My Stance

This is a delicate time we are living in. One that is fearful and suspicious of anything Middle Eastern or Islamic. It is hard to turn on the news without seeing images of violent protesting crowds or shell shocked cities in that part of the world. These images are concerning to everyone. The obvious decision is to stay away from the subject because of the growing intensity that is surrounding the Middle East. However, this behavior does not make the situation any better. When someone has a fear for something, a psychiatrist will advise them to face their fear to get over it. When you understand something, inside and out, knowing all its complexities, then the fear goes away. When the truth comes to the surface, it becomes second nature to question your whole belief system and everything you have ever been afraid of. Many students, like myself, have grown up being told stories of the horrors that occur in the Middle East through the media. As a young child, 9/11 did not effect me as much as it bewildered me. Who could want to attack my country? Why would people who live hundreds of thousands of miles away want to destroy me and my family? Fear is rooted in misunderstanding. I believed what I was told because I did not know any better. I listened to and absorbed the fear of those around me. As I grew up the fear that was instilled in me as a child, made less and less sense. I had met many people from the Middle East, and they did not want to hurt me or my family. The exact opposite actually. They were friendly and inviting. I could not understand how these kind and generous people could be the same as those I saw on TV and heard about from my grandparents. It did not add up. The first step to rationalizing one's fear is to face it and embrace it. Through this class I have gained an understanding of the Islamic culture that I never imagined I would. When I selected this class, I had every intention of learning something new about the culture that I knew nothing about except the violence I saw on TV. This class has shown me that the perception we have of the Middle East in the US, was created by our own imaginations. The hyper-exoticized stereotype was created as fictional pleasure and adventure by Europeans, who had not even traveled to that part of the world. The identity constructed by the Muslim people is rich in history and beauty. Their art speaks for itself. The intricate and delicate designs displays patience and knowledge of what is beautiful. Their art is more than pretty geometric designs, it is a goal. They surround themselves with beautiful things to keep their minds set toward paradise, peace, and harmony. This is the image of Muslim peoples we should try to understand; not the big-nosed, greedy tyrant wielding a scimitar, holding a half-naked belly dancer hostage for gold and riches. If Americans could see through the image they created of Middle Eastern people, then they would begin to appreciate the culture.

Christians faced outward and joined hands in a circle to protect a Muslim group of protesters as they prayed in Egypt

This is what this class has taught me: to look past the veil the media has held over Islam my entire life. I want to know the entire story, rather than America's side. I want to know more about the decisions that are made by everyday people that follow Islam. This class has made me want to stand up for Muslims and say, “Enough is enough”. I am more inclined to ignore the media's representation of the Middle East and read what I can about the truth, without slants or bias. This class has given me a new stance to take when it comes to the treatment of Muslims around the world. When there is something you do not understand, you should try to learn everything you can about it before you draw conclusions. I have certainly learned a lot about the Islamic cultures around the world, and I am not stopping. I hope to take more classes about the history of Islam and want to travel to the Middle East or Southeast Asia to experience the culture hands-on. This class has made me hungry to learn more about the people that have fought so hard against the negative image the media shows and remain proud of who they are. It has made me want to stand with them.

Covered Girls

This is a twenty minute documentary that shows what life is like for a typical Muslim girl living in America. This documentary is incredible because it shows just how unique each girl is, despite the common misconception that every Muslim girl is the same because they choose to act a certain way. True enough, every girl the documentary shows is devout in her faith, but each girl expresses that faith differently. One girl raps about her beliefs, another lives out her faith through outreach programs like her woman's basketball league. The girls are just like any other teenagers you would meet. They care about how they look and how their outfits match. One girl talked about a "bad hijab" day being like a bad hair day when her hijab doesn't look the way she wants it to. They shop and giggle and tease each other like any ordinary teenagers. When the subject of 9/11 comes up, the girls all reply with similar answers along the lines of disapproval and disgust for unacceptable behavior towards them because they are Muslim. They are American girls who just happen to be Islamic. They identify more closely with American ideal than Arabic even though that is their lineage. They have regional accents and have Western ideas about society, they just wear hijab and have Islamic beliefs. The film shows just how American Islam can be.

