A Muslim on the Bridge: On Being an Iraqi-Arab Muslim in the Twenty-First Century

by Ali Shakir, علي شاكر

A memoir and meditation on faith, A Muslim on the Bridge: On Being an Iraqi-Arab Muslim in the Twenty-first Century tells a story of transformation and reflection as the author thoughtfully but pointedly deconstructs the widespread misconceptions about Islam, arguably the world’s most-misunderstood major religion. The son of a Shia father and a Sunni mother, Ali was born in Baghdad in 1969. At this time in Iraq’s history, the country had a Muslim heritage but was a secular, diverse society. Neither of Ali’s parents prayed, fasted, or visited the mosque. He and his friends grew up listening to Western pop music and watching Western films. They studied at a school established by American Jesuit priests in the early twentieth century… and Saddam Hussein’s sons Uday and Qusay were among the students in that school at the time of Ali's enrollment. The years that followed saw drastic changes in Iraq as Saddam strong-armed the country into a strict, fundamentalist application of Islam, an interpretation Ali rejects. A Muslim on the Bridge is an essential read for our times, a book that takes a close, informed, and rational look at problematic issues in Islam like polygamy, violence, divorce, homosexuality, veiled women, interfaith marriages, apostasy, and the perception of other cultures and religions.

Genres: Nonfiction

289 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2013

About the author

Iraqi-born, New Zealand-based architect and author, his articles,Iraqi-born, New Zealand-based architect and author, his articles, essays and reviews—in Arabic and English—appeared in many newspapers and literary journals in the Arab world, the UK, the United States and New Zealand

مهندس معماري ومؤلف عراقي/ نيوزلندي، ظهرت مقالاته ونصوصه النثرية ومراجعاته باللغتين العربية والإنكليزية في العديد من الصحف والمجلات والمواقع الإخبارية والدوريات الأدبية في العالم العربي، بريطانيا، الولايات المتحدة ونيوزلندا

Reviews

[Fadi زغموت · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Muslim on the Bridge is an honest account of the lives of many moderate Arabs facing the rise of radicalism in the region in the past century. As a Jordanian born for a christian family, I could relate to almost all of what Ali Shaker said in spite of him being an Iraqi Shia.

The book is written for a foreign audience, as an Arab, I found myself wanted to commend Ali and second him on everything he said. It is all right on the spot.

It is an easy and simple read, engaging and entertaining, and most importantly accurate and honest.

I love this book

[Laila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never heard of this author until a friend posted an article by him (https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/13-0...) So it come to light that he wrote this book with an intriguing title and this book actually banned in the Middle East! Well, if you're keen to read it, get it through Kindle.

Kudos to him for writing a book written with such courage, diligent, honesty and sincerity; a perspective that so rare from the Muslim world that need to be heard. It seem to me by nature, the author is a curious creature prone to deep thinking. In this book, he had so many questions about Islam, life as a Muslim and how he tried to addressed them through the course of his life which I appreciate very much indeed because most of these questions such as the application and the implementation of sharia law, human rights, gender equality, between halal and haram, morality etc, I did have back in the days when I was still a Muslim. I still have many questions come to think of it.
Before reading this book, I don't know much about what it was it like to live in Iraq under Saddam, the two wars and the brutality and limitations imposed or as a result off under Saddam. And then the American occupation and how the leadership that replaced Saddam are not much better. When your homeland is ruin and the best choice for you is to emigrate while you can, you leave and you bring with you the memories of your homeland as you remember them but only to face the challenge of building a nest of your own in a foreign land, which not necessary truly a home to many hence the title: A Muslim on the bridge.
This book deserve a sequel.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating look at a forty-something Muslim man originally from Iraq. Ali Shakir was raised in an open minded society in 1970s Iraq. When the war with Iran broke out, life there deteriorated, but as the author shows, the extremism wasn't so apparent back then. I enjoyed reading about the contrasts between the 1970s/80s and now. Each chapter is devoted to a different subject. I hadn't realized that halal eating regulations have grown stricter only recently. Ali Shakir writes with a deep understanding of his home country and with a fresh perspective.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

