Support the Translation of Muslim Women Scholarly Works

daybreak Press publishing

Daybreak Writing Circle ›

Manuscript Submissions ›

Daybreak Press Catalog ›

Monthly Daybreak Dispatch Newsletters ›

Contracting with Daybreak Press ›

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) 2025 ›

Authors Studio ›

Daybreak Press Blog ›

Meet the Authors ›

Meet the Team ›

IN THIS SECTION

Daybreak Writing Circle ›

Manuscript Submissions​ ›

Daybreak Press Catalog​ ›

Monthly Daybreak Dispatch Newsletters​ ›

Contracting with Daybreak Press ›

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)​ ›

Authors Studio ›

Daybreak Press Blog​ ›

Meet the Authors ›

Meet the Team ›

Daybreak Press publishes books that give rise to women’s voices and promote positive cultural change.

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Daybreak Press Books - Website Mockup - A Beautiful Patience
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Daybreak Writing Circle

Join us at 5:00 pm CST the first and third Thursday of each month over Zoom to connect with other writers, gain inspiration, and overcome writer’s block together!

Led by a team of writers, the circle is tailored to attendees’ needs, providing guidance and expertise to nurture their writing journey.

Sign up by filling out the Google form below. Feel free to share this link with fellow writers: rabata.info/writingcircle

Sign Up
Calling All Manuscript Submissions

Daybreak Press publishes books that give rise to women’s voices and promote positive cultural change. We are a traditional press and publish in a variety of literary genres and academic fields. Whether you are a new writer or a published author, we want to read your work!

We are currently open for manuscripts in fiction (romance, young adult, fantasy, and sci-fi) and nonfiction. We are continuously on the lookout for authentic works from Muslim women authors that share the joy and depth of Islam with the world. Enriching the literary landscape requires each of our voices.

To submit, follow the link below for detailed instructions and the submission form.

Manuscript Submissions
Award-Winning Publications
Auntie Aisha Answers
Finding God
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Daybreak Press Catalog

Explore the Daybreak Press catalog to discover in-depth information about each book, its authors, accolades, pricing and more, all in one convenient place.

View Catalog
If you spot a typo, formatting issue, or factual error in a Daybreak Press book, let us know! Your keen eye helps us improve future editions and maintain the highest quality for our readers.
Help Perfect Our Books
Monthly Daybreak Dispatch Newsletters

Get the latest on our current programs, free writing classes, new releases, and behind-the-scenes stories! View past issues.

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Contracting with Daybreak Press
Are you interested in contracting with Daybreak Press? We’re always on the lookout for new talent!
If you’re an experienced book cover designer, typesetter, or children’s book illustrator, we’d love to explore the possibility of working with you!
Apply
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

Every November, writers around the world roll up their sleeves and settle into their writing chairs, aiming to complete a manuscript for a novel. To support your writing journey and process, Daybreak Press offers workshops, community support, and daily writing rooms to help you reach your writing goal and more.

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Authors Studio

Daybreak Press is excited to host Muslim women writers in an annual, exclusive 12-month Authors Studio. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, this program is designed to take you from the early drafting stages to a polished, submission-ready manuscript. With personalized mentorship, expert guidance, and a supportive community, this is your opportunity to elevate your writing and achieve your publishing goals.

More Info
Daybreak Press Blog

The Daybreak Press blog features essays, poems, and articles written by our Daybreak Press team and participants of Author’s Studio and Writing Circle. Read the latest in publishing tips, improving your writing skills, or the reflections and musings of our writers.

Read Our Blog
Meet the Authors
Meet the Team
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Tamara L. Gray
Project Lina, Joy Jots

Dr. Tamara Gray is the founder and CEO of Rabata, an organization dedicated to promoting positive cultural change through creative educational experiences, and President of Ribāṭ University, Rabata’s higher education initiative. In her work as President and CEO, she focuses on uplifting Muslim women within their communities and beyond. She has a special interest in digital spaces and their role in faith-centered community building.

Dr. Gray’s academic work includes a doctorate in leadership, a master’s degree in Curriculum Theory and Instruction, and a certificate in fundraising management. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in History as part of her personal commitment to continued learning. She also spent twenty years in traditional learning spaces studying Islamic sciences, Quran, and Arabic in Damascus, Syria.

