We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir

Samra Habib started life with no ability to affect the course of her future. As a Muslim woman, she was expected to marry a person of her parents' choosing; at 14, she refused that marriage because her husband said he could see times when beating her would be appropriate. The family practiced the Ahmadi variation of Islam, which emphasizes non-violence, and her parents agreed to her refusal. She had amazing courage, even at such an early age.From there, Samra found her winding way to who she was meant to be. Despite the anti-LGBTQ stance of her culture, she not only claimed her selfhood and found her way back to the religion she loves, she helped and still helps other LGBTQ Muslims do the same.We Have Always Been Here is a compelling page-turner. I am grateful to Samra Habib for writing it.Peggy Hendry

I appreciated the candor and perspective given. So many thought provoking passages. A testament to how communication and self care can stabilize a person.

Read this book for a zoom book club and it's such a great story. If you want to diversify your reading list start here. This author handled this subject with care.

A definite quick read for anyone wanting to understand and expand their understanding of different cultures and religions. Simply written, it leaves its mark on you

I really loved how honest and authentic this book felt.

This book had me feeling seen in ways I didn’t know possible. Powerful. Insightful. Raw. Real. To be honest, I was sad to finish it.

As a queer person I could relate to a lot of elements in this memoir and I enjoyed the author's writing style tremendously. Deeply personal and moving. Will be reading Samra Habib's other work as well.

The ending of the book just filled my heart with warmth, and it’s something I’ll come back to constantly in the future. I hope I can read more from Samra in the future.

Habib’s memoir is beautiful and found me at just the right time. Not only does she write openly and movingly about being queer and her relationship with Islam, Habib also writes about coming of age and childhood trauma in a way which has forever touched me. The prevalence of belonging in this memoir is what affords it its power and its ability to resonate with any reader.Habib will open your eyes to being first generation and refugee from Pakistan in Canada, she will remind you you are not alone in your journey for identity and self-acceptance and she will give you hope. This memoir is a light.

This book is a memoir, so well written, you feel like you have been having a one-on-one visit with the author, like you just spent the afternoon having coffee with Samra. She is right: someone like me has never thought about life from a queer Muslim perspective, and she 100% gave me that...and in a wonderful, non-preachy way that inspires my understanding and compassion, and makes me love her and her very interesting family.

I would say the I was captivated by the first two thirds and lost in the last third. Understandably, the memoir goes from her personal story, to the plight/journey/struggle that all queer Muslims face. While providing insight to those of us that do not share these struggles, I felt at a certain point, I still wanted to know more about the authors personal story and was less interested in the larger context, mainly because I really couldn't relate to that larger story and I believe we all can relate to parts of her personal journey.

La autora relata las experiencias a lo largo de su vida de una forma tan meticuloso y hermosa. El libro se centra en cómo fue crecer en Pakistan, después pasar a ser refugiada junto con su familia en Toronto y las dificultades que tuvo al crecer en un entorno fuertemente influenciado por el islam. Es muy conmovedora su lucha por encontrar su voz, su identidad y al mismo tiempo descubrir su queerness. Sin duda es una historia única que representa no solo a la comunidad musulmana y musulmana queer, sino también a todas las minorías que durante años han pasado sin ser vistas, pero que siempre han estado.

I really enjoyed learning another person's experience unpacking and who they are. The spirituality was eye opening. I am Catholic and know so little about a Muslim faith journey which seems so close to my own foundation...and yet it is not. I have to open my eyes and acknowledge my biases. What a truly beautiful read! Samra is a beautiful person and I am grateful she shared her story.