If we close our eyes, trying to think of an Arab Muslim, our minds would most likely illustrate a stern-faced man with a long beard, a turban, eyes full of anger and a hoarse voice that makes his wife tremble with fear in her black burqa. Many years of exposure to media stereotypes of Muslim men and women have indeed created an image in our heads Westerners so solid, no clarification made by the moderate Muslim speakers can dream of shaking. All of a sudden, an Iraqi-Arab Muslim expat in his forties decides to open up about his life and confusion. His testimony/confessions make all the difference to a freelance musician with an entirely different background, not even sure if God actually exists. This is not a predictable read. When I first saw the title, I thought it was a jihadist’s memoir or possibly an account of his attempt to blow up a bridge somewhere in Europe or the US! As I started reading, I discovered that the bridge is a metaphor; a “buffer zone,” where many contemporary educated Muslims are standing nowadays, contemplating their lives and choices. Shakir describes himself as a Muslim from the “grey zone” between two different times and cultures and perspectives. He respects his Islamic heritage but does not hesitate to question and criticize the ideas and deeds of the radical Muslims. I think it’s a must read in this time of turmoil. I think it may well be titled: Fifty Shades of Islamic Grey!

[Stephen Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started on this a couple of days ago, wondering if I would find a further understanding of the contemporary Muslim world. In the light of current tragic events in Paris and the rest of the world, it is hard to know whether Shakir's book will provide any hope... So, having just finished the book - 4 stars for honesty and bravery. Additionally, I suppose I hadn't fully understood the degree to which apostasy (renunciation of one's faith) may be punishable in Muslim society ( ie significant threat of death ). The book and recent media coverage have highlighted this concept for me, and perhaps given at least some explanation of motivating factors (e.g. fear, compulsion etc). Nevertheless, for a non-Muslim, European, humanist the book really reads as an indictment of organised religion (all faiths) and their ongoing inability to create lasting harmony among people. There is one good bit of advice to guide us along the way - and I paraphrase - 'Virtue comforts the heart & calms the soul. Sin, that which does the opposite, irrespective of the opinion of others'. Then again, I suppose even the practice of that advice depends on an individual's acquired set of values.

[Madeline Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

not my favorite collection, but certainly insightful. i find it important to read accounts of people whose lives and upbringings differ from my own, particularly fellow muslims throughout my own journey only fairly recently embracing islam, so i was pleased to come across a memoir/collection of essays by a middle-aged iraqi muslim man who travels often and served in the military for a time. his own questions about faith and society and interactions with the people around him are full of openheartedness and humanity, which i appreciated even when some of his interpretations were frustrating (such as feeling disdain toward women wearing hijab, or criticizing the Prophet SAW for multiple wives without deeper context). some vignettes ran a bit lengthy for my taste, but between the slower parts were many glimmers that intrigued me. he ended the collection with a beautiful hadith on consulting the heart and the soul which is a lovely sentiment to reflect on

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently met the author so was intrigued to read his book. Would urge people to read, particularly those who lump all Muslims in together.

I am intrigued by religion, it fascinates me, not just western but all religion. To me so much of it reads the same and I once read somewhere that the different religions are different but the same, like the vital organs that make up a human body, it takes all the organs to keep the body alive, take away one and life ceases.

I admire the honesty of this work. I am from the West, a woman who does not believe in God and a bit of a feminist, albeit quite a lazy one. anyone would assume I would be diametrically opposed to anything an Iraqi-Arab Muslim man would have written and yet this book makes sense to me, the author questions things much the same way I would, not in everything, but in the most part.

Favourite bit: pg 288
The Prophet put his hand on the man's chest and told him thrice, "Consult your heart. Consult your soul." He then added, "Virtue is that which comforts your heart and calms your soul. And sin is that which disturbs your soul and troubles your chest even if people judge otherwise."

Makes perfect sense to me. A very interesting book.