Monday, January 31, 2011
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Reflections on Bronx Princess
Eid Mubarak to everyone!
Bronx Princess is an independent film that premiered last night on PBS at 10 p.m. If you missed it, you can watch it online for a month starting today.
During a Qiyam I planned for the youth at my Masjid this past Ramadan, we held a discussion with about fifteen 11 to 16 year olds about the American-Muslim identity. To say the least, the open discussion ended with the girls on their feet arguing with each other in small groups about who was American, who wasn't, the definition of an American, of American-Muslim. Not much of a conclusion was made.
Rocky Otoo and her search and struggle to find her identity is not a secluded story - just one that you don't hear very often. Bronx Princess was about the discussion of identity and who we are in America (mostly from the point of view of American born children of immigrants).
Though I felt the movie transitioned too quickly between the events of Rocky's summer, filmmakers Yoni Brook & Musa Syeed did a great job telling her story and captured touching & intimate moments with her mother especially as well as with her father.
Bronx Princess also brought back memories of the first (and only) time I went to Syria and the culture shock I got from being in a strange country where my parents grew up and I had no clue about. It wasn't until the end of my trip and after I left till I truly understand, appreciate and was able to love Syria which in turn helped me understand who I am today.
Hopefully the girls at the Masjid can watch this movie (found here), relate to it and and help them understand their identity as well.
Bronx Princess is an independent film that premiered last night on PBS at 10 p.m. If you missed it, you can watch it online for a month starting today.
During a Qiyam I planned for the youth at my Masjid this past Ramadan, we held a discussion with about fifteen 11 to 16 year olds about the American-Muslim identity. To say the least, the open discussion ended with the girls on their feet arguing with each other in small groups about who was American, who wasn't, the definition of an American, of American-Muslim. Not much of a conclusion was made.
Rocky Otoo and her search and struggle to find her identity is not a secluded story - just one that you don't hear very often. Bronx Princess was about the discussion of identity and who we are in America (mostly from the point of view of American born children of immigrants).
Though I felt the movie transitioned too quickly between the events of Rocky's summer, filmmakers Yoni Brook & Musa Syeed did a great job telling her story and captured touching & intimate moments with her mother especially as well as with her father.
Bronx Princess also brought back memories of the first (and only) time I went to Syria and the culture shock I got from being in a strange country where my parents grew up and I had no clue about. It wasn't until the end of my trip and after I left till I truly understand, appreciate and was able to love Syria which in turn helped me understand who I am today.
Hopefully the girls at the Masjid can watch this movie (found here), relate to it and and help them understand their identity as well.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Book recommendations
Imam Malik used to put aside all his fiqh and hadith books during Ramadan and concentrate only on the Quran.
We should definitely do the same.
However, here are some books to keep in mind that you should be thinking about reading after Ramadan, inshaAllah. These two books are especially important when it comes to the complex topics in Islam and understanding Islam's role in various issues, which when these subjects are understood, they give you a deeper understanding of your identity as a Muslim.
The first is "Man and the Universe: An Islamic Perspective" by Mostafa Badawi . I have yet to read it, but Shaykh Yahya Rhodus at Rihla said was a must-read. Mostafa Badawi's literary work is always comprehensive and well written (read his article on the hand of the Prophet (pbuh) here). This is important for American Muslims because science and Islam always comes up in secular education and you need to know what Islam's view is relating to the corelation of science and Islam.
Another book that was recommended to me is "The Search for Beauty in Islam: A Conference of the Books" by Khaled Abou El Fadl.
Hafsa Kanjwal, Georgetown University Alum and recent ALIMni offers her review of the book:
If you have any other books you would like to recommend, please let me know!
We should definitely do the same.
However, here are some books to keep in mind that you should be thinking about reading after Ramadan, inshaAllah. These two books are especially important when it comes to the complex topics in Islam and understanding Islam's role in various issues, which when these subjects are understood, they give you a deeper understanding of your identity as a Muslim.
The first is "Man and the Universe: An Islamic Perspective" by Mostafa Badawi . I have yet to read it, but Shaykh Yahya Rhodus at Rihla said was a must-read. Mostafa Badawi's literary work is always comprehensive and well written (read his article on the hand of the Prophet (pbuh) here). This is important for American Muslims because science and Islam always comes up in secular education and you need to know what Islam's view is relating to the corelation of science and Islam.
Another book that was recommended to me is "The Search for Beauty in Islam: A Conference of the Books" by Khaled Abou El Fadl.
Hafsa Kanjwal, Georgetown University Alum and recent ALIMni offers her review of the book:
The Conference of the Books: A Search for Beauty in Islam, was recommended to me by a number of friends. I never really got around to reading it though for a while, because it was over 400 pages! Thankfully, the pages go by very quickly, and I’m so glad I finally got around to it.
Simply put, this book is beautiful. Khaled Abou El Fadl’s literary style, which is quite refreshing for a Professor of Islamic Law, goes well with the short essays he writes on a variety of topics relating to the contemporary realities of Islam and Muslims. Abou El Fadl convenes an imaginary “conference of the books” of Muslim intellects from the past, scholars and knowledge powerhouses such as Ibn Hazm and Ibn Taymiyya. He engages their love for the beauty of Islam with the difficult issues that Muslims are dealing with today. It’s a really creative work that will undoubtedly leave you with a greater love for the religion and a desire to increase your own knowledge of our religions’ complexities.
Also, this is one of those books you should read one chapter at a time, and go back to it from time to time. Your understanding of the issues he raises will surely shift or change over time, and his writing allows for that—you can understand it on multiple levels. I liked that he was able to address some of the more controversial issues that do not necessarily get talked about within the Muslim establishment.
If you have any other books you would like to recommend, please let me know!
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