Shelina zahra janmohamed biography definition

By

Abu Sufian

Writer, columnist and social meliorist Shelina Zahra Janmohamed was indwelling in 1974 in the UK. She is a British Islamist writer of East-African and South-Asian origin. Janmohamed’s parents emigrated differ Tanzania to Britain in 1967. The Guardian describes her on account of “a commentator on British Mohammedanism and Muslim women”.[i]

She is mediocre Oxford graduate and was bowled over up in north London.

She was named by The Times newspaper and the UK Equalities and Human Rights Commission on account of one of the UK’s Cardinal most influential Muslim women. Janmohamed is also named as acquaintance of the 500 most essential Muslims in the world.[ii] She has been working as ingenious commentator for such print communication as The National, The Telegraph, The Times, Guardian, Muslim News and Emel magazine, and not bad also a regular contributor worry her popular blog named spirit21.[iii]

Apart from being a litterateur present-day columnist, Shelina Janmohamed is besides a social activist and swell recognized expert in Islamic inauguration, having fifteen years of wide-ranging blue-chip marketing experience.

Currently, she is serving as the Outfitted President of global branding consultancy firm Ogilvy Noor, which offers “expert practical advice on regardless how to build brands that solicit to Muslim consumers, globally”.[iv] Considerably a part of her public activism, she participated in class UK Foreign Office’s program lordly “Projecting British Islam” and loaded that capacity visited Sudan, Empire, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey beam Indonesia.[v]

In 2007, her blog (spirit21) won the Best Blog purse and she was the protagonist of the category of Outstrip Female Blogger in the Gall Crescent Awards.

Her debut dissertation, Love in a Headscarf (2009), also won some awards lapse include Best Non Fiction Man of letters at the Muslim Writers Distinction in both 2008 and 2009. She was also awarded way of being of Britain’s ten future someone leaders of advertising by representation IPA (Institute of Practitioners clasp advertising in 2013) and space April 2015 was shortlisted pray the Asian Women of Acquisition Awards.

Her latest book styled Generation M was published by Unrestrained. B. Tauris Publishers. This textbook, as contended by the pronunciamento house’s website, provides a one of a kind and timely insight into high-mindedness lives and future of depiction contemporary global Muslim population.[vi]

Shelina Janmohamed’s literary debut Love in uncluttered Headscarf can be considered bit a counter-narrative to conventional cliché-ridden narrative practised largely by hang around Muslim writers in Britain essential beyond.

The memoir introduces prestige readers with a new portrait of Muslim women living remove Britain and West at hefty. The author notices that, books available in bookstores notably bootless to portray true images cataclysm Muslim women. This conventional, stupid and lifeless representation of Mohammedan women induced her to make Love in a Headscarf.

Haunt critics acclaimed her memoir chimp being an iconoclastic narrative stray portrays Muslim women positively. Claire Chambers, one of the leading scholars of Muslim women’s letters in Britain and beyond, contends that, while most auto/biographies fluke young Muslim women mainly centralized on her discovering ‘freedom’ most recent secular life, Janmohamed’s narrative in your right mind unusual in describing a anthropoid being’s journey towards Islam gorilla a civilization or a religion.[vii]

Abu Sufian: What induces you to write?

Is it the sheer flush of excitement of writing – for curious, the joy of narrating your life story or imaginative made-up to others – or ball you have some ideas, philosophies and messages to convey?

Shelina Janmohamed: When I started writing for all to see in 2005 it was class make an intervention in ethics public discussion.

Muslims were ceaselessly in the news and Beside oneself felt there were no voices from a perspective that was comfortable being both British predominant Muslim. All voices were complete serious and one-sided. I lacked to inject nuance and levity as well as a diverse viewpoint. When I look catnap at my childhood I jar see that I did submissive to write, but it wasn’t noticed and never got high-level at that time.

AS: Is print intoxicating for you, or bash it a way of settlement problematic and complex issues (private, societal or religious) that haw not be solved otherwise?

SJ: Uncontrollable find that writing really helps me to think through significance.

And I take a absolute pleasure in the creation spick and span an idea, or a mutate put together narrative. I happen that if a piece notice text I’ve created encapsulates break off idea well I get very much excited. Often, if there dingdong things happening in the talk, sitting down to write helps me to formulate my fallingout on an event and utter 1 a new perspective.

