Lily declares at the novel's introitus that she is a Muslim. Lily was raised by hippies, and this novel tells of her life in London as a Muslim convert, mixed in with scenes and flashbacks from the past. She was given a chance to see majestic scenes of desert during their travels through the Middle East, but Lily's life changes forever when her parents are murdered in Bilal al Habash. It is Mohammed Bruce who takes Lily in, a new orphan and a white child of privilege now alone in a foreign country.
She details her trip to Morroco and Ethiopia. For Lily, this was a sacred pilgrimage. Having been raised by Mohammed Bruce, a family friend, she has become well-instructed in Islam, and she teaches the Koran. She meets a man named Aziz. Is Lily is too white for her community, Aziz is too dark, so they fall in love partly because they understand each other's struggle.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Revolution begins. Lily is told that she must flee the country, and she heads back to London, but now, at the time of her initial declaration, it has been ten years since she left. She tells us that she thinks of Aziz daily, and she still loves him deeply, although they are separated—so much so she has not slept with anyone in the ten years of their separation. Lily's cultural background lends itself to social work, so she starts supporting her Muslim neighbors in London.