Dr. Gray is also an author and translator. Her publications with Daybreak Press range from culturally appropriate English-language curriculum programs to translations of sacred texts. She has authored two books: Joy Jots: Exercises for a Happy Heart and Project Lina: Bringing Our Whole Selves to Islam. She has also co-translated two works by Shaykha Samīra Zayid: Compendium of the Collection of Sources on al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya and A Practical Manual of the Creed of Tawḥīd from the Quran and Sunna.

@tamaralgray

 

 

 

Najiyah Maxfield
Sophia's Journal, Project Lina

Najiyah Maxfield serves as the Head of Publishing at Daybreak Press, Rabata’s award-winning non-profit publishing house, and holds a Ribāt Teaching Certificate.

Anse Najiyah has authored many articles, poems, and short stories. Her young adult novel “Sophia’s Journal” is a time-travel adventure for which Daybreak Press also produced a companion curriculum. She is also the co-author with Anse Dr. Tamara Gray of Project Lina: Bringing our Whole Selves to Islam.

Anse Najiyah serves as an instructor at Ribāt Riverstead in the areas of writing and public speaking, leads a Rabata halaqa, and facilitates Project Lina workshops. She is founder and CEO of The Prairie Commons, an organization that supports the Muslims in her small Kansas town and provides opportunities for the whole community to serve, study, and socialize together.

When not writing, editing, or speaking, Najiyah can be found thrifting, playing “The Floor is Lava” with her seven grandkids, or trying to get a clear pic of the moon.

@najiyahwriteswrongs
@clickedmyrubyslippers

 

Muna Imady
KAN YA MA KAN

Muna Imady was born to an American mother and a Syrian father. She earned a BA in English Literature and a diploma in English-Arabic Translation from Damascus University, as well as a Maitrise from the Sorbonne. Imady has designed a beginner’s English reading course for children, and has written several text books to teach children English as a second language. She has had a lifelong interest in folktales and promised herself that one day she would write a book of the folktales she eventually collected.

 

 

Hafiza Saadia Mian, MD
Crowning Venture

Dr. Saadia Mian is board-certified in internal medicine and endocrinology. After completing an undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Michigan, she went to medical school at Michigan State University. She works fulltime at Metro Detroit Endocrinology Center in Dearborn, Michigan. She is a member of the founding board of Rabata and continues to serve while working full-time as an endocrinologist. She is also a member of AACE (American Association Clinical Endocrinologists), Endocrine Society, Syrian American Medical Society and Women Physicians for Humanity. Anse Saadia leads the level 4 Quran course at Ribaat, “The Crowning Venture: Quran Memorization” and also works with tajwid students one-on-one as part of the Quran Program.

@saadiamianmd
saadiamianmd.com

Afshan Malik
Pieces

Afshan Malik is the author of Pieces, a young adult novel published by Daybreak Press. A lifelong student of sacred knowledge, she began her formal Islamic studies in 2001 and was among the first graduates of the Ribaat Teacher Certification Program in 2020. She continues her journey of sacred learning at Ribāṭ University under the mentorship of Anse Dr. Tamara Gray and alongside a vibrant community of women scholars, where she also serves as a professor.

Professionally, Afshan serves as the Director of Development at Rabata, where she helps cultivate both the relationships and resources that sustain the organization’s mission. Alongside her work in development, she teaches in Rabata’s youth programs and ḥalaqas and leads programming for the Rabata Houston chapter.

Afshan holds a BA in English language and literature and a master’s degree in nonprofit management, and she is currently pursuing her PhD in education, leadership, and organization at Texas Woman’s University.

Born in Chicago and raised in Atlanta, Afshan now lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and five children, where they enjoy the warmth and hospitality of Southern living.

@afshanmalikwrites

 

 

A.M. Ramzy
Brewing Storms

Dr. Anna-Maria Ramzy learned Arabic from scratch as a non-native speaker. Her relationship with this beautiful language took her to the University of Oxford, where she gained a First Class in her Arabic degree and is now working on her PhD. Her undergraduate studies led her to the lands of Syria, where she met Dr. Tamara Gray, honed her Arabic skills through intense study, and embarked upon the journey to gain her ijaza in tajwīd. Dr. Anse Anna-Maria built the Ribaat Arabic Program and continues to oversee this department. She has been teaching with Ribaat since its inception in 2013.

