Harar was once a famous site of Islamic scholarship, and for some this included the study of the more esoteric side of Islam – what is known as batin – the hidden meanings beneath the words. I was horrified by the portrayal of Muslims in the media and I knew from my own experiences living in Muslim communities that these stereotypes bore no resemblance to the people I knew. I started writing the book just before 9/11. Why did you decide to introduce Sufism into Sweetness in the Belly? I could not have written this book without the direct lived experience of being there, particularly the domestic intimacies of life within a household compound. I spent a year in Egypt studying Arabic, then a year in Harar, Ethiopia living with a Harari family, immersed in family and community life. Have you spent much time in Africa? How did your experiences inform this book?
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