Welcome to My Website

Thank you for visiting. I’m honored to share my work with you and hope you find this site both meaningful and easy to navigate.

I’m proud to announce the publication of my latest book, The Holy Quran Verbatim: An Innovative Translation.

This translation stands apart for its commitment to preserving the exact words of God without personal opinion, doctrinal bias, or modern reinterpretations. With over forty years of Arabic-to-English experience, combined with training in linguistics and neuroscience, I’ve worked to create a faithful, precise, and accessible translation that invites reflection and understanding.

The language is modern and clear, carefully avoiding archaic phrasing while respecting the Quran’s original message. This translation honors Islam’s spiritual equality for women and was crafted with a deep sensitivity to the unique challenges women translators often face.

You’ll also find excerpts from all publications, including 25 Icons of Peace in the Quran, A Sprinkle of Dust: A Mother’s Struggle with Loss and Healing, and Building America: Immigrant Stories of Hope and Hardship — all located under the “Publications” section.

My goal is to offer a window into different cultures, faiths, identities, and life experiences — from the immigrant journey to the complexities of grief, healing, and spiritual discovery.

Please feel free to explore the site and share your thoughts. I welcome your feedback and hope these stories leave a lasting impression.

Warmly,
Mary Assel

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A Sprinkle of Dust: A Mother’s Struggle with Loss and Healing

A Sprinkle of Dust: A Mother’s Struggle with Loss and Healing was inspired by the loss of my son and the challenges of grief and healing. The book is already in major bookstores, Amazon, Smashwords and an emporium of international bookstores. My story is about my son Mazen , father of three, his life from cradle to grave, and how I struggled with the concepts of love, spirituality, and acceptance. The book is moving, informative, and highly educational. It provides valuable insight into Islamic philosophy and humanizes the culture for readers who know little about Islam or who have little contact with Middle Eastern cultures in this negative time of vilifying anything associated with Islam. I delicately weave my experiences into the multidimensional fabric of American culture. The scenes of my life in Senegal and Lebanon are captivating and add great depth to my narrative. It is a memoir that many people, both those suffering the loss of a son, as well as those interested in learning about Middle Eastern culture from the viewpoint of an ME -American.

As Us journal has published chapter three in their latest 2017 edition if you would like to take a peek.