 

 

 

Hiba Masood
Drummer Girl

Hiba Masood is a Canadian-Pakistani writer, storyteller, and speaker. Apart from running her wildly popular Facebook page (Drama Mama), she is also a columnist for Muslim Matters. Currently based in Karachi, Hiba runs Happy Place, an enrichment center for women and kids, where she holds story, art, and yoga sessions centered around her primary passion, children’s literature. Hiba is the author of Aiza and Alina, a story of friendship and Down syndrome, which she wrote for use in inclusive programs across Pakistan. Drummer Girl is Hiba’s second book. As an uplifting story about empowered women and a supportive father, this book encapsulates her mission in life: to encourage women to become their best, most radiant selves, and to celebrate everyone who helps them in this essential journey.

@hibamasood

 

 

 

Saba Syed
An Acquaintance

Saba Syed is the author of the international award-winning novel, An Acquaintance. Saba has a BA degree in Islamic Studies. She studied Arabic Language & Literature at Qatar University and at Cairo Institute in Egypt. She also received her Ijaazah in Quranic Hafs recitation in Egypt from Shaikh Muhammad al-Hamazawi. She has been actively involved with the Islamic community since 1995 through her MSA, then as a founding member of TDC, and other community organizations. In 2002, she organized and hosted the very first “Muslim Women’s Conference” in Houston, TX. Since then, she’s been passionately working towards empowering Muslim women through the correct and untainted teachings of Islam.

@saba_umreem

 

 

 

 

Dana Nass
My Prophet ﷺ, Myself

Dana Nass lives in Arizona, where she works as a behavioral health professional. 

Dana has a B.S. degree in Arabic Literature from Damascus University and an M.S. degree in Psychology from Grand Canyon University. Additionally, she studied traditional Islamic Studies from famous scholars in Damascus and at Rabata. She received her ijāzah in Hafs recitation of the Quran and an ijāzah in the Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi.

She volunteers at Rabata as a women’s halaqa leader and a RabaTEENS youth teacher. She also successfully developed a curriculum for Arabic and Islamic studies.

@dananass_

 

 

 

Nishat Lal
In the Garden of Remembrance

Nishat Lal was raised in Cardiff, Wales. A born Muslim of Indian origin, she began studying Arabic at age fourteen—this was her springboard to receiving bachelor’s degrees in Arabic and history from the University of London. She then traveled to Syria for her third year of study, where she met Dr. Tamara Gray, earned her ijāza in tajwīd and studied at the University of Damascus. Nishat has taught both Arabic and tajwīd online extensively as well as in person. Nishat has been teaching Arabic with the Ribaat Academic Institute since 2014. Nishat is also a ḥalaqa teacher for Rabata. She recently published a children’s book called I Am Palestindian about her daughter who is Palestinian and Indian (hence Palestindian). It’s a book about identity and culture and celebrates mixed families.

@nishat_89

 

Aisha Hussain Rasheed
Auntie Aisha Answers

Aisha Hussain Rasheed is bint al-juzur, a daughter of the Maldive Islands, currently acclimating to the tropical rainforests of Malaysia with her husband and son. She holds a BA in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence and a Shahadah Alimiyya. She is honored to give back to her local Maldivian community as well as the larger international family of knowledge seekers, and is currently working as a teacher at Al-Salam Institute and freelances as a community organiser. Over the years, she has helped train community leaders in the fields of family and child protection through advocacy, material development, training facilitation and public engagement. Aisha has a natural attraction to water bodies and would love to one day swim with a whale shark. She likes to split her spare time between contemplating life and telling bad dad jokes (aka mom jokes).

@isha.h.r

 

Nausheena Hussain
Prosperity with Purpose

Nausheena Hussain is a serial nonprofit entrepreneur, pracademic, coach, mentor, and speaker who provides capacity-building services to Muslim women-led nonprofits and promotes Muslim generosity through her firm, Nissa Consulting. She has been a nonprofit practitioner for the past 20 years serving in various roles as founder, board member, and development director.  As a former start-up founder of several nonprofits, Nausheena has a proven track record of taking an idea and creating a movement. She holds a doctorate in philanthropic leadership from Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Nausheena’s research focuses on Muslim Women’s generosity behaviors and the nonprofits they lead. Nausheena recently authored Prosperity with Purpose: A Muslim Woman’s Guide to Abundance and Generosity, empowering Muslim women to achieve financial prosperity while embracing their role as philanthropists and community builders. Married, with two children, an aloof cat and two very loud birds, she lives in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and loves to garden, read and travel.

