About the founder of Adrian Jasper Publishing:
Stepping into the world of Adrian Jasper Publishing, a visionary force in the realm of words. As the owner of Adrian Jasper Publishing, an accomplished author, and a captivating spoken word artist and poet, Adrian hails from the vibrant city of Sacramento, CA. With an unwavering passion for language and an unyielding commitment to humanity, Adrian’s creative pursuits are centered around the profound impact of words!
We asked Adrian Jasper, the creator of the publication, to answer a few questions for an exclusive interview, to be featured in ISLA’s Corporate Member Highlight, here’s what she had to say:
What is the story behind the establishment of Adrian Jasper Publishing?
Adrian Jasper Publishing started with the release of my first book in 2011 titled ‘Lady Muslim With a Pen: Poetry and Essays’. It consists of 90 poems, most paired up with verses in the Quran that inspired them or shaped them; along with 13 essays. I wrote it over a period of about 12 years and released it at the height of Islamophobia.
The book had a four-prong purpose:
- to be a tool to share Islam with non-Muslims creatively, to demystify Islam;
- to offer Muslims poetry that reflected their faith, using the Quran as a guide;
- to express myself and my journey in Islam at that time.
- Fear of Allah (SWT), and being compelled to do what I know He put in me to do!
I didn’t want to die with a book in me, so I wrote the best I could, within my capabilities. I wanted to be sure no other entity could censor, alter, or own it in any fashion, so I established Adrian Jasper Publishing to release it, had a website built, did all the minute details from acquiring domain name, ISBN #s, working with printers, graphic designers, and such.
Upon release, I was invited to churches, libraries, Mosques, political, social, and private events, schools, community television shows, and such to read excerpts from the book. Non-Muslims were as moved by the book as Muslims, so it was a blessed feeling. Shortly before the release of my workbook/audio ‘99 Names All Beautiful: The Quick and Easy Way to Memorize Allah’s Names & Their Meanings’ in 2020, the web hosting company was going out of business, so I scrambled to create a new website through a new company, which turned out great.
Share what inspired you to become a writer.Â
I was never inspired to be a writer, quite honestly. I was born a writer. I didn’t know any writers when I started writing from age five, but never stopped. It was always very natural for me and lots of fun. I used to write songs and short stories in elementary school. In 5th grade, I wrote a book that won first place for my school in a city-wide project Picture Book Contest. The book was titled ‘The Afro Contest’, and I still have it! I got a big blue ribbon presented to me by the School Superintendent at the time, and I still have the picture (somewhere)… That moment affirmed that I wanted to write.
There are many hats that you wear, writer, poet, spoken word artist, which do you think describes you best and why?
I would say, writer. Writing is the backbone of poetry and spoken word, however, you frame or deliver the words. You can be a poet, but if you don’t write with the intent to feed through words, you can be like packaged junk food: catchy but empty. You can have great delivery as a spoken word artist, but if the writing isn’t great, you can be animating a whole lot of nothing! Having the benefit of the Quran as an inspiration and tool as a Muslim author has elevated my writings to an entirely different level. The Quran has something to say about every aspect of life, and infusing some of that spirit into whatever I’ve written about, with intentions and duas behind them all—has made a phenomenal difference. Fear of Allah and mishandling my talents as a writer is the strongest driving force that keeps my words upright. In my book ‘Lady Muslim With a Pen: Poetry and Essays’, I have a chapter titled ‘Mad Poets’. Here’s the chapter’s opening excerpt:
Interesting to me as a poet – that the Qur’an has a chapter titled ‘The Poets’ (‘Ash-Shu’araa’ in Arabic).
However, the chapter is not about poetry per se. It has 277 verses, but only mentions poets briefly. The rest of the chapter recounts various prophets and their efforts to guide peoples aright, but whose message was rejected; such as Moses and his bout with Pharaoh – and his own people’s idolatry; Noah and his people’s rejection of his message; Lot (same story) and other prophets who rejected God’s message from His prophets, and chose to follow their own fancies. (And faced God’s punishment). Regarding poets, the Qur’an reads:
“Shall I inform you, (O people!), on whom it is that the evil ones descend? They descend on every lying, wicked person, (Into whose ears) they pour hearsay vanities, and most of them are liars. And the Poets,- It is those straying in Evil, who follow them: Seest thou not that they wander distracted in every valley?- And that they say what they practice not?
– (Surah 26:221-226). Â
(Jasper, Adrian (2011). Lady Muslim With a Pen: Poetry and Essays. Adrian Jasper Publishing)
When we examine much of the secular music today, although the words may be poetically crafty, you can hear how Shaitan has descended on some writers, pouring his influence in their ears. Thus, Muslim writers should be vigilant and strive to keep Allah in their ears so the ink can reflect as such.  I hope this helps you know a bit more about the story, the writer, and the hats behind Adrian Jasper Publishing—and my quest to use my writings for the service of Islam. Peace!
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