I am a Publisher/Author. My Name is Linda D. Delgado. AKA Widad. I live in Arizona-USA.


My Journey In Islam – short version
© Copyright 2007 Linda D. Delgado All Rights Reserved

About eight years ago, I was fifty-two years old and a Christian. I had not become a member of any Christian church, but all my life I had been searching for the truth. I attended many churches and studied with their teachers. All fell short and I recognized none as being the truth about Allah. Since I was nine years old, I had read the Bible everyday of my life. I cannot tell you, over the many years, how many times I searched it for the truth.

During the years of my search for the truth my heart told me Jesus was not God but a Prophet. My heart told me Adam and Eve were responsible for their sin, not me. My heart told me I should pray to God and no other. My reason told me that I was responsible for both my good and bad deeds and that God would never assume the form of a man in order to tell me that I was not responsible. He had no need to live and die as a human; after all, He is God. So there I was, full of questions and praying to God for help. I had a real fear of dying and not knowing the truth.

My Discovery

In 1999 I was working as a Highway Patrol Sergeant. My husband was a retired police officer. Police officers worldwide have a common bond, which we call a law-enforcement brother-sisterhood. We always help one anther no matter what police department or country.

That year I received a flyer asking for help with a group of Saudi Arabian police officers who had come to the United States to learn English at a local University and attend a police academy in the city that I live in. The Saudi police officers were looking for homes to live in with host families in order to learn about US customs and to practice the English that they would be learning.

My husband and I decided to host Fahd and Abdul in our home. I became their tutor and we shared many discussions about police work, the USA, Saudi Arabia, Islam, etc. I observed how they helped each other and also the other sixteen Saudi police officers who came to the USA to learn English. During the year they were here, I came to respect and admire Fahd and Abdul for not letting the American culture have any impact on them. They went to mosque on Fridays, said their prayers no matter how tired they were, and were always careful of what they ate. They showed me how to cook some traditional Saudi foods and they took me to Arab markets and restaurants. They were very kind with my nine-year-old granddaughter. They showered her with presents, jokes and friendship.

They treated my husband and me with much respect. Each day, they would call to see if I needed them to go to market for me before they went to study with their fellow Saudi officers.

One day, I asked them if they had an extra Qur'an. I wanted to read what it had to say. They sent to their embassy in Washington DC and they got me an English Qur'an, tapes, and other pamphlets. At my request, we began to discuss Islam (they had to speak English and this became the focus of our tutoring sessions). I grew to love these young men, and they told me that I was the first non-Muslim they had ever taught Islam to! After a year, they completed their studies and training at the police academy. I was able to help them with their police studies, as I had been a police instructor during my career as a police officer. I invited many of their brother-officers to the house to help with university projects and to practice English. One brother had his wife come to stay here in the US, and I was invited to their home. They were very gracious and I was able to talk to his wife about Muslim dress, prayer ablutions, and similar things.

A week before "my foster sons" were to return home to Saudi Arabia, I planned a family dinner with all their favorite traditional foods (I bought some because I didn’t know how to cook all of them). I purchased a hijab and an abaya.I wanted them to go home remembering me dressed appropriately as a Muslim sister. Before we ate, I said the Shahadah (public declaration of faith). The boys cried and laughed and it was so special. I believe in my heart that Allah sent the boys to me in answer to my years of prayers. I believe He chose me to see the truth by the light of Islam. I believe Allah sent Islam to my very home. I praise Him for His mercy, love and kindness to me.

My Journey Continues

Over the past almost seven years my life has changed dramatically. My family has come to accept with generosity and tolerance that I am Muslim and will remain Muslim. All thanks be to Allah for sparing me the trials of so many reverts who must deal with beloved family who strive to dissuade them from Islam.

Within the first year after my reversion my health began to fail. I retired from my law enforcement career and as I became more disabled in my retirement I searched and prayed to Allah about what I should do in the declining years of my life. I was unable to be active in the Muslim community. 9/11 happened and I was very sad.

One day, my young granddaughter suggested that I write books about my Saudi boys, Islam, and my family’s experience with Islam. I decided to write the books and also include stories about a group of young girls, both Muslim and non-Muslim, who were friends. The stories would include the young girls’ problems encountered at school and at home and I would use my knowledge of Islam as a guide for these book characters.

I wrote four books I named Islamic Rose Books. I created an e-group for sister authors and aspiring writers and this developed into the creation of the professional writers group, Islamic Writers Alliance. As the years quickly went by I became involved in many projects, but my priority has become getting quality Islamic fiction books to Muslim children, teens, and adults. To do this and for other reasons like fulfilling a promise to my writing buddy and friend before she died of leukemia, I created a publishing business for my own books and also to publish other Muslim authors. To help a friend I took on the task of learning a new genre-creating comic strips which are based o Islamic fiqh and my Islamic Rose Books characters. I also wrote and published a halal cookbook and wrote and published a book to help aspiring writers-A Muslim’s Guide to Publishing and Marketing.

My primary focus remains helping Islamic schools build their children’s library and writing and publishing quality English language Islamic fiction for all ages in all genre.

I still have much to learn about Islam. I never tire of reading the Qur’an and one of my favorite pastimes is reading about prominent, historical Islamic figures. When I am unsure about something in Islam, I look to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). I see how he responded to situations and use this as my guide. My journey in Islam will continue, and I look forward to many new experiences. I thank Allah daily for His Mercy and Love.

