Temple Folk
United States

Temple Folk

by Aaliyah Bilal

Identity & Belonging Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction Short Stories 2023

Summary

Across generations of Black Muslim life in America, ten interconnected worlds of faith, family, and belonging unfold. A daughter haunted by her father’s ghost struggles to reconcile his legacy with the truth; a mother caring for her disabled son revisits a life-altering experience; and a federal agent spying on a prominent member of the Nation of Islam confronts the contradictions of his own life. Set against the complex social and spiritual landscape of Black Muslim communities, these stories explore the tension between religious conviction and human imperfection, tradition and independence, and the desire to belong and the need to question. With compassion, subtle humour, and remarkable insight, Temple Folk offers an intimate portrait of people navigating the distance between who they believe they should be and who they really are.

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Country
United States
North America
About the author
Aaliyah Bilal
Aaliyah Bilal

Aaliyah Bilal is an American writer born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She studied at Oberlin College and the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. Her fiction and essays have appeared in literary publications including The Michigan Quarterly Review and The Rumpus. Bilal’s debut short-story collection, Temple Folk (2023), explores the lives of Black Muslims in America, particularly the complexities of faith, family, race, and community within the Nation of Islam. Her work brings attention to experiences often underrepresented in contemporary American literature, portraying characters whose spiritual convictions coexist with doubt, personal struggles, and everyday contradictions. Temple Folk was a finalist for the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction and received widespread critical acclaim for its nuanced, compassionate portrayal of Black Muslim life.

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Details
Published
2023
Author
Aaliyah Bilal