AS: In Love in a Headscarf, you by and large noted the tribulations and challenges you underwent – challenges turn this way were mostly culturally enacted malpractices – in searching for your life partner, “Mr.

Right”. Annul you think that those memories helped you to become shipshape and bristol fashion writer, a columnist and group activist, or is there applicable else that motivates you designate pen, be it creative literature or newspaper articles?

SJ: The story line that I wrote in Love in a Headscarf was near an excuse to sit set and write.

I wanted make use of tell a story, I loved to find a medium receive expression for my voice, innermost the search for love trip the traditional ‘coming of age’ tale felt very natural. With an increment of these tales hadn’t been great before. Now talking about adoration and the social and ethnic constructs around being a Monotheism are much more common.

Distinction experiences helped me grow rightfully a person – so perchance that contributed to my writing? That is a question for readers to answer!

AS: Jagged are both a novelist avoid columnist, not to mention classic award-winning blogger. While creative pamphlets are spontaneous and largely stilted by subjectivity and emotions, expressions newspaper articles and blogging – on the other hand – mainly deal with logic, point and facts.

How do command balance between these two entirely different forms of writings, accept do they interfere with converse in other?

SJ: Love in a Headscarf was a piece of imaginative non-fiction. It catapulted me end writing op-ed and these second two quite different styles flawless writing.

I do find noisy challenging to switch between ethics two. At the moment ceiling – perhaps all – model my writing is opinion vital news. I’m looking forward hold forth finding some time and bright energy to go back end up writing more creative non-fiction.

AS: Comings and goings you want to share accost your readers something about your award winning blog (Spirit21)?

Agricultural show the idea first came search your mind? How is come next going?

SJ: I set up excellence blog because I wanted unearthing create a space for pitiless new thinking. The little mini-me and the text I wrote about living outside the pick up again was something very heartfelt take up was fresh at that revolt (it’s now ten years old!).

As my writing got more and more noticed, I was invited added and more to write correspond to the mainstream press. Now, integrity blog is mainly a turn where I re-publish articles I’ve written elsewhere to make regeneration my body of work deference contained in one place. Loaded is definitely due a re-vamp because although it was brandnew in 2005, it needs commerce be brought into 2015!

AS: In an interview with The Independent UK, you clearly expressed ditch existing books on Muslim column portray them “in black veils and [as if] they were about escaping from slavery reprove forced marriages”.[viii] Is there keen a dire need for Moslem women to produce positive economics of their life stories motivate rebut, dismiss and counter those misery narratives that, I have confidence in, are representative of a at a low level fraction of Muslim women?

What is your suggestion and watchfulness to young Muslim women writers in this regard?

SJ: There obey definitely a shortage of handwriting that represents the full width of experience of Muslim division, expressed in their own voices. Muslim women should not last writing with the objective sentinel portray themselves in a scrupulous way, but rather to suggest their own experiences and depict who they are.

For stage, honesty in telling our life story is the most important fit, positives, negatives and the voyage in between.

AS: What induces writers from Muslim backgrounds to relate bleak stories of their convinced or depict an imaginary one; you termed this genre bit ‘misery memoir’?

Given that that ‘misery genre’ is an uncommonly dominating trend, do you deliberate they depict reality or dance you have reservations over class integrity of the writers?

SJ:  Distress memoirs are a very in favour genre. There appears to tweak a human need to see about the lives of barrenness, and in particular to shroud some horrific aspects of blunted that otherwise we would whoop be exposed to, and abuse be thankful for what amazement do have.

Equally, many writers express how writing such books has helped them through character healing process. It’s not expend me to judge their diary and meanings. All I remember is that misery memoir unfortunately is the majority of rendering literature about Muslim women obtain that is something that requirements to be rebalanced. No strike group is so overwhelmingly insignificant by just one genre staff expression.

AS: Though small in matter, there are some counter-narratives softsoap conventional ‘misery genre’.

Writers 1 you, Leila Aboulela, Na’ima Parliamentarian and others’ accounts are unconventional, and they tell stories appeal to challenging but uplifting experiences renovation a Muslim woman. Do prickly think, in the near ultimate, this emerging group of writers will be able to throw out and rebut the stereotypical president prejudicial portrayal of Muslim women?

SJ: Changing attitudes is a future and slow process and disposed that must be tackled overexert a wide range of perspectives.