Watch the Documentary

Post 9/11 discussion

After the class yesterday, I watched this Family Guy episode. While the main goal of the show is to be funny, there are some pretty interesting things said in this episode. Let me know how this makes you feel, especially after class yesterday.


Also, here's another blog that discusses what we were talking about in regards to the Patriot Act.  This guy, Bruce Maulden really has some anger towards the current treatment of US Muslims, but if you can see past the rage, he has some good points to be made about our government's attitudes on freedoms.
Compatible Creatures-War & Politics & Life

Can Islam be French?

I think this clip from the movie Paris je t'aime shows that it is possible for the two worlds to come together, even fall in love.

Any two worlds can collide with respect, tolerance, and understanding.

Note:  Sorry the subtitles are not in English, but I'm sure you get what is going on without English translation, if not just ask, I am happy to explain any confusion.

"Integrating Ireland’s Muslims: Attitudes of Muslim and Irish Elites towards Value Compatibility and the Mainstreaming of Islam"

--Alice C. Ciciora

In this article, the question of whether Islam can mesh with Western society in Ireland is raised. This question has been put forth in many other articles I have read thus far. The reason it is a question at the front of everyone's mind is because of the strain it creates on people's lives: both non-Muslims and Muslims. In Ireland, there is no state religion, but the Catholic church remains a prominent force in the lives of the Irish people. The two religions see different sides of the story. The Catholic church does not believe the Islamic faith to be compatible with Western values so it should not be integrated into mainstream society. The Muslims elites in Ireland feel the exact opposite. While reading this article, I realized that it does not matter who is right in this situation. What matters is that the Islamic people are once again being told to abandon their lifestyle in order to blend in with Western society. It is the Western states who are in constant opposition with the Islamic faith, and for what reason? The Muslim peoples have existed in Europe for hundreds of years, yet there is still no acceptance of them or their religion. Why do Western states feel threatened by Islam? I have made the point that this religion is that of peace and harmony several times in my blog. I feel like it cannot be stressed enough. If the West feels threatened, maybe our values are the ones that need changing. Maybe the reason our two value systems do not mesh well is because we make it overly difficult to be compatible. Just because you accept a religion that may be different from another, does not make the other evil and that especially does not mean you cannot live together in the same world. It is fear that separates us, nothing else.

"Minarets on the Skyline: the culture of the Muslim community"

This article by Ilyas Ba-Yunus and Kassim Kone describes and compares how Muslims in American cities live. The article goes into great detail about the different Muslim communities found in different cities across the US. They are all, for the most part, happily engaging with American lifestyles while also maintaining their religious devotion that shows their sense of community bonding among their fellow Muslims in their neighborhoods. The communities might not all look the same or consist of the same geographically affiliated Muslims, but the sense of belonging remains the same. The most important thing to the people living in these cities, is their devotion to their faith, so their community helps them stick to that by surrounding them with like-minded people with the same devotion. The point of the community is to create a pure Muslim environment that encourages strong faith. That being said, these communities are not exclusive, but they are for the most part filled with Muslims. This kind of environment is conducive to healthy religion and interaction with those who are outside this community of believers.

Brooklyn, NY

American Islam

The article "Managing 'American Islam'" by Mitra Rastegar discusses how the Islamic faith is treated in the US post 9-11 and how it has changed and adapted to suit its current wartime environment. Rastegar makes the point early on in the article that the United States has always been known as the country of freedom of religion that accepts any faith. This point is vital to the entire basis of this American Islam. The country that claims such an inviting atmosphere for religious tolerance should live up to that expectation, regardless of the circumstances. However, because of the intense situation with the war on terror created by the Bush administration, the United States has become more involved in discovering the "true" Islam, free of oppressive radicals and filled with patriotism and feminism. In a way, the US is reforming Islam. Rastegar quotes President Bush saying, "This enemy falsely claims that America is at war with Muslims and the Muslim
faith, when in fact it is these radicals who are Islam’s true enemy . . . We must help millions of Muslims as they rescue a proud and historic religion from murderers and beheaders who seek to soil the name of Islam." This quote, when analyzed by Rastegar, shows that Bush is suggesting there are two forms of Islam: the bad and the true. Guess which one is allowed in America? When it comes down to it, the US isn't supporting anything but its own interests. If you weed out the bad Muslims who do not believe what the US finds to be complying with the "true" Islam, then you weed out those who could be dangerous radicals out to destroy the country. "American" Islam means government approved Islam.