 

Claudia Seise
Finding God

Claudia Azizah Seise was born in 1983 in Germany and converted to Islam in 2008. Ever since then, she has aimed to study Islam and seek knowledge on becoming closer to God. One of her passions is supporting new and old converts to Islam. She obtained her PhD in Southeast Asian studies from Humboldt University Berlin, Germany, in 2016. From 2018 to 2019, she served as an Assistant Professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Besides her academic writings, she has been contributing to the German Islamic newspaper since 2008. Her poetry has been published in several collections. She also writes and publishes children’s books. From September 2020 to December 2023, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Berlin Institute of Islamic Theology, Germany. Since July 2026, Claudia has served as Assistant Professor in Islamic Studies at Ribāṭ University. 

@clazahsei

Sahar A. Dandan
When the Wild Things Mend

Sahar Dandan is a chemical engineer by training and a sustainability-driven executive by vocation. She holds a double degree in chemical engineering and science from the University of Sydney. Her passion for community development led her to shift careers, however, and she began creating programs for young refugees, Muslim women, and minority communities.

Alongside her professional and community work, Sahar continues to pursue studies in Islamic sciences and teach Islamic texts. She is currently the CEO of Greendale Garden Cemetery, where she leads efforts to integrate traditional burial practices with eco-conscious design.

She currently lives in Sydney, Australia, with her family and an ever-revolving menagerie of foster animals.

@sahar.a.dandan

Samaiya Mushtaq
A Beautiful Patience

Dr. Samaiya Mushtaq is a psychiatrist, mental health educator, and writer. Samaiya earned her medical degree from Vanderbilt University prior to completing a four-year residency in psychiatry. As a physician, Samaiya’s career has spanned academic psychiatry, consulting, and health-care administration. She is especially interested in mental health in Muslim communities. Samaiya’s essays and editorials have been published in The New York Times and The Dallas Morning News, and on Muslimmatters.org. She resides in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and children. Outside of work and spending time with family, Samaiya can be found reading, writing, or completing a crossword at a local coffee shop.

@smushtalk

Sarah Olesky
Zachary's Big Bite (Coming Soon)

Sarah Olesky (who loves to try new foods!) has been spinning stories since the age of seven and still thinks there’s no better thrill than a blank page and a big idea. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in English. When she’s not writing, she’s likely curled up with a good book and a crochet project, steeping a pot of tea, or baking something sweet. She lives in northwest Ohio with her husband, their three wonderful kids, and a very regal cat named Menelaus.

@plotspagesandpastries

Amal Al-Sibai
Lara Spells Love (Coming Soon)

Amal Al-Sibai is a mother, teacher, writer, bicyclist, and baker. Like Lara, she loves the smell of books and freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Her favorite places are the outdoors, library, and masjid.

She has a bachelor’s degree in holistic nutrition, a diploma in children’s literature, and a certificate (ijazah) for teaching the Holy Quran. She grew up between the United States and Saudi Arabia, soaking up the beauty of both languages—Arabic and English.

Amal is currently an English teacher, and she hosts youth programs, halaqahs, Quran classes, and reading clubs! Her passion is sharing inspirational stories that will spark your mind and heart! Like Lara, Amal believes in the power of words!

Check out her website for Muslim kids at www.faithfulkids.net.

Ayah Chehade
Sitti's Little Tent of Big Feelings (Coming Soon)

Ayah Chehade is a poet, therapist, and community organizer who works at the intersections of wellness, faith, and storytelling. Born and raised in Chicago’s Little Palestine to Moroccan/Lebanese parents, she now lives in Michigan with her husband and daughter. With training in Islamic psychology, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care, her therapeutic work focuses on refugee, immigrant, and first-generation communities. She loves hiking and reading and squeezing in archery when she can. Mostly, she’s just trying to drink her coffee before it gets cold.

