rojas, Daphne DuMaurier, Mary Stewart, Carlos
Castaneda.
Books: "Que viva la musica" (Andres Caicedo), "Time Enough for Love" (Robert
Heinlein), "Little Women" (Louisa May Alcott) (I wanted to be Jo cause she is the
writer ! lol), "Das Kapital ", "Communist Manifesto" (Marx and Engels), "Tess of
the D'Ubervilles" (Thomas Hardy), "La Voragine" (Jose Eustasio Rivera), and too
many others to list really, I’ll just call this my sampler!
Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would
consider an outstanding work?
A: I am having my husband read to me every night from Al Frankens book " Lies
and the Lying liars who tell them". Perhaps not much in way of great literary prose
but awesome if you are a Liberal!
Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: Injustice of any kind. I could write an entire essay on this subject, maybe one
day I will.
Q: What have you enjoyed the most about being an MWA member?
A: Gee I didn’t realize there was going to be a survey afterwards! LOL You could
have served snacks or at least tea and cookies!
The truth is I like the fact that it’s a small group (yes, I know we want it to grow),
but a lot of times in sister groups you tend to get lost in a sea of members. There
is a tendency for the formation of cliques - where some people are blatantly
excluded. Wipe that shocked look off your face, you know exactly what I mean! I
just had the nerve to come out and say it! LOL!
I love everyone of the sisters in this group for the sake of Allah SWT!
then, now some of you know her as Hajja Aishah. At the time she was going full
blast on the campaign to protest the French government ban on Muslim women
wearing Hijab. She was asking the members of the group to contribute their
opinions towards this.
I remember this because it was the first opportunity in quite some time where I
was motivated to write. Sister Aishah and I did not see eye to eye on the way she
should do her speech, I suggested that short and sweet and to the point was a
good thing, she obviously thought otherwise. SubhanAllah! I'm glad she did not
listen to me because the people in front of the Embassy of France in Washington,
D.C. on that miserably cold winter day were blessed by hearing one of the most
heartfelt, sincere and honest speeches ever spoken about the subject of Muslim
Women's rights. Hmmm…what was the question again?? LOL
blast on the campaign to protest the French government ban on Muslim women
wearing Hijab. She was asking the members of the group to contribute their
opinions towards this.
I remember this because it was the first opportunity in quite some time where I
was motivated to write. Sister Aishah and I did not see eye to eye on the way she
should do her speech, I suggested that short and sweet and to the point was a
good thing, she obviously thought otherwise. SubhanAllah! I'm glad she did not
listen to me because the people in front of the Embassy of France in Washington,
D.C. on that miserably cold winter day were blessed by hearing one of the most
heartfelt, sincere and honest speeches ever spoken about the subject of Muslim
Women's rights. Hmmm…what was the question again?? LOL
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