★ ★ ★ ★ ★
It's a total joy reading this and learning more about Islam. Living in a multi-religious country, I've always been curious about the ways of different religions, and the practices and beliefs of Muslims are not excluded. Although there are still some parts of Islam that I do not agree with, I have a newfound respect and love for it. It is beautiful, in its own way. The journey that Sabeeha went through as she adapted to a new life in America was absolutely heartwarming. Her writing style was easy to get into, and there wasn't a single point in her memoir that bored me.
My mindset changed a lot in many ways; I found myself to be ignorant before starting this book at all regarding a number of things. To actually believe that arranged marriages are terrible — absolutely and 100% terrible — was ignorant; that Pakistan is and always was a dangerous country for women was ignorant. I feel terrible to have had these thoughts. With this book, I realised that arranged marriages, if there is respect for the woman in question, can be good. Heck, with how difficult it is for us nowadays to find our significant other for us to have to resort to dating apps, I even think arranged marriages should be made available as a last resort. But who does that nowadays? Rarely, or at all, in developed parts of the world, where such problems remain rampant. As for Pakistan, the country, as described by Sabeeha, was once a safer country, where laws against rapes made more sense than they do now — and it was beautiful. Oh, the culture, the food, their clothes. They're not entirely made of rainbows, of course, since strict Muslim practices are upheld, as were strict traditions everywhere else were in the past, but my outlook of Pakistan had an abrupt change. A country does not just exist for its laws, but its culture and history too. I love it.
And we have Sabeeha and her amazing family. Many a times, I was left feeling emotional by the wisdom her parents could give, and the love they have for one another. The strength that Sabeeha and her husband have, alongside other Muslims, while they continue fighting against the lies people had created since 9/11 about their religion, made my heart clench.
As I continue to learn more about the thought processes of different people with disparate religious mindsets, I honestly hope that my future reads will be as enjoyable as this. As wise. As respectful to other religions and races.