The Representations of Faith and Belonging: Locating Sri Lankan Muslim Women in Ameena Hussein’s The Moon in the Water

The study examines Ameena Hussein's 2009 novel, The Moon in the Water, with the objective of unveiling an alternative form of religious faith and belonging among Sri Lankan Muslim women. This investigation delves into the intricate dynamics at play, wherein religious and cultural negotiations unfold within a multi-ethnic context. The primary focus is on unravelling the temporal and spatial stratification of mourning practices adopted by Muslim women in response to the encroachment of Wahhabi influences in Sri Lanka during the early 1980s. Moreover, the research underscores the practice of idda (the widow's four months and ten days of required mourning) within the context of marriage and gender experiences. It illuminates how these women manoeuvre across areas of subversion, resistance and cultural norms, finally questioning and redefining the peripheries of their lives.