Ah, the tricky thing that is teenage love for Muslims.

For practicing Muslims, pre-marital sex and even touching the opposite sex is not allowed before marriage. So it makes having a love story like the owns showed in Western media a bit difficult to replicate.

But let me introduce you to a new world, and that is the angst in Muslim love stories.

Man, the angst.

When you can’t touch and your interactions must be proper, you’re basically transported to Victorian times (or something? I don’t know historical eras, just some old London time). It’s like Pride & Prejudice, or any other of the slow burn historical romance I know you love. The slow burn. The falling for each other’s personalities and the pent up tension . . . It all makes for one hell of a romance.

I’ve learned to appreciate this, and it’s all thanks to one book:

Love From A to Z, by S. K. Ali

Adam and Zainab’s love story showed me that Western love stories are not the only ones. They’re not the basic blueprint that everyone must follow. That other ways of falling in love aren’t wrong, just different.

It spoke to the little girl I was who thought I couldn’t have what’s on TV. It told her, “yes, you can. You can have the Prince Charming, you can get the epic love story. It’ll just look different and that’s okay.”

Adam and Zainab fall in love with each other and stay with each other until they get married. They learn the other’s personality, they spend years talking and being there for each other. Then, they marry and live out the rest of their lives (I hope) happy and content. Their love story is not different from say, Clary and Jace, or Juliette and Warner, just because they didn’t kiss or touch or have sex before their wedding. It doesn’t invalidate their love. Doesn’t make it less.

In addition, the characters’ main obstacles in the story weren’t that they were Muslim. Their faith was never made as an obstacle that is getting in the way of their love, or making their lives unbearable. Yeah, they had to deal with Islamphobia, but it wasn’t the only thing about them.

Adam had MS, Zainab was dealing with grief, colleges, what they wanted to do after, friends, making friends, losing friends, and normal teenagers stuff. Their faith was interwoven into the story without it being the only thing about them. The religion is important to them, and its significance is shown, but it’s also normal. They’re not just Muslim characters. They’re characters who happen to be Muslim.

The whole story ended up becoming very special to me. It’s something that made me happy and hopeful. I can’t thank S. K. Ali enough for writing this.

Have you read it? What did you think about it? What other Muslim love stories have you read and enjoyed? Let’s talk in the comments!

Thank you for reading and see you next time ❤