Hanifa has always had a love of
literature, particularly classical writings and poetry. She delights in the
works of Islamic intellectuals such as Imam al-Ghazali, Imam al-Haddad and
Martin Lings. As well as Sufi poetry by the likes of Rumi and Rabia
al-Adawiyyah.
Her passion to develop and engage
young minds - prior to becoming a mother herself - started when she took the
position of Secondary School English and English Literature teacher at the
local Islamic School. Hanifa found that the opportunity to influence and
empower the youth to be proud of their Muslim identity and to drive them to
speak out for what is right was invaluable.
Hanifa is well-engrained in her
community, regularly organising workshops and charitable events. She enjoys
benefiting from Islamic talks and discussions, in particular those of Abdul
Hakim Murad, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, and Nouman Ali Khan. She also has a keen
interest in environmental concerns and feels as Muslims we should be at the
forefront of tackling such issues. To unwind, she takes great enjoyment in
gardening and cooking from her home-grown produce.