Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

It is an honor to have you visit us. For me, Glowing Olive Press is like a child borne out of my search for books, both for my (literal) children and for myself, that fulfil the desire for great literature, and inspire excellence in the most important job I believe we have in this life— that as slaves of our Creator, Allah (swt). It is a child I have held and nurtured, and which in turn has held and nurtured me, through the frustration of scouring bookshelves, both virtual and physical, for books that fulfil seemingly simple criteria: 1) are engaging and well-written; 2) abide by the guidelines of appropriateness and decency set for us by our Creator; 3) inspire faith, beneficial knowledge, and purposeful action. Simple, right?

If you are a Muslim parent or an educator, or even just a well-read individual who knows the book market well, you would be able to answer the above question in your sleep.

In the spirit of the oft-recited and cited verse from Surah Ar-Ra’d in which Allah tells us that He will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves (13:11), I was inspired to take action against the dismal lack of Muslim representation in the literary world.

The outcome is in the Hands of Allah always, but He has granted us the power of intention and consistent action. Indeed, Allah helps those who help themselves, and truly, believing men and women are allies of one another in enjoining all that which is good and which glorifies our Maker.

I look forward to walking this path with you. May Allah grant us barakah in all our efforts, and may He accept it from us all, Ameen.

Love,

Sana Khan