Minaret (novel)
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Minaret is the second novel from the Sudanese author Leila Aboulela.[1] Published in 2005, Minaret follows the journey of Najwa, a young woman forced to flee her home in Sudan in the face of the Second Sudanese Civil War. After her father's execution, she and her family are forced to flee to London and leave behind the life of affluence and comfort that she once knew. As she loses everything, she manages to find herself again through her faith.[1]
- Najwa, the protagonist of the novel. When she is first introduced she is 19 and a student at the University of Khartoum. Although she was enrolled in university, Najwa's aspirations never seemed to expand beyond getting married and having a family. Her family's affluence allows her a level of separation from the turmoil of her country, meaning that the military coup, that leads to the trial and execution of her father, catches her by surprise. Though she is a Muslim she is not very active in her faith. Things seem to fall apart for Najwa once in London with her brother's addiction and her mother's illness that leads to her eventual death. With her mother dead and brother in prison, Najwa has to adjust to her new life. She falls very easily into the comforting familiarity of Anwar. Through this, she meets women from her local mosque who reach out to her and support and encourage her renewed interest and dedication to Islam.
- Omar, Najwa's twin brother. It is hinted early in the novel that Omar is getting involved with some drugs while in Khartoum; however, it does not become a problem until they move to London. Omar becomes a drug addict, going so far as to steal from his mother and sister for drug money. However, while getting arrested for selling drugs he stabs and nearly kills a police officer, leading towards a 15-year prison sentence. Najwa visits him in prison often, trying to bring him some of the comfort and security that her new dedication to her faith has brought her, but Omar continuously rejects it.
- Anwar. Najwa first meets Anwar at university, where she very quickly starts to fall in love with him. Anwar is a radical communist who writes for the student newspaper and gives speeches on campus. It is because one of these speeches where Anwar verbally attacks Najwa's father, that the relationship between Anwar and Najwa ends. Najwa and Anwar find each other again in London after the death of Najwa's mother and a relationship begins to unfurl between them again. However, the relationship between Najwa and Anwar is very clearly unhealthy and emotionally abusive, where Anwar consistently puts Najwa down and looks down on her and her faith. Still Najwa stays with him and even spent money on buying him a computer and even giving him money for his PhD program. He goes so far as to say that he would never want to have children with Najwa because he does not want his children to share the same genes as Najwa's father. It is not until Najwa embraces Islam that she is able to leave him.
- Lamya, Najwa's employer. She hires Najwa to look after her daughter Mai and take care of the housework. Lamya is not a very religious woman, unlike her younger brother Tamer.
- Tamer, Lamya's younger brother. A 19-year-old university student who bonds with Najwa over their shared dedication to their faith. He is studying business, although he would rather be studying Islamic history. Najwa and Tamer fall in love, but things fall apart when Lamya catches Najwa and Tamer kissing. Although Tamer insists on them getting married, Najwa refuses him.
- Doctora Zeinab, the mother of Lamya and Tamer. In the end it is Doctora Zeinab that pays Najwa to stay away from Tamer.