We Have Always Been Here

Triumphant and uplifting – a queer Muslim memoir about forgiveness and freedom.

‘Revolutionary’ Mona Eltahawy * ‘Exquisite, powerful and urgent’ Stacey May Fowles * ‘I fell in love with this book’ Shani Mootoo

A memoir of hope, faith and love, Samra Habib’s story starts with growing up as part of a threatened minority sect in Pakistan, and follows her arrival in Canada as a refugee, before escaping an arranged marriage at sixteen. When she realized she was queer, it was yet another way she felt like an outsider.

So begins a journey that takes her to the far reaches of the globe to uncover a truth that was within her all along. It shows how Muslims can embrace queer sexuality, and families can embrace change. A triumphant story of forgiveness and freedom, We Have Always Been Here is a rallying cry for anyone who has ever felt alone and a testament to the power of fearlessly inhabiting one’s truest self.

Author Biography

Samra Habib is a writer, photographer, and activist. As a journalist she’s covered topics ranging from fashion trends and Muslim dating apps to the rise of Islamophobia in the US. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Guardian, and Advocate, her portraits have been exhibited at the V&A in London and her photo project, ‘Just Me and Allah’, has been featured in Nylon, i-D, Vanity Fair Italia, Vice, and Washington Post. She works with LGBTQ organizations internationally, raising awareness of issues that impact queer Muslims around the world. We Have Always Been Here is her first book.