This book, and The Kite Runner by the same author is about politics and religious politics in Afghanistan. There are negative scenes about Muslims behThis book, and The Kite Runner by the same author is about politics and religious politics in Afghanistan. There are negative scenes about Muslims behaving badly. Some find it offensive.
With that warning. The scenes in Afghanistan give depth to our ability to imagine life in that country....more
This is a fun book, more about coming of age and making immigrant decisions on your own in a new country. Light on religion, more about culture and paThis is a fun book, more about coming of age and making immigrant decisions on your own in a new country. Light on religion, more about culture and parent-child changes in young adulthood. College students from all over the world share an apartment in East Somerville (Pearl St.) They and some Americans make unlikely friends, have unlikely parties, and eat unlikely food. They find love, they lose love. In short, they muddle through life like most 20-somethings....more
This is a fascinating story of a family, told from several viewpoints looking at the same moments. How do people who love one another, want what’s besThis is a fascinating story of a family, told from several viewpoints looking at the same moments. How do people who love one another, want what’s best for one another find that they hurt one another deeply? And, all this happens in a family that is deeply Muslim, with American children finding their way to adulthood I. The home of their strict Indian parents....more
For the April book club, The Merrimack Valley chapter read "Threading My Prayer Rug: One Woman's journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim" by For the April book club, The Merrimack Valley chapter read "Threading My Prayer Rug: One Woman's journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim" by Sabeeha Rehman.
The book is about Sabeeha's story of having an arranged marriage and then emigrating from Pakistan to America. In the book, she talks about her transition from being a Pakistani Muslim to becoming an American Muslim and the trials and tribulations of raising her two sons as Muslims and retaining her Pakistani culture, whilst living in the American culture.
It is a great love story of how arranged marriages can work out and how couples should be there for one another to support each other through life. The author also talks about her interfaith work which is so important right now.
Since Sabeeha Rehman lives in the US, one of the Merrimack Valley Sisters contacted the author and arranged to have a Skype discussion with her during the meeting with the Daughters of Abraham group. The members were introduced to her and we asked her a few questions. Her answers were well thought out and informative. She advises young Muslim women to link up with the local Muslim community and other women. Make friends with neighbours and other mothers. She expressed her thoughts about how women can be spiritual leaders in the community too. We also spoke about some of the Sisters who are immigrants and their experiences.
It also turned out that one of the Sister's family lived in the same area and actually knew the author! What a small world we live in.
Daughters of Abraham! This book was a huge hit for our group. We had a fabulous discussion about life's trials that test our faith. This book is more Daughters of Abraham! This book was a huge hit for our group. We had a fabulous discussion about life's trials that test our faith. This book is more political than most that we choose. But, the story is both personal and political. Over the course of this memoir, Humaira Awais Shahid becomes a wife, a journalist, mother, and a legislator. She questions her faith and she regains it. She stands for what she thinks is right, based on Islam.
Ms Shahid's causes seem like they are obviously right, by Western standards. They are also obviously right according to Islam. She has spent years seeking justice for abused women who are burned on stoves or by acid and women who are forced into marriage by their families. She makes progress in ending Pakistan's version of loan sharking.
A warning: Don't look at the pictures in the middle of the book until you are finished reading it. The pictures give biographical information and act as a spoiler about her personal life events. ...more
Sudbury Valley Grp Reviews: Drawing on his own personal experiences growing up overseas coupled with his scholarly knowledge as a prominent American MSudbury Valley Grp Reviews: Drawing on his own personal experiences growing up overseas coupled with his scholarly knowledge as a prominent American Muslim prayer leader, the author makes the case for what he terms “authentic Islam”. His Islamic faith is spiritually grounded, flexible and adaptive, moderate and compassionate. Imam Rauf addresses a number of major issues that he argues have been subject to misperceptions and misrepresentations, including the role of women, fundamentalism, and the intersection of Islam and democracy. We were especially drawn to his discussion of Shariah, comparing and contrasting it to Jewish law and Christian canon as well as relating its structure to the American Constitution. Finally, he makes a very convincing call for a distinctly American Islam based on tolerance and moderation. Our group found the book to be an excellent platform for a very satisfying conversation. Some members shared their own immigrant stories and more recent experiences practicing their faith as Americans. We questioned each other about how well we thought the book would be received in our faith communities. And we unanimously recommend this book! ...more
Memoir of a Western Literature professor who taught at the college that was at the heart of the Iranian student movement. The book covers her life durMemoir of a Western Literature professor who taught at the college that was at the heart of the Iranian student movement. The book covers her life during the revolution. She is not a practicing Muslim, so the book is more about the culture than about religion. Some Muslims find this book anti-Muslim. Women who do not have a background in English language literature will find this a hard book to follow; it assumes you have read the novels she is discussing with the students....more
This book is an easy and enjoyable read about a difficult subject. Consider it “Iranian Revolution 101.” The author has a secular perspective; there aThis book is an easy and enjoyable read about a difficult subject. Consider it “Iranian Revolution 101.” The author has a secular perspective; there are only a few minor characters in the book who are practicing Muslims. The story has a viewpoint character who was a pre-teen during the Revolution and sees the events through a child’s eyes. This book is good to read alongside Journey From the Land of No, which covers the same period from a Jewish perspective. The discussion went into the politics of the time, the social culture, assimilation (the author moves to Europe), and identity. ...more
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