Islamic Activism in South Asia

Reading: "Talking jihad and piety: Reformist exertions among Islamist women in Bengladesh" by Maimuna Huq

When the word "jihad" is mentioned, images of violent suicide bombers and flag burning protesters in the Middle East come to mind, because I am an American who has been shown these images which are correlated by the media. Of course, violence is part of jihad, but this article also brings to light the other side of activism occurring in South Asia by groups of women. Jihad literally means "struggle, exertion, or striving". The women practicing this non-violent jihad are part of a highly organized "religio-socio-political" movement known as the BICS [Bangladesh Islami Chatri Sangstha] made up of young students. Their movement is in response to the perception that local and global communities are increasingly wracked by violence, injustice and oppression. These women believe that by deploying scripturally referenced emphasis on social justice offering a systematic path to peace and success in both this world and the hereafter. This movement is not large, but their goals and ways of reaching those goals are to be admired and encouraged. The main concern for their movement is a religious revival. Not all Muslims who want this are violent. Many believe that violence only gives way to more violence. There are peaceful tactics, and these women are doing their best to practice those, and encourage others to do so.

Cheating on Ramadan

The article "Significance of Eating During Ramadan" discusses how food is eaten and exchanged in a village in Java during the month of Ramadan. According  to the author, Jorgen Hellman, eating is complex in Java because it is very private. Even in a group where eating would be a social thing, people eat as if they are alone, excusing themselves from those around them to eat without stopping to make casual or polite conversation. This is a challenge to the Islamic tradition during Ramadan, where eating is to be a very social act including fellowship and conversation. In Java, it seemed to me that the Muslims practicing Ramadan have adapted it to fit their lives and local customs too much. For instance, the majority of people who live in the village in Java work in agriculture or construction which are very taxing jobs that require a lot of energy. Many people break their fast during the day because of their jobs, or overly stuff themselves during the morning meal to make it through the day. This is contrary to the typical practices, where fasting is to be an act of religious piety by resisting temptation and focusing on purity.

Indonesian Cuisine

I noticed the ways the people in the village have adapted the rules of Ramadan to fit their lifestyles is kind of a way of cheating. If Ramadan is about realizing one's faith through fasting as the prophet did, then by breaking it because of regional practices or economic stances makes the effort meaningless. I'm not trying to say that these people are "bad Muslims", but the issue is pushing the limits of what is religiously accurate and what is fake. Ramadan is an all or nothing activity, I see no room for a middle ground.

Women of Hezbollah

This film explores the reasons why women in Lebanon support and even encourage their husbands and sons to participate in radical behavior, or as we Americans know it: jihad.  In these Muslim families, the women play the "Islamization" role in socializing the children to adhere to Islamic ideology. Through their example, mothers teach their children to be good Muslims and good citizens. For the women in Lebanon, that means they are loyal to Hezbollah because it is their duty to God. For these women, being involved with the radical organization means justice for the crimes committed by the Israelis. One woman in the film explained that because she was forced into a marriage where she was basically enslaved, she feels the parallel in her country as it is enslaved by another force; to her, it only makes sense to rebel and encourage others to rebel, no matter the cost. Interestingly enough, the cost is the lives of those they love most. The women feel that if they make this kind of sacrifice, by letting their husbands and sons offer themselves as martyrs for Islam, they will be rewarded by God in heaven, and dignified on Earth as a martyr's mother. Many women were born into the war between Israel and Palestine and the indifference towards Arabs, which has in a way only perpetuated the hatred and violence. There is a question of nature vs. nurture in this film, that is answered with the terrifying images of children parading as soldiers, learning to march and hold guns; and the banners with the images of martyrs on every street post. When this kind of encouragement is found in everyday life, it is only natural to become apart of it. If violence is all you know, then how can you ever understand peace. The perpetual violence is the Israeli's fault as well as the Lebanese government. These women do no really want their loved ones to die, but they want their freedom more. Hezbollah is more complicated than crazed radical suicide bombers. It goes deeper than that. When the core of your entire life is based on revenge, how else can you live?

