As I read my way through the books in my high school library, I saw a stark disconnect between Muslims in the media and the everyday Muslims I saw in my community. Mainstream books skew Islam as either 1) a backward culture that the protagonist must overcome and redefine or 2) a superficial aesthetic in which Arabic or South Asian names and Islamic architecture are used, while everyday practices like prayer, charity, or hijab are foregone. This observation paved the way for Shaherazad Shelves years later.
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