The Scope of Permissibility

In her debut novel, Zeynab Gamieldien’s characters navigate exams, friendships, families and religion within the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) at their Sydney university. Sara is an honest (albeit blunt) friend who is tired of explaining her religion and South African heritage to people. Naeem is a hafidh who reads the Quran beautifully, but finds his gaze slipping from the text to Sara’s green eyes in a way that makes his heart jolt in both excitement and guilt. Abida is determined to rip the rose-coloured glasses from the eyes of her fellow university students by becoming the next president of the MSA. Though all three live separate lives, their desires and ambitions begin to intertwine.

Gamieldien’s third-person perspective offers readers insight into the minds of Sara, Naeem and Abida – three very different characters who each show us different circumstances and ways of living, whether this be through practicing religion constantly or occasionally, being rich or poor, being afraid of one’s family or being so close to your siblings that you might as well be their second mother.

I warmed to this book, though slowly at first. It is character rather than plot- driven, and the action only really kicks in just before the halfway point. However, Gamieldien’s exposure of Islamophobia, patriarchal authority and wealth gaps in Australia make her debut a compelling read. Equally, the angst between Naeem and Sara is all too realistic, and I couldn’t help but feel a burning hope for these two characters to love each other and Allah at the same time. Gamieldien provides a nuanced discussion of love versus lust, and it was this coupled with her brilliant social commentaries that inspired me to keep on reading and devour this book all at once one sunny afternoon.