Inside Mecca

This film follows three Muslims on their journey during Hajj. I their displays of faith to be very inspirational and beautiful. The film follows an American woman, a South African man, and a Southeast Asian man and his wife on their spiritual journeys, each hoping to be changed by this experience. I was only a viewer, but seeing their experiences moved me. It was interesting to see the American woman story because it was easy to understand her struggle with acceptance by her fellow Muslims because, after all, she is a white woman on a sacred pilgrimage done exclusively by Muslims. It was amazing to see that this experience made her feel more welcome and part of the community. The South African man struggled with acceptance as well, but not because he did not look like he belonged, but because he was black. I never thought that racism could exist in that part of the world, where everyone has darker skin. The Hajj is about equality, so the man felt a kind of acceptance that he never received at home. It brought him so much happiness and changed his outlook. The Southeast Asian man came to find his spirituality that had been replaced with materialism. As a wealthy man, there is little he lacks, but through his pilgrimage he finds himself humbled and brought closer to God in a way he had wanted for a long time. Each person in this film found some missing part of themselves through their spiritual journey. Each of them are forever changed by it and will carry it for the rest of their lives. It was incredible to see happen.

Fear and Loathing in the Middle East

I am currently reading the article " Islamic Resistance in Palistine: Hamas, the Gaza War and the Future of Political Islam" by Dr. Seif Da’na, and I'm learning about how these wars [uprisings or coups] have changed the Middle East and how the outside world is reacting to all this. As an American, I have seen coverage of the various violent acts in that part of the world my entire life, and the basic message I have always received is that they have no clue what they want, but they are willing to die to get it. The way the world defines the Middle East is by these wars. Anytime someone mentions the Middle East, immediately images of suicide bombings and neighborhoods as war zones enter the imagination. Violence has become synonymous with Islam. Dr. Da'na argues in this article, this violence is linked to colonization. Da'na explains that the constant colonization of the Middle East has led to a basic breakdown of the Arab civilization which then leads to the need to reclaim the missing pieces of the puzzle, usually through violence. Unfortunately, these violent acts have the opposite effect and only lead to further intervention by outsiders. It's a self-perpetuating cycle. The "new Islam", is trying to put an end to this by "reinventing" Islam in order to generate a more peaceful interaction between the Western world and the Middle East. Da'na argues that this shift is toward a more liberal, more secularized Islam that is based on a decline in state intervention, specifically in the economy, and by combining nationalism and religion.
To me, this means that the Islamic world is trying to redefine themselves with Western guidelines in mind, while still trying to stay true to their religious roots. Islam has always been a dynamic religion that is able to bend, shift, and change to adapt to the current cultural surroundings easily. While this reinvention may mean less violence in the Middle East, it also means conforming to popular trends. The kind of rich culture found in the Middle East is something to be envied by our empty consumer culture in the West. If colonization created the problems in the Middle East, then the real solution should be for outsiders to back off, not have an ancient culture redefine themselves to mesh with what is popular. It would be nice for the violence in the Middle East to end, but it can only stop if we recognize who is really at fault and who really needs a make-over.

Hajj is Happiness, Hajj is Harmony

The article "Estimating the Impact of the Hajj" written by David Clingsmith, Asim Ijaz Khwaja, and Michael Kremer explains how making a pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj) evokes change among Muslims. According to their research, Hajjis (Muslims who make this pilgrimage) feel a stronger sense of unity within Islam and are more willing to accept non-Muslims because of a heightened sense of peace and harmony they gain because of their participation in the Hajj. The Hajj has a positive impact on their viewpoints concerning many other issues such as treatment of women, equality, and ethnic sects within Islam because of their exposure and interaction with other Hajjis from around the world.

