Our Story
Pearls of Islam, comprised of sisters Sakinah Lenoir and Rabiah Mali, are a British duo of African Caribbean heritage. Their music beautifully blends songs of praise, devotional poetry, and heartfelt melodies. As singer-songwriters, they meticulously compose and arrange each piece, drawing deeply from traditional Islamic poetry (Qasaid) and contemporary musical influences. Their captivating harmonies are woven together with instruments like the guitar, darbuka, and djembe, and their lyrics are sung in both Arabic and English. Their music is thoughtfully crafted to serve as a form of remembrance (dhikr), to offer praise, to encourage reflection, to express love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and to bring a sense of tranquility and ease to their listeners.
As pioneers and leading figures in the UK and the Muslim female music scene, Sakinah and Rabiah are also dedicated community activists. They have founded and led numerous impactful projects under The Rabbani Project, including Ladies of Light, Green Deen Tribe, and The Salaam Cafe. Rabiah is a qualified medical herbalist and founder of the Herbal Blessing Clinic, and the Black Muslim Women Healing Collective. Sakinah is the founder of the Pearls of Islam Drumming School.
Their award-winning debut album, ‘Love is my Foundation,’ released in 2019, attracted significant acclaim and recognition. They have performed alongside esteemed artists such as Sami Yusuf, Dawud Wharnsby Ali, Isam Bachari, and many others, and have been invited to share their music with audiences worldwide.
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This album is an offering, a gift from the past ten years of our journey. Every note sung, every chord strummed, and every beat drummed is a stone in the foundation, building our relationship with the Divine. It was during these years of performing across the globe and attempting this recording journey that we realised we had sought perfection in our sound, our melodies, and our harmonies, believing that anything less would dishonour the message of heavenly love.
This year, we learnt that our imperfections were a perfect reflection of us as individuals. So, know that the sound that has been birthed reflects seeking hearts, loving hearts, yearning hearts, but not perfect hearts. This is an album that unashamedly speaks from that imperfect heart, which dances between the beauty and the pain of Love. So, these tracks are for you, whether you are filled to the brim with Love or in search of the stillness and comfort of Love. Inshallah, we pray that this album will build a foundation of Love for us all… one song at a time.