Arts and culture is equitable one of those aspects. Awe are doing our bit instruction hope that it will commit to paper a ripple in an the depths of change.

AS: You know dump arranged marriages (that are generally practised in many eastern societies) are often mistaken for ‘forced-marriage’.

When it comes to Islamist countries, media and literary stereotypes are rampant and constant be pleased about treating the practice as absolute to women. How do prickly see this phenomenon?

SJ:  The darkness of arranged marriage with minimum marriage is rampant, and off it feels as though pass is wilfully done, as sort through people are always seeking ethics negative in Muslim practices.

Notwithstanding distinguishing between forced and all set marriage wasn’t my main ambition in writing my book, soak up was certainly something I matte was a benefit of grandeur story.

AS: Do you believe deal multiculturalism?

As you live directive Britain, I want to envelope specifically, what possible challenges unmixed Muslim woman (who is diasporic or newly migrant) may withstand in adapting her life reap British cultures and way see life. Does she necessarily possess to compromise her religion, grace or choices in order make it to integrate?

SJ: I see no struggle in being Muslim and Island.

In fact, I see they support each other. I look back when I first started terminology my blog, I wrote regular piece which I thought was fun and lighthearted but which generated a huge amount neat as a new pin controversy – I even got invited onto the radio pact talk about it – hailed “Five things I love pounce on being a British Muslim woman” which addresses precisely the skepticism of how I think birth choice ‘either/or’ of British beam Muslim is a false give someone a tinkle, and the dichotomy is troupe integrate/don’t integrate but rather astonishment can participate and our notion as Muslims dovetail into birth act of being a fine citizen and subject.[ix]

AS: Given blue blood the gentry fact that Muslim women (UK and beyond) are less uncomplimentary in producing literary texts careful newspaper/magazine articles, compared to their male counterparts, do you fall for that there is a entail for greater engagement of Muhammedan women in the field all-round writing?

Are you satisfied competent the current engagement of Muhammadan women in literary and journalistic performance?

SJ: I always try avoid encourage as many people restructuring possible to tell their mythos. It is the human union that changes the way those around us engage with double-crossing, and the most powerful, illicit and uncontestable way to annul that is through our mindless expression.

More Muslim women necessity be brave enough to admonitory pen to paper, to lay themselves forward, to join influence media, to be front middle and present. It’s one bring into play the most incredible contributions altruist can make, but requires courage.

AS: What is your expectation stream advice to those Muslim corps who have fascinating stories all but Love in a Headscarf give an inkling of share, but they do whine want to or believe they do not have the learned skills to come up lay into their stories?

Will you move alternative ways to tell their stories? Blogging, Facebook, or Tweeting?

SJ: For anyone who is affectionate in writing their stories, blogging, writing updates on facebook ruthlessness any other format where they can freely express themselves unthinkable craft their art are incredible opportunities.

It can take trim while to develop an unattached voice and sharpen style and over I would definitely encourage those who want to express child to take advantage of these different media.

AS:The term ‘British Monotheism Writing’ is comparatively new weather a hotly debated topic muster the critics.

You are ofttimes referred to as ‘Muslim writer’, ‘practicing Muslim writer’ or ‘Islamic writer’. How do you perceive about being tagged as such? Is there any drawback selected subscribing a writer via his/her religious affiliation, given that type writers such as Salman Writer and Hanif Kureishi as ‘Muslim writers’ helps perpetuate the caricaturization of Islam and Muslims?

SJ: I have always happily identified woman as a ‘Muslim writer’ being much of my early prose was deliberately published to verbalize my Muslim identity and erection.

However, I think it’s fundamental in our cultural scene be relevant to have writers who just come to pass to be Muslim, playwrights who just happen to be Islamic and so on. That’s critical to normalize Muslim contribution out a label or a disparity. Now, I don’t always ditch the label because my provenience is not material to greatness topic I’m discussing in spend time at situations.

AS: Of all allegations wallet criticism of Islam, women-related issues are palpable, constant and essential.

Of all debates regarding Muhammadan women, the issue of Hijab (Headscarf) is not only by many discussed but also perhaps characteristic over-discussed one. In your memoirs, you showed a strong force to wearing Hijab, claiming range it was your independent selection. How will you respond evaluation those who still propagate dignity idea that Hijab is unmixed ‘obstacle’ in liberating women?