My question is, if this is all true, why are non-Muslims against the Hajj? To answer my own question, it is because many outside the Muslim community see the media's portrayal of this gathering of orthodox believers as a radical potluck, serving up hatred and violence. Non-Muslims are afraid of increased antipathy amongst Hajjis when, in actuality, those who participate in this pilgrimage are more willing to accept non-Muslims because of the involvement in peaceful activities associated with equalizing and harmonizing their religious group. When the Baptists have a religious convention, no one believes they are forming to stir up violence within their congregation toward a group opposite them. Those who are religious and deeply involved with their fellow believers find an opportunity to gather together in a time of fellowship spiritually lifting and cleansing. It is comforting to be among those who believe what you believe, as well as a learning experience. Hajjis are no different. Through their experience, they gain a type of uplifting charge that gives them a more positive outlook on the world that they can carry with them throughout life. Hajj should be encouraged, not repressed. Without this kind of peaceful gathering, you encourage the concentration of localized practices and beliefs that often lead to small radical groups with violent tendencies. If the world is so concerned with violence spreading in the Middle East amongst Muslims, then the Hajj should be encouraged and shown through the positive scope that displays the kind of harmony and peace actually being practiced.

Vicissitudes

noun: successive, alternating, or changing phases or conditions, as of life or fortune; ups and downs

This word is used in the introductory paragraph of the article "Indigenous Australia's Pilgrimage to Islam" by Peter Stephenson, which describes how the indigenous population of Australia is shifting towards the Islamic faith in order to get back in touch with their precolonial roots. The word "vicissitude" jumped out at me because, firstly, I had no idea what it meant. Then, once I looked it up, I realized what an amazing word it is. This one word describes culture, to and through every way it affects life: religiously, politically, linguistically. These peoples are trying to disassociate themselves with everything negative colonization brought to their culture by embracing another. Islam appeals to the Aboriginal peoples because it is not a major political power that tried to suppress their indigenous culture, but a lifestyle that has co-existed in Australia for nearly 300 years. The Aboriginal and Muslim peoples have intermarried without one or the other needing to bend or comply with any standard. This kind of harmony is appealing to anyone, especially the peoples who have been under pressure to mesh with Western society for hundreds of years. The Aborigines and the Muslims have faced the same pressures to conform to the images of the Western world, so it only makes sense that they get along so well. Each knows the struggle and the hardships that has come along with colonization. This kind of understanding naturally leads to friendship, kinship, and eventual mixing of the two cultures in one way or another. It is the kind of mutual understanding of each other that the West should try to conform to, not force its views of "normalcy" upon. 

If I were a traveler...

Response to "Sharia-compliant hotels" by Joan C. Henderson

Sharia-compliant hotels are simply hotels that cater to the specific needs of Muslims. These hotels aid in the Islamic tourist's religious experience by regulating dress codes, food options, gender integration, alcohol availability, and by incorporating prayer rugs and arrows pointing to Mecca in every room. The purpose of these hotels is to accommodate Muslims as they travel by providing a place where they can stay without fear of straying from their religious path. These hotels have also tried to appeal to the non-Muslim by offering a unique cultural experience with a "quieter and cleaner ambiance". If I were to travel to the Middle East, where these hotels are most common, I would choose to stay in one. The experience they offer is so close to submersion into the Islamic culture, which would be extremely appealing to a traveler . These hotels aim at a Muslim demographic; however, a hotel cannot survive on such a limited income. The non-Muslims that would be interested in a hotel like this, would be those who have an interest in the Islamic lifestyle and that want to be involved in it directly, even to the point that they are driven out of their comfort zone to adapt to a different standard of living. Luckily, these are the types of people who travel to the Middle East by their own will. It would be amazing to live as a member of the Muslim community while remaining individual and somewhat separate from other people. The environment that a Sharia-compliant hotel offers is that of peace and serenity because it is associated with a religion that revolves around the concept of paradise. This is the image that every hotel in the world tries to project. The negativity that surrounds a Sharia-compliant hotel is related to the negativity that surrounds the entire Middle East. But because those who willingly travel to the region are interested in the Islamic culture, the Sharia-compliant hotels will be successful by providing a religious experience to Muslims and a culturally saturated experience to non-Muslims.

sharia-compliant hotel, UAE

Teaching Islam

Academic Article Review: "Teaching Islam: a look inside an Islamic school in Malaysia", by Lihanna Borhan

