A 100 word readuction of: Hope Ablaze written by Sarah Mughal Rana, narrated by Farah Kidwai
“It was funny how Americans thought they were saving the world, when really it was the world who needed saving from them.”
― Sarah Mughal Rana, Hope Ablaze
Readuction:
Nida is a follower of Islam, daughter of a divorced immigrant mother, niece of an infamous poet incarcerated for terrorism, victim of racism, and a confused teenager seeking her own identity. Her private emotions, expressed through traditional Pakistani poetry letters, become controversial when publicly exposed by some well-meaning white people. Bound by others’ expectations, she must decide whether to fight against the ignorance facing herself and her community, or yield for safety’s sake. Wielding her tongue like the stinging sword it is, her poetry has the power to disembowel prejudice and assumptions, if she is brave enough to use it.
Boiling Points:
Author
Sarah Mughal Rana
Genres
Allegorical, Young Adult, (I)slam Poetry, Muslim
Published
Text: 2024, St. Martin’s Publishing Group; Audiobook: 2024, Macmillan Audio
Recommended Format
Audiobook – narrated by Farah Kidwai
Themes
freedom, individuality, challenging the norm, perspective, poetry
“Our relationship would always be defined by the words left unspoken”
― Sarah Mughal Rana, Hope Ablaze
“I am a pent up ball of energy / I will find my escape like a cosmic explosion / all starry rays before darkness claims me, / hope ablaze.”
― Sarah Mughal Rana, Hope Ablaze
feels:
Hope Ablaze is a step to accomplishing Nida’s goal of abolishing the ignorance and Islamophobia Muslims face in Western society. Through the telling of this story, Rana highlights the difficulties of honoring one’s heritage and religious traditions in a world where so many are misinformed by bits and pieces of media. A world where people see a woman wearing a hijab and assume she is either being oppressed, or is some kind of terrorist threat.
However, Rana also takes care to highlight cultural similarities – parents sacrificing for the betterment of their children, a daughter trying to make her mother proud, teenagers helping elders navigate new technology, the strife and growing pains of becoming your own person, seeking acceptance from your community, and love expressed through the sharing of food.
Rana’s debut novel brought to light some of my own ignorance I’d simply never considered before, like understanding Islamic traditions, or how difficult it must be navigating those additional prejudices on top of whatever other challenges life presents. It is a fantastic, accessible introduction to these topics, a well needed representation of Pakistani and Muslim culture, and a step on the path toward empathy and understanding.
exceptional excerpts:
“There is a difference between being right and surviving here.”
― Sarah Mughal Rana, Hope Ablaze
“The minute you classified a person with a label you created a spectrum.”
― Sarah Mughal Rana, Hope Ablaze
“When you blindly believe that your government was fundamentally just, then its people would overlook the unjustness of their own actions.”
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