Published: Jan. 02, 2011
Words: 99,235 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781458076632

Short description

4 Muslim friends in their early twenties struggle with issues of family, marriage, career goals and body image. Follow Malikah, Aliya, Jaime and Mariam on their journey into womanhood as they learn the lessons of love, heartache, redemption and identity. Laugh with them. Cry with them. Join them on their journey.

Extended description

Malikah needs a husband, quick. It seems that’s the only thing that will get her nagging mother off her back. And it doesn’t help that her youngest sister just married a handsome young doctor, the most eligible Muslim bachelor in town, if their mother is to be believed. Malikah isn’t aiming so high. All she wants is someone nice. Maybe then she’ll feel more grounded and less like she’s going through life with no real purpose or direction.

Mariam has always had direction. It’s a necessity. She doesn’t have well-off parents like her friends, so she needs a stubborn type of drive to rid herself of the poverty she inherited. So far, things are looking up. She’s the university student body president and has a good chance at landing her dream job upon graduation. She’s also in a stable relationship with Rashad and knows marriage is right around the corner. Her life plans are unfolding nicely, but will they survive Rashad’s big secret?

Aliya has no real secrets. She’.. (Read more) Malikah needs a husband, quick. It seems that’s the only thing that will get her nagging mother off her back. And it doesn’t help that her youngest sister just married a handsome young doctor, the most eligible Muslim bachelor in town, if their mother is to be believed. Malikah isn’t aiming so high. All she wants is someone nice. Maybe then she’ll feel more grounded and less like she’s going through life with no real purpose or direction.

Mariam has always had direction. It’s a necessity. She doesn’t have well-off parents like her friends, so she needs a stubborn type of drive to rid herself of the poverty she inherited. So far, things are looking up. She’s the university student body president and has a good chance at landing her dream job upon graduation. She’s also in a stable relationship with Rashad and knows marriage is right around the corner. Her life plans are unfolding nicely, but will they survive Rashad’s big secret?

Aliya has no real secrets. She’s a “give it to you straight because I have nothing to hide” kind of girl. At 20 years old, she’s the youngest of the bunch and the liveliest of them all. Her mother died 4 years ago of cancer and she’s been partying hard to numb the pain ever since. She has no plans, no regrets and no ambition, and that’s just how she likes it. That is, until she meets Langston. He changes things. Now all she has to do is decide if the changes are truly what she wants.

Jaime knows what she wants, but has no chance of getting it, thanks to her overbearing parents. They’re very strict and can't take a chance of letting her to get caught up in all the sin and madness of the world. Jaime appreciates the concern, but wants to live her own life on her own terms. Finally, she breaks free, but will she go too far and alienate the very people that love her most?

What We Learned Along the Way details the stories of these four Muslim women as they find their way into the world of womanhood. With no map to lead the way, they learn for themselves the lessons of love, heartache, redemption and identity.
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Tags

fiction, coming of age, marriage, african american, identity, islam, muslim women, muslim fiction, age 15 to adult, black muslims

Available ebook reading formats

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Reviews

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Review by: Brooke Benoit on April 17, 2012 :
Thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced book, with lots of drama and a good dose of laughter. A realistic portrayal of young Muslims as their lives ebb and flow between the deen and dunya. Looking forward to read more from Angail, insha Allah!
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: asiila rasool on July 11, 2011 :
It was a delight to read a urban novel with muslims as the main characters, and i really got into it the first 66 pages that are offered as a sample. I got a bit confused with time sequences---amount of time passing from one even to another, and i thought some parts could have been fleshed out more...a clearer demarcation between transitions would have helped me too...overall, it was an enjoyable read, but i wanted to know more of what happened next...i thought about what each of the sisters learned along the way, and i was able to clearly see each lesson. the author has talent and i know her skill will improve with each book she writes. Masha'Allah.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Molly on Feb. 08, 2011 :
This is a very good book really glad i read it loved the story from start to finnish,read it in one day and cants wait for the next one,but PLEASE hurry up i hate waiting.
(review of free book)

Review by: Ramses Johnson on Feb. 05, 2011 :
This was a pretty good book. I stayed up all night reading it, and I'm a male. The relationship between Malikah and her mom feels very real. Unfortunately, many women have that type of conflictual relationship with their moms. Impressive that a full length book was FREE!
(review of free book)

Review by: Lynita Fatima on Jan. 04, 2011 :
Nadirah Angail is the premiere novelist for the current and future generations of readers. The female and male characters
display personalities that's familiar and
extraordinary. The plot is intriguing with every page read. I'm proud of Nadirah
for bringing for realistic examples of
The human experience!
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: K. Muhammed on Jan. 03, 2011 :
So glad I bought this book. I figured I'd try it since a friend suggested it and I'm so glad I did. I saw a little of myself in every character, especially Aliya. The writing is really easy to read also. I read it all in one day! Highly recommended for muslims and non Muslims.
(reviewed the day of purchase)

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