This article explores what qualifies a preschool as an Islamic school versus a secular school. In Malaysia, the schools are funded largely by the private sector and non-governmental organizations, so the curriculum of the school is directly associated with its sponsor's beliefs as to how a child should be educated. Although the schools are required to teach the children under specific guidelines of the national preschool curriculum such as science and math, each school may choose to add to this curriculum to suit their community's religious philosophy such as learning to read the Quran, praying, and local mannerisms or customs. Borhan expresses that because Islam is the declared national religion, each school in Malaysia must have some Islamic studies involved in the curriculum of the class, it is the focus on the religion in the majority of what is taught at a school that makes it an Islamic school. In the same way that in the US, Catholic schools integrate Christian Catholicism into the every day lives of the students, the Islamic schools attempt to integrate Islamic teaching into the everyday language and everyday learning of the children. Parents send their children to the religiously affiliated preschools in the hope of incorporating the respective religious values in their young children.
The article described in detail the typical day of a child in the Islamic school, which to me, did not seem very different than the preschool I attended as a child. The children in Malaysia receive a similar form of education that the children across the world receive. The reason these religious schools have such negative connotations is because they are associated with the only form of Islamic schooling we in the US know of: extremist madrasas. Borhan shows through her dissection of an Islamic school that the lives of children across the world are so similar, we are only divided by thin veils created by regional customs. Borhan states in her conclusion that "in general, by going to this Islamic preschool the children learned to develop
various skills and knowledge that were mandated by the national preschool curriculum in an environment which was steeped in Islamic values. What the school attempted to do was to make the boundary between ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ education disappear. And, perhaps more importantly, the school made the children feel that learning was not a chore (p 12)."
This approach to teaching is found in schools across the US. By integrating fun aspects like songs, folktales, and other regional customs, the children not only learn their heritage, they learn what is necessary to continue on an academic path. Religious schools do not have to be synonymous with extremism. It is as easy to understand as looking in a mirror. If put under the microscope, our preschools in the US do exactly what the Islamic schools do: teach the children under academic requirements through the use of songs and story in order to incorporate morality in their primary education. This article not only closely examines Islamic preschools, it allows the reader a broad understanding of education worldwide.


Source:
Borhan, Lihanna. "Teaching Islam: a look inside an Islamic school in Malaysia". Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, Volume 5, p 1-13, Number 3, 2004.

Mark Meehan and the Institute of Traditional Islamic Art and Architecture

Mark Meehan has some incredible views of Islamic art, many of which have never been brought out to be examined. He opened his lecture with the quote "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty", which entirely encompasses the meaning behind traditional Islamic art. When you are a Muslim, your entire goal in life is to be like Allah and reflect him in your lifestyle. If Allah loves beauty, then you should also love beauty, and try to surround yourself with it. This religion and culture not only justifies the use of beauty it endorses it 100%. When a society is as obsessed with beauty and filling the world with it, how can that society be anything but beautiful itself? The kind of perfection achieved in Islamic art through geometry is simply outstanding. The dedication and patience it requires is something to be praised, not questioned. We can learn something about life through their art. To them, art is a reflection of the soul. The more beautiful and magnificent, the more peaceful the person. Americans can take away something from this. How is it possible to generate hostility against something like this?

Heavy Metal in Baghdad

This film is the best view of the Iraqi common people I have ever seen. Throughout the film, you see how the war has changed the lives of young people in Iraq in such an in-your-face sort of way. Wars are seen from two viewpoints: the oppressors and the heroes. Never before do you see how the lives of every day normal people are changed by what is going on around them. These young men are searching for freedom away from their homes and families, hoping to find new lives. This is much easier said than done, obviously, as they struggle with guilt and remorse for leaving their homeland behind. They have such a passion for their music and for each other that makes them so relatable, so similar to the twenty year-olds in America, that the veil the media has placed over these Middle Eastern people, disintegrates quickly. You suddenly realized that Iraqis are not all extremely religious Muslims brainwashed to believe anything their government tells them. They are just as pissed off about the war, if not more so, than we are. They are tired of seeing their country laid to waste, families and friends lost to a bloody cause. Being a refugee is more than being malnourished in a camp, it is a life on the run, doing what you have to so you can stay alive, and even more importantly, happy. The dream of being a heavy metal band in Iraq is a difficult thing to realize, but the guys in the documentary are working harder to make their dreams come true because this dream is the only thing keeping them going. When everything is taken from you, you can quickly see what is the most important thing in your life. For these guys, it's getting their message across through their music.

