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Ever on the lookout for the latest
publications on Muslims in the West
(and specifically in
Canada), my interest was piqued when
I was notified about a new book
titled Belonging and Banishment:
Being Muslim in Canada. The
book is an anthology of essays by
Canadian Muslim writers and edited
by Natasha Bakht, spanning a variety
of topics related to the theme of
Canadian Muslims.
Upon receiving
the book from the publishers (TSAR
books, whom I thank for sending me a
copy), I admit that I was extremely
suspicious and cynical of what it
might contain - my opinion of
Canadian Muslims is, unforunately,
rather low after having seen what it
is that it is produced by them in
the media. The majority of those who
have any presence in the public eye
tend to be either of the
‘progressive’ strain or
cringe-inducingly wishy-washy (feel
free to bash, flame, and lynch me
now…).
I digress. The book, as I said,
is a collection of essays - 11 of
them, titled and authored as
follows:
-
Muslims and the Rule
of Law; Haroon
Siddiqui
-
Bearing the Name of
the Prophet; Syed
Mohamed Mehdi
-
Knowing the Universe
in All Its Conditions;
Arif Babul
-
Raising Children in
a Diverse World;
Rukhsana Khan
-
Islamic Theology and
Moral Agency: Beyond the Pre-
and Post-Modern;
Anver M Emon
-
Muslim Girl
Magazine: Representing Ourselves;
Ausma Zehanat Khan
-
Towards A Dialogical
Discourse for Canadian Muslims;
Amin Malak
-
Islamic Authority:
Changing Expectations Among
Canadian Muslims;
Karim H Karim
-
A Case of Mistaken
Identity: Inside and Outside the
Muslim Ummah; Anar
Ali
-
Victim or Aggressor?
Typecasting Muslim Women for
their Attire;
Natasha Bakht
-
Politics Over
Principles: The Case of Omar
Khadr; Sheema Khan
It is difficult to make a
judgement of the entire book, to
label it as either “good” or “bad.”
From an ‘aqeedah point of
view, my worst suspicions were
confirmed - Ismailis, progressives,
and flat-out atheists were the
majority featured, with the
exception of the slightly more
‘mainstream’ Haroon Siddique, Sheema
Khan, and children’s author Rukhsana
Khan. However, it must be noted that
most of the essays did a
surprisingly good job at not
portraying their chosen topic with
too much of a slant towards the
author’s ideological leaning (with
the except of “Bearing the Name
of the Prophet,” which I found
to be absolutely ridiculous and
nonsensical).
Political/ Media
Three of the essays dealt
specifically with mainly political
issues, drawing on well-known
incidents involving Canadian
Muslims. Haroon Siddique’s
Muslims and the Rule of Law,
Natasha Bakht’s Victim or
Aggressor? Typecasting Muslim Women
for Their Attire, and Sheema
Khan’s Politics Over Principles:
The Case of Omar Khadr were all
excellent.
Muslims and the Rule of Law
covers the presence of Islamophobia
in Canadian politics and media,
discussing such high-profile cases
as the Maher Arar tragedy, the
‘Shari’a court’ controversy, the
infamous Maclean’s brouhaha, the
disturbing Quebec “reasonable
accomodations” xenophobia, and much
more. Siddique did a fantastic job
in analysing the coverage of these
incidents in the media, and the
political and social responses that
were broadcast all over the country.
He criticizes and refutes the
popular Islamophobic arguments found
both in the media, political
statements and actions, and amongst
the general Canadian population;
effectively using Canadian law,
examples of anti-hate and
hate-speech incidents from Canadian
history, and plain old logic to
point out the many faults and
inconsistencies of the Islamophobic
arguments. The essay concludes with
the warning that unless anti-Islam
and anti-Muslim sentiments are
effectively combated, the very
nature of Canada’s tolerant and
inclusive foundations will be
destroyed.
