Here is a message I recently received from a Muslim mum:
“Salams sis, How are you? I wanted some advice. Can you recommend a good book I can give my teenage daughter? Something that covers everyday issues that girls face but from an Islamic angle? Jzk.”
I have searched for such a book, but unfortunately, there is no book out there specifically for teenage Muslimahs that explains topics that have to deal with, like feminism, body image, recreational drugs, LGBTQI+, Islamic sex education and hijab.
Bad advice in secular teenage guides
When I looked in bookstores, I found plenty of guides for teenagers, but they were all secular. If your daughter or niece read them, she would end up becoming very liberal and would think Islam is very strict and backward. They encourage girls to:
“Question their gender identity; it's ok to not agree with the gender identity you were assigned at birth. Be true to yourself. There is no right or wrong. Only you know how you feel and how you want to dress. Being transgender is OK. Sometimes trans people want to change their body to match their identity; it's an individual choice.”
“During adolescence, you'll start thinking about love, sex and relationships. Working out whether you are attracted to boys, girls or both. It's OK to be proud of your differences. You are unique.”
Muslim teenagers need an Islamic guide
Introducing Smart Teenage Muslimah. As you are aware, being a Muslim teenager presents unique challenges. However, it's also a time to dream big and gain confidence as a Muslimah. Inshallah, I hope to provide clear answers to fundamental questions such as belief in God and the miracle of the Quran. Their belief in Islam must be founded on a solid foundation, so they can thrive in this life and the next. That way, as they travel through life, their "rule book" (Quran and Sunnah) will not be replaced by "do whatever feels good".
But also, I want to talk about difficult issues that young women have to deal with, like LGBTQI+, sexual harassment, pornography, boyfriends, and feminism. I felt compelled to write this because, as a Muslimah growing up in the United Kingdom, I wished I'd had a book to help me make sense of these confusing topics through an Islamic lens.
Muslim parents need this book
Parents desperately need this book; many don't know how to explain what the Islamic view is on these controversial subjects. Or they would like their daughter to hear advice from a trusted source. As a high school teacher and having raised three teenagers, I feel I have the relevant experience to write this book.
Love and duas Farhat Amin
Smart Teenage Muslimah
An Inspirational Guide For Muslim Girls