Fawzia Gilani

When a woodcutter and his wife's baby daughter is taken away by a hard-hearted old women in payment for a few rapunzel leaves, they are heartbroken. Although the old woman is not cruel to the little girl, she does not want her parents to ever find her and names her Rapunzel after the rapunzel greens for which she was taken. In time, Rapunzel grows into a young lady with an inquisitive mind and a kind and generous heart but will she ever be re-united with her parents?

After the wicked Count Lahab promises to crush the young princess Mariam she is hidden within the king's castle. Under the watchful eyes of Lady Masarah, Mariam becomes a pious young woman with strong faith and helpful manners. Upon the news of Mariam's wedding, Count Lahab finds a way to deceive the castle and present her with a beautiful hijab pin, covered in poison, that leaves her in a deep, unbreakable sleep. Her husband, Haris, is told to go on a perilous journey to Makkah to pray for her recovery and bring back zam zam water for her to drink. But, faced by Count Lahab and his outlaws, what does his destiny hold.

Yan is a big-hearted young man determined to perform Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah. But first, he must work hard on his farm and fill up his money bag for the journey. Despite the trials he faces on each unsuccessful trip to the Kaaba, Yan's helpful nature, compassion, and generosity enable him to succeed in the end.

"It s easy to feel a sense of peace after completing Fawzia Gilani s Cinderella. This humble version of the classic fairy tale is a gentle reminder that victory comes as much from a peaceful soul as a beautiful dress and a dramatic confrontation." - Luxury Reading Cinderella is one of the oldest, best-known, and most loved stories worldwide, with hundreds of cultural variants and re-tellings from ancient Egypt and China to the present day. In this version we follow the trials and tribulations of the sweet, gentle, and pious Zahra when her parents die and she is left at the mercy of an uncaring stepmother and stepsisters. This is a well-crafted Islamic version of the classic tale in which faith, goodness, and prayer are rewarded in the end. The charming, richly detailed illustrations of Shireen Adams, set in medieval Andalusia, help bring the text to life."