Hey there. I have been putting a little thought on my next few chapters of the Heart of it All. I've noted that around the Toledo Area and Detroit is a sizable Muslim population. In the Lake States Muslims have formed bazaars and their influence help make the country into the merchant based society they are today.
At the border though, in Toledo, many Muslims have to hide the fact. While at home they practice their religion in secret, many have to go so far as to "Anglicize" their names in order to get by on the Confederate ran streets.
Scott and company are going to rendezvous with a certain Muslim family. The Al Said family has been in contact with the Rebellion for awhile. Led by Mohammed Al-Said,his oldest child, Sadiq, provides transport across the Lake State Border. Meanwhile his son, Faried, helps relay information within the Toledo area. Lastly is Faried's twin sister, Fatima.
The major thing I want to do in these latest stories is to go in depth of a woman's role in Muslim society, and how that would affect Fatima, and Scott (If you've read my stories, is a woman who is very reluctant to accept that fact). Mohammed is more rigid in how he treats his daughter. However, I don't want to make a story about a Muslim family that is based on misconceptions or falsely based stereotypes; I'm not that way. I'd like help in order to make the story the best as I possibly can and acceptable to all audiences. Ultimately, I want Scott's interaction with this family to affect her internal conflict against her femininity, and provide a subtle, but still significant, change in how she views herself.
So, I just want to know certain practices, traditional clothing (Not Burqa's, Mohammed may be conservative, but not that far, plus wearing something like that might bring consequences from the Confederacy). Thanks!
Comments
Difficult
I know only enough that practices vary considerably from devout but pole dancing beauty queens to rarely seen and completely closeted. About all they would have in common is that they are devout. Good luck, you have picked a hard task..
I wish to know a little more about Muslim women
Talk to Gwen Brown.
May Your Light Forever Shine
I'll send a message her way
Thanks!
Extremely Violent 'marriage manual'. storylink
(I do not agree with any kind of spousal violence and think people who commit violence should be treated as criminals. I'm also sick as a dog and probably befuddled with cold meds, so the following is the extent of my contribution to this discussion.)
Outrage over 'wife beating' book
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2012/03/24/19545071.html
Excerpt from Toronto Sun news article,
TORONTO -- Farzana Baig says she is angry a book has surfaced in Toronto that advises Muslim men how to make their wives submissive through violence.
The book called A Gift for Muslim Couple -- which was being sold at Islamic Books and Souvenirs on Gerrard St. E. -- advises men on “punishing women and the manner to discipline them†by restraints, scoldings and beatings.
'Disgust' over Muslim wife-beating book
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2012/03/26/19552241.html
Some days you're the pigeon, some days you're the statue
Beating women Surah 4:34
This is a very confusing thing about Muslims. The link below has a very nice analysis of quranic interpretation. If one reads the passage, it seems to plainly say that men are the boss and there are a whole range of things a man can do to insure that she obeys, including beating her as a last resort. I know Muslim women who have been beaten by their fathers and husbands.
However, I have talked to a few Muslim scholars about that passage, and have been told that no where does the passage give men permission to beat their wives. The difficulty lies in the fact that the Quran is written in classical Arabic, which no one speaks or understands now days, except for the highest scholars.
After I read the modern interpretation of this passage, I realized that my reading the Quran was just nuts because virtually none of it can be interpreted correctly by the lay person. And, that eventually led me to give up on Islam.
http://www.ruqaiyyah.karoo.net/articles/beating.htm
For the purposes of writing a story, there are just lots of misinterpretations and misrepresentations of the Muslim experience, but I just wish to stick to the facts, and nothing but the facts.
One must also realize that there is a wide variety of Muslim experience, as in Christianity and Judaesim.
That happens quite a lot.
There's something similar to that with Christians in Russia. Back when they introduced Christianity the translations were so bad that many Russian worshippers took certain passages a certain way. And even today, there are certain sects that still refuse to accept the "true" translation of the Bible, even after high level ministers, and patriarchs, have declared otherwise.
Little Mosque on the Prairie
To get some insight, albeit comedic, into the interactions of Muslim women and the Muslim community in western society, you may wish to watch a few episodes of the Canadian TV series Little Mosque on the Prairie.
You Tube Link to the series
You can also read about it in wikipedia
Trap
Is discrimination and stereotyping okay for those we don't like?
Is anyone else disturbed that a request for information to avoid stereotypes and promote understanding contains negative stereotypes?
Granted, there are places where discrimination is rampant and that many have to hide or disguise their true natures. There are far too many places like that. However, I do not feel that it is justified to lump the individuals who are insensitive, uncaring, apathetic, into a specific stereotype that we can point to and ridicule.
If we do that, we are no better than those who oppose us.
Janet
Mistress of the Guild of Evil [Strawberry] Blonde Proofreaders
To be or not to be... ask Schrodinger's cat.
Better informed than stereotyped
Not really. I mean AiofeM obviously knows they have a view mostly dominated by negative stereotypes. I don't see the big problem in asking for information about it, while naming their own preconceptions.
