Featured Nonfiction for Muslim American Heritage Month
Feminism in Islam
Many in the West regard feminism and Islam as a contradiction in terms. However, this is a grave misconception as Margot Badran illustrates in this career-spanning collection of influential essays. Born of over three decades of work, Feminism in Islam traces the history and interaction of both secular and Islamic feminisms in Muslim societies since the nineteenth century.
Islam and the Future of Tolerance
In this dialogue between a famous atheist and a former radical, Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz invite you to join an urgently needed conversation: Is Islam a religion of peace or war? Is it amenable to reform? Why do so many Muslims seem drawn to extremism? The authors demonstrate how two people with very different views can find common ground.
Muslim Prayer in American Life
Ebook, available online
Muslims are required by their faith to perform prayers five times a day, preceded by a cleansing ritual and followed by physical prostrations facing Mecca. In a society not always understanding or accepting of these practices, how do Muslims navigate this ritualistic obligation? In this book, Rose Aslan seeks to answer this question and explores the complexities of maintaining devout Islamic rituals in post-9/11 America.
A quiet revolution : the veil's resurgence, from the Middle East to America
In this insightful and often surprising analysis, Harvard University professor Leila Ahmed describes the adoption of hijab (the practice of wearing head coverings and other concealing garments in public) as a “quiet revolution” among Muslim women. Ahmed intertwines her observations as a scholar of feminism and Islam with her own history growing up in a mid-twentieth-century family in Egypt, adding nuance and complexity to Americans’ understanding of the recent resurgence of hijab.
We Too Sing America
Many of us can recall the targeting of South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh people in the wake of 9/11. We may be less aware, however, of the ongoing racism directed against these groups in the past decade and a half. In We Too Sing America, nationally renowned activist Deepa Iyer catalogs recent racial flashpoints, from the 2012 massacre at the Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, to the violent opposition to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and to the Park 51 Community Center in Lower Manhattan. Iyer asks whether hate crimes should be considered domestic terrorism and explores the role of the state in perpetuating racism through detentions, national registration programs, police profiling, and constant surveillance.
Arabs and Muslims in the Media
After 9/11, there was an increase in both the incidence of hate crimes and government policies that targeted Arabs and Muslims and the proliferation of sympathetic portrayals of Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. media. Arabs and Muslims in the Media examines this paradox.
Islamic arts
“Islamic Art” is a tricky label. While it does refer to art created and used in Muslim rituals and practices, it also encompasses a wide range of art that has no religious significance, but is made by and for people who once lived, or who now live, in Muslim-majority societies. This survey of Islamic Arts is an excellent introduction and overview of the subject, covering twelve centuries and a wide range of artistic and architectural genres and styles.
Islam and the Arab Awakening
One of the most important developments in the modern history of the Middle East, the so-called Arab Spring began in Tunisia in December 2010, bringing down dictators, sparking a civil war in Libya, and igniting a bloody uprising in Syria. Its long-term repercussions in Egypt and elsewhere remain unclear. In this book, the author explores the uprisings, offering rare insight into their origin, significance, and possible futures.
The Complete Persepolis
Persepolis is the story of Marjane Satrapi's childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming -- both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland.
The art of Hajj
In the Qur’an, Muslims are instructed that at least once in their lives they must take part in the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the spiritual center of the Islamic world. Over the centuries, artists, craftspeople, and others have found innumerable ways to articulate the experience, from calligraphy to decorative tiles and textiles, even scientific instruments, maps, and metalwork.
The butterfly mosque
The Butterfly Mosque is the memoir of an American woman raised in a secular family who discovers the value of religion during her travels. Interested in history, art, and literature, G. Willow Wilson takes a teaching job in Cairo. She meets the sincere young friend of a friend assigned to show her the ropes in the city—a highly unconventional relationship that turns into love and marriage. The book follows her encounter with Egyptian society and with her own spirituality as she converts to Islam, and about her developing relationship with her husband's family.
Acts of faith : the story of an American Muslim, the struggle for the soul of a generation
In this memoir, Eboo Patel relates his journey to faith-based activism with American youth. Patel, a native of the Chicago area who was born of Indian immigrants and raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, recounts the challenges he faced straddling multiple worlds, making the case that religion can play a constructive role in young people’s lives.
The Columbia sourcebook of Muslims in the United States
The primary sources that make up this collection are arranged chronologically: from the early nineteenth century to World War I; from World War I to 1965; from 1965 to September 11, 2001; and from 9/11 to the present. More than fifty excerpts from personal accounts, books, songs, poems, and institutional documents by and about Muslims give the reader unparalleled access to the stories and views of Muslims in the United States and the larger society’s responses to their presence.
Young Muslim America: Faith, Community and Belonging
Ebook, Available Online
Young Muslim America explores the perspectives and identities of the American descendants of immigrant Muslims and converts to Islam. Whether their parents were new Muslims or new Americans, the younger generations of Muslim Americans grow up bearing a dual heritage and are uniquely positioned to expound the meaning of both. In this ethnographic study, Muna Ali explores the role of young Muslim Americans within America and the ummah through four dominant narratives that emerge from discussions about and among Muslims.
