cover
Contact Name
Tuty Handayani
Contact Email
tuty@uinjkt.ac.id
Phone
+6282227208677
Journal Mail Official
melsasing2023@gmail.com
Editorial Address
Faculty of Adab and Humanities, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University of Jakarta. Jl. Tarumanegara, Pisangan, Ciputat, Tangerang Selatan, Banten 15419
Location
Kota tangerang selatan,
Banten
INDONESIA
Muslim English Literature
ISSN : 29617502     EISSN : 29628199     DOI : -
Core Subject : Religion, Education,
Muslim English Literature specializes in Muslim World Literature including US-Muslim, British-Muslim, Asian-Muslim, and other Muslim cultures and literature; and is intended to communicate original research and current issues on the subject. This journal warmly welcomes contributions from scholars of related disciplines, including Linguistics and Cultural Studies related to the Muslim world.
Articles 90 Documents
The Imagined Ladyland in Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s Sultana’s Dream Khatun, Mst. Rokeya; Ahammed, A. K. Zunayet
Muslim English Literature Vol. 3 No. 2 (2024): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v3i2.42291

Abstract

This study investigates the imagined Ladyland in Sultana's Dream to show Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s vision of women’s empowerment and emancipation. The Ladyland epitomizes the triumph of the scientific, righteous, progressive and benevolent ingenuity in women. It also serves as a symbol of women empowerment, and a critique of colonialism and patriarchy. In the Ladyland, there is no patriarchy, and only matriarchy prevails. While women avail all the rights, needs, and privileges, the women living in Rokeya’s society are deprived of all these. They are confined to the domestic domain whereas men work outdoors. Therefore, to take women out of their shells, the writer emphasizes the necessity of empowering women through modern education and social reform. This article employs a qualitative descriptive method to provide a detailed textual analysis of the Ladyland and the Feminist Literary Theory to analyze the portrayal of the Ladyland which advocates for the emancipation of women of colonial East Bengal and beyond from the clutches of patriarchy and other traditional constraints through their empowerment, to build up a more equitable society. This study continues to make a significant contribution to world literature, offering future researchers valuable insights, ideas, and viewpoints on the writer and her works. 
Inspecting Zara's Advertisement Campaign amidst Gaza Conflict and Its Global Backlash Nisa, Rahmatun; Aini, Azka Nurul; Syahriyani, Alfi
Muslim English Literature Vol. 3 No. 2 (2024): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v3i2.42587

Abstract

This study investigates the controversial Zara advertisement campaign released during the Gaza conflict and analyzes its global backlash. Using Kress and Van Leeuwen’s visual theory, the research explores its representational, interpersonal, and compositional dimensions. Text findings reveal that representationally, the advertisement features culturally significant symbols: a white cloth signifying death in Palestinian culture and a kaffiyeh symbolizing resistance. Interpersonally, it positions viewers as passive observers, evoking discomfort, and pity, while textually, it emphasizes symbolic representation with stark contrasts and strategic framing. The advertisement’s release during heightened tensions led many to perceive it as exploitative and culturally insensitive, despite some defenses of artistic expression. Public reactions, particularly on social media, highlighted the ethical challenges of such campaigns. The study questions the campaign for violating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles by disregarding ethical considerations and societal well-being. It underscores the importance of cultural sensitivity in global marketing, advocating for ethical advertising that respect global diverse audiences.  
Muslim Youth: Prejudice and Responses in Saadia Faruqi’s Yusuf Azeem is not a Hero Teguh, Ayudya Salsabila; Zakky, Akhmad; Oktafiyani, Elve
Muslim English Literature Vol. 3 No. 2 (2024): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v3i2.42640

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the prejudice experienced by young Muslims in the United States and examine their responses as portrayed in Saadia Faruqi’s Yusuf Azeem is not a Hero (2021). The writers use close textual analysis in analyzing the primary text to examine the prejudice and responses portrayed by the young Muslims in the novel. In doing so, the writers employ Gordon Allport's theory of prejudice to comprehend the prejudice experienced by young Muslims and Simpson & Yinger's theory of response to prejudice to examine the responses of young Muslims. The results of the analysis reveal that young Muslim-Americans experience prejudice in various forms, which affects their social lives and shapes their identities. Their responses to this prejudice also vary, depending on the specific situation, their personal experiences, and their understanding of the 9/11 tragedy. Thus, responses were seen in the form of resistance and negotiation of their identities. This study reveals that the 9/11 tragedy significantly impacted the Muslim community, especially Muslim youth who did not experience the tragedy but being subjected to discrimination and physical violence.
The Negotiation of Egyptian-American Identity in Miral Al-Tahawy's Brooklyn Heights Syah, Ahfa Rahman; Damayanti, Fina
Muslim English Literature Vol. 3 No. 2 (2024): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v3i2.43370

