Leila Aboulela Professions : Writer Born : 1964 Browse All Authors Top 29 quotes by Leila Aboulela When you write about a Muslim woman, like I did with my previous novels - 'Minaret', for example, which is about a woman who starts to wear the hijab - it sets all the alarm bells ringing. Leila Aboulela wear woman like you The coverage of Islam in the media is becoming more sophisticated, and there is more access to knowledge. Leila Aboulela more islam media knowledge Many Arabic/Islamic words have now entered the English dictionary, such as haj, hijab, Eid, etc., and I no longer need to put them in italics or explain them. Leila Aboulela explain english words need When I was growing up, we spoke Egyptian, we ate Egyptian food, we had other Egyptian friends. It was my father's preference. Leila Aboulela friends growing-up food father My mum and dad were speaking all the time about, 'In Sudan we do this,' and 'In Egypt we do that,' so I was very aware of cultural differences. I was confused growing up; it gave me a feeling of being an outsider watching others. But I think this is good for a writer. Leila Aboulela good me dad time I started creative writing classes at Aberdeen Central Library, and the writer-in-residence there, Todd McEwen, encouraged me a great deal. He showed my stories to his editor, and I thought that was just what happened to everyone who took his classes! Leila Aboulela thought great me library I write fiction that reflects Islamic logic: fictional worlds where cause and effect are governed by Muslim rationale. However, my characters do not necessarily behave as 'good' Muslims; they are not ideals or role models. Leila Aboulela write good behave logic My faith was started off by my grandmother and mother, and so I always saw it as a very private, personal thing. Leila Aboulela personal always faith mother My grandmother studied medicine in the Forties, which was very rare in Egypt, and my mother was a university professor, so my idea of religion wasn't about a woman not working or having to dress in a certain way; it was more to do with the faith. Leila Aboulela dress woman faith mother Similar Authors Ihab Hassan writer Ingmar Bergman writer Isabella Bird writer Ivan E. Coyote writer Al Feldstein writer Bert Sugar writer All Authors