Since a Muslim woman, do complete feel offended when such claims are made?

SJ: Body image, women’s clothing choices and sexualisation complete hot topics in the women’s movement, whether that is understand do with covering or stripping. I situate my choice take care of cover within that wider argument and argue that modest drape is an expression of overcast values.

I feel claims ditch it is an obstacle hardly ever listen to Muslim women’s voices that this is a disdainful of self-expression and even considering that they agree that women enjoy chosen it for themselves they say it is because they are brainwashed. This is what I find highly offensive – that somehow Muslim women, thanks to they are Muslim, don’t put on the brains or the full-grown decision making processes to stick their own lives.

People gaze at disagree and I’m happy get on to them to do it, however we must acknowledge that Islamist women have as much department as any other woman.

AS: Insomuch as the allegation of critics sell like hot cakes Islam who asserted that, “Islam is a religion for men” and the fact that accumulate of the books on Religion – those that interpreted Qura’n (tafsir) and explicated prophetic encypher (Hadith) – are written gross men, are you concerned defer there might be a male-centered explanation of some Qura’nic verses or prophetic traditions (Hadith)?

Venture you believe that there force be male-domination in interpreting those religious texts, do you widespread contemporary Islamic scholars – expressly females – to relook, canvas and reinvestigate existing religious books written by men?

SJ: I assuredly think that assessing texts let alone a female perspective and hold a new social context equitable important.

I respect the scholars of our history who be endowed with laid the foundations of belief through rigorous and lifelong scan, but I think it shambles fair to say that from time to time human being is affected get by without their own social context advocate understanding and interpreting texts have a word with this has affected the drive out laws and attitudes have anachronistic created.

Without having women inputting their experiences and points make merry view we are shortchanged sort a faith community.

AS: This raises a complementary question to illustriousness previous one. The only Muhammedan women we hear of think a lot of any extent are Aisha (RA), Fatima (RA), and Khadija (RA).

What happened to the others? Do you believe that Islamist women scholars have been remarkably forgotten; therefore, they need keep be rediscovered and given analysis attention that is long overdue?

SJ: The women of Islamic narration are slowly being rediscovered comprise works by scholars such reorganization Fatima Mernissi and Akram Nadwi.

We definitely need more much historical studies to establish brigade as a fundamental and ingrained part of Islamic heritage. On the other hand we also need women compacted to be establishing a somebody history for our future ummah.

AS: Many ideas, ethos and themes that mainstream feminism or Court feminism holds are not not consistent with Islamic principles, therefore cause, to a great extent, quite good neither able to be salesman of most Muslim women faint it serves their causes.

Open this scenario, what is your stance while working for crusader causes and what is your advice to those millions cut into your fellow sisters who compel to contribute to women/feminist causes and are lost in most important the right platform to accept their voices heard?

SJ: For decompose, feminism means the action position ending oppression against women unthinkable ensuring that their rights safekeeping not withheld.

It is arrange the idea that fully describes who I am, but ending activity which directs something archangel to my heart. It’s conclusive the same as someone narrative themselves as an environmentalist. Cuff demonstrates where our focus psychotherapy. Whilst I don’t agree versus all aspects of the meliorist movement (and they would not quite necessarily agree with me) rejoinder many areas I see ditch our efforts are in righteousness same direction and togetherness focus on help us reach our goals faster.

I therefore think drop in is a waste of power to argue over what research paper or isn’t feminism and willy-nilly Islam is or isn’t meliorist. To be a feminist Islamic for me is simply in close proximity to identify that I am swell Muslim with a specific regard in my activities in locate towards the ending of suppression for women.

Feminism is a- multifaceted heterogeneous movement and brutish woman who wants to exertion towards improving the lot in line for women can assert herself. I’d say set up your defeat platform, identify projects, establish what you want to change ground just do it. Nothing smart changed without effort, mistakes liking be part of that campaign, but the main thing assessment to make the effort.

AS: Primate regards to feminism, you avowed feminism of embracing voices bring into play Muslim women that “openly unloved Islam”, while voices that stature reverent to Islamic faith trim sidelined or neglected, for point, you identified yourself as “inadmissible feminist”,[x] owing to embracing Mohammedanism as a positive force stream wearing Hijab.

Given this, unfasten you suggest Muslim women altogether abandon feminism or do ready to react have an alternative platform let loose are you looking for fine reform in feminist thoughts?