Abstract

This study aims to determine the problems and identity negotiations carried out by the protagonist, Hend, in the novel Miral al-Tahawy’s Brooklyn Heights. It is a qualitative research with descriptive analysis method by using Robert Stanton's Narrative Structure theory to show the main issues of the novel and Stuart Hall's identity theory to show Hend's identity negotiation. The results showed that the protagonist in her migration from Egypt to America experienced various identity problems, namely longing for the homeland, alienation, and identity crisis. All these problems encourage the protagonist to create efforts to negotiate between her past and present in several forms; using English to show her position as an American, carrying out dating traditions, drinking beer, dancing tango, and wearing open clothes. Hend's identity in America is not dominant to one side. She becomes half Arab and half American (a hybrid identity). The research also found that her romantic needs for an American man became the starting point of this American negotiation that can be considered as identity negotiation to claim her rights as an Egyptian-American, whose identity tends to be excluded from American citizens regardless the fact that she is American, but not white mainstream society.
A Conceptual Metaphor Analysis of Reports on the Killing of a Hamas Leader, Yahya Sinwar Ali, Dewi Hajar Rahmawati; Ariastuti, Marti Fauziah
Muslim English Literature Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v4i2.47282

Abstract

This study investigates the conceptual metaphors in The New York Times and Al Jazeera’s news reports on the murder of Hamas Leader, Yahya Sinwar. The reports were published in both media outlets within a month after the assassination in October 2024. This study attempts to compare the conceptual metaphors utilized in the two media outlets and to identify how they influence discourse in a manner that reveals media bias toward the opposing parties. The study maintains Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory and adopts the metaphor identification procedure to identify metaphorical lexical units. The collected data are further examined using Chateris-Black’s Critical Metaphor Analysis to discover the way conceptual metaphors influence discourse to convey media predisposition. The results show that both media outlets utilized three parallel target domains: THE MURDER, THE CONFLICT, and YAHYA SINWAR. However, the source domains display divergent results indicating bias, with The New York Times leaning toward supporting Israel, while Al Jazeera chooses to uphold the positive image of Yahya Sinwar. Further research could investigate the utilization of contextual metaphors across a broader selection of articles and the degree to which media outlets deliberately utilize the metaphors in their reports.  
Muslim Stereotypes, the “Other”, and the Consequences in Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire Akbar, Jawad; Mira Utami
Muslim English Literature Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v4i2.48684

Abstract

This study examines the stereotypical portrayal of Muslims in Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire as the “Other” within an Orientalist framework. Stereotyping is understood as a prejudiced, exaggerated, and often inaccurate set of beliefs attached to particular groups, while Orientalism refers to the Western tradition of depicting the East as inferior, backward, and threatening. The novel reflects these intersecting paradigms through its representation of Muslim characters particularly the Adil Pasha’s family, and, more specifically the treatment on Parvaiz Pasha after his involvement with a militant organization. Despite his British citizenship, Parvaiz is denied burial in Britain, symbolizing his repositioning from citizen to outsider. The textual analysis undertaken in this study, grounded in Allport’s (1954) theory of stereotyping and Said’s (1978) theory of Orientalism, reveals how Muslims are framed as inherently suspect, dangerous, or undeserving of equal rights. The research demonstrates that Shamsie’s narrative exposes deeply embedded Western biases that continue to shape the experiences of Muslim communities in diasporic contexts. Ultimately, the study highlights how the novel challenges the dominant Orientalist discourse by foregrounding the human consequences of stereotyping, marginalization, and exclusion.
Beyond Orientalist Binaries: Domestic Praxis and Muslim Womanhood in Contemporary South Asian Fiction Azim, Md Samiul; Hoque, Md Akidul; Parvin, Farida
Muslim English Literature Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v4i2.49038

