Ramin Abbas has MAJOR Questions
Ahmad Saber
Atheneum Books
Published March 3, 2026
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About Ramin Abbas has MAJOR Questions
An intensely brave, beautifully honest, and wryly funny story about a gay Muslim teen who has to choose between being true to himself or his faith—and his realization that maybe they aren’t as separate as he thought.
Ramin Abbas has spent his whole life obeying his parents, his Imam, and, of course, Allah—no questions asked. But when he starts crushing on the ridiculously handsome captain of the soccer team, so many things he’d always been so sure about are becoming questions:
1. Music is haram. But what if the Wicked soundtrack is the only thing keeping you sane because you’re being forced to play on the soccer team? With Captain Handsome?!
2. A boy crush is double haram, and Ramin’s parents will never accept it. But can he really be the only Muslim on Earth who feels this way?
3. Allah is merciful and makes no mistakes. Then isn’t Ramin just the way Allah intended him to be?
And so why should living your truth but losing everything—or living a lie and losing yourself—have to be a choice?!
My Review
I really appreciate that authors are writing stories that boldly ask hard questions about the intersection of faith and identity. These kinds of questions aren’t easy to answer, no matter what age someone might be, and it’s easy to oversimplify or lean on easy answers when those answers don’t directly impact one personally.
I think it’s also brave to write a novel featuring a protagonist who still feels positively about his faith despite having questions. That’s a real experience that a lot of people are having, and to find that reverently reflected in literature is so important.
Ramin is a perfect protagonist for a story like this. His relationships with his family members are tense and complicated by grief. He attends a private school for Muslim students, which is an experience many readers may not be directly familiar with, but I thought the descriptions and situations would be easy for anyone familiar with other private religious institutions to understand.
In the course of the story, he joins a soccer team and finds a place among the players. This gives the story some additional structure and offers more experience that will resonate with readers.
I also really appreciate that through the course of the novel, Ramin encounters lots of different views on practicing Islam. Some views were more restrictive, while others challenged his thinking. Ramin began to examine different parts of his faith alongside one another. He began to question whether ideas that appeared contradictory were a paradox or evidence of a need to update his ideas. I love the sensitivity with which the author explored these topics.
If you enjoyed The Golden Boys Guide to Bipolar by Sonora Reyes or Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian, add this remarkable debut to your reading list.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 14 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Vague reference to sex. Brief mention of masturbation in the context of asking if it’s permissible in Islam.
Spiritual Content
References to some verses in the Quran. References to daily prayer practice. Ramin is a person of deep personal faith. He speaks with the Imam, asking questions about the intersection of faith and identity. He wrestles with questions about Allah’s love and judgment for sinners.
Violent Content
References to harsh judgment for sinners, such as having boiling lead poured into their ears. Some homophobic comments and statements. A student threatens to out Ramin. In an angry outburst, Ramin kicks a soccer ball through a window.
Drug Content
None.
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