Become a part of ALIM's monthly online book club led by Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans! Explore a range of thought-provoking books on mental health, spirituality, social justice, and more. Monthly book selections are anounced at the beginning of the month, so readers have enough time to read, reflect, and join us for an engaging, live discussion on the last Wednesday of the month with Ust. Evans at 7/8 pm CST/EST. Contribute to meaningful conversations with audience participation and occasional special guest speakers.

This October 🍂 we’re reading Love Thy Neighbor: A Muslim Doctor's Struggle for Home in Rural America by: Ayaz Virji. This powerful true story is about a Muslim doctor's service to small-town America and the hope of overcoming our country's climate of hostility and fear.

Check out our book storefront to see some of our previous book selections for ALIM's online monthly book club! We receive a comission for every sale to support ALIM programming and scholarships.

In 2013, Ayaz Virji left a comfortable job at an East Coast hospital and moved to a town of 1,400 in Minnesota, feeling called to address the shortage of doctors in rural America. But in 2016, this decision was tested when the reliably blue, working-class county swung for Donald Trump. Virji watched in horror as his children faced anti-Muslim remarks at school and some of his most loyal patients began questioning whether he belonged in the community. 

Virji wanted out. But in 2017, just as he was lining up a job in Dubai, a local pastor invited him to speak at her church and address misconceptions about what Muslims practice and believe. That invitation has grown into a well-attended lecture series that has changed hearts and minds across the state, while giving Virji a new vocation that he never would have expected. 

In Love Thy Neighbor, Virji relates this story in a gripping, unforgettable narrative that shows the human consequences of our toxic politics, the power of faith and perso​nal conviction, and the potential of a renewal of understanding in America's heartland.

From the acclaimed poet featured on Forbes Africa’s “30 Under 30” list, this powerful novel-in-verse captures one girl, caught between cultures, on an unexpected journey to face the ephemeral girl she might have been. Woven through with moments of lyrical beauty, this is a tender meditation on family, belonging, and home.

​The Fragrant Scent is the first English translation of the work of the great eighteenth-century scholar Sayyid Abd al-Rahman al-Aydarus. The book is a meditation on the fleeting thoughts that pass through the mind of the spiritual wayfarer, and the author’s aim is to provide guidance for those on the spiritual path. The author draws on a rich selection of authoritative sources to answer key questions about the wayfarer’s experiences, including the Qur’an, the Hadith, Ghazali, Jilani and Abu Madyan. This concise, yet wide-ranging treatise covers topics such as the different types of passing thoughts and their causes, knowledge of the soul and finding the perfect spiritual guide, as well as the necessity of retreat and practicing one’s knowledge. Aydarus was a follower of the famous Ba Alawi Sufi order from Hadhramaut in southern Yemen known for its piety and careful observance of the Shari'a. The Fragrant Scent reflects the Ba Alawi order’s emphasis on maintaining a balance between the inner and outer worlds, making the work an accessible entry point to understanding the profound spiritual insights and everyday practice of Sufism.