BFS Online: Between Crescent and Quill: Crafting Fantasy Through a Muslim Lens

BFS Online is excited to announce our next event, Between Crescent and Quill: Crafting Fantasy Through a Muslim Lens, taking place Thursday 4th December 2025, 7pm (GMT).

The need for diverse voices and worlds in publishing is more prevalent than ever; sharing culture and exploring our relationships to each other. Join moderator Omar Kooheji and panellists Nafiza Azad, Soraya Bouazzaoui, Tanweer Dar, and Noor A Jahangir as they discuss the importance, expectations and challenges of writing Muslim fantasy for a global audience. 

Nafiza Azad (she/her): Nafiza Azad is a self-identified island girl. She has hurricanes in her blood and dreams of a time she can exist solely on mangoes and pineapple. Born in Lautoka, Fiji, she currently resides in Alberta, Canada, where she weathers the long winters sunk in books, snow, and dreams of hot summers. She writes stories about girls living in liminal spaces, magic, and madness. Her debut YA fantasy, The Candle and the Flame, was a finalist for the Morris Award. Find out more about Nafiza on her website or connect on Instagram. Get her books here.

Soraya Bouazzaoui (she/her): Soraya Bouazzaoui is an author of SFF books, and a romance editor. She lives in London, and AICHA is her debut book. Stories – in all their forms – are a central part of who she is. She haswritten for publications such as Stylist, Bad Form, Strategist UK, Metro and Aurelia. A lover of contemporary, commercial, SFF, horror and YA fiction, her head is full of nonsense and daydreams, but she likes it that way. Connect with Soraya on Instagram. Get her book here.

Tanweer Dar (he/him): Tanweer was born in Birmingham, in the United Kingdom. He studied Ancient & Medieval History at university and is a qualified teacher. ​He loves nature, walking, gardening, house plants, history, art, poetry, and books and films of all kinds (especially horror). He has written and published science fiction, horror, poetry, fantasy and children’s books. Alongside his writing, he is also an enthusiastic and experienced pencil and digital artist. You can find out more about Tanweer on his website. Or treat yourself to one of his books. 

Noor A Jahangir (he/him): Noor A Jahangir is a Muslim author from Lancashire. He is a Doctor of Education and works in Adult Education. He wrote his first book when he was 14. He is the author of two books, The Changeling King and The Adventures of Some Kid. Find out more about Noor on his website, follow his Substack, or connect on Bluesky. Buy The Changeline King and The Adventures of Some Kid.

Omar Kooheji (he/him): Omar is an Arab/British fantasy and science fiction fan. Omar lives in Scotland with his wife, author Annabel Campbell (The Outcast Mage), and spends his time reading, and dreaming up stories he’ll probably never get round to writing. Follow Omar on Bluesky.

Please note: You should receive a confirmation email when you buy your ticket, plus a second email with the Zoom link to join. If you don’t, please contact Pam via email: onlineevents@britishfantasysociety.org