On the Brink of Belief: Queer South Asian Writers Redefine Faith and Identity

Edited by acclaimed poet Kazim Ali, 'On the Brink of Belief: Queer Writing from South Asia' emerges as a groundbreaking anthology that fearlessly navigates the charged intersection where queerness meets faith. This collection of twenty-four LGBTQIA+ writers from across South Asia represents far more than a literary anthology—it stands as both a manifesto and a sanctuary for voices that have been systematically marginalised. Through flash fiction, memoir, poetry, fragments and conversations, these writers conjure worlds where the borders between myth and memory, flesh and spirit, fact and belief dissolve.

Born from The Queer Writers' Room, a pioneering literary incubator led by The Queer Muslim Project in collaboration with the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, this anthology shatters the silence imposed on queer South Asian lives. What sets this collection apart is its refusal to sanitise or domesticate queer experience for palatability. Instead, it presents unvarnished truths about the complexities of existing at multiple intersections of identity. The book arrives at a critical moment when queer South Asian voices are finding unprecedented literary recognition, yet still face erasure in their home contexts. Ali's curation is both politically astute and artistically rigorous, creating space for emerging voices whilst maintaining the highest literary standards.

The Architecture of Belonging and Belief

The anthology's greatest strength lies in its sophisticated exploration of faith as both wound and balm. As Ali articulates in his introduction, there exists a multiplicity of Islams, a range of perspectives and schools of thought about the way to practice, what the religion means and how to access the divine. This pluralistic understanding of Islamic tradition provides the theological foundation for the collection's radical reimagining of what it means to be simultaneously queer and Muslim.

The contributors refuse the false binary that positions queerness and faith as mutually exclusive. Instead, they inhabit what might be called a 'third space'—neither fully accepted by secular queer communities that often harbour anti-religious prejudices, nor by religious communities that reject non-heteronormative identities. One contributor poignantly describes the experience: "Why do queer Muslims always have to justify their relationship and connection to God? Isn't separating people from their creator also a big sin?"

The writing demonstrates remarkable theological sophistication, with several contributors offering nuanced Quranic interpretations that challenge orthodox readings. Rather than abandoning their faith, these writers reclaim it, refusing to allow others to dictate the terms of their spiritual relationship. This theological reclamation represents one of the anthology's most significant contributions to contemporary discourse around religion and sexuality.

Literary Innovation and Formal Experimentation

The anthology's formal diversity—spanning poetry, memoir, speculative fiction and essays—creates a literary architecture that mirrors the complexity of queer South Asian experience. The editors have wisely avoided the trap of tokenistic representation, instead curating work that stands on its own literary merit whilst advancing the collection's thematic concerns.

The speculative fiction pieces are particularly compelling, using mythological and fantastical elements to explore themes of transformation and transcendence. Stories featuring djinns lingering in homes, peculiar cousins haunting Kashmiri family trees, and redemption for Shaitan found on a bathroom floor in Lahore demonstrate how these writers employ the supernatural to interrogate the boundaries of the real. This magical realist approach allows for explorations of identity that transcend the limitations of purely realist narratives.

The memoir pieces offer unflinching examinations of family dynamics, religious communities, and the psychological toll of living multiple closeted lives. One particularly powerful piece describes the contributor's experience approaching the mosque for daily prayers: "Their penetrating gazes felt like daggers, capable of unravelling my guarded truth. A primal fear gripped my heart, envisioning the imam's condemning voice and the community's accusatory stares." Such passages capture the profound psychological violence of religious exclusion whilst maintaining literary sophistication.

Cultural Specificity and Universal Resonance

What distinguishes this anthology from other queer literature is its deep rootedness in South Asian cultural specificity. The writers don't merely transplant Western queer narratives onto South Asian contexts; instead, they excavate indigenous traditions of gender and sexual diversity that predate colonial moral impositions. This historical consciousness gives the work both academic rigour and emotional authenticity.

The collection features urgent contributions from new and overlooked voices—including Birat Bijay Ojha, Dia Yonzon, Isurinie Anuradha Mallawaarachchi, Amama Bashir, Mesak Takhelmayum, and Kaleemullah Bashir. Each contributor brings distinct regional perspectives, whether from the mountains of Nepal, the coastlines of Sri Lanka, or the urban centres of Pakistan and Bangladesh. This geographical diversity prevents the anthology from becoming dominated by any single national or cultural perspective.

The universal themes of belonging, spiritual seeking, and authentic self-expression ensure the collection's relevance extends beyond its immediate community. Non-South Asian readers will find profound insights into the human condition, whilst South Asian readers may discover new ways of understanding their own cultural inheritance. The anthology succeeds in being both mirror and window—reflecting the experiences of its intended community whilst offering outsiders genuine understanding rather than voyeuristic consumption.

'On the Brink of Belief' represents a watershed moment in South Asian literary history. It refuses the compartmentalisation that has often marginalised queer voices, instead insisting on the fullness and complexity of these writers' experiences. As Ali suggests, "Perhaps it is only the queer person—perennially and by definition outside the mainstream of culture, politics and organised religion—who can know God." This anthology makes a compelling case for the spiritual insights available to those who live on society's margins, transforming marginality from burden into prophetic vision. Essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary South Asian literature, queer studies, or the evolving relationship between faith and identity in the twenty-first century.