Big Little Steps

Following the release of her debut book, Big Little Steps, GLOSS caught up with French, UAE-based author Mathilde Loujayne for a chat about her inspiration, her journey into Islam and what she hopes to accomplish with her book.

A lifestyle change of any sort – like a new diet or regime – can be quite overwhelming and leave an individual circling in confusion, so when a change of faith comes about, any person is bound to have a million and one burning questions.

Mathilde Loujayne was 18 when she decided to embrace Islam. Fast forward to today and she now holds near two decades worth of experiences as a Muslim. Just recently, Loujayne released a book, Big Little Steps: A Woman’s Guide to Finding a Balanced Lifestyle and a Glowing Heart in Islam, detailing the knowledge she amassed over the years through her personal experiences, and what she learnt in relation to being a Muslim.

What is your story?

Salaam! My name is Mathilde, but call me by my Islamic name, Loujayne. I grew up between the South of France and the Sultanate of Oman, where I learned about Islam as a teenager – and embraced it – then studied mass communications in Paris.

Since my conversion to Islam in 2002, I have crossed paths with women from all walks of life on a common spiritual journey to discover Islam. Eventually, I thought about writing a guide for non-Muslims to understand Islam from a woman’s perspective and for new Muslim women to know how to live Islam in their day-to-day lives.

Were you practising any religion before? Did you consider other ideologies?

I had been on a spiritual quest since I was around 8 or 9 years old, for as long as I can remember! I was born in an atheist family and did not have a religious upbringing, so I took it upon myself to find all the answers I needed to find peace of mind.

At one point, I even considered picking a little bit of what I liked from every religion, to have something that suits me. With Islam, I was able to find the right balance I needed for my spirituality and this worldly life.

“Fuelled by the desire to find the right words for my mother and explain my choice to embrace Islam and this new lifestyle, writing this guide became a necessity and a personal calling”

What is the story behind your name?

Mathilde is my birth name and Loujayne is my Islamic name. I picked Loujayne because it is a traditional Omani Muslim name meaning ‘silver.’ Quite fitting as my father was a jeweller so now I carry a part of some of my happiest childhood memories everywhere I go. Mostly, it symbolises the ideal Muslim woman I want to be.

Tell us about Big Little Steps.

Fuelled by the desire to find the right words for my mother and explain my choice to embrace Islam and this new lifestyle, writing this guide became a necessity and a personal calling. Little did I know that before I completed writing it, my mother would eventually embrace Islam too.

Through my personal experiences – grief, high school, moving abroad, work, marriage and motherhood – I wanted to share the knowledge that Muslim converts learn gradually, by making big, little steps, and address women’s common concerns.

This book is designed to empower women with Islamic values as I tackled some important questions such as what are Muslim women’s rights? What do modesty, humbleness and fashion have in common? What is halal food? Can I still practice yoga?

There is more on the power of intention, animal welfare, wellbeing, prophetical ethics, prayer, and the health benefits of fasting in Ramadan.

The book is designed as an interactive experience for readers, with margins to mark personal comments and questions and a glossary of the most commonly used Arabic terms and phrases.

How long was the book in the works?

​I initially had the idea of writing this book in 2009 when I was in my mid-twenties. I decided to gather all hot and relevant topics and start writing my personal experiences. The same year, I interviewed more than 50 women from different countries to understand what mattered to them the most.

I wrote two chapters in 2013 but quickly was overwhelmed by life – getting married, having a baby and a full-time job.

In 2017, I went to Makkah on my second Umrah pilgrimage and this book was the focus of my prayers. I did not want to get older and have regrets, and I wanted to be the kind of a person who achieves her dreams, rather than dreaming about them. A few weeks later, I signed a publishing deal.

Why the name Big Little Steps?

First and foremost, I was inspired by this hadith (Qudsi) which says, “Take one step towards me, I will take ten steps towards you. Walk towards me, I will run toward you.”

Secondly, throughout the book, I talk about progressing on our spiritual journeys and becoming a better person. When I embraced Islam, I took things on gradually and progressively over the years, slowly but surely, I was making big, little steps.

Describe the book in five words.

Empowering, humbling, feminine, artsy and inspiring (hopefully.)