Leila Aboulela Quotes
Why do bad things happen? For pedagogical reasons, so that we can experience the power of Allah, catch a glimpse of Hell and fear it, so that we can practice seeking refuge in Him and, when relief comes give thanks to His mercy. Darkness was created so that, like plants, we could yearn and turn to the light.
Aboulela, Leila. Minaret. Grove Press, 2005, p. 129.
This quotation which is so shocking to most people is classic amongst many religious fundamentalists. They regard infidels and blasphemers as so evil, that in their view it is doing the evil person a favor to kill him. While in the 21st century, most people believe that his view is that of fundamentalist Muslims, it is also the view of some fundamentalist Christians who cite the Biblical call for the death penalty for blasphemers. The difference is that there are very few Christians who believe that today, while there are many Muslims who do. However, in the past, this was a common view amongst Christians. The Inquisition of the Roman Catholic Church held this view and it even prevailed into the early 20th century where Spain continued to execute heretics.
Leila Aboulela (Arabic: ليلى ابوالعلا; born 1964) is a fiction writer of Sudanese origin, who lives in Great Britain and writes in English. She grew up in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, and has mainly lived in Aberdeen, Scotland, since 2012.
