Longing and Belonging in If They Come for Us by Fatimah Asghar and Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo

Abstract

In this study I shall analyse the sense of belonging in Fatimah Asghar’s debut poetry collection If They Come for Us, and in Safia Elhillo’s novel Home Is Not a Country. Both writers describe a specific experience – being Muslim in the US, and also trying to recover places that were once home. Moreover, these books discuss identity from a feminist perspective, especially from an intersectional point of view, taking into account their multiple identities. Moreover, I aim to showcase that not only by using a first-person perspective, but by addressing issues such as identity, selfhood, belonging, family and (dis) placement, being a woman or a non-confirming person with a Muslim cultural background and also living in a westernized culture, Fatimah Asghar and Safia Elhillo give a voice to a marginalized group. Furthermore, by writing from a feminist perspective they are creating an empowered voice, raising awareness on the abovementioned issues.