The following is a book review of perhaps the only good Muslim novel for teenagers. You can order the book by contacting Selma Cook, the writer of this beautiful book at
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Buried Treasure
By Selma Cook
Review by Aiman S. Ahmed
Oscar Wilde once wrote: “…In fact, she is like most artists; she is all style without any sincerity. She would not sacrifice herself for others. She thinks merely of music, and everybody knows that the arts are selfish.” Selma Cook is among the rare group of writers who have shown humanity and purity in their works. In her delightful novel for teenagers called Buried Treasure, she weaves together bits and pieces of mysteries and curiosities that plague the youth. As a further act of charity, she sent me a copy of her book to read. I must admit that I approached it with a cynical mind. I loved her poems but my usual distaste of modern youth literature involving material aims, calf love and grand fantasies prevented me from seeing things clearly at first. But when I started to read, I found a very enjoyable book, the like of which captures the heart. True human feelings have been translated in ink.
Amirah is the reason I loved this book, because her simple trusting spirit leaves an indelible mark on the reader. Though the narration is not from the first person perspective, the story is about twelve-year-old Amirah and her wonderful world which comprises of her loving father and full-of-beans Granny. And of course, there are longings and problems that Amirah tries to make sense of. Though she has nurtured and been blessed with a gentle personality, her determination to solve curiosities and often painful realizations that plague young people like her make her shine out…not too brilliantly but truly. In fact, Buried Treasure defies all clichés and “invents” realism in literature dispersed with examples of piety, love, kindnesses and good behaviour. At a time when the Muslim youth are torn between loyalties to grubby Western values and a simple Islamic upbringing defined by the care and love of family, this book rolls like a messianic wheel.
Buried Treasure is filled with interesting characters. The dialogue is quite good – very natural-sounding and often very amusing! We are first introduced to Granny Sausan, who had reverted to Islam when Amirah‘s father was just a boy, as she listens to Amirah’s problems about school and her father, and afterwards as she mimics a hooligan in the street to cheer up Amirah.
“What do they say about Mr. Adam Stevenson?”
“All kinds of karate names and road runner and silly things like that.”
“Well, the man can certainly run my dear.” Granny sipped at her tea again. “Listen my sweet girl, you have a very special Dad and don’t let anyone change your opinion. People can say whatever they like but they can’t change the reality.”
Notwithstanding the ebullient Granny, in Amirah’s father we find a sombre and busy personality. Amirah’s insistence on “finding out” locks her world with that of her father, and what follows is magic that is closer to life than a piece of imagination. Even though the story occurs in the pages of a book, you are offered to share it affectionately with yourself and place it in your memory. But if you want to unearth Buried Treasure and know what happens to Amirah and Mr Adam Stevenson and Granny Sausan and the rest of the folks who live and breathe in Buried Treasure, you’ll have to read the book!
Female, Muslim Author Blends Scholarship and Personal Experience into an Exposé on the Beauties and Trials of Being a Plural Wife
NEW YORK, NY—JANUARY 27, 2007— An alternative to the predominate view of Islaamic polygyny as an oppressive, archaic marital practice, Polygynous Blessings: Musings of a Muslim Wife provides an intimate look into the life of MizAzeez, a Muslim wife who lives in a polygynous marriage. A compilation of 7 months of blog entries exploring MizAzeez’s struggle being a plural wife and her ultimate embracing of an otherwise stigmatized marital practice, Polygynous Blessings: Musings of a Muslim Wife includes personal reflections, excerpts from the Qur’aan and Sunnah (statements and actions of the Prophet of Islaam, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him), and religious verdicts by renowned Muslim scholars.
MizAzeez openly accepts and advocates for polygyny as a viable and legitimate marital institution, when practiced according to the tenets of Islaam. She published her memoir in order to provide a more balanced view of Islaamic polygyny from the perspective of a Muslim woman for whom polygyny is a reality. From Polygynous Blessings: Musings of a Muslim Wife, women can draw strength and guidance from MizAzeez’s own struggle of maintaining patience through adversity. In addition, MizAzeez clarifies some of the most common misunderstandings regarding polygyny in Islaam, drawing from classical sources of Islaamic scholarship.
“I started writing because I wanted people to see the process of one sister trying to cope AND overcome her struggle with polygyny,” said MizAzeez. “I wanted to make polygyny work in my life. I wanted to get past the supposed cons and see the potential pros, not as just some abstract concepts, but as my lived experience. I wanted to be at peace with my polygynous situation and so that is what I strove for. And that is what I got... and I want other sisters to be able to find the peace that I have found.”
ABOUT AUTHOR
MizAzeez was always a seeker a truth, a challenger of the status quo, a fighter against injustice, and a deconstructor of stereotypical, biased representations and half-truths. While in high school, a class trip to a local masjid peaked her interest in Islaam, an interest that was later increased while on a trip to Spain’s southern coast which was filled with remnants of a Muslim past. After Sept. 11, MizAzeez was compelled to focus her end of the year American Women’s History class project on Muslim women in America, seeking to combat the barrage of media coverage about the so-called “oppressed, burqa-wearing” Muslim women of Afghanistan. It was while doing research for this presentation that MizAzeez began to learn of the honorable position of women in Islaam, finding her heart drawn towards the faith. While a freshman in college, MizAzeez befriended a group of Muslim women who showed her the beauty of sisterhood in Islaam, leading to her embracing of the deen.
A Muslim now for close to four years, MizAzeez has since graduated from Hunter College with a B.A. in Urban Studies and has been married for a little over a year. Her experience as a wife in a polygynous marriage inspired her to write and self-publish the memoir, Polygynous Blessings: Musings of a Muslim Wife. She plans to follow up her memoir with a book compiling the stories of children’s experiences in polygynous families. It is MizAzeez’s wish to make hijrah insha’Allaah to Yemen and live a very humble and simple life.
ABOUT LULU
Founded in 2002, Lulu is the world’s fastest-growing print-on-demand marketplace for digital do-it-yourselfers. Please see www.lulu.com for more information.
"And among His signs is this, that He has created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect."
~The Noble Quraan (30:21)~
Polygynous Blessings
Musings of a Muslim Wife www.lulu.com/poly_blessings
Dylan, Bob. Chronicles: Volume One; Simon & Schuster, NY, 2004.
I read this book in only a few days. I am not sure why, but I found it fascinating. I think it has to do with its relevance to American culture, something American Muslims need to concern themselves with more, but Ill get back to that later.
This book should have been called �Ramblings� instead of �Chronicles�. There is no chronology. Fragments abound so much that it is now hard for me to write without the urge to use them myself. If you asked me what the point was, I wouldn�t be able to say. If you were thinking you could write a report on the life of the author you�d be disappointed. I wouldn�t even classify it as a biography. It is more like a long conversation over coffee � the kind a younger person stumbles into with a wise elder where the youth wouldn�t get a word in edgewise. He wouldn�t need to. You can hear the voice of Bob Dylan speaking through this style of writing as if he were sitting right there, rambling on from one subject to another right across the table from you.
Hi there,
I am Dr. Shahid Amin and I am ent surgeon from Gujranwala, Pakistan. I have
written and self published urdu novel
"Tuloo-e-Amn" (the rise of peace). The novel is in local Paki market. I
want to publish it in english after getting its english translation for
international market as it keeps very burning issues. Please see some intro
of nove on this page http://www.drshahid.com.pk/novel.htm
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