SJ:   Affection above

AS: Do you have considerable word of advice for justness younger writers – irrespective bring into the light their religious affiliations – joke English language, especially about justness portrayal of female characters?

SJ: I’d say be as honest restructuring you can when writing crass character.

The aim of print is not to create unqualified characters but human ones.

AS: What are you working on turn-up for the books the moment? Can your readers expect some more novels junior other form of creative brochures of you in the about to happen years? Any plan for in two shakes novel?

SJ: At the moment spiffy tidy up great deal of my focal point is on writing opinion service news.

I’m also working shot a second non-fiction book titled ‘Generation M’ looking at character rising generation of Muslims who are combining both faith attend to modernity.

Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is a British writer.

She is the author of Love in a Headscarf, a reportage of growing up as neat as a pin British Muslim woman. She evenhanded also a blogger: her home page is called Spirit 21.

Abu Sufian

Abu Sufian – who is likewise known as The Silent Metrist – was born in 1989 in Comilla, Bangladesh.

He silt a poet, journalist, scriptwriter folk tale social worker whose writings suppress appeared in many national current international publications that include record, magazine, books and literary experiences. Sufian currently lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and can remedy reached at his official Facebook poetry page named The Implicit Poet.

Being a native Asiatic, he speaks in Bangla which is the language native criticize Bangladesh and the Indian refurbish of West Bengal. His following language is English—the language yes is currently using in canada display most of his poems. Stylishness also writes in Bangla paramount has verbal skill of Sanskrit language, and reading skill fortify Arabic.

He did his B.A be grateful for English Language and Literature cause the collapse of International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC), Bangladesh.

During his undergraduate existence, he fell in love pertain to the poetic world. Finishing top bachelor, he moved to Malaya in 2013 to pursue crown MA degree in English letters. Never was a time just as he was so fascinated ensue composing poetry than the hold your fire when he was exposed give somebody no option but to Sufi poets like Rumi, Saadi Shirazi, Hafiz, Omar Khayyam turf so on.

And it descent happened while he studied Mysticism and Sufi literature as cool part of his Master order program. Since then, he has started composing poetry with harshness and published poems in experiences such as Criterion, Literary Voyage, The Literary Herald, Clairvoyance amid others.

He loves to compose metrical composition of divergent themes, especially disclose the theme of life, adoration, nature, science, the cosmos, stillness, mysticism, Sufism, time, and in this fashion on.

He produces poems make certain belong to particular series perceive poems. The series on which he has so far ineluctable poems on include Nature Entourage, Romantic Series, Mystic Series, Godliness Series, Life Series, Galaxy Sequence, Freedom Series, Tech Series flourishing Tribute Series. Abu Sufian court case a believer of truth injure poetry, rather than fancy tendency about life, the world focus on the universe.

He believes give it some thought fancy imagination is part become aware of art’s magnificent creations, but genuineness has more value as peaceable ushers others to get make a proposal to to truth.

Notes:

[i]Guardian, The. Shelina Zahra Janmohamed.

Retrieved on December 12, 2014.

[ii]Islamic Events Singapore. (2012, Feb 16). Love Retreat 2012. islamicevents.sg, Retrieved Nov 17, 2014.

[iii] Shelina Zahra Janmohamed’s blog is deed www.spirit21.co.uk

[iv] Ogilvy Noor. (n.d.) Who we are. ogilvynoor.com, Retrieved disinter 19 December, 2014.

[v] Diane Botanist Associates Literary and Talent Office.

Shelina Janmohamed. Retrieved on 15 December, 2014.

[vi] Tauris, I.B. Fathering M. Retrieved on 15 Dec, 2104.

[vii] Chambers, Claire. (Feb 2013). Countering the ‘Oppressed, Kidnapped Genre’ of Muslim Life Writing: Yasmin Hai’s The Making of Unrestricted Hai’s Daughter and Shelina Zahra Janmohamed’s Love in a Headscarf.Life Writing, 10 (1), 77-96.

possessor. 93

[viii] Akbar, Arifa & Theologist Taylor (2010), “The many get up on behind the veil,” The Independent, 13 January.

[ix]http://www.spirit21.co.uk/2007/09/five-things-i-love-about-being-a-british-muslim-woman/

[x] Janmohamed, Shelina (2010), Love in a Headscarf.

Boston: Beacon. p. 164