I am the Founder & Past Director of Islamic Writers Alliance;

Member- Arizona Authors Association

Publisher Member- PMA-Independent Book Publishers Association

Publisher Member - Arizona Book Publishers Association


Member - MAJA- Muslim American Journalist Association


Member - NAWW - National Association of Womens Writers

My work (including articles and short stories) has been published at IslamOnline.net, Our Rising Star magazine, The Muslim Woman magazine (S. Africa), The Muslim Weekly (UK), Q News magazine (UK). I have been interviewed by Cii Radio (S. Africa), and have several print interviews published: Azizah magazine and at Internet blogs and websites.



My published works include a number of English language Islamic fiction books for children:

........... ............ ... ............ ...
The Visitors ............... Hijab-Ez Friends................. Stories ......................... .... Saying Goodbye

The Visitors: Fun Reading With Moral, Sep 3 2006
Reviewer: Maggie, Canada
"I enjoyed The Visitors and plan to pass it on to as many young people as I can. It is a wonderful book for both Muslim and Non Muslim children. Without lecturing it teaches tolerance and respect for people who are different from us. It a perfect addition to any elementary library collection."

Hijab-Ez Friends: Andrew F. O'Hara, Author, Sacramento, CA
"After reading Ms. Delgado's first book in her series, I could not help but continue on to this, her second. While written for ages 9-12 (and well written, I might add), the book was highly enjoyable for me as an adult. It is a story of young girls encountering a world of anger and hostility, and finding positive ways to counter those forces. One cannot help but smile at the outcome, which crosses all religious and international boundaries to speak of the compassion and caring all people can have for one another. I admire the author's smooth, clean writing style and the clarity of her message--this is a must read!"

Stories: Best of the Bunch, July 20, 2006
Reviewer: Pamela K. Taylor, USA
"I enjoyed this book the most of all four of the Islamic Rose Books. The Hijab-Ez friends encounter a bunch of problems and solve them, drawing on wisdom from stories told by Grandma's Saudi Arabian visitors. Again we see a unique combination of good story telling with information about Islamic practice and culture, along with a commitment to harmonious diversity."

Saying Goodbye: Dawn Ross, your sister in Islam
"I was writing because I had bought several of your books a few months ago. I purchased Islamic Rose Books 2 & 3 from you. I was able to purchase books 1 & 4 from Islamicbookstore.com. My dear friend Maqsud's family in Milwaukee has kind of adopted me as their own since I became a Muslim. All of his brother's children call me auntie. Anyway, I couldn't go to visit them this Eid so I sent gifts for all of the children. The oldest girl, Mahee is 10. I sent her all 4 of your Islamic Rose books for her Eid gift. Her grandma called me last night telling me how much Mahee loved them. She read one after another. She finished all four and is now re-reading them. Mahee is an avid reader, but she said these books were very special. I simply wanted to write and let you know how much she loved your books."

Saying Goodbye: Noori, United Kingdom
"I have forgotten to tell you that I have finished book 3 and I am now on book 4 on chapter 7. When I was just about to find out what your secret was, I started to feel sleepy and I DIDN'T want to go to sleep. I really get excited when you and Rose say you have a PLAN. Your books are very interesting."



Why I Wrote the Islamic Rose Books series:

After the events of September 11, 2001, I felt it was important to help people understand the religion of Islam and to promote religious, cultural and ethnic tolerance.

I wrote the Islamic Rose Book series (for children and adults/Muslim and non Muslim) hoping that fictional stories, told through the eyes and words of children, would help people realize that in spite of the terrible tragedies that occurred, Muslim and non-Muslim can live together in peace, cooperation, and tolerance.

My main character, Rose, and the multicultural and multi-religious group of young school girls dubbed the Hijab-Ez Friends use their differences and beliefs as their strength to solve problems they have in common at home and school.

The books are semi-autobiographical and reflect my experience hosting two Saudi police officers in a year-long cultural/educational exchange that led to my eventual conversion to Islam.

Review By: br. Yahiya Emerick, Muslim author and educator

The writing is terse, though not sparse, free-flowing, but not shallow. I, personally, plan to introduce these books in our Islamic school and also to donate them to our local library. Definitely recommend for your book shelves!

In 2004 the Islamic Rose Books series was translated into the Indonesian language and published in that country. In 2005, I created the Grandma & Hijab-Ez comic strip based on the book series.Islamic Rose Books at: www.widad-lld.com

A Muslim Guide to Publishing and Marketing

Halal Food, Fun and Laughter, An International Cookbook: which includes original ethnic recipes from around the world and funny short-short food stories, poems, and comic illustrations.

Many Voices, One Faith:- an Anthology: Includes a short story, articles and commentaries

Grandma & Hijab-Ez comic strips:

In this story, Rose is not a Muslim but her friends and Grandma are. The Hijab-Ez is a friendship group. There are other members (non Muslim) as well. The non Muslim girls wear a handkerchief on their heads to support Rose's best Friend, Camelia, who was made fun of at school because she covers. :) Rose is always trying to help Grandma..(the new revert)..by enlisting the help of her Muslim friends. She often mixes things up which creates the humor in the comics and in the books. :) The Ramadan comic strip is one example.

published by Our Rising Star Magazine with multiple media sources republishing the strip. Sister Shirley Gavin illustrated my work.

I am a Muslim revert (you can read about my conversion here), the mother of three and grandmother of eight. I am a graduate of the University of Phoenix and retired as a Sergeant in 2000 from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

I am the owner-publisher of Muslim Writers Publishing: a traditional Muslim publishing house.

Here is a press excerpt about the Islamic Rose Books series, for those interested:

The Association of Muslim Women in America, Inc. (AMWA) selected Widad to receive the 2005 Excellence in Media, Literary Arts award based on her work as author of the children's book series, "Islamic Rose Books".

Widad's charities include Islamic school libraries and the non-profit Muslim food distribution organization, The Cultural Cup, located in Phoenix, Arizona.