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Seeing For Ourselves and Even Stranger Possibilities
Why do we yearn to be seen when we are already far too visible? How do we want to be perceived, and how are we exposed? Could we ever really see for ourselves?
In memoir, vignettes, poetry and essays, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan records her observations from the stands at the dizzying circus of being seen and unseen. She surveys the criminalising stadium of civic life, the open-air arenas of family, friendship and grief, the performative pageantry of the public eye and the unclad secrets of the self in solitude, paying attention to what’s on show and what goes undetected.
Perhaps the strangest, most exciting possibilities are opened when we surrender to another kind of sight. Submitting to the gaze of the Unseen and the All-Seeing, Manzoor-Khan invites us to close our eyes and discover what it would mean to look with our souls instead.
In memoir, vignettes, poetry and essays, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan records her observations from the stands at the dizzying circus of being seen and unseen. She surveys the criminalising stadium of civic life, the open-air arenas of family, friendship and grief, the performative pageantry of the public eye and the unclad secrets of the self in solitude, paying attention to what’s on show and what goes undetected.
Perhaps the strangest, most exciting possibilities are opened when we surrender to another kind of sight. Submitting to the gaze of the Unseen and the All-Seeing, Manzoor-Khan invites us to close our eyes and discover what it would mean to look with our souls instead.
164 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2023
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327 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 23, 2023
A philosophical read, of short vignettes, poetry, the interspersed acts and scenes of a play featuring, the writer, the book, her eyes, her fear, her head, her soul, some onlookers all struggling with the question of being seen, of invisibility, of too much visibility, of how we are perceived by others, by ourselves, by the Divine Presence...
It's a companionable read, though not easy to review, as the author herself narrates, this is a book of questions,and it is also a journey, it is not a conclusion or a set of answers, it is observations, reflections, it invites participation, it does not exist in isolation.
Perhaps rather than the head, the intellect, the eyes, the judgments, we ought to perceive with the soul, what might that look like?
It's a companionable read, though not easy to review, as the author herself narrates, this is a book of questions,and it is also a journey, it is not a conclusion or a set of answers, it is observations, reflections, it invites participation, it does not exist in isolation.
Perhaps rather than the head, the intellect, the eyes, the judgments, we ought to perceive with the soul, what might that look like?
November 25, 2023
I have absolutely no idea how to describe this book or review it in a way that does it any justice, but just know that every single word spoke to my whole soul.
CW: discussion of colonialism, racism, Islamophobia, intergenerational trauma; death of a close friend from cancer
CW: discussion of colonialism, racism, Islamophobia, intergenerational trauma; death of a close friend from cancer
December 27, 2023
This book! Might be my favourite read of 2023♥️
I deeply appreciated Suhaiymah’s writing style; it felt like I was part of a sisterhood circle where we openly shared our thoughts, experiences, and reflections. What struck me the most was how she seamlessly integrated the relationship we have with God into the conversation about societal norms and the challenges of adhering to our faith while navigating school, workplaces, and other external influences. It's a reminder that we often feel pressured to shrink a fundamental part of ourselves to fit in when our ultimate acceptance and validation should come from our relationship with God.
Each chapter in this book, penned by the author, is a unique experience for every reader. Despite our differences, there's a common thread that connects us all in some way. We've all experienced moments of reflection, growth, and self-discovery, and this book seems to touch upon those universal human experiences.
I will struggle to fully articulate the emotions and thoughts it has stirred within me, but I think everyone should read it. It provides a sense of validation for our experiences, even the ones we find challenging to express. It prompts me to examine my relationship with God, my interactions with others, and my own self-perception. It poses questions that invite introspection and growth.
I deeply appreciated Suhaiymah’s writing style; it felt like I was part of a sisterhood circle where we openly shared our thoughts, experiences, and reflections. What struck me the most was how she seamlessly integrated the relationship we have with God into the conversation about societal norms and the challenges of adhering to our faith while navigating school, workplaces, and other external influences. It's a reminder that we often feel pressured to shrink a fundamental part of ourselves to fit in when our ultimate acceptance and validation should come from our relationship with God.