I strongly recommend Sheema
Khan’s article Politics Over
Principles: The Case of Omar Khadr
for its excellent coverage of one of
the most tragic ongoing events in
Canadian history. She discusses the
background of the case, the latest
developments as of publishing date
(2008), and the huge waves it
has caused in the fields of law,
human rights, and politics. Her
essay is one of the most
comprehensive summaries I have read
so far on the subject, drawing upon
indisputable sources and emphasizing
the shocking oppression being
perpetrated in a land that claims to
stand for justice and freedom.
Victim or Aggresor?
Typecasting Muslim Women for
Their Attire by Natasha Bakht was,
to me, surprisingly good. She
discusses the contradictory
stereotypes put out by the media in
their coverage of Muslim women,
specifically Muslim women who wear
hijaab. She lists and
refutes the attitudes we have found
common in media presentation of
Muslim women, specifically those of
“Protecting Muslim Women from the
dangers of hijaab” and “Protecting
Canadians from fraudulent Muslim
women.” She refers to the flurry of
anti-hijaab bans in the field of
sports, and the absurd
veils-and-voting incidents. Her
analysis of “unhelpful Muslim
responses” is also spot-on, pointing
out the danger of self-appointed
‘Muslim representatives’ such as the
Muslim Canadian Congress who make
matters worse when they issue
statements declaring that hijaab is
simply a patriarchial tool to
control women.
Spirituality/ Philosophy
My reaction to the two essays, “Bearing
the Name of the Prophet” and “Knowing
the Universe in All its Conditions,”
were mixed. The former annoyed me
intensely, being as it is the
insistence of an atheist of Shi’i
background that one need not believe
in or practice Islam in order to be
Muslim. Quite frankly, the piece
is a load of hogwash… although it
did alert me to the prevalency of
the idea of self-identity and (what
I perceive as) its absurdity. The
idea that one is Muslim simply
because they call themselves so, and
not because they actually believe in
Islam, is about the same as one
considering themselves a doctor
simply because their father was one.
However, I’ll save my spiel on this
subject for another time.
The other essay, Knowing the
Universe in All its Conditions,
is by an Isma’ili. Arif Babul, the
author, makes it clear from the
beginning what kind of faith
background he is coming from, which
is good to know as he does refer to
Isma’ili beliefs and mentalities
throughout his article. That being
said, however, the essay is
actually a personal, spiritual
reflection about how the author does
not consider his career as an
astrophysicist to pose a challenge
to his beliefs, but rather affirms
them. Once one filters out the
skewed ‘aqeedah, the essay
is quite good and most of it is easy
to relate to.
The third article which could be
included in the category of
philosophy is a rather obscure work
titled “Islamic Theology and
Moral Agency: Beyond the Pre- and
Post-Modern.” To tell the
truth, I struggled to get through it
without falling asleep, as
discussions on qadaa wa’l qadr
and its nuances as debated amongst
the Mu’tazilah and Ash’arites are
not my cup of tea. Sheikh YQ might
be interested in it though
Muslim Identity in the
West
The rest of the essays touch upon
the general theme of Muslim identity
in the West - raising a family,
creating Muslim-friendly media,
personal reflections, interactions
between the Muslim community and
non-Muslim society, and the changing
internal views of members of the
Muslim community.
A Case of Mistaken Identity:
Inside and Outside the Muslim Ummah
by Anar Ali was not particularly
impressive - a short musing by an
Ismaili about growing up as one of
the few coloured people in his
school; feeling unrepresented by
self-appointed spokespeople of
Muslims such as Irshad Manji; and
his personal experience in writing a
children’s book about Ismailis.
In Raising Muslim Children In
A Diverse World, Rukhsana Khan
reflects upon the difficult, yet not
impossible, task of bringing up
Muslim children who are aware of
their non-Muslim surroundings but
firmly grounded in their Deen. She
shares stories of her own childhood,
and from the journey that continues
as she raises her own children in
Canada. Her personal anecdotes make
us aware that no matter how many
times the issue is discussed, Muslim
families in the West continue to
struggle with the challenges of
Islamic parenting in a non-Muslim
society. Overall, the essay is good
and great to share with non-Muslims
who may be interested in the
challenges that Muslim parents face
in the West.