That Can Be Arranged
Ebook, Available Online
Chaperones, suitors, and arranged marriages aren't only reserved for the heroines of a Jane Austen novel. They're just another walk in the park for this leading lady, who is on a mission to find her leading lad. From the brilliant comics Yes, I'm Hot in This, Huda Fahmy tells the hilarious story of how she met and married her husband. Navigating mismatched suitors, gossiping aunties, and societal expectations for Muslim women, That Can Be Arranged deftly and hilariously reveals to readers what it can be like to find a husband as an observant Muslim woman in the twenty-first century. So relevant in today's evolving cultural climate, Fahmy's story offers a perceptive and personal glimpse into the sometimes sticky but ultimately rewarding balance of independent choice and tradition.
Featured Fiction by Muslim Authors
Girls of Riyadh
The tale of four young women university students from Riyadh follows their struggles to navigate the precarious paths between desire, fulfillment, and Islamic tradition while witnessing how the Arab world is being changed by new economic and political realities.
The Black Book
Galip is a lawyer living in Istanbul. His wife, the detective-novel-loving Rüya, has disappeared. Could she have left him for her ex-husband, Celâl, a popular newspaper columnist? But Celâl, too, seems to have vanished. As Galip investigates, he finds himself assuming the enviable Celâl's identity, wearing his clothes, answering his phone calls, even writing his columns. With its cascade of beguiling stories about Istanbul, The Black Book is a brilliantly unconventional mystery, and a provocative meditation on identity.
Broken Verses
In Broken Verses, Kamila Shamsie beautifully captures the promise of Pakistan and the country’s divisive political reality. Told through the eyes of a young television journalist working in the flourishing seaport of Karachi, the novel traces one family’s incredible experience of Pakistan from the 1970s to the present.
All My Rage
From one of today's most cherished and bestselling young adult authors comes a breathtaking novel of young love, old regrets, and forgiveness--one that's both tragic and poignant in its tender ferocity.
Dinarzad's Children
Ebook, available online
Here are stories that reveal the initial adjustments of immigrants, the challenges of forming relationships, the political nuances of being Arab American, the vision directed towards homeland, and the ongoing search for balance and identity.
New Moons: Contemporary Writing by North American Muslims
Ebook, available online
"The goal with this anthology is to represent that full range of contemporary expressions of Islam, as well as a full range of genres-poetry, fiction, essay, memoir, political writing, cultural writing, and of course plenty of texts which mix and match and blur all of these modes...The Muslim community is plural and contradictory. This collection of voices ought to be symphony and cacophony at once, like the body of Muslims as they are today." -Kazim Ali
Season of Migration to the North
After years of study in Europe, the young narrator returns to his village along the Nile in the Sudan. It is the 1960s, and he is eager to make a contribution to the new postcolonial life of his country. Back home, he discovers a stranger among the familiar faces of childhood--the enigmatic Mustafa Sa'eed. Mustafa takes the young man into his confidence, telling him the story of his own years in London, of his brilliant career as an economist, and of the series of fraught and deadly relationships with European women that led to a terrible public reckoning and his return to his native land.
Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery
In Egypt, a Muslim on the run from a family feud seeks refuge in a Christian monastery. The novel traces the abrasive relationship between him and the monks.
The Yacoubian Building
The lives of the inhabitants of an apartment building in downtown Cairo intertwine as the destinies of a fading aristocrat, voluptuous siren, devout doorman, secretly-gay editor, roof-squatting tailor, and corrupt politician come together.
Woman at Point Zero
Nawal El Saadawi's highly acclaimed feminist novel, Woman at Point Zero, follows the life of Firdaus, an Egyptian peasant girl, from her childhood of incomprehensible cruelty and neglect to her end in a grimy Cairo prison cell. From her earliest memories, Firdaus suffered at the hands of men--first her abusive father, then her violent, much older husband, to finally her deceitful boyfriend-turned-pimp. After a lifetime of abuse, she at last takes drastic action against the males ruling her life.
Once upon an Eid
Ebook, Available Online
A collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy.
The Sound of Language
In this luminous story of bravery, tradition, and the power of language, an Afghan woman and Danish widower form an unexpected alliance. Escaping the turmoil and heartbreak of war-torn Kabul, Raihana settles with distant relatives in the strange, cold, damp country of Denmark. Homesick and heartbroken, Raihana bravely attempts to start a new life, trying hard not to ponder the fate of her husband, who was taken prisoner by the Taliban and never heard from again.
Children's and YA Titles for Muslim American Heritage Month
Indamā duqqā al-bāb / When there was a knock on the door
Riham helps her mother make colorful lanterns to decorate the house in celebration of the coming holy month of Ramadan. But suddenly the power supply fails, and they hear the sound of a knock on the door. Who is out there?
Man khaba kharūf al-ʻĪd
Grandmother Fatoum tells her grandchildren how as a child she got attached to the Eid lamb. The story is retold in flashback and set in a Palestinian village.
Deep in the Sahara
In Mauritania, West Africa, an Arab girl who wants to wear a malafa, the veiled dress worn by her mother and older sister, learns that the garment represents beauty, mystery, tradition, belonging, and faith.
