On a quintessential local day – sunny, but at times cloudy, warm, and suddenly rainy – Maktaba Books held its first Sama Sama Book Club session for 2025 at the Central Public Library, Victoria Street. After a round of icebreakers with cups of milky teh in hand, everyone delved into the book of choice, Safiyyah’s War, on 23 February.
What a lovely name, Safiyyah Maryam – and fittingly so, as the name of the main character of the 336-pager paperback available worldwide. Despite being written for children, this poignant historical fiction by Hiba Noor Khan offers a wealth of value and speaks to adults, too.
The story is told from the point of view of 11-year-old Safiyyah, who witnessed the resistance run from the Grand Mosque of Paris during World War II. The incident was believed to have saved hundreds of Jewish people.
When the Nazis targeted Safiyyah’s father for ‘suspicious activity’, Safiyyah took his place to run crucial life-saving errands around the city. While the Jews sought sanctuary at the mosque, Safiyyah was entrusted with a task more significant than herself.
The Beauty of Unlikely Friendships
The book club session began with a reflection on the beautiful relationships featured in the book. First was Safiyyah’s cherished familial bonds, such as with her grandmother, Setti; father, Baba; and mother, Yemma. Next, the group discussed Safiyyah’s friendships with girls her age, like Isabelle and Hana. A book club participant amusingly mentioned Bonbon, the white cat Safiyyah and Timothée had rescued together, triggering a slew of giggles in the conversation. Of course, Bonbon had to be included!
Among the friendships that resonated with the participants, Safiyyah’s bond with Timothée stood out. The group said it was noteworthy that their friendship was centred on the Resistance. The two friends executed critical tasks despite being young and only two years apart. Moreover, it was through their actions that they were able to assist and save the lives of persecuted Jewish families.
The participants were then asked another question: Were there similar friendships they might have experienced before? Although these are not times of war, humans today are bound to create unlikely friendships. For instance, one could spend a lot of time with another while travelling. When friends part ways, like Safiyyah and Hana did, they never know when they could ever meet each other again.
One participant shared a candid story in this regard. The following section is written from his point of view:
Snippets of an Unexpected Friendship: My Cambodian Friend
In a small town in Cambodia named Kampot, I found a small roadside stall that sold halal food. As I approached and thought about ordering food in the Khmer language, I suddenly made eye contact with the cook.
In turn, he shouted:
“Bang nak makan apa?”
It completely caught me off guard that he knew I spoke the Malay language and that he could speak it, too.
I responded:
“Nasi goreng sayur, satu bang”.
During this exchange, I also noticed that a fellow customer was fascinated by that conversation. He approached and asked if he could sit with me. He shared that he spoke Malay too because he previously studied in Malaysia. He then asked where I came from.
Our conversation carried on in Malay until I finished my meal. He invited me to visit his village and offered to show me around. I hopped on my rented motorcycle and followed him along dirt roads that led to a village resembling a Malaysian Malay kampung. The style of the wooden houses with kolong (space underneath the floor) looked similar to kampung houses in Malaysia. Its inhabitants looked like me, too.
I participated in the Islamic religious class he taught at the kolong of his house. Afterwards, he gave me food and offered me a box of mangoes to bring home. He also wanted to give me a ride to Phnom Penh, which is a few hours’ drive away. I graciously declined the box of mangoes and the ride but accepted the food. Subsequently, we connected on Facebook.
P.S: Thank you for writing and sharing your story with Maktaba Books!
Perhaps, the beauty of an unlikely friendship today could rest on the level of commitment to stay connected in modern circumstances vis-à-vis social media. In contrast, people in the past felt a fundamental, bittersweet longing when they had to part ways, and it could very well be the final time they would meet.
Indeed, Libraries are a Sacred Place
After friendships, the library played an integral role in Safiyyah’s War. The library was a place where Safiyyah could find solace. She could study maps there, which deepened her ambition to become an explorer. The abode in question, primarily cared for by its librarian, Madame Odette, was also where Safiyyah had assisted Monsieur Cassin in finding the book to complete an appendix for what was potentially his magnum opus.
