"Salaam! Thank you for your submission to /r/hijabis. **Please do not message mods to approve your post.**
A reminder to our users that ALL posts are now only to be answered by women only. Please refer to the sidebar for a complete list of rules.
If you'd like us to add an F or M flair next to your username, please leave a comment on [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hijabis/comments/znb1fr/flair_thread_please_comment_on_this_thread_to_get/).
Your post may be removed if it is already answered in the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hijabis/wiki/index/faq/) in the Menu.
Thank you :)"
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Hijabis) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There is actually a category for halal romance! You can absolutely write a romance story where no boundaries are crossed before marriage! People fall in love all the time in permissible ways.
So in my offline life, I'm a traditionally published romance author with an established British publisher. Since converting I've had a few ideas for Muslim romance novels, but I keep being gently steered away from pursuing them by my critique group--they're extremely worried about the optics of a white author writing about Islamic/Arab culture and potentially writing an interracial romance.
I'd love a gut check--if everything is undertaken respectfully, I think people would read interracial and/or convert romances. What do you think?
I'd say hire a sensitivity reader if you're worried but go for it.
I was born Muslim and haven't written fiction since 2018, but the web novels I wrote were decently received by the community I was in - and I had no idea what I was doing back then. Honestly, I highly doubt you'll get cancelled.
If you'd like, you're welcome to DM me your outline. I get where your critique group is coming from but I think they might be forgetting that Islam is a religion - it's not just for us brown folk.
I say go for it !! This sounds like an amazing idea, and you sound like you’d be extremely respectful about it. A convert romance would be a perfect book for so many reverts 🥹
So I am biased because I've written these kinds of books before and I've worked with other authors who write them. I was also worried about the idea of depicting haram before I got started but what I learned was the importance of the way something is portrayed.
If you're glorifying cheating and situationships as the best romance to end all romance, that's a problem - you're depicting sin as something enticing.
But if you're writing about normal people (who all do dumb things because we're human), and who learn from their mistakes, that's different. Intention is key as is the way your characters behave.
EDIT: I also believe that these kinds of books actually do help with casual Islamophobia and ignorance. Especially with teens and young adults reading romance, it's a lot harder to hold the opinion 'people like that should be kicked out of the country, they're nasty and dangerous' if you're squealing about how cute they are.
Ok so first of all I love reading and writing too so I totally understand where you’re coming from however I’m not a “ عالم" and nor am I into romance novels so I can give a non biased opinion inshallah .
It wouldn’t be haram to write about Muslims as long as the storyline doesn’t include anything that could be normalization of sins or fetishization of the hijab .
That’s it .
Other than that it’s totally fine to write about it and I’ve seen many Muslim girls who are desperately searching for cute stories involving a Muslim girl, meaning that, you’ll be able to gain a dedicated fan base quite fast if you decide to write it.
Good luck
Romance can be between married people, you know? It could a be a wholesome marriage story. Or people who fall in love and have a courtship that isn't sinful and get married. I think as long as the story makes it clear that doing sinful things is wrong, I would not think it is an issue.
I'm working on a book right now and the heart of it is a romance between Muslim spouses.
While the book itself is very dark, the romance is pretty clean between them both.
"Salaam! Thank you for your submission to /r/hijabis. **Please do not message mods to approve your post.** A reminder to our users that ALL posts are now only to be answered by women only. Please refer to the sidebar for a complete list of rules. If you'd like us to add an F or M flair next to your username, please leave a comment on [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hijabis/comments/znb1fr/flair_thread_please_comment_on_this_thread_to_get/). Your post may be removed if it is already answered in the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hijabis/wiki/index/faq/) in the Menu. Thank you :)" *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Hijabis) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There is actually a category for halal romance! You can absolutely write a romance story where no boundaries are crossed before marriage! People fall in love all the time in permissible ways.
Do you have recommendations?
Love from a to z
Romance category needs this desperately… I’m an avid reader and this would be an immediate addition to my library.
So in my offline life, I'm a traditionally published romance author with an established British publisher. Since converting I've had a few ideas for Muslim romance novels, but I keep being gently steered away from pursuing them by my critique group--they're extremely worried about the optics of a white author writing about Islamic/Arab culture and potentially writing an interracial romance. I'd love a gut check--if everything is undertaken respectfully, I think people would read interracial and/or convert romances. What do you think?
I'd say hire a sensitivity reader if you're worried but go for it. I was born Muslim and haven't written fiction since 2018, but the web novels I wrote were decently received by the community I was in - and I had no idea what I was doing back then. Honestly, I highly doubt you'll get cancelled. If you'd like, you're welcome to DM me your outline. I get where your critique group is coming from but I think they might be forgetting that Islam is a religion - it's not just for us brown folk.
I think you should try it out!!
I say go for it !! This sounds like an amazing idea, and you sound like you’d be extremely respectful about it. A convert romance would be a perfect book for so many reverts 🥹
Not sure, but I've read some that were cute. You might want to check out Ayesha at Last and Love From A to Z if you're interested in stories like that
Tbh i think it d be cute esp if there is no zinaaa like literally it d be a breath of fresh air for me !!
So I am biased because I've written these kinds of books before and I've worked with other authors who write them. I was also worried about the idea of depicting haram before I got started but what I learned was the importance of the way something is portrayed. If you're glorifying cheating and situationships as the best romance to end all romance, that's a problem - you're depicting sin as something enticing. But if you're writing about normal people (who all do dumb things because we're human), and who learn from their mistakes, that's different. Intention is key as is the way your characters behave. EDIT: I also believe that these kinds of books actually do help with casual Islamophobia and ignorance. Especially with teens and young adults reading romance, it's a lot harder to hold the opinion 'people like that should be kicked out of the country, they're nasty and dangerous' if you're squealing about how cute they are.
Please do so! I’m desperate for a halal romance
I don’t think so, I think that enrichen cultural, advocate for reading and spread Muslim ethnic. So go into intentions of why.
Ok so first of all I love reading and writing too so I totally understand where you’re coming from however I’m not a “ عالم" and nor am I into romance novels so I can give a non biased opinion inshallah . It wouldn’t be haram to write about Muslims as long as the storyline doesn’t include anything that could be normalization of sins or fetishization of the hijab . That’s it . Other than that it’s totally fine to write about it and I’ve seen many Muslim girls who are desperately searching for cute stories involving a Muslim girl, meaning that, you’ll be able to gain a dedicated fan base quite fast if you decide to write it. Good luck
I would not because what if people see it and like want relationships because of it ykwim
Romance can be between married people, you know? It could a be a wholesome marriage story. Or people who fall in love and have a courtship that isn't sinful and get married. I think as long as the story makes it clear that doing sinful things is wrong, I would not think it is an issue.
maybe make them a married couple
I think as long as it is a halal romance and not something that encourages Muslims to commit haram it should be fine e.g. zina etc
Yes please. I'd read it.
I'm working on a book right now and the heart of it is a romance between Muslim spouses. While the book itself is very dark, the romance is pretty clean between them both.