Abstract

This study interrogates the persistence of binary representations of Muslim women within Orientalist discourse. It examines how contemporary South Asian English fiction, authored by writers from the Indian subcontinent, actively subverts these reductive paradigms. Drawing on postcolonial feminist theory and Islamic feminist studies, the research employs a comparative qualitative analysis of selected novels: Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire, Tahmima Anam’s A Golden Age, and Nazia Erum’s Mothering a Muslim. Close readings of character development, narrative voice, and symbolic motifs reveal that these works reconceptualize Muslim womanhood through articulations of agency, resilience, and intellectual autonomy. Key findings demonstrate that the veil emerges as both a marker of cultural identity and a site of resistance; that wartime and postcolonial traumas are reconfigured to foreground female subjectivity; and that other narrative strategies operate as critical tools for challenging patriarchal norms. The study concludes that such literary interventions dismantle Orientalist binaries—East/West, secular/religious, traditional/modern—and offer nuanced articulations of faith-inflected feminist praxis. By bridging postcolonial and Islamic feminist frameworks, this research advances the field of Muslimah literature and contributes to broader debates on representation, agency, and intersectionality in global Anglophone fiction.
Understanding Theoretical Frameworks in Gender Studies: Feminism, Postfeminism, and Islamic Feminism Andhina Qaddis Fithratana; Bunga Aminah Salsabila; Rosida, Ida
Muslim English Literature Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v4i2.49246

Abstract

This paper discusses feminist movements from the first wave, second wave, third wave, and post-feminism and highlights Islamic feminism. Feminism occurred in the 19th and early 20th centuries and focused on fighting for women’s rights. These feminism concepts are highly important to see the ongoing phenomenon within society engaging with gender issues such as gender inequality, discrimination, and violence against women. This research provides a deeper understanding of the growth of the feminist movement and related issues in social, cultural, and political contexts as well as current issues that are connected to it. This highlights the theoretical developments and its critical debates. This paper was written using a systematic literature review method to find out how the feminist movement develop from the past to the present time. The aim of a literature review is to acquire a theoretical foundation that can help resolve the study challenge and strengthen the researcher's analyisis on gender issues. Discrimination against women was pervasive and affected women’s life particularlt for gender constraints. Still,  women's place in society was seen as inferior and unequal.  Through developing feminism, women are able to stand up for their rights, achieve their goals of gender equality and justice. 
Muslim Identity Construction in Nadine Jolie Courtney’s All-American Muslim Girl Fahira, Dhea Faridatul; Oktafiyani, Elve
Muslim English Literature Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v4i2.49574

Abstract

This research examines the construction of Muslim identity in the main character of Nadine Jolie Courtney’s All-American Muslim Girl. This research used a qualitative textual analysis with a content analysis approach, focusing on how identity is represented through the character’s dialogue, actions, and internal thoughts. Data were collected by systematically coding narrative units in the novel that reveal aspects of Allie’s identity formation. The theory of character and characterization from DiYanni is used to analyze Allie’s character, while James Marcia’s four identity status framework is used to interpret the stages of identity construction. The findings reveal that Allie develops a passive American Muslim identity, shaped by her gradual learning of Islam and practice of religious rituals. Her identity’s construction follows Marcia’s stages: (1) identity diffusion, where Allie hides her Muslim identity while benefiting from her white appearance; (2) foreclosure, where she avoids Islamic practices due to family judgement; (3) moratorium, marked by exploration and confusion in her spiritual journey; and (4) identity achievement, where she embraces her muslim identity, commits to continue learning, and chooses to stand up for Muslim rather than conceal her faith.
Inner Conflict and Moral Consciousness in Qamar al-Zamān: A Freudian Psychoanalytic Interpretation Azzamsyah, Muhammad Raihan; Sa'adah, Rd. Siti
Muslim English Literature Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Muslim English Literature
Publisher : UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15408/mel.v4i2.49859

Abstract

This study analyzes the dynamics of the personality structure of the characters in the tale " Qamar al-Zamān ibn al-Malik Shahramān” in Alf Laylah wa-Laylah using Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic approach. In contrast to previous studies that focused on the protagonist, this study broadens the scope of analysis to four central figures: Qamar al-Zamān, Princess Budūr, King Shahramān, and Princess Ḥayāt al-Nufūs, to reveal the interrelation of psychic conflicts that build narratives. This research uses a qualitative descriptive method with hermeneutic textual analysis techniques. The research findings show that: (1) Qamar al-Zamān undergoes a transformation from an intellectual defense mechanism to a mature Ego integration; (2) Princess Budūr manifests a shift in instinctual energy from Thanatos (aggression) to Eros (obsessive love); and (3) King Shahramān represents the rigidity of the external Superego that triggers an existential crisis. The study concludes that narrative stability in classical literature is highly dependent on the achievement of psychological equilibrium of its characters. The story's conflict is proven to be not merely an external event, but an externalization of the failure of the Ego's mediation function in reconciling the Id's urges and the demands of reality.