Each chapter in this book, penned by the author, is a unique experience for every reader. Despite our differences, there's a common thread that connects us all in some way. We've all experienced moments of reflection, growth, and self-discovery, and this book seems to touch upon those universal human experiences.
I will struggle to fully articulate the emotions and thoughts it has stirred within me, but I think everyone should read it. It provides a sense of validation for our experiences, even the ones we find challenging to express. It prompts me to examine my relationship with God, my interactions with others, and my own self-perception. It poses questions that invite introspection and growth.
September 8, 2025
Thank you Suhaiymah. Wish I could know you in person. Your words resonated deeper than most others, feels like you are kin.
June 27, 2025
As always, this book found me exactly when it needed to, Alhamdullilah. There are certain things people say, sights you witness, and feelings you embody, that the mind always circles back to, and the question I have been pondering since it was asked at my book club almost four months ago now is: how does your soul feel? With it, I began to consider new possibilities. This book is exactly like that: a fresh perspective, and a new challenge to the status quo. One that made me cry, reflect, and smile ruefully.
I loved the format; mixing poetry, prose and scriptwriting is a most wonderful form of expression. As you grow, especially after a large pivot in life, you naturally begin to realize no one can possibly entirely comprehend the infinite permutations you've undergone to change, to attempt to be better, and to hold yourself to account. Except for Allah. This created a restlessness in me; the desire for recognition warring with the instinct to protect the sincerity of my own actions by hiding them, and this book charted a new path to the beyond as well as beyond earthly realities. I shall let it ferment.
May Allah reward you for writing this Suhaiymah. From that first day many years ago that I came across your performance of This is Not a Humanising Poem, something in me was healed. It helped put words to all the sensations of un-belonging roiling beneath my skin during that time. JazakAllah Khair. I can't wait to reread it and learn something new again.
I loved the format; mixing poetry, prose and scriptwriting is a most wonderful form of expression. As you grow, especially after a large pivot in life, you naturally begin to realize no one can possibly entirely comprehend the infinite permutations you've undergone to change, to attempt to be better, and to hold yourself to account. Except for Allah. This created a restlessness in me; the desire for recognition warring with the instinct to protect the sincerity of my own actions by hiding them, and this book charted a new path to the beyond as well as beyond earthly realities. I shall let it ferment.
May Allah reward you for writing this Suhaiymah. From that first day many years ago that I came across your performance of This is Not a Humanising Poem, something in me was healed. It helped put words to all the sensations of un-belonging roiling beneath my skin during that time. JazakAllah Khair. I can't wait to reread it and learn something new again.
February 28, 2026
My four stars likely represents this impression, feelings, and emotion: i like it a lot! i am in an awe! the author gives me not only one or two things to think and feel, but a lot of things to be absorbed! ... and yes, Suhaiymah gives me exactly these variety of emotions.
At the beginning, I wasn't too captivated with the hook. Suhaiymah takes her time to be honest and raw about her feelings, which makes everything feels slow. Then I arrived at 'Becoming a Sight / The Portal of Objecthood' and we rapidly learnt about white gaze and other gazes impose on us. this is where i'm hooked -- i feel acknowledged; I too have been questioning what kind of person I am if I get an opportunity to see myself as an 'object'. i have been questioning if my personhood and objecthood are shaped because of other people's vision, by external gazes imbued with power imbalance and cultural differences, just like Suhaymah does. who i am, what i do, is then constructed upon that gaze and expectation. Suhaiymah beautifully structured these thoughts with her words and I feel not so alone as I used to.
Since long, I also wonder if I can start reading books or anything about my religion, Islam (I am a Muslim). My family want to do umrah this year and I feel I have to understand my faith better. I never expected this book would be a portal, a point of departure, an affirmation to do so. Suhaiymah writes a lot of Quran verses and hadits that resonate with her thoughts, and afterwards I feel I can try searching peace and validation through the Quran just like her.
all in all, this is a book that can give you a pat on your back if you feel this life is a theatrical stage where you are questioning yourself, your agency, your identity, your personhood both as individuals and a part of community, your subjecthood.
