The Wonders We Seek: Thirty Incredible Muslims Who Helped Shape the World

About the authors

Saadia Faruqi: Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American author, interfaith activist, and cultural sensitivity trainer who lives in Houston, Texas. Born in Karachi, Pakistan, she moved to the United States and went on to study business administration and, later, liberal arts with a focus on sociology. She is best known for the "Yasmin" early-reader series, illustrated by Hatem Aly, which follows a curious and confident young Pakistani American girl through titles such as Meet Yasmin! and Yasmin the Scientist, offering young readers both a window and a mirror onto Muslim family life. Faruqi also writes middle-grade fiction shaped by Muslim and South Asian experience. A Place at the Table, co-written with Laura Shovan, was named a Sydney Taylor Notable; The Partition Project won the South Asia Book Award in 2025; and The Strongest Heart, which addresses mental illness within a family, received a Schneider Family Book Award honor in 2026 along with recognition from Kirkus Reviews and other outlets. Her work also reaches into nonfiction collections such as The Wonders We Seek, which profiles influential Muslims across history. Alongside her books, Faruqi has worked to build understanding across faith communities and serves as editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, an online magazine devoted to Muslim poetry, prose, and art. She has been recognized in O, The Oprah Magazine for her community work.

Aneesa Mumtaz: Aneesa Mumtaz is a Pakistani American educator and academic writer with deep roots in educational leadership in Pakistan and the United States. She served as principal of St. Patrick's College of Education in Karachi, a significant role in the field of teacher training and educational administration. She is also a founding member of the Society of Pakistani English Language Teachers (SPELT), an organization dedicated to the professional development of English language educators in Pakistan. Mumtaz co-authored The Wonders We Seek: Thirty Incredible Muslims Who Helped Shape the World, a work that profiles Muslim contributors to human civilization. She currently resides in Michigan with her family.