Abstract:

The present paper discusses Ayisha Malik’s Sofia Khan is not obliged. This is a debut novel by the author published in 2015. The story revolves around a Muslim girl named Sofia, living in London city with her family; hence it gives fine narrative of how a Muslim experiences in London. The study discusses how the novel responds to the western concept of Muslim women. As in the popular narrative a Muslim woman is viewed as docile, meek and submissive. The study explores how far that popular notion is accurate or the opposite. Hence to conduct this kind of reading of Sofia Khan is not obliged, theoretical framework of Orientalism is chosen. As discussed in Orientalism by Edward said East has maintained certain assumptions of West which view East particularly Islamic world as barbaric, uncivilized, and dangerous. “Orientalism carries within it the stamp of a problematic European attitude towards Islam. As data in the study is text hence the method of research is textual analysis. The study finds that Sofia defies the western notion of Muslim women being confident, independent authoritative, and assertive.

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