NbA Muslims With Umm Juwayriyah Recap

Layla and UJ

Umm Juwayriyah is a popular NbA Muslim urban fiction author. In addition to her online blog series, and children’s books, she’s written the novels The Size of a Mustard Seed and Tried and Tested, her latest book about life in an African American Muslim community.

Layla Abdullah-Poulos interviewed Umm Juwayriyah about her new book, abusive relationships, young Muslims, and African American Muslim experiences.

Complexity of Abusive Relationships

Abdullah-Poulos and Umm Juwayriyah talked about the complexity of abusive relationships, wherein victims are frequently torn between the violence and other aspects of their relationships.

A lot of women and men are ashamed to express any sort of emotional warm and fuzzy feelings for the person who is also abusing them. But you have to recognize that it is still a relationship; it still has those warm and fuzzy feelings sometimes. – Umm Juwayriyah

The relationship is not just violence. There are other things that are going on in that relationship that can overshadow the violence in the victim’s eyes. – Layla Abdullah-Poulos

Overwhelming Young Muslims

Umm Juwayriyah talks about the need for mentoring and programs to help young Muslims become prepared to lead and form families.

We put a lot of pressure on Muslim boys. All of a sudden, we take a lot of stuff and just throw it in their lap – protector, provider, lead the salaah, get the groceries, clean up, protect your sisters. We have to think about how we can support these young men and young women. – Umm Juwayriah

Shields not Lids

Abdullah-Poulos and Umm Juwayriyah draw from the author’s book to discuss messaging encouraging African American Muslim men to focus on being protectors and nurturers instead of seeking to control women.

It needs to be advanced…mentorship of young Muslim boys to understand how do you provide protection for sisters? Protection rather than control. It’s good to help sisters; to control them and to stifle them is not what this deen is about. That’s not what Allah obligated you to do. – Umm Juwayriyah

Get your Mouths Right

Abdullah-Poulos called on Black Muslim men to draw back on creating and dispersing negative stereotypes about Black Muslim women similar to what happens in Black American society.

You talk about Black Muslim women like they are the lowest of the low, and don’t pretend you don’t have those conversations because you do. – Layla Abdullah-Poulos

Roll Back on Hating African American Muslim Women

Abdullah-Poulos unleashes one of her rants on Muslims from various backgrounds who consistently disrespect and hate on African American Muslim women, including Black Muslims.

Honestly, African American men, Black men, Arab men, Arab women, Desi men, Desi women, your behinds would be nowhere if it wasn’t for the fact that African American women are so awesome at fighting and resisting the garbage that is thrown at us…Why are you hating the very demographic that has been upholding this deen in this society for so long? The very thing that has given this American Ummah consistency and strength for decades is the very thing they hate. – Layla Abdullah-Poulos