Anse Dr. Tamara Gray
President and CEO

Dr. Tamara Gray is the founder and CEO of Rabata, an organization dedicated to promoting positive cultural change through creative educational experiences, and President of Ribāṭ University, Rabata’s higher education initiative. In her work as President and CEO, she focuses on uplifting Muslim women within their communities and beyond. She has a special interest in digital spaces and their role in faith-centered community building.

Dr. Gray’s academic work includes a doctorate in leadership, a master’s degree in Curriculum Theory and Instruction, and a certificate in fundraising management. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in History as part of her personal commitment to continued learning. She also spent twenty years in traditional learning spaces studying Islamic sciences, Quran, and Arabic in Damascus, Syria.

Dr. Gray is also an author and translator. Her publications with Daybreak Press range from culturally appropriate English-language curriculum programs to translations of sacred texts. She has authored two books: Joy Jots: Exercises for a Happy Heart and Project Lina: Bringing Our Whole Selves to Islam. She has also co-translated two works by Shaykha Samīra Zayid: Compendium of the Collection of Sources on al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya and A Practical Manual of the Creed of Tawḥīd from the Quran and Sunna.

In addition to her work at Rabata, Dr. Gray also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Yaqeen Institute and a Board Chair for the Minnesota Multifaith Network. Dr. Gray is Full Focus Certified Pro exemplifying her commitment to productivity and impactful leadership.

She is a mother of three, grandmother of two, an avid reader and a lover of cultures, coffee, and road trips.
Najiyah Maxfield
Head of Publishing

Najiyah Maxfield serves as the Head of Publishing at Daybreak Press, Rabata’s non-profit publishing house. She brings to this role years of experience in editing for Discover: The Magazine for Curious Muslim Kids, as well as experience teaching English and history in the US and the Middle East. Najiyah holds a Ribaat Teaching Certificate and a Dare to Lead Certificate.

Najiyah has authored many articles, poems, and short stories. Her young adult novel, “Sophia’s Journal”, is an award-winning time-travel adventure, for which Daybreak Press also produced a companion curriculum.

Najiyah serves as an instructor at the Ribaat Academic Institute in the areas of writing and public speaking and leads a Rabata halaqa. She also leads workshops and seminars on writing and developing your craft, as well as facilitating Project Lina workshops.

Outside of teaching, writing, and publishing, Najiyah can be found kayaking in the summer, crocheting in the winter, and playing “The Floor is Lava” with her delightful grandkids year-round.

Jessica Hassan
Associate Editor

Jessica Hassan serves as Associate Editor for Daybreak Press, Rabata’s publishing arm. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Minnesota and an editing certificate from the University of Chicago. She has more than nine years of experience in editing and has worked with Cambridge University Press, Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, Claritas Books, Ruqaya’s Bookshelf, and Qalam Research.

Jessica lives in Minnesota with her husband and two children. When not working, she can be found learning about Islam, reading, or fostering kittens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fatema Hakim
Publishing and Editorial Assistant

Fatema Hakim is an academic entrepreneur living in London, and works as a Publishing and Editorial Assistant for Rabata Daybreak Press. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Queen Mary University of London and an MPhil in English Studies from the University of Cambridge, graduating as a Medieval Specialist. Fatema is eager to further the recognition of Muslim women’s publications, ensuring their voices resonate, and are heard.

Ricki Butler
Publishing Assistant

Ricki Butler serves as the Publishing Assistant at Daybreak Press. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and Global & International Studies from the University of Kansas.

She is honored to support the mission of Daybreak Press and to contribute to the uplifting of Muslim women’s voices.

Sarah Olesky
Associate Editor

With a master’s in English-professional writing and rhetoric and a graduate certificate in instructional design from BGSU, along with a bachelor’s in communications, Sarah is passionate about writing and education.

When she’s not working at Rabata, Sarah channels her love of storytelling into her own projects—she has a children’s book being published through Daybreak Press and is currently developing a series of romance novels centered around a group of convert women. Writing is one of her great passions, and it brings her joy to share stories that inspire and connect.

Sarah will be teaching courses in writing and literature at the Ribāṭ University starting Fall of 2026.

Sarah lives in NW Ohio with her husband, three children, and cat. In her downtime, she loves crocheting, knitting, writing, and baking delicious treats to share with her family.

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