Muslim Girl Magazine:
Representing Ourselves by Ausma
Zehanat Khan is a look at the
background and birth of Muslim
Girl Magazine by one of its
founders and editors. I was
particularly interested in this
article as I once purchased a copy
of the magazine to review for MM (my
apologies for not having gotten
around to it yet), and have a lot to
say about it. It was, as expected, a
summary of how a group of people
felt that the views of Muslim girls
were either being sidelined or
skewed, and that a new medium was
required to fully represent them.
Thus was Muslim Girl Magazine born
for the Western Muslim teenage girl…
to “enlighten, celebrate, and
inspire.” Stay tuned for my own full
review of the magazine, coming to MM
sometime in the future (more likely
distant than future), insha’Allah.
Towards A Dialogical
Discourse for Canadian Muslims
by Amin Malak is a discussion of how
Canadian Muslims can reach out,
connect, and dialogue with other
Canadian citizens as a means to
overcome anti-Islamic sentiments and
prejudices in general. Basically, it
goes on about the responsibilties of
Muslims and non-Muslims alike to
overcome isolationism, extremism,
and stereotypical cliches. I
personally found the essay tiresome,
if only because this is a topic
which has been discussed to death
both in the Muslim community, in
interfaith/ inter-community
dialogues, and online. Nonetheless,
it was nice to see these
oft-expressed thoughts and
sentiments being put down on paper
and through a medium that will reach
out to a wider audience (although it
contains a distinct flavour of
modernism/ progressiveness that I
find distasteful).
Islamic Authority: Changing
Expectations Among Canadian Muslims
by Karim H Karim was another one of
the “meatier” essays which caught my
eye. It actually happens to be a
summary of a research project that
the author was involved in; the
findings of which have since been
publicized in various media articles
including
this one in the Toronto Star.
The essay examines the way that
Canadian Muslims/ Western Muslims in
general view ‘Islamic authority’
(that is, the leaders and sources of
Islamic knowledge in the Muslim
community) and the attitude that
they extend to them.
The focus is on the shift of
mentality from the ‘back home’/
traditional attitude of trusting
fully in the words of the Imam/
Sheikh/ Maulana/ Mufti, to a new way
of dealing with Muslim leaders -
critically, often doubting or
challenging their qualifications and
their ability to comprehend,
understand, and deal with the
context of Muslim life in the West.
The study, conducted in Canada,
the U.S., and the UK, asserts that “The
faithful no longer continue to think
of traditional authorities in the
same manner as in the past. This
appears to be happening because they
tend to have more education than
religious authorities, enjoy access
to primary intellectual sources of
Islamic traditions, continually come
into contact with new ideas, and are
able to use communication
technologies to discuss religious
issues over vast distances.”
The article expresses findings which
have, up until now, been recognized
only implicitly in community circles
- basically, the changes which the
Muslim community in the West at
large has been experiencing, as it
evolved from being founded by
immigrants to incorporating young
Muslims born and raised here,
struggling with the challenges of
studying the Deen and implementing
it.
Interestingly, the essay refers
to the growth of such institutes as
the Muslim College in London and the
Zaytuna Institute (although I was
disappointed to not see mention of
alMaghrib), and how part of the
‘implicit criteria by which
[Canadian Muslims] asses the
validity of Islamic authority’
has come to include having both an
Islamic and secular educational
background, as well as being
involved in social and/or political
activism and work. A variety of
quotes from participants in the
study are included, expressing
differing opinions and mentalities
which are prevalent amongst Western
Muslims across the ideological
spectrum.
The essay concludes that “the
sociological conditions that exist
presently for Muslims in the West
are historically unique,” and I
think that this something most of us
can agree with. Indeed, this essay
was certainly intriguing, for even
if it didn’t bring to light anything
that we don’t already know, it still
emphasized many important points for
those of us involved in community
activism and Islamic education need
to be aware of.
…
Most of the essays in
Belonging and Banishment
provided food for thought and were
worth the time I spent on them. If
nothing else, I appreciated that
trends and ideas which have been
tossed around, expressed, argued
about, and developed by the Muslim
community have been brought together
in such a concrete manner. Although
I disagree with a great deal of what
was said in several of the
articles articles, I think that for
those who aren’t easily confused or
impressed by philosophical or
intellectual types, it’s a good book
to have on hand.
