Dubai-Based Journalist Explores Faith, Identity, and Motherhood in Debut Novel 'Turbulence'

When American-Muslim journalist Hafsa Lodi picked up the pen, she wanted to fill a void in mainstream media. “In Western media, there was a lot of talk about our demographic, but not by our demographic. I wanted to help change that,” Lodi told UAE Moments. Based in Dubai, Hafsa Lodi has written for renowned publications including The Guardian, The Independent, Business Insider, Glamour, Stylist, and others. In addition to her successful journalistic career, Lodi has published a non-fiction book titled Modesty: A Fashion Paradox.

The Story of 'Turbulence'

Hafsa Lodi published her first novel, 'Turbulence', this year, launching it at a sold-out session at the Emirates Literature Festival in January. The novel was globally released on February 8 this year. Published by The Dreamwork Collective, the novel is about mother-to-be Dunya, who is travelling with her husband and son to New York, but gets upgraded to business class, separating her from her family. During the flight, she reflects on her past and the decisions that led to her present. However, a sudden discovery pushes her into early labor mid-air.

Usually, stories of female Muslim women open with a young and unmarried female protagonist, but Lodi opens her story with a mother of two. “I wanted my protagonist to have doubts, insecurities and regrets. Motherhood is a very sensitive and transformative time in life, and it seemed fitting for her struggles,” the author shared.

Hafsa Lodi is a mother of two herself, and while writing this novel, she balanced a full-time career with her family responsibilities. However, it was not an easy feat. “I found it very difficult to fit writing into my routine while working full-time. I got home from work and spent time with my kids before bedtime, and prioritised family time on the weekends,” the writer revealed. She recently switched to freelancing, which has given her more time for creative writing.

In the novel, given the ample time Dunya receives during her flight, she turns inwards and reflects on her past. She was an aspiring documentary filmmaker at a university in New York before she fell in love, got married, and moved to the Gulf region. For Dunya’s journey from New York to an unnamed city in the Gulf, Hafsa Lodi has drawn from her own personal and professional experiences. Dunya’s feminist learnings and community in New York are inspired by Lodi’s own experience with UK-based Dr. Sofia Rehman’s virtual Islam and Gender read-alongs. On the other hand, in the Gulf region, Dunya faces a life filled with influencers, wealth, zealous mothers, and the glitterati; a world Lodi has created from her experience as a staff writer for The National, a culture editor at MOJEH, and a features editor for Vogue Arabia.

Breaking Stereotypes: Dunya’s Complex Journey

Dunya is not a character who falls into the stereotypical binaries associated with Muslim female characters—she is not shown as a self-lefteous Muslim, nor is she shown to be a rebellious female, defying Islamic values. Hafsa Lodi wanted to write a Muslim woman who is more than these outdated binaries. “I wanted Dunya to be a vocal, empowered and autonomous Muslim woman. I also wanted her to love learning about her faith,” the writer explained.

In recent years, there has been an increase in fiction written by Muslim female authors about Muslim women. Novels by S.K. Ali, Hafsah Faizal, and Zoulfa Katouh have become international bestsellers and feature Muslim female protagonists. There are many more works on the list, and Lodi’s is another welcome addition, which continues to challenge stereotypes that are being recycled about Muslim women to this day.

Muslim readers have found ‘Turbulence’ to be relatable because the book shows Dunya’s struggles with self-identity, faith, marriage, and motherhood, which are similar to their own. One reader wrote on Goodreads, “As a Muslim mother and wife, I don't think I've related more to a book as I have with ‘Turbulence’. Dunya is strong and charismatic- part of her reminds me of myself as a youngster. The various mentions of motherhood also had me nodding along in agreement.” Another reader wrote, “Navigating between culture, faith, and losing yourself. Promised one thing only for it to be only words. Dunya isn’t just a character in a book; she is us.”

Islamic Feminism and the Fight Against White Feminism

The story of ‘Turbulence’ focuses on the intersection of Islam and feminism, challenging the prevalence of stereotypes about women from the Global South, which have resulted from white feminism dominating mainstream media. Author of The Othered Woman: How White Feminism Harms Muslim Women, Shahed Ezaydi wrote in an article for Mashable that white feminism is about white women achieving equality through capitalist means. Ezaydi also highlighted how white feminists do not consider intersectionality; they do not consider issues that women of color in their communities and in the Global South face. “White feminism does not really serve women from the global south, so it was important for Dunya to find feminism on her own terms, from an Islamic lens,” Hafsa Lodi said, mirroring her learnings about Islamic feminism in her protagonist’s story.

In 'Turbulence', Dunya discovers and learns about Islam and feminism with the support of her friends, not her parents or the elders in her community, which implies her active choice to learn about her religion, instead of passively inheriting the misconstrued version of Islam from her society. Through this narrative arc, Hafsa Lodi emphasizes that female friendships are important for Muslim women “to connect, support and help heal one another. In 'Turbulence', Dunya finds ‘her tribe’ in university, and then spends much of her life afterwards seeking a similar sense of kinship and community among like-minded Muslim women.”

‘Turbulence’ is just the beginning in Hafsa Lodi’s writing journey. She has three unfinished novels and hopes to finish the draft of one of them in 2026. We are looking forward to reading more from this author.