Rising Soul

By Fida Islaih

From an identity crisis and being naive about my beliefs, Rising Soul is about accepting my identity and understanding the depth of my faith. Rising Soul covers topics of womanhood and self love. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fida Islaih
• Release date: Mar 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9798869287489

Fida Islaih

Fida Islaih is a self published poet and freelance poetry editor. Islaih writes about mental health and cultural experiences. Her faith, experiences and love for nature is the foundation of her poetry. She helps other poets polish their poetry books for self publishing. Aside from her work, she enjoys calligraphy and jigsaw puzzles.

Book preview

Sit with Your Heart series

Blossoming Heart (#1)

Wilting Mind (#2)

Rising Soul (#3)

Table of Contents

Childhood

Memories

Lullaby

Quran

Tea

Henna

Plate of Many Cultures

Mispronounced

House of Smells

Circle of Diversity

Where I’m From

Scrapbook

Speak Three Languages

Love Three Ways

Two Languages

Heart Talks

Paradise at Her Feet

Sisterhood

What is in A Name?

Scattered Heart

Hijab

Hijab Story

Discovering Hijab

We Wear Hijab

Tear Stained Hijab

Behind the Hijab

Cover Girl

Stand Up

Sisters in Islam

True Values

Naive

My Heart is Confused

Mine Alone

Struggle

Pinned Down

Another Stare

Modesty Incident

Cultural Appropriation

Doesn’t Prevent Me

Hijab Talk

Crown

Your Heart

Empowerment

Tradition

Culture

Daughter of Immigrants

Background Noise

I’m from A Mixed Culture

Three Cultures at Home

Daughter of Three Countries

Family is Global

Arab Culture

Malay Culture

Arab Aunts

On My Tongue

My Malay and Palestinian

Diversity Raised Me

Culture Taught Me

Outsider at Home

Not the Looks

Growing Up

My Palestine

Occupation vs. Freedom

Privilege

Faith

What is Islam?

Miracles

Why Does Religion Have a Name?

Choices

Purification

Who Muslims Are

Religious

Unapologetically Muslim

Ramadan

Day Before Eid

Eid

Evil Whispers

I Want Faith

Dua

Strength in Faith

A God That Is Here

Remember Him

Grateful to God

God to Us

Self Love

Home

Body Image

Perfect Body

Growth

Courage of Women

Strong Woman

Womb

Period

Carrying a Baby

Protected by You

Love Letter

Dear Brown Girl

Women Raised Me

Future

Women in History

Labels

Feminism

Reclaim My Space

Fight for Us

Community

Tribe

Dear Future Self

To My Children

Author Notes

Glossary

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Childhood

Fida Islaih

Memories

My childhood memories were filled

with learning the Arabic alphabet and numbers

listening to nasheeds

memorizing the names of God

They were laced with faith 

hearing you recite the Quran and pray aloud

arriving to an empty home

and saying salaam to the angels.

Rising Soul

Lullaby

We would laugh and tease

beg for the song

in Arabic you would sing a lullaby:

sleep, sleep, darling.

You would rock us

or rub my back

as I tried to fall asleep.

Fida Islaih

Quran

Unable to fall asleep

I listen to the Quran

God does not burden a soul

beyond what it can bear.

it calms my heart and mind

I'm finally falling asleep.

Rising Soul

Tea

Add mint or cardamom

to our kettle of black tea

it’s a start to our morning

and end to our night

running out last minute to buy tea biscuits.

Fida Islaih

Henna

I feel the cool tip of henna

on top of my hand

as she draws petals 

to celebrate the coming days 

either Eid or a wedding.

Rising Soul

Plate of Many Cultures

Take a look at living with multiple cultures

by glancing at our dining room table

I can't pick one favorite food

I have many

my plate of many cultures

cucur and zataar for breakfast 

curry