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Celebrate Eid With 5 More Awesome Muslim Characters!

Eid-ul-Fitr is a time of celebration for Muslims, to let's celebrate it with some Muslim characters!

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Adiba Jaigirdar

Staff Writer

Adiba Jaigirdar is an Irish-Bangladeshi writer, poet, and teacher. She resides in Dublin, Ireland and has an MA in postcolonial studies. She is currently working on her own postcolonial novel and hopes that someday it will see the light of day outside of her computer screen. Twitter: @adiba_j

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Eid al-Fitr is a time of celebration for Muslims. It marks the end of Ramadan, and is often observed with a special Eid prayer, before being celebrated with friends, family, and food! Let’s also celebrate this Eid with some brilliant Muslim characters:

saints and misfits cover imageJanna from Saints and Misfits by S. K. Ali

Janna is a character who is thrown into a difficult choice from the very beginning of Saints and Misfits, and has her relationship with her faith tested throughout the novel. Janna has to come to terms with a Monster in the midst of her Muslim community. A Monster who everyone admires and thinks is a pious and good Muslim. What makes Janna a brilliant and relatable character is exactly her struggle to do what is right. She’s not a perfect character by any means, but she takes a difficult situation that affects not only her, but her community, and makes the decision that feels right for her.

Ayesha at last by Uzma JalaluddinAyesha from Ayesha, At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

Ayesha, At Last is a modern, Muslim retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, with Ayesha taking the helm as a reimagined version of Elizabeth Bennet. And just like the original Lizzy Bennet, Ayesha is a force to be reckoned with. Though she has her share of insecurities, Ayesha is strong in her beliefs and what she wants out of life. At the same time, Ayesha’s character is shaped by her heritage and religion. She comes from a Pakistani household and is a Muslim hijabi, and it’s fascinating to read a reimagination of Elizabeth Bennet who is shaped by these identities.

Amal from Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

Aisha Saaed’s middle-grade novel is a moving tale about a young Pakistani girl who must work off the debt that her family owes to a corrupt landowner. Amal, the namesake of the book, is very young but still the oldest daughter of her family. As a result, she’s burdened with shouldering a lot of responsibility. But her resilience and faith in the face of adversity is ultimately what makes this an admirable book.

 

Amina from Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

Amina’s Voice is a touching tale about a young, Pakistani-American Muslim girl who is trying to find her voice in a world that often seems overwhelming. The book tackles important and difficult topics with subtlety, and through a character who is relatable in her insecurities and fears about friendship, religion, and Islamophobia.

 

 

Yasmin from Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi

Meet Yasmin! is a chapter book series that follows young Yasmin in her various endeavours, from being an explorer to a painter, and a fashionista! Yasmin is a bold, but brilliant, young Pakistani-American kid. She’s creative and curious about the world around her, and a relatable and adorable character, who will resonate with many people.

 

Looking for some more Muslim characters? Check out these five other awesome Muslim characters!