Saqi to publish 'creative call to arms for Muslim women'

Saqi Books has acquired an anthology, edited by poet and playwright Sabrina Mahfouz (pictured), intended to be "a creative call to arms for Muslim women in Britain".

Hear Us Now comprises the work of over 20 women writers of Muslim heritage, bringing together a range of authors, from established literary heavyweights such as Adhaf Soueif, Leila Aboulela and Kamila Shamsie to young, emerging artists, such as Asma Elbadawi, Amina Jama and Nafeesa Hamid. 

The collection includes new poetry, fiction and prose exploring questions of love, identity and belonging, as well as immigration and the rights of women, as edited by Mahfouz. Saqi Books has world rights to the book.

A PR campaign on publication will include events and readings in bookshops, theatres, community centres and women’s shelters, as well as a series of writing workshops for Muslim women and girls throughout the UK, in collaboration with Arts Council England.

Publisher Lynn Gaspard said: "We’re very excited to be working with Sabrina Mahfouz, and proud to be publishing such exceptionally talented women writers. This will be a vitally important anthology, especially in light of the terrible rise in hate crimes against Muslim women in this country. I hope that Hear Us Now will help widen the discussion about what it means to be a Muslim woman today and encourage more women to express themselves without fear of discrimination."

Hear us Now: Writings by British Muslim Women will be published by Saqi Books in April 2017.