Arriving in 1970, Victor (Ghalib) Beggsuccessfully built a chain of thriving furniture stores. Using his entrepreneurial skills, he co-founded an ethnically diverse mosque and influential community organizations in Metro-Detroit. Along the way, he discovered that America’s greatest promise lies in building healthy communities with our neighbors.The American Dream is alive and…
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[title maintitle=”” subtitle=”9/11 changed Western perceptions of Islam, America’s perception of terrorism, and my perception of myself. “] It should come as no surprise that extroverted personalities tend to be more socially successful. They have more friends, they laugh more often in social gatherings, and their voices, literal and metaphorical,…
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In 1982, I began fasting half-days during Ramadan for the first time, my hands painted with henna in celebration. I was in Mrs. Campbell’s third grade class; the only Muslim in a school of more than three hundred children. She growled my name “So-fee-AAH! We do not write on our…
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When I saw her, I averted my gaze and walked toward my locker. I adjusted my backpack on my shoulder and squinted my eyes as if in concentration. I pretended that I had not seen her, that she and I did not know each other outside of school—and that I…
Read MoreWith the tenth anniversary of 9/11, Muslims and non-Muslims alike are reflecting on what we, as Americans, have achieved since that fateful day — and all that is still left for us to do. For Muslims, this conversation is happening at multiple levels, as we struggle to make sense of not just the socio-political issues facing our faith community, but also the deeply personal, spiritual questions 9/11 has posed for us as individuals.
Read MoreMuch has been said about Imam Abdul Rauf, the Imam behind the proposed Park 51 Islamic Cultural Center in New York City, which would stand a few blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks nine years ago today. In the intense controversy surrounding the construction of the community center, he has been called a “radical,” despite ample evidence of his longtime efforts to do interfaith work and bridge misunderstandings between Muslims and other communities.
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In the years since 9/11, Muslim men and women have responded to nativist hate mongering by working within the American legal framework. Muslim women have made the hijab a civil rights issue; similarly, the fight for the human rights of detainees has been going strong for some time. An additional response – one that is more nuanced to the gendered aspects of the problem – is to use gender and Muslim notions of femininity and masculinity as the focal point of cross-cultural dialogue.
Read MoreOur Islamic book club was accused of being a group of closed-cell female terrorists. Should we put forth the effort alone to allay anxiety towards Muslims? Or should people become knowledgeable about the issues?
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From tongue-in-cheek biographies where contributors describe themselves as attendees of madrassas (which simply means “school” in Arabic) to blog entries featuring Obama in Saudi-style headwear, the alternately acerbic and irreverent sense of humor is on full display at KabobFest
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