In particular, there was a poignant dialogue between Safiyyah and Monsieur Cassin that occurred after the Nazis interrogated and confiscated the Monsieur’s manuscripts:
“But what will they do with it now, Monsieur?”
“Who knows? Perhaps they’ll throw it onto a big bonfire along with other books and work by Jews and people with darker skin. That’s what they’ve done elsewhere with thousands and thousands of books…”
“But why?!”
“… Me simply existing as a Jew is enough for anything I say to trouble them. By confiscating my writing and reading, they’re silencing me, excluding me. And all of us…”
– Safiyyah and Monsieur’s dialogue, p.125, Anderson Press Limited, 2023.
Therefore, man must preserve libraries, which are also considered sacred places. One book club participant even quipped that libraries were a collection of what people of the past said. It allowed the subsequent generations to attain glimpses of history. We agreed wholeheartedly to that point. Hence, the importance of history is paramount. Safiyyah herself summarised from her history class with Monsieur Abrams “…about the importance of studying history, that the lessons of old might be learned so that the evils of the past wouldn’t repeat themselves” (p.52).
“… oppressors always fear the power of books… It has happened throughout history; the light that a library brings is terrifying to the darkness of a tyrant… One thing the Nazis know is that you can’t truly control a people without controlling what they read”.
– Madame Odette, p.46, Anderson Press Limited, 2023.
When we preserve libraries and books, we are upholding knowledge. Knowledge is power; thus, oppressors naturally see it as a threat. At the same time, knowledge is benign. The ultimate question is what we are doing with the knowledge we have gathered. This understanding matters because what we choose to do with the knowledge will influence our future.
Importance of Historical Fiction
In addition, the book club participants said that the beauty of fiction lies in gaining insights into the precise points in history through the characters’ perspectives. Through historical fiction, the participants suggested that readers could also extract lessons and the essence of life from the viewpoint of the voiceless. In fact, they emphasised that complex ideas and layered experiences could be easier to comprehend via children’s fiction.
Furthermore, the group believed that fiction could resonate with people at a deeper level, especially historical fiction. Readers could place themselves in the shoes of the characters living through a specific period. Such an intellectual act could potentially develop a heightened sense of empathy.
The facilitators ended the book club session with a question: How much of our country’s history do we know? Hence, Safiyyah’s War is a case that reiterates the importance of historical fiction – it is a book that can tug at our heartstrings. There were moments when Safiyyah made questionable decisions, as highlighted by a participant, and others nodded in assent. For instance, 11-year-old Safiyyah ventured underground to the dark catacombs without adult supervision. However, deep down, the participants knew that the story was about a little girl who was courageous, curious, and genuinely wanted to serve the people in her life.
Snippets from a Writer’s Archive: Reflections on the Grand Mosque of Paris
I thought it worthwhile to share photos taken when I visited the Grand Mosque of Paris in the sharp winter of 2018. The mosque is located in the 5th arrondissement of central Paris, next to the River Seine and within walking distance to the famous Notre Dame cathedral.
An indescribable warmth would cascade through my soul as I explored different mosques in my travels, especially for this visit to the Paris Grand Mosque. After performing my salah (prayers), I feasted on the exquisite beauty of the masjid. I recalled a unique presence that seemed to linger throughout this sacred space. It was not merely a place of worship for Muslims – I felt there was more to it than meets the eye.
Admittedly, I did not know enough about the rich history that involved this singular masjid. Today, after learning its significance through Safiyyah’s War, it made perfect sense. The presence of power and strength within its vast walls was undeniable. In hindsight, I would have loved to capture more photographs and stayed on to contemplate deeper.
Should I be given a chance to visit Paris again (with blue skies and warm, mild weather, please, inshaaAllah), I intend to linger longer and reflect further on its painful past.
Credits for this article:
Written by Sitti Hatta
Edited by Nurul ‘Ain Razali