Tag Archives: Muslim

Why a novel about Muslim women is relevant to everyone. Yes, even you.

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What We Learned Along the Way is about 4 Muslim women, but don’t let that scare you. It’s also about you. Confused? Read on.

When you walk into a bookstore, two things become immediately obvious: 1.) the wide assortment of books, and 2.) the many section signs that help guide book seekers to their destinations. No matter if you’re looking for the latest Twilight installment, a book on origami or something by Tolestoy, there’s a sign to lead you there, and praise the Lord for that! We love these signs. We need these signs. They make our lives better.  BUT (I know you knew a “but” was coming) they also have a less desirable effect. When most of us (myself included) walk into bookstores, we use these signs to go straight to the sections we want, the ones we’re most comfortable with, the ones we probably already know tons about. Unless we’re forced to learn about a non-traditional topic (read: school research paper) we rarely–if ever–venture outside of our comfort zones.  Therein lies the problem.

Comfort zones are like cages. They keep us locked up (comfortably so) and away all of “that” and “them.” Who wants to be around “that” or “them” when I’m so comfy here in my cage, surrounded by nothing but “this” and “us”? Subconsciously, this is our thinking. The result is what we see everyday: racism, bigotry, narrow-mindedness, intolerance and ignorance. That is why What We Learned Along the Way is for everyone. It isn’t just for Muslims or women, just as books on or by blacks aren’t just for blacks, and books on or by Indians aren’t just for Indians, and books on or by Jewish people aren’t just for Jewish people… I could go on.

When you’ve been exposed to other cultures, you’re less likely to blindly accept the misinformation being circulated. You’re less likely to judge someone based on appearance alone and you’re less likely to pass ugly views on to your children. The status quo remains only because of the static positions we hold. It’s not enough to sit back and complain about what others are doing. We have to examine our own actions (or inaction) and assess the damage we’ve created.

As different as this world would have us believe we are, we share far more similarities than we know. Everyone— regardless of race, class, or religion— needs love and acceptance. We all want to step out into a world that welcomes us with open arms. We all smile when happy, cry when sad and laugh when amused. Expression may vary, but emotion is universal. This is what we’d find if only we took the time to look. The characters in this book may not look like you or act like you, but I can guarantee you’ve felt the same happiness they have. I guarantee you’ve cried similar tears. I guarantee you’ve had similar concerns. The journey toward peace and happiness is one we’re all on. Why not walk together?

~Nadirah Angail

 Also, check out these other Muslim women writers!

On Finding a Unicorn: The search for the Perfect Muslim Husband

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Just like the perfect man, unicorns don't exist

Just like the perfect man, unicorns don't exist

Let me start by saying be sure that you’ve searched for a unicorn. Even if I don’t explain what one is, know that you’ve searched. We’ve all searched, ladies. It is the pursuit of a unicorn that sends us to Islamic conventions every year in throngs, outnumbering the men every time. Unicorns make us buy those expensive plane tickets when we know we’re supposed to be saving money, justify it by thinking “This year it’ll be worth it.” It is the fear of not finding a unicorn that makes us lie to our girls, saying “Girl, I’m not looking this year,” knowing good and well we are. It is because of a unicorn that we walk the halls to the point where we know the building better than the architect that built it. We think of unicorns when we go to the fabric store looking for the baddest pattern to give to sister So and So from the masjid so she can make us a fierce ensemble. And it is the exciting thought of a unicorn that has us brainstorming outfits 3 months before the convention. And sadly, it is the unfortunate fact that we sometimes go back home unicornless that makes us have an attitude Monday morning when we go back to work/school.

If you haven’t guessed it, a unicorn is that perfect brother that we’ve all been convinced we’d meet at a convention, or anywhere else for that matter. I don’t know who told us there were going be unicorns at these conventions, but we think they are. I don’t know what makes us think they’ll show up this year when they never have in the past, but we do. And I don’t know what makes us hold out hope that he’ll show up next year when we didn’t get one glimpse this year, but we still hold that hope. I guess it’s because many of us come from places where there aren’t too many Muslims, so these conventions are our only chance. And I guess we also figure in a sea of Muslims, one of them has to be for us. And that’s true. Islamic conventions have been the stepping stone for many of our married couples today, but as we all learned as young children, unicorns don’t exist.
flying
So many of us, myself included, have wasted valuable time waiting for that perfect brother to come sweep us off our feet and fly us away on a magic prayer rug. But that’s not the reality. The reality is that no one is perfect. We’re all very flawed. We need to stop turning our noses up at our brothers, thinking we’re not just as flawed as they are. Don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying settle for someone you truly don’t want. I’m saying we need to open up our narrow view of what a unicorn looks like and stop denying ourselves good brothers. The fact that the brown in a brother’s kufi doesn’t match the brown in his shirt is not a good reason to turn him down. The fact that his beard isn’t as long as your father’s isn’t a good reason either. A brother may not have a great house, car and a fat stash of money in the bank, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get those things with the support of a loving wife. A brother may not blow you away with his charm and wit the second you meet him, but that doesn’t mean he can’t treat you like a queen. True love takes time to develop anyway, so stop getting mad because it’s not there at first sight. I’m not saying we should marry men we aren’t attracted to, because attraction is important, but we shouldn’t be so focused on it that it’s all we consider.

We shouldn’t be discouraged that we can’t find unicorns. We need to be looking for stallions. A stallion is a wonderfully flawed brother that knows his weaknesses and uses them as strengths. A stallion accepts his own imperfections and so doesn’t feel the need to constantly point yours out. A stallion views his own shortcomings as a sign of his humanity and uses them as motivation to bring him closer to the Creator. A stallion loves your differences and doesn’t try to change them. A stallion is perfectly imperfect. My husband is no unicorn, but he’s definitely a stallion.

Nadirah Angail

http://www.youracreator.com/profile/nadhabee