Summary
Leila Aboulela’s works have received considerable critical attention. However, most studies have focused on single texts, leaving room for a systematic review of research across her oeuvre. There are several studies on Aboulela’s representation of Muslim women’s identities. These studies argue Aboulela presents Muslim women gaining strength and purpose through faith. For example, Najwa in Minaret finds spiritual fulfillment in Islam after losing her family and status. Natasha in The Kindness of Enemies turns to Sufism to resolve her identity crisis in Islamophobic Britain. These works suggest Aboulela sees faith as empowering Muslim women facing societal rejection and crisis. Other studies examine Aboulela’s portrayal of cross-cultural encounters and hybrid identities. Her works often depict Muslim women “navigat[ing] Scottish and Arab societies.” For example, in The Translator, Sammar struggles with her Muslim faith in secular Scotland but finds solace in Islam’s universality; her relationship with Rae, who converts, reflects this. Lyrics Alley examines tensions between Muslim and non-Muslim Sudanese. Aboulela suggests cross-cultural understanding is possible despite difference. Some studies praise Aboulela’s role in diversifying Scottish literature. Her transnational stories broaden Scotland’s national narrative to include minority voices like Muslim women. However, others argue her works are too religiously focused, with Islam as “the primary identity marker.” A systematic review of research is needed to develop a balanced understanding of Aboulela’s works, which both celebrate faith and advocate for cross-cultural understanding in enriched, cosmopolitan spaces. Overall, studies on Aboulela would benefit from examining a wider range of her texts, beyond a single focus. They should also consider both her portrayal of Muslim women’s empowerment through faith and her advocacy for transcending difference—not just one or the other. A systematic, comprehensive review of research across Aboulela’s works can develop a fuller understanding of her themes, ideas and significance.
Fadia Faqir and Leila Aboulela, two British Arab Muslim writers, are compared in their representation of Islamic feminism. They differ in their focus, with Faqir empowering her female Muslim characters against patriarchal traditions and Aboulela highlighting spiritual emancipation in Islam. This research expands literary criticism by exploring their feminist consciousness and use of Islam in their fiction.
Published By:
A Bashammakh - 2018 - eprints.lancs.ac.uk
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C Chambers - Contemporary Womens Writing, 2009 - academic.oup.com
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Aboulela's novel "Minaret" tells a story of a Muslim woman embracing Islam in Britain. The study analyzes praise and blame to show Qur'anic moral values.
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A Rodiah - 2018 - etheses.uinsgd.ac.id
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The politics of translation in African postcolonial literature examines African self-rehabilitation and self-translation. Negritude explores pre-colonial life, addressing the Black existential condition.
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K Osei-Nyame - Journal of African Cultural Studies, 2009 - Taylor & Francis
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The text argues that the colonization of South Africa was driven by material accumulation, creating a conflict between the native population and settlers. The anthropologist Jean Comarrof suggests that the South African body symbolizes death and the effects of capitalism.
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…, K Varzi, U Nduka, A Ede, O Oha, L Aboulela… - african-writing.com
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Leila Aboulela's novel, The Kindness of Enemies, explores how Sufism empowers female migrants and challenges secular ideologies. It follows two narratives that highlight the synthesis of Islam and political resistance.
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S Chaoui - Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, 2023 - Taylor & Francis
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"The Translator" by Leila Aboulela is a highly acclaimed novel that has received positive reviews and been shortlisted for awards. It explores the power of literature and features the concept of "sammar" as well as Beardsley's aesthetic theory.
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C Phillips - Wasafiri, 2012 - Taylor & Francis
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Their works highlight the sexism in traditional and neoliberal gender regimes, promoting a more equitable approach. They advocate for an Islam that embraces other values and identities, creating space for a nuanced understanding of gender and faith.
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L Newns - The Journal of Commonwealth Literature, 2018 - journals.sagepub.com
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Saadi and Aboulela explore Muslim identities in Scotland.Their works propose hybridity and faith as solutions to marginalization and ambiguity in Scotland's post-national era.
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J Homberg-Schramm - Scottish Literary Review, 2021 - muse.jhu.edu
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Sudanese Najwa and Syrian Khadra gain empowered Arab identities in London and America despite facing societal rejection; education, family and religion help Khadra but Najwa struggles alone.
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RH Al Manasir - 2022 - meu.edu.jo
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