Mizaan
A complete novel, presented here in four parts.
Mizaan is a novel about friendship forged across faith.
In suburban Maryland in the years surrounding September 11, Ali — a young immigrant from a region of northern Pakistan marked by political violence and uncertain belonging — finds himself bound to Conor, a charismatic and increasingly volatile American whose unraveling life draws Ali toward a moral precipice. As addiction, violence, and grief close in, Ali must weigh loyalty against belief, love against silence, and devotion against complicity.
Told in intimate, interwoven prose, Mizaan explores the fragile balance by which lives are judged — the moment when faith is no longer inherited, but measured and chosen.
With gratitude to my friend Sajid Ali from Nagar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, whose careful research, detailed edits, and knowledge of Shina language and the valleys around Gilgit were invaluable in this work.
Watch selected readings.