At the beginning, I wasn't too captivated with the hook. Suhaiymah takes her time to be honest and raw about her feelings, which makes everything feels slow. Then I arrived at 'Becoming a Sight / The Portal of Objecthood' and we rapidly learnt about white gaze and other gazes impose on us. this is where i'm hooked -- i feel acknowledged; I too have been questioning what kind of person I am if I get an opportunity to see myself as an 'object'. i have been questioning if my personhood and objecthood are shaped because of other people's vision, by external gazes imbued with power imbalance and cultural differences, just like Suhaymah does. who i am, what i do, is then constructed upon that gaze and expectation. Suhaiymah beautifully structured these thoughts with her words and I feel not so alone as I used to.
Since long, I also wonder if I can start reading books or anything about my religion, Islam (I am a Muslim). My family want to do umrah this year and I feel I have to understand my faith better. I never expected this book would be a portal, a point of departure, an affirmation to do so. Suhaiymah writes a lot of Quran verses and hadits that resonate with her thoughts, and afterwards I feel I can try searching peace and validation through the Quran just like her.
all in all, this is a book that can give you a pat on your back if you feel this life is a theatrical stage where you are questioning yourself, your agency, your identity, your personhood both as individuals and a part of community, your subjecthood.
July 2, 2025
Hajar Press books are always an experience.
Manzoor Khan's work has been on my TBR for ages and I was very excited to finally dig in.
Manzoor-Khan invites the reader to consider the ideas of seeing, being seen, being unseen, and her writing provoked much thought for me, around these ideas.
Naturally, I really enjoyed her exploration of representation in the media / in a cultural sense (representation of Muslims for instance). She went beyond the usual arguments against representation politics, by using her poetic language and her key concepts of seeing/being seen/being unseen to get us to interrogate why exactly we so want to be seen.
Some other themes she anchored the conversation in were the seeing in relationships, the seeing / being seen in a spiritual sense, and one's own seeing of oneself.
Because Hajar Press books are a lot more imaginative and creative than I'm used to, it was at times a bit hard for me to understand, but sometimes that was a good thing. For example there was a chapter in the first half that at first was a bit too experimental for me but by the end I loved it - the one about the boxes.
However, for a chunk of the book after the halfway point it was a bit of a fluctuating journey for me. I would say maybe the writing there felt a bit more like filler material, but I'm not sure, maybe it was just too high level for me.
Overall I would recommend! I have so many sticky notes throughout it, as much of the writing and ideas were top tier.
Manzoor Khan's work has been on my TBR for ages and I was very excited to finally dig in.
Manzoor-Khan invites the reader to consider the ideas of seeing, being seen, being unseen, and her writing provoked much thought for me, around these ideas.
Naturally, I really enjoyed her exploration of representation in the media / in a cultural sense (representation of Muslims for instance). She went beyond the usual arguments against representation politics, by using her poetic language and her key concepts of seeing/being seen/being unseen to get us to interrogate why exactly we so want to be seen.
Some other themes she anchored the conversation in were the seeing in relationships, the seeing / being seen in a spiritual sense, and one's own seeing of oneself.
Because Hajar Press books are a lot more imaginative and creative than I'm used to, it was at times a bit hard for me to understand, but sometimes that was a good thing. For example there was a chapter in the first half that at first was a bit too experimental for me but by the end I loved it - the one about the boxes.
However, for a chunk of the book after the halfway point it was a bit of a fluctuating journey for me. I would say maybe the writing there felt a bit more like filler material, but I'm not sure, maybe it was just too high level for me.
Overall I would recommend! I have so many sticky notes throughout it, as much of the writing and ideas were top tier.
October 31, 2023
I think almost every page of this book was like a hug to my soul. I forced myself to go about reading it very slowly, I wanted to make sure that I was taking in every word.
