Broken: Not a Halal Love Story by Fatima Bala

In Broken, Fatima Bala didn’t create perfect characters but they were perfect in the way they lived their lives.

The love story of Ahmad and Fa’iza is one of patience, love, dedication and resilience that teaches us to stick with the principles we set for ourselves in whatever choices we make.

An imperfect man

These two characters are far from perfect. I have seen Ahmad get a lot of bashing on the internet for being imperfect. For being a man with wants and needs.

But he’s just a mere mortal, terribly flawed and hopelessly in love with a girl he is willing to bend over for. It is not in our place to critique what that love looks like.

Ahmad’s love for Fa’iza is crippling; knowing what you want and fighting at all costs to get it no matter how long it takes, and how unlikely it seems.

An imperfect woman

Fa’iza’s love pales in comparison to Ahmad’s but then again, who’s comparing? It might seem like she gave up too quickly and easily, but I don’t blame her.

The odds were against them, and she was too tired of fighting.

The role of family

An interesting thing to note about this story is how the backgrounds of people play a really interesting role in how they manage situations.

Conservatism

Fa’iza grew up in a more conservative, religious home where her father’s word was law, only living life through the lens of her parents.

Such an upbringing does something to you, makes you docile, and inclined to quit pushing especially when your parents say no.

Liberalism

On the other hand, Ahmad was raised differently, in a more liberal home with a mother who openly showed her children affection.

Ahmad understood love for what it was– something you showed, not kept hidden inside of you. Throughout the book, he demonstrates how much he loved Aisha from the very first day he saw her and wanted her.

Even the relationship between Ahmad and his sister was no doubt a loving one; kids who grew up in love and security, a stark contrast to Fa’iza and her brother, whose relationship was less expressive due to their conservative upbringing.

The strength of love

Broken isn’t just a book on the love story between Aisha and Ahmad. It’s about the different forms of love that exist and how they influence our lives.

Fatima Bala used the love story of Fa’iza and Ahmad to demonstrate what it means to wait. To be patient.

The story also reflected how their children stood for what they wanted, believing in the love enough to stay, wait and fight for it. They were also very expressive with their love interests.

Final Thoughts

I love how Fatima used Fa’iza and Ahmad’s family dynamics to show the roles our backgrounds play in how we approach life.

I have enjoyed reading about these two; they are so beautiful and wholesome to watch. The one lesson I learned from reading Broken is that everything is about timing, so don’t ever think you can cheat time. God will teach you patience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, as it contains lessons on Islamic teachings regarding marriage. In Broken, Fatima Bala didn’t create perfect characters but they were perfect in the way they lived their lives.

Beautifully fallible. I totally recommend!