As a whole, I am cautious of
recommending the book to all and
sundry; there are a few essays which
I feel are great for general reading
and sharing with friends and
colleagues, but there are also a few
which I feel can only be fully
understood if one has a relatively
thorough background in the history
of Muslims in the West and their
current socio-ideological
situations. Certainly, I will be
keeping this book as a reference
text of sorts, and I have no doubt
that many of the thoughts expressed
within it will be excellent fodder
for future essays, articles, and
even books and lectures.
Rating: 4 out of
5 stars
—
Zainab bint Younus
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Growing up Muslim
Diverse voices
speak out on living under constant scrutiny
because of their faith, in a new book that aims
to boost understanding
Banishment and belonging.
They are words on the opposite ends of the spectrum of
inclusion. Words that are no longer considered relevant in
the context of multicultural Canada, where technically all
people are welcome, all cultures cherished, and all faiths
accepted.
But a new book, Belonging
and Banishment: Being Muslim in Canada, a collection of
essays written by prominent Canadian Muslims, discusses a
growing polarization of acceptance of Muslims in Canada.
While they enjoy the freedoms of any other group to practise
their religion openly, the diverse and fragmented community
lives under a microscope - their faith discussed, dissected
and sometimes misrepresented for political leverage or
personal interest, and often used to test the limits of
tolerance.
Which was why Natasha Bakht, contributor and editor of Belonging
and Banishment, jumped at the chance to work on a book
that aimed to address the struggles of Muslim inclusion
head-on.
"I have been sort of disappointed in the media, the
government; and the way people in general tend to represent
ideas around Muslims," says Bakht, an Ottawa-based law
professor, who has written extensively about the issue of
religious arbitration in family law. "Issues that get
imposed and associated with Muslims and Islam, that tend to
portray Muslims as monolithic, having one particular idea,
typically a fundamentalist idea, one that is associated with
violence against women, extremism and terrorism," she says.
"I think there is a lot of emphasis on these stories which
just perpetuate racism and stereotypes about this very
vulnerable minority group which is already besieged by all
sorts of these kinds of claims post 9/11."
Looking for contributors for the book, she sought out a
diverse range of voices to "provide a counterpoint to these
representations." The book contains 11 essays from
professors, journalists, authors and scientists, asked to
write about being Muslim in Canada - a broad guide that gave
the contributors free rein to discuss issues they consider
relevant.
Syed Mohamed Mehdi, a professor at Oakton Community
College in Illinois, writes about growing up with the
Prophet's name. "Having the name of the Prophet gave me
certain 'insights,' " he said during a panel discussion at
the book's Toronto launch in November. "For one thing, it's
always a conversation starter," said Mehdi, recalling the
reactions his name elicits. In the '70s, he said his name
was associated with heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad
Ali. But in the post 9/11 world, it's taken on a different
connotation.
Ausma Khan, the editor-in chief of Muslim
Girl magazine,
writes about trying to launch a magazine for young Muslim
women, and depicting positive images of Muslim women. Other
essays touch upon double standards applied to Muslims in
Canada. Some talk about the hijab, others about leadership,
and others about terrorism.
The diversity of the subject matter is indicative of the
range of voices in the growing Muslim community, Bakht says.
"The book is not trying to present the definitive view of
what is a Canadian Muslim. It is trying to look at the
diversity of Canadian Muslim issues.
"Part of the problem with media representation is that
you just get the same people talking about all sorts of
issues. They just become the Muslim voice," she says. "I am
not suggesting that those people shouldn't be doing the
interviews, but it would be great to have more than one
point of view."
She hopes the book will make people think about their
reaction to Muslims "when they see the hijab or even the
niqab," and change their ideas. "Rather than being fearful
and standoffish, and worried, just be understanding, and
actually not see them as the offender or the person to be
feared - but rather see them as vulnerable and someone who
wants to be understood."
—
Noor Javed
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