I don't know about america, but in germany many muslim comunities segregated themselves from the rest of society. The effect is that the general opinion on the muslims is full of bias, thanks to a criminal, annoying or even islamistic minority.
I think requesting information is almost always right.
That wasn't my point.
That wasn't my point. Since when are the 'Confederates' (whomever they actually might be, now) deserving to be targets of stereotyped abuse?
My issue is not that information was being requested, it was that a group of people was being stereotyped in a negative fashion.
Sauce for the goose... [There is an old saying, I don't know whence it originates (England, most likely), that says that 'sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.' It generally means what's good for one is good for all.]
If we want people to speak well of us, we must offer them the same respect. Even ignorant boors (and Confederates?) deserve compassion and basic respect, do they not?
Janet
Mistress of the Guild of Evil [Strawberry] Blonde Proofreaders
To be or not to be... ask Schrodinger's cat.
Name confusion
Um I think AoifeM isn't talking about the confederates of history, but about those in their Wyld-Universe story. So yeah, apparently those neo-confederates are supposed to have something against muslims. Not that unrealistic in a world where they still kill Wyld-manifeste, even after they realise it hits everyone at 21.
This is not about indifference
This is about understanding. And that's the point. How can someone who is not Muslim write about something that she doesn't know a whole lot about?
Sorry, this is based in Canon of my story
Part of the Wyld series, that Saless started. America broke up in the future, many factions formed as a result, some more religious than others.
The discrimination is rampant throughout many parts of society, and religion is a major factor. Normally the discrimination is based on their hatred of the Wyld, who fear them and think their devil spawn or the like. However being a rather extremist christian nation, that train of thought would probably spread towards other affiliations, particularly Muslims. My character Scott Ryan, wants to liberate Toledo, and has been in communication with the Muslim factions in the town, as well as the bordering Lake States, where Muslims have a bigger presence.
This isn't about historical issues, mostly I'm trying to understand Islamic culture, so I can keep the story within the realms of possibility, and so I don't veer myself into terribly false stereotypes.
My intent is to actually make these latest characters out in a positive light, although like everybody else they have their problems and some decisions they make may be questionable. But that's how I make my characters, nothing is black and white. And I want to make these characters relateable and without any misconceived ideas.
Now I understand
I am not really familiar with the universe. Most of those stories come out in serial form and I tend to wait for finished stories.
I was under the impression that you were talking about the real Toledo, Confederates, etc.
Sure, bash any fictional characters you want. They deserve it. ;-)
Janet
Mistress of the Guild of Evil [Strawberry] Blonde Proofreaders
To be or not to be... ask Schrodinger's cat.
hehe, no problem.
I do admire your fire. I too wish for a world where everyone can live together, no matter our differences.
And just to reiterate
I'm looking about culture, what normal Muslim people do in society today. How Muslim women dress, interact, both with men and women, how parents raise their children, and how life in a Muslim nuclear family. I would rather not see anything related to an instance of violent behavior or whatever. That really isn't a religious thing, that's more of a aggressive behavior type thing, more based on the individual as a whole than what is taught in a religious institution.
Variety in Muslim cultures
From my seven years of experience, there is as much variation in Muslim women as in any other culture. In Christian culture, you have the Amish at one end and the Unitarians at the other.
So, we find huge ranges of diversity in all religious expressions including atheism.
One thing I noticed in Islam is that a woman will introduce herself to another woman, but you will likely not meet the husband, though you may meet the children. Keep in mind that I lived full time as a woman, and never revealed my past to other Muslims, though several times after a few months people would get curious and in violation of Surah 49, investigate.
Much peace
Khadijah
The quest for truth
THe quest for TRUTH in knowledge is a favourable quest. Personally I find the muslim peoples to be quite peaceful and understanding. Like anyone else they can be hurt. Like anyone else they are misunderstood when people don't ask questions like 'is what they show on TV REAL or just propoganda?"
The answer is simple. Ask your questions in sincerity and the truth will come. Make judgements based upon propoganda, and you will undoubtedly make a public fool of yourself.
I support your quest for truth and hope others will too.
Trans folk more intelligent than ...
After reading and commenting on this blog, I conclude that the folks on this site are more intelligent than the general population. I've heard all sorts of wild ideas about Muslims, but not here in this blog.
Ma Salaama
Khadijah
Well, by being transgender
I believe that we understand how bias and discrimination affects us just as much as anyone else. I wouldn't want to be accused of something that's either a over generalized stereotype, or something that only a select few people would do. I've met Muslims, I've never been really close, but I've been in classes with some in the past, and they seemed understandable (but I think college students are more open to issues like transgenderism than others).
Anyway, my characters are all varieties of Muslim people. Mohammed, being the elder, seems to have more of a traditionalist view of Muslim behavior, but his son, Faried, seems, to be a lot more liberal in comparison. All of the members of the Al Said family will probably go through some changes while going through these next few chapters. And I haven't even introduced Sadiq yet!
In the end I think these next few chapters will be fun to write. Hopefully it will be just as enjoyable for everybody to read!