Paradise Found

The film opened up with a very good point, is it right, in these current circumstances, to be producing a film that displays such a close and intimate view of the Islamic world? But as the movie progresses, the wonders of Islamic art speak for the truth and beauty that the media withholds from the public. "To have made this film, would have been utterly dishonest" the host says, perfectly foreshadowing what the view is about to see. The relationship between art and society has always been like the relationship between a person and a mirror. Art never lies, in the way a mirror never lies. It may not always be pretty or exactly what that society wants to see, but there is no better way of knowing the inner workings of a culture. This film was awe-inspiring. The close-ups on the amazing details of every mosque is absolutely mind blowing. The mosque is a paradise, an oasis in the desert, for those who need a place to rest and soothe their souls. The minarets are lighthouses that bring the tired close to heaven, under the domes that rise up to "dizzying heights". This film argues that "Islam gave the world its most beautiful things". And I agree.

Mosques as Metaphors

Readings:" The Architecture of Mosques in the US and Great Britain" by Biondo & “Reading Mosques- Meaning and Architecture in Islam” by Erzen

A house mosque in Redlands, California, attacked and vandilized

Omar ibn al-Khattab Mosque, Expedition, Los Angeles

Many things influence the way a mosque in a certain area will look. The beliefs of the Muslims that attend are considered as well as how the mosque will need to appear to the outside community. The decoration and facade are largely determined by balancing these two different viewpoints. The way an outside community feels towards the Islamic faith is the main concern. Most Muslims just want a place to worship peacefully and freely, so many mosques are just store fronts with no obvious connections to the faith. The more hostile a community is toward the faith, the smaller and less noticeable the mosque. Very ornate mosques are the results of acceptance throughout the outside community, as well as a large amount of funding.  Mosques vary in sizes and styles of ornamentation in the way that many Christian churches vary. The question is how are mosques metaphors?
For Biondo, mosques are an outward reflection of what lies inside. The way a mosque looks on the outside directly relates to the ideas, beliefs, and fears of a particular Muslim community. The mosque embodies the souls of those who attend.
Erzen feels that mosques more reflect the faith directly with symbols found inside through the decor. The decoration of the interior reflect peace and harmony. A mosque is to be a paradise with the presence of water or images of forests. Erzen mentions the projection of the mosque as a "heavenly theater" or a "stage for prayer". The mosques offer guidance for the community.

Each mosque is unique, like each Muslim is unique.

Points to Ponder:

• There are very few who restrict how other faiths construct their places of worship. Is it fair that non-Muslims have so much say in how a mosque will look in their community?
• Many mosques have been attacked or have not been permitted to build since 9/11. Why is this fear of the Monster Muslim related to places of peaceful worship?

Reconsidering Stereotypes: Response to Anthropology Today

This narrative begins by bringing to light a main issue in the Islamic world: modest dress. The speaker paints pictures of radical believers handing out pamphlets discussing how all good Muslims must reject Western ideas of "freedom, equality, liberation" that did nothing for women and went against their beliefs. These leaflets do not necessarily encourage wearing the headscarf or full-length, long-sleeved clothes, but insist that it is a command from Allah as if women were his slaves. This does nothing for the way the world views Islamic culture. The narrator goes on about how these radicals only enhance the hatred for the Muslim peoples of the world because this is all the media portrays. To step back and look at these radicals from an outsider's viewpoint, religion aside, they appear to be dangerous. The fact of the matter is, these people represent such a small portion of the population that, without the media's fuel, would largely go unnoticed, as many radical Christian movements in America go unnoticed. The way that the media portrays these radicals as a significant movement that most Muslims believe in and follow, it's no wonder why the world looks on the Islamic world in fright. If the media would show the truth, the reality of ordinary life in the Islamic world and faith, then perhaps these radicals would seem like less of a threat. How can we say that America is a melting pot, accepting of all cultures and traditions, if we succumb to believing such extremists are the whole embodiment of Islam?
This website offers viewers insight from Muslim voices on how wrongly they are perceived by the world. Stereotypes are created through fear and ignorance. Hopefully, as more and more Muslims speak up to the truth about their beliefs, we can become aware of how our ignorance has really created the Monster Muslim we think we know.
Muslim Voices