Issues of Faith and Romance in Leila Aboulela's Novels: A Study of The Translator and Minaret

This essay attempts to analyze Leila Aboulela's first two novels: The Translator and Minaret, through the 'refractive glass' of faith and romance. In The Translator, Aboulela asserts the influence of strong faith helping one to deal with the challenges of the society and how this faith reflects on the decisions made by a being. In Minaret, she delineates her protagonist's development in spiritual strength to overcome her obstacles and a strong connection with the Muslim community. It also suggests that detachment from materialism, seclusion from the world is crucial to attain connection with the transcendent. The purpose of this paper is to examine the characters sprouting of faith, their spiritual upliftment and the evolvement of romance; whether religious or modern (western).