Suhaiymah’s writing makes me feel less alone. This book especially, made me feel so seen and understood. It might sound silly but I felt like a child being comforted by their parent. I wanted the book to never end. Every single page, every single thought, ranging from documenting one’s life, to reflections about our family members to references to Allah… every single one of these was absolutely in its place and so, so, needed. I don’t know, I am really out of words. Reading this book felt like having the most heartfelt of conversations with a friend. I know I will come back to it again and again for the rest of my life. Suhaiymah, Allah has gifted you with writing, and I want to thank you for sharing that gift with us.
Suhaiymah’s writing makes me feel less alone. This book especially, made me feel so seen and understood. It might sound silly but I felt like a child being comforted by their parent. I wanted the book to never end. Every single page, every single thought, ranging from documenting one’s life, to reflections about our family members to references to Allah… every single one of these was absolutely in its place and so, so, needed. I don’t know, I am really out of words. Reading this book felt like having the most heartfelt of conversations with a friend. I know I will come back to it again and again for the rest of my life. Suhaiymah, Allah has gifted you with writing, and I want to thank you for sharing that gift with us.
October 15, 2025
No other rating than 5 stars describes this book the best. Starting off with a rather normal beginning, the book and author took me on a journey from being unsure of other peoples gazes on me to overthinking the time I wasted with these anxieties instead of appreciating the gaze from the unseen. Never before have I marked that many pages in a book with quotes that I’ll need to come back to. The author did really good and even though this book probably wasn’t meant to be read by me, I still enjoyed it.
Eventually during my journey throughout the book I caught myself seeing less with my eyes and opening my heart more.
Eventually during my journey throughout the book I caught myself seeing less with my eyes and opening my heart more.
February 11, 2026
Seeing for Ourselves is a piercing and poetic exploration of what it means to live under constant scrutiny while still longing to be truly understood. Through memoir, essays, and lyrical reflections, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan examines visibility, identity, faith, and grief, challenging readers to question who controls the gaze, and what remains unseen. Thought-provoking and spiritually resonant, this book invites us to close our eyes to the noise of the world and discover a deeper, soul-level way of seeing.
October 1, 2024
What a beautiful book that spoke of a lot of things I knew in my soul but gave a lovely vocabulary too. For the Muslims out there, but also the unseen and the uncertain and for those who perform for others and not even themselves.
The chapter on grief was unexpected and heart wrenching. I ate this up because the writing had such a beautiful flow to it. Definitely would read again!
The chapter on grief was unexpected and heart wrenching. I ate this up because the writing had such a beautiful flow to it. Definitely would read again!
October 10, 2023
Outstanding. Best thing I've read this year.
October 13, 2023
This book is just gorgeous. The writing is amazing. A meditation on life and how we are seen and see others. Raises some important questions. Highly recommend.
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December 19, 2023Soothing gem
January 5, 2024
Brilliant brilliant brilliant. SubhanAllah, I am so moved and will be returning to this text often iA
July 7, 2024
3.5 stars
October 4, 2024
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous, loved everything about this, much needed reminders and prompts for introspection
November 8, 2024
I've never read anything quite like it.
June 9, 2025
I really enjoyed the thought, the voice, the patience I found within this book and its delicate touch.
Likely to be my favourite non-fiction of the year.
Likely to be my favourite non-fiction of the year.
October 9, 2025
no review will do this justice... all I can say is read it
July 9, 2025
I don't want positive representation, I want my childhood back. I want the parents in prison to come home, to have come home already, to have never left. I don't want positive representation, I want the planes to open back up their bellies and re-internalise the bombs. I want Faheem Qureshi to get his eye back. I don't want positive representation, I want my time back. I want to have never memorised a justification for why I wear it. I want to have never felt smallness. I want to walk with giant steps. I want my sorrow to be a headline. I want our deaths to be devastating. I want the world to stop. I don't want positive representation, I want tyrants on their knees, I want yawm al-qiyamah. I want more than IPSO apologies. I want the Channel to dry up. I want our siblings to stride through the seas and claim what's theirs. I want them to take it all back. I want homes unburied by rubble. I want the shrapnel reconstituted into a body of metal never to touch a baby's skin. I want torsos with no memory of being pushed against car bonnets. I want the journalists jobless. I want economic losses.
I don't want positive representation.
I don't want positive representation.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews