This green and pleasant land by Ayesha Malik

The book starts with Sakeena on her death bed asking her son Bilal(a British Muslim from Pakistan)to gratify her wish of building a mosque in his village.(in the UK)

Bilal initially seems to be thrown off by the idea of building a mosque. But slowly after his mother's death, he makes attempts to understand her.He begins his journey inwards asking questions he never asked himself before about his faith and the meaning of prayers.

The story somewhere struck a chord, because it highlights the mindset of diaspora who are plucked away from their roots. Having grown devoid of it, it's finally a search again in a land elsewhere to find meaning and purpose to existence.

Babbels end in the UK is a beautiful village that nests a small community that has lived there for generations. So the idea of a mosque is met with rebuke from the community who somehow finds it a threat. It's like the clash of identities. Bilal becomes Bill in a foreign land, the people of the foreign land are 'goray' for them.

My favourite character in the story is Rukhsana(Sakeena's sister and Bilal's aunt). She is beautiful. Someone who carries many regrets but has oodles of faith and love to impart.

The relationship I loved the most is between Rukhsana and Shelley. Its a solace to know that it's never too late to make meaningful friendships in life. Rukhsana stepped out of shade to chase the sunlight and though that happened a bit late, she got blessed with everything which life owed her.

The writing is beautiful,witty and insightful.

I love small town stories. I love how they bring out different shades of human behaviour , where their endurance and the strength of their relationships is put to test. This GREEN and PLEASANT LAND is one of them.