Golden domes and silver lanterns : a Muslim book of colors
In simple rhyming text a young Muslim girl and her family guide the reader through the traditions and colors of Islam.
Does My Head Look Big in This?
Year Eleven at an exclusive prep school in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, would be tough enough, but it is further complicated for Amal when she decides to wear the hijab full-time as a badge of her faith--without losing her identity or sense of style.
Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World
An illustrated exploration into the lives of 13 influential Muslim women who have left a lasting impact on history, including religious, literary, humanitarian and political figures.
A game for swallows : to die, to leave, to return
Living in the midst of civil war in Beirut, Lebanon, Zeina and her brother face an evening of apprehension when their parents do not return from a visit to the other side of the city.
Time to Pray
On the first night of Yasmin's visit with her grandmother, she's wakened by the muezzin at the nearby mosque calling the faithful to prayer. A visit with Grandmother is always special, but this time it is even more so. Her grandmother makes Yasmin prayer clothes, buys her a prayer rug, and teaches her the five prayers that Muslims perform over the course of a day.
The shadows of Ghadames
In the Libyan City of Ghadames, Malika watches her merchant father depart on one of his caravan expeditions. She too yearns to travel to distant cities, and longs to learn to read like her younger brother. But nearly 12 years old, and soon to be of marriagable age, Malika knows that—like all Muslim women—she must be content with a more secluded, more limited life. Then one night a stranger enters her home . . . someone who disrupts the traditional order of things—and who affects Malika in unexpected ways.
Our Favorite Day of the Year
Four kindergartners who think they have nothing in common become friends after sharing traditions of their holidays, including Eid-ul-Fitr, Rosh Hashanah, Christmas, and Pi Day.
Habibi
When fourteen-year-old Liyanne Abboud, her younger brother, and her parents move from St. Louis to a new home between Jerusalem and the Palestinian village where her father was born, they face many changes and must deal with the tensions between Jews and Palestinians.
My name was Hussein
Although they have kept their Islamic traditions living in their Bulgarian village for many generations, when an army takes over their village, a Muslim boy and his family are forced to take Christian names.
The Genius of Islam
Examines the influence of Islamic culture on our music, books, language, clothes, science, and more.
The Gift of Ramadan
Sophie tries to fast for Ramadan for the first time, but her grumbling stomach and her little brother's cookies are too much and she must find a different way to celebrate.
My name is Bilal
When Bilal and his sister transfer to a school where they are the only Muslims, they must learn how to fit in while staying true to their beliefs and heritage.
Amira's Picture Day
Amira is excited because tomorrow is Eid with special clothes, treats, gifts, and a morning party at her mosque; but then she realizes that she is going to miss class picture day at school, something she was also looking forward to--so Amira has to figure out a way to be in two places at once.
Tasting the Sky
In this groundbreaking memoir set in Ramallah during the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War, Ibtisam Barakat captures what it is like to be a child whose world is shattered by war. Transcending the particulars of politics, this illuminating and timely book provides a telling glimpse into a little-known culture that has become an increasingly important part of the puzzle of world peace.
Growing up Muslim
A comprehensive introduction to one of the world's major religions and its everyday context in Muslim life in America.
Samīrah fī al-ʻĪd = Samira's Eid
Today is the festival of Eid. The sighting of the new moon starts a day of celebration for Samira and her family. The Ramadan fast is over and now it is time for prayers and presents. But who is the surprise visitor with a story to tell?
The Camel in the Sun
Inspired by the retelling of a traditional Muslim hadith, an account of the words or actions of the Prophet, which the author first heard in Sri Lanka, this is an unforgettable story about empathy.
Rashad's Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr
Ebook, Available Online
For Muslims, Ramadan is a time for fasting, prayer, and thinking of others. Rashad tries to be good all month. When it's time for Eid al-Fitr, he feasts and plays! Find out how people celebrate this special time of year.
Beautifully Me
Zubi, a happy Bangladeshi girl, is excited about her first day of school, but at breakfast she is puzzled by her mother and older sister worrying about being "too big," and even at school she hears other people criticizing each other's bodies, and she starts to worry that maybe something is wrong with how she looks--until her declaration at dinner that she is on a diet makes her family realize what they have been doing wrong.
Alif the Unseen
Crayola ® Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr Colors
Ebook, Available Online
Brown dates, the pale white moon, the yellow glow of lanterns--colors are everywhere during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr! Celebrate the culture and customs of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr by learning about the holiday's colors.
Piece by Piece: the Story of Nisrin's Hijab
Ebook, Available Online
In this middle-grade graphic novel, Nisrin will have to rely on faith, friends, and family to help her recover after she is the target of a hate crime. Nisrin is a 13-year-old Bangladeshi-American girl living in Milwaukie, Oregon, in 2002. As she nears the end of eighth grade, she gives a presentation for World Culture Day about Bangladesh while wearing a traditional cultural dress. On her way home, she is the victim of a hate crime when a man violently attacks her for wearing a headscarf. Piece by Piece is an original graphic novel about growing up and choosing your own path, even if it leads you to a different place than you expected.
