Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, is now over. But Naeem Randhawa’s revealing new documentary, “American Ramadan,” (released this month) continues to chug its way around the world. Its been picked up by local PBS channels, Link TV, and international satellite stations such as Pakistan’s GEO TV and Al-Jazeera.
First-time director Randhawa takes a look at five American Muslim families in the Dallas and Los Angeles areas during Ramadan in 2005. His interview subjects showcase the diversity of the American Muslim population: There’s the interracial couple, the divorced dad, the super-busy, overachieving, hijab-wearing college student, and the Indonesian wife and her Caucasian-convert husband.
Their stories have a raw quality that gets at the heart of what an American Ramadan is all about: Physically fasting and trying to reach a higher spiritual plane while struggling to manage the craziness of daily American life.
This point is especially telling in a scene when the college student requests a 15 minute break at her mall job, then dashes to her car to quickly break fast before heading back in. “Not very glamorous,” she wryly says to the camera. And that’s the challenge of fasting in this country.
“American Ramadan” plainly shows that though that “Ramadan feeling” (of communal spirituality) can be found at Friday prayers at a local mosque or in the evenings at taraweeh prayers, most often it’s a singular effort hampered by work, school, and family commitments.
When I spoke with Randhawa about the film, he described numerous obstacles he had in shooting the documentary. One of the participants started wearing a hijab midway through filming. Randhawa was faced with the possibility of losing hours of film he shot of her sans hijab. But after consulting a local imam, the woman agreed to let Randhawa use the earlier footage of her.
The documentary was definitely a learning experience and labor of love, Randhawa told me. His passion shows, but his filmmaking inexperience also is evident in the unsatisfying segues and repetitive images. Still, Randhawa (who is not a filmmaker by profession or study) produces a very viewable Ramadan experience for an American audience.
I’ve always thought fasting for Ramadan in a non-Muslim country is harder, and therefore my efforts (which are probably less than those fasting in a Muslim country) are hopefully recognized with much love by Allah. “American Ramadan” certainly hammers this point home.
posted October 30, 2006 at 7:57 pm
I would find it interesting to see and learn more about this Muslim holiday. Why are Christians denied the same rights in Muslim countries? These are reasons that Muslims are feared by most Christians.
posted November 11, 2006 at 5:07 am
Actually, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Christians enjoy the rights guaranteed in the Quran. If you understand differently, it is probably because you listen to your Christian leaders, most of whom are adulterous liars who take their congregstions’ donations in order to satisfy their sexual perversions. Muslims under the Christian fanatic Bush have lived in fear for years. Thankfully, Christian domination is dying in America just as it died in Europe. Yes, Christianity is at its’ end, with its’ polytheistic doctrines that have lead innocent people into the fires of Hell. Thank God Almighty.God demands monotheism, not worship of warm fuzzy polytheistic man-gods.
posted November 21, 2006 at 2:36 am
Through understanding, fear of the unknown or misunderstood will disappear, and a new appreciation will surface inshallah. Peace Be Unto You.
posted October 4, 2007 at 7:55 am
Salaam. ignoring the second comment, Under the Shari’ah law (Islamic Law) you will find that Muslims are to guarantee the safety and the security of Christians and Jews. For hundreds of years many Christians have co-exsisted in the Muslim world without persecutions, as well, Christians under Shari’ah law are not obligated to the same rulings as the Muslims because simply we do not share the same rulings on certain subjects. On another note, many of these Muslim countries that say they follow the Shari’ah, which are truly small in number, really are falling short in their governments, Many of these countries are not just unjust to people who may not be Muslim, but generally just as unjust to Muslims. For example if you were to go to Saudi as a Pakistani or an African you are treated like dirt. Saudi’s mistreat them openly, its a shame because this is the country that houses our most holy city, but this is just the nature of nationalism. In closing, I can’t wait to see this documentary and I also hope that many of the non muslims take the time out to open their eyes and their hearts and when they watch these shows come without pre-judgements, come to be a student and not a critic, and also talk to muslim people instead of listening to your media, you will find we aren’t so bad after all.
posted November 3, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Rather than degrade or disapprove af anothers act of worship, we should be